Malaysia Airlines bags most popular YouTube ad in Malaysia
Rated based on the popularity and promotion of video advertisements by users, Google's list of top 10 most popular ads from January to June 2015 revealed that viewers were drawn to videos with heart-warming, nostalgic and emotional stories to tell.
MAS' video titled "Blessings, A Malaysian story" tells of the significance behind the many rituals during Chinese New Year, in a simple and heartwarming storyline with likeable local characters. The 12-minute clip was the longest video in the list of top 10 ads.
"We were honestly surprised when we found out we were the most popular ad on YouTube, because, I mean, who would have thought anybody would want to sit through a 12-minute ad," said Hisham Saleh, MAS head of social media and innovations.
"But this just proves that if it's a good story people can identify with, people will watch it till the end, and even share it with friends," he said at a Google press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.
The other top brands on the list were telecommunication giant Maxis, supermarket chain Tesco, Tenaga Nasional, Nestle, Honda, Knife cooking oil, Samsung mobile and online shopping channel 11street.
Managing director of Google Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines & Emerging Markets, Sajith Sivanandan said that the results could serve as a guideline to other brands planning to reach their audience through video advertisements.
"The top 10 ads in this list are well beyond the traditional 30-second ad length, showing that viewers on YouTube will engage with longer videos as long as there are great stories to go with high-level cinematic quality," he said.
He hailed the rise of "amazing creativity" in Malaysia's advertising industry, adding that YouTube was proud to serve as the digital canvas for this growth. – July 28, 2015.
(Left to right) 11street vice-president of Marketing Wong Siew Lai, Malaysia Airlines head of Social Media & Innovations Mohd Hisham Saleh, Maxis head of Marketing Services Sulin Lau, and MD of Google Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines & Emerging Markets, Sajith Sivanandan at the event today. – July 28, 2015.
(Left to right) 11street vice-president of Marketing Wong Siew Lai, Malaysia Airlines head of Social Media & Innovations Mohd Hisham Saleh, Maxis head of Marketing Services Sulin Lau, and MD of Google Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines & Emerging Markets, Sajith Sivanandan at the event today. – July 28, 2015.
