Regarding new ad formats, YouTube’s offering includes tech built with Gemini to identify and match ads with contextually relevant “peak moments” within popular YouTube content and moments where audiences are most likely to be engaged.

YouTube also rebranded its homepage placement with a design to give brands a more cinematic, edge-to-edge canvas for their ads to grab users’ attention. And speaking of attention, the company noted that its internal data found that the platform’s campaigns on CTV drove more than 50 million monthly average users.

YouTube’s brand success

One of the brands that was a featured speaker at the presentation was Volvo, which is leveraging YouTube to create better customer experiences, reach broader audiences, and tap into the culture. According to the luxury car brand, YouTube has become its single biggest driver of brand consideration and incremental registrations.

Other brand case studies include Inspire Brands, the parent company of Dunkin’ Donuts, which has reported seeing success with Gen Z. Dunkin’ especially has been popular on YouTube Shorts through its various partnerships with creators during the holiday season, achieving 78% positive sentiment.

Hilton partnered with YouTube during events like F1 and the Grammys, and even doubled down on influential creator partnerships such as Aarava to connect with travelers based on their interests. According to the hotel chain, the approach has led to outcomes like a 5-to-1 return on ad spend.

Meanwhile, State Farm is a sponsor of the PGA Championships, connecting with golf fans through 100% Share of Voice takeovers on Grant Horvat and Good Good’s channels as well as a custom brand integration into Caddie & the Kid, a new golf series premiering on the LOL Network’s YouTube channel.