Google UK on the Magic of Sight, Sound and Motion

Christmas advertising is the ultimate challenge when it comes to the craft of advertising in the UK. It’s when the magic of sight, sound and motion come together to create advertising that people anticipate and want to watch. 

A perfect example of this is the John Lewis Christmas ad (below) which, since 2007, has used a mix of emotion, creative execution and soundtrack to draw us in – this year choosing to pivot to use of humour rather than sentiment. 

This pivot appears to have been successful when it comes to talkability. According to YouGov, the ad has reached a higher word of mouth exposure score than the previous three John Lewis Christmas ads. However, the change only works because John Lewis has kept the fundamentals of sight, sound and motion consistent. 

These are the key pillars of successful brand building through video. The John Lewis ads are a good demonstration of the power of research from Peter Field and Les Binet for the IPA which has found that, for long term brand building, video is king because the power of emotion that it can convey, whether that be via TV or online video. 

However, this power is dimmed if one of the pillars of sight, sound or motion is removed. That's why online video is most effective when you maximise WAVE: watch time, audibility, viewability and engagement. Our data shows that ad recall is 23% higher when viewers are exposed to ads containing both audio and visual cues. And 96% of YouTube users now watch video with the sound on, ensuring ads deliver their full impact. 

For creatives and brands this data is huge boon, as it reassures us that the full gamut of our creativity can be unleashed to present a fuller, truly engaging narrative that tells the story of our brand. 

This is something that many brands appreciate. “This year we created a longer length Christmas ad specifically for YouTube, which allows us to tell our Christmas story in greater depth," says Shop Direct's group marketing director Kenyatte Nelson. "YouTube as always is a great partner in getting the content we create in front of the people we think it will resonate with, and we’re thrilled to see our Christmas ad getting such a great response.” 

The power of sound on YouTube is giving rise to a new trend. Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is a fast-rising search term, now even more searched for than chocolate. ASMR is a physical and calming response, sometimes referred to as brain massage, which is triggered by specific sights and sounds.

ASMR practitioners often employ objects, especially food products, to create a tingly effect: crinkling wrappers, chewing candy, cracking open cans. A search for "beer ASMR" on YouTube returns over 81,000 video results. So there is an opportunity for brands to overtly engage with this audience which is already interacting with their products, albeit in a surprising manner. 

KFC is one brand that has embraced the trend. In a recent YouTube video (above), the actor George Hamilton, portraying Colonel Sanders,whispers sweet nothings about pocket squares and enjoys the sounds of KFC's new crispy fried chicken. "This is a community that is absolutely infatuated and enthusiastic about the sensorial experience of sound," said KFC's CMO Kevin Hochman in The Washington Post. "There's a lot of comfort that's associated with ASMR, and that's what our food delivers." 

Great advertising has always been about harnessing the power of sight, sound and motion. The Internet, and YouTube, are unlocking new avenues of creativity. And great creative that makes the most of watchtime, audibility, viewability and engagement  drives effectiveness.