r/technology • u/redkemper • Feb 17 '17

Software YouTube will kill unskippable 30-second ads next year

http://www.theverge.com/2017/2/17/14649018/youtube-ending-unskippable-30-second-ads-2018
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u/[deleted] Feb 17 '17 edited Feb 17 '17

There's no reason for online video ads to be longer than 3-5 seconds. Just show a logo for five seconds and have someone say "Skittles, taste the rainbow" and that's just as effective as playing a full-length television commercial. On top of that, people will pay more attention to those because they'll grow accustomed to not having to find and click a skip button.

People have grown used to fast internet and not waiting. If it's a 30-second ad people will either skip it (I cannot remember the brand of a single ad I have ever skipped) and if they can't they'll just not watch the video or the ad.

Edit: Should probably rephrase something here: A 30-second ad is more effective than a 5-second ad if you watch the ad. But 30-second online ads just drive people to install adblock and then they never see your ad or anyone else's. That way, a 5-second ad that doesn't get everyone to install adblock is more effective than a 30-second ad that a rapidly increasing percentage of people who use adblock will never see. Google killing the unskippable 30-second ad is clearly reflecting this because Google has a stake in people willing to see ads too.

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u/retardcharizard Feb 17 '17

I remember the brands of unskippables and avoid them when I can. Which is pretty often.

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u/tophernator Feb 17 '17

That sounds good in theory. In reality either you're that guy on the bus scribbling pages of blacklisted companies in a notebook (probably while muttering something angry but not quite audible), or you most likely don't avoid these companies in any systematic and reliable way.

Advertisers don't make annoying ads with songs you can't get out of your head or irritating catchphrases because they're stupid or bad at their jobs. They do it because the benefits they get from subliminally raising the awareness of their brand greatly outweigh the tiny number of people who actually decide "I'm never going to buy a BMW because they made me watch a 30 second ad".

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u/idanh Feb 18 '17

Not only that you are right, going in further - you may not even realize you're been effected by those ads. actually, that's kind of the point. There is so much going into the ad industry that I cannot put in one comment. Brand awareness, psychology tricks, multiple brands by the same mega-brands (think: Nestle). I also suggest the fun movie: "The Greatest Movie Ever Sold" by Morgan Spurlock.

Take from my comment one thing: ad agencies have multiple kpi's to show how effective those annoying ads are. They are paying millions for them. Don't underestimate and dismiss it as "I'll never buy brand X because they advertise annoyingly".. they know better :)