{"id":10125,"date":"2018-12-23T17:15:04","date_gmt":"2018-12-23T15:15:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.powtoon.com\/blog\/?p=10125"},"modified":"2025-07-18T12:40:48","modified_gmt":"2025-07-18T10:40:48","slug":"a-new-cta-is-born-from-youtubes-2018-ads-of-the-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.powtoon.com\/blog\/a-new-cta-is-born-from-youtubes-2018-ads-of-the-year\/","title":{"rendered":"A New CTA Is Born from YouTube\u2019s 2018 Ads of the Year"},"content":{"rendered":"Read Time: <\/span> 5<\/span> minutes <\/span><\/span>\n

We\u2019ve all clicked on a YouTube video, only to impatiently stare at the countdown on the bottom right-hand corner of the screen for the \u201cSkip Ad\u201d button to appear. But what about those ads that hook you in and keep you watching long after that button surfaces on the screen?
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This year, YouTube teamed up with The Webby Awards<\/a> to present the top YouTube ads people couldn\u2019t help but keep watching. Now, the great video lovers of the universe have voted, revealing the best YouTube ads of 2018<\/a> in categories like #TheYouTubeAd That Deserves Best Picture, #TheYouTubeAd That Taught Me, and #TheYouTubeAd That Rewrites the Rules. Funny, heartwarming, thought-proving, or a moving mixture of all three, these videos offered up so much more than a sales pitch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, while these videos can draw much inspiration for ads you can make this holiday season and beyond, it can be hard to put your finger exactly on what elements make them tick and which you can apply when advertising your own product. To help give you a little actionable insight, here are the four guiding principles to help you craft and execute a video ad with impact.
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Four Guiding Principles for Every Ad<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Brand identity <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A no-brainer to start, your ad should include who you are as a company. This can appear visually by offering a look at your product in action, your logo, or even a more metaphysical representation of what you\u2019re all about. You already know that what sells is more than just your product, it\u2019s the brand and feeling that comes along with it. Make those shine!
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Identify the audience<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As important as it is to identify your brand, you need to identify your product\u2019s audience too. Be it through the actor you\u2019ve chosen (from a celebrity cameo to a hunky stand-in from your development team) or written into the script you write<\/a>, get your target audience to feel that your product is perfect for people just like them.
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Pain, solution, benefit<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The royal trifecta! Take the viewer through the buyer\u2019s journey or the path they\u2019ll take to finally purchasing your great product or service. This all starts with the pain they feel right now, then guiding them to your product as a solution to those challenges, and then wowing them with all the awesome ways your product will change their lives for the better, forever.
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Calls to action (CTA)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Traditionally speaking, your ad\u2019s goal is simply to sell. Be sure to create a sense of urgency so that the video ad viewer feels compelled to trust you over your competitors and buy from you ASAP. But tons more on this later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Video Ad Must-Haves: How YouTube\u2019s Top 2018 Ads Stack Up<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

That being said, how do this year\u2019s YouTube Ads of Year stack on these four fronts? Let\u2019s take a look!
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How do the winning brands stack up when it comes to the essential elements of an ad?
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Anything jumping out at you looking at this table? If you\u2019re thinking what I\u2019m thinking, Nectar is the ONLY winner this year that checks off every box of our \u201cvideo ad must-haves.\u201d So what can we learn from this as video ad creators?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nectar uses every must-have<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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