YouTube Announces New Shows, CTV Ad Opportunities At IAB NewFronts

Among new original show announcements for ad-supported video platform YouTube, its connected TV ads will now offer new functions for advertisers. Viewers can click to go to a brand’s website while still watching a video.

The announcement came during YouTube’s IAB NewFronts presentation on Tuesday.

Brands will be able to measure conversions generated by brand extensions directly in Google Ads.

In addition, YouTube Select -- the platform’s curated content for brands -- is now making bigger sponsorships on a seasonal basis, such as Mother’s Day, Summer Wellness or Women in Music during Women’s History Month.

New original programming on YouTube includes “Best Shape of My Life” (working title), a six-part unscripted series following Will Smith on a fitness journey, and “Noted” (working title), a docuseries from musician Alicia Keys.

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Also starting this summer are "Ice Cold" from executive producers MIGOS, Kevin "Coach K." Lee and Pierre "P" Thomas, a docuseries focusing on hip-hop jewelry and its connection with social and racial issues -- as well as “Recipe for Change” (working title), which looks at shared meals among Asian-American storytellers celebrating API culture and community, while “Barbershop Medicine,” examines the impact of race and “socioeconomic status on healthcare and longevity."

The company released some key metrics during the presentation, including that YouTube reached more adults 18-49 than all linear TV networks combined in September 2020.

This comes from a Nielsen study commissioned for total TV measurement reach of persons 18-49 for Nielsen’s live program plus seven days of time-shifted viewing metric in U.S. TV homes, with one-minute qualifiers.

Also in December, YouTube says more than 25% of logged-in U.S. YouTube CTV viewers watched content almost exclusively -- more than 90% -- on the TV screen.

YouTube totals 40% of watch time of all ad-supported streaming, per Comscore.

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