Viewership rates for YouTube preroll ads are generally abysmal. According to some research, 94 percent of preroll gets skipped immediately after the first five seconds (which are unskippable). And in fact, that number seems low.
Part of the problem is, very few marketers specifically tailor ads to pre-roll—they prefer simply to run their TV spots unchanged. But that ignores the fact that those first five seconds are crucial. If you don't hook people then, you'll lose them.
Geico understands this, though, and is rolling out some fun new digital ads today—from The Martin Agency—that really put the emphasis on those first five seconds. Absurdly and comically so. The ads will run as :15s, :30s and even longer spots, but what happens after the first five seconds is part of the humor.
Two executions, "Family" and "High Five," roll out today in various lengths. Two more are coming soon. UPDATE: All four spots are now posted below.
CREDITS
Client: Geico
Vice President, Marketing: Ted Ward
Mgr., Broadcast Production and Agency Relations: Amy Hooks
Marketing Buyer: Katherine Kalec
Marketing Buyer: Brighid Griffin
Marketing Coordinator: Thomas Perlozzo
Agency: The Martin Agency, Richmond, Va.
Chief Creative Officer: Joe Alexander
SVP/Group Creative Director: Steve Bassett
SVP/Group Creative Director: Wade Alger
VP/Associate Creative Director: Neel Williams
Associate Creative Director: Mauricio Mazzariol
VP/Executive Producer: Brett Alexander
Broadcast Producer: Liza Miller
Junior Broadcast Producer: Coleman Sweeney
Business Affairs Supervisor: Suzanne Wieringo
Sr. Integrated Production Business Manager: Amy Trenz
Financial Manager: Monica Cox
SVP/ Group Account Director: Brad Higdon
Account Supervisor: Josh Lybarger
Account Executive: Allison Hensley
Senior Project Manager: Karen McEwan
Production Company: Park Pictures
Director: Terri Timely
Executive Producer: Justin Pollock
Executive Producer: Jackie Kelman Bisbee
Line Producer: David Lambert
Editorial Company: Whitehouse Post
Editor: Caleb Hepler
Executive Producer: Kristin Branstetter
Producer: Jojo Sheer
Telecine: Co3
Colorist: Tim Mascik
Post Facility: Running with Scissors
Flame Artist: Chris Hagen
Executive Producer: Scott Friske
Senior Producer: Cheryl Lage
Music: APM
Audio Post Company: Rainmaker Studios
Engineer/Mixer: Jeff McManus