Singapore — Global media and tech company Yahoo has unveiled its latest ad solution, Video Lite, in Asia-Pacific (APAC) that will elevate the video assets of brands for a stronger storytelling experience. Among those who had already utilised the new feature are transport company Grab, and delivery platform foodpanda.
Video Lite is available for private marketplace (PMP) campaigns via Yahoo Exchange, which allows advertisers to raise existing video creatives for digital media placements through the addition of end cards or branded frames, (Call To Action) CTA buttons and messages.
Yahoo cites the inspiration for the new feature as the massive digitisation wave continues across Southeast Asia, which recorded 60 million new internet users in 2021 alone. Notably, in SEA, e-commerce has experienced an unstoppable growth, valued at approximately US$120b in 2021 and forecasted to increase significantly by 2025 to be worth US$234b.
Although Yahoo recognises the strengths of videos as a medium and channel for brands to captivate audiences, the company says it is not known for causing actionable responses compared to other ad formats. But with Video Lite, brands will unlock stronger storytelling by helping brands bridge video’s convenience gap for consumers and close the loop, taking them from experience to action through a clearer path to purchase while also emphasising brand visuals and messaging.
The new video component has two new features: Branded Frames, and End Cards. Brand frames, fit for videos up to 30 seconds, give access to complementary graphics, text ad copies and CTA buttons to be added seamlessly alongside a minimised video to reinforce key brand visuals and messaging and provide a direct path to purchase. Meanwhile End Cards, suitable for shorter videos up to 15 seconds, create a one-click checkout point, when attention is at its peak, by maximising graphics and text ad copies with CTA buttons, emphasising key brand visuals and messaging with a direct path to purchase, at the end of existing video assets.
Shrivardhan Sarda, head of buyer development of Yahoo APAC, commented, “For many APAC advertisers, especially e-commerce brands, conversions remain the primary focus in their advertising campaigns. Our new Video Lite feature seeks to enhance brand storytelling through videos – optimising creatives for digital media placements by giving greater emphasis to important messages and forging a clearer path for consumers to complete their conversion journey with clear, actionable CTAs.”
Hadi Surya Koe, head of marketing Grabfood – Grab Indonesia, said,“We’re delighted to become one of the first users of Video Lite in the region. Makanthon is our marquee campaign of the year and we’re glad we got to explore new ways of reaching new audiences. We look forward to utilising more innovative ways to connect with our customers through collaboration with platforms and solutions, like Yahoo.”
Grab Indonesia utilised Video Lite by adding a branded frame to their existing video asset for their GrabFood and GrabMart prominent campaign, Makanthon 2021. The branded frame emphasised time urgency and highlighted the chance for customers to win prizes, namely gold, smartphones, and a luxury car, with a clear CTA button for users to make a purchase or order immediately. The campaign ran between Nov 16 and Dec 26 December on Yahoo’s owned and operated properties in Indonesia.
Meanwhile, foodpanda in Singapore also utilised Video Lite, with a branded frame over their “We’ve got you Santa!” video to drive awareness for its holiday Christmas campaign. The branded frame sought to up the ante on the Christmas spirit and emphasise foodpanda’s “we’ve got you” commitment to its customers to help with their gifting, feasting and festive needs that is conveniently just a tap away with the “Order Now” CTA button. The campaign ran from Dec 6 to 26 on Yahoo’s owned and operated properties in Singapore, alongside other premium lifestyle publishers in the country.
Laura Kantor, marketing and sustainability director for foodpanda Singapore, shared, “Time is increasingly becoming a scarce resource for all of us. Being in the business of convenience, we know how much our customers appreciate having things delivered to them in a timely manner – and this goes for the content that they consume as well. With Video Lite, we can now enhance the way we engage with our customers by providing them with bite-sized videos that are visually engaging and easily digestible, therefore ensuring maximum recall.”
On the success of the two partnerships, Sarda said that better ads are better for everyone. According to him, as a consumer, better ads improve the browsing experience and clearer CTAs deliver convenience, shortening the path to purchase for immediate action.
“For brands, this will mean meaningful engagements at every touchpoint that will help realise their campaign goals and deliver maximum ROI. We’re excited to have piloted Video Lite with Grab and foodpanda in SEA, and we look forward to empowering more brands and helping them forge a path to engage with their target audiences at scale,” Sarda said.
The Video Lite feature can now be availed by agencies and advertisers across APAC, and enhanced video ads can be executed on their preferred DSP with PMP deals using Yahoo Exchange.
