How To Get Consumers to Voluntarily Watch Your Commercial (Or: YouTube)

Every now and then, a commercial comes along that manages to become a huge hit, resonating beyond target demographics and international boundaries. It becomes a topic of conversation. People seek it out so that they can be the one to say “Oh, I’ve seen that!”

It used to be the holy grail of commercials happened once a year. Superbowl halftime has been known to make or break brands. If your commercial aired during this most coveted time slot, it was guaranteed to be noticed, and even talked about, but that exposure came with a huge price. The wrong message or positioning at the wrong time could cause a dire return on investment. Superbowl commercial slots are notoriously expensive!

Well, that was then, and this is now: the paradigm for advertising has shifted. YouTube has changed the way people get information, and for the most part, edited commercials out of the media experience. So how do you get people to voluntarily watch your commercial?

Over the last few days, Reindeer have managed to secure over a million views for the latest SoBe Life Water TV Commercial. Our methodology was simple, and involved adapting the existing YouTube success models to our own needs. There is a pervasive culture on YouTube, and to achieve the best results, you have to speak to that culture. This is especially true if you want to ignite conversation, and have people continue to talk about your brand on their own free time.