Form and function / This campaign turns the skippable, ultra-brief format that people can’t wait to pass on into a strength. The cleverly designed pre-rolls connect the dots between saving time and the art of organisation, serving Ikea’s message. And the way they do it is powerful: the ads don’t just tell you about it, they demonstrate it for you.
In essence, the campaign embodies the philosophy that ‘the medium is the message’. The phrase, coined by the Canadian communication theorist Marshall McLuhan, reflects the idea that the medium selected for conveying a message is at least as important as the message itself. This campaign stands as a telling example of McLuhan’s theory. Laden with meaning, the pre-roll format becomes a vehicle for expressing the brand message through its form.
It’s also a reminder that pre-rolls – like most mediums – are most impactful when brands create content tailored specifically for them. Explore our selection of the most creative pre-roll ads here.
Context is key / The choice of pre-roll YouTube ads in India is notable as the platform is extremely popular here.
The high consumption of online content is a direct result of the surge in internet accessibility during the late 2010s. People started turning to YouTube for educational purposes when their teachers didn’t turn up at their schools, and in areas with no cinemas, people turned to YouTube content for entertainment. By 2019, 245 million Indians were watching YouTube videos on their phones every month. In July 2023, the Southeast Asian nation has an estimated 467 million YouTube users, far above any other country. Brands looking to speak to a big, broad audience in India would do well to put YouTube in their media mix.
