Unless you employ an ad-blocker, you’re probably used to seeing pre-roll ads on YouTube™ videos. You can normally skip the longer spots if they’re not really your thing, but a new format announced April 26th, which Google calls “Bumper” ads, will bypass that reflex by keeping things short. Like, six seconds short. They’ll launch in May and are designed to appear before videos that you watch on your smartphone or tablet.
Google Product Manager Zach Lupei refers to the new Bumper ads as “little haikus of video ads.” YouTube is adopting this strategy to engage with younger, mobile first audiences. Audi Germany and Atlantic Records are already on board and have been testing the new format.
It’s safe to say YouTube has spent some time putting the finishing touches on its new service. The company tells potential advertisers that Bumper ads work best when combined with other YouTube ads, suggesting that brands will soon place ad spots of varying lengths in an attempt to grab your attention.
