When Social Goes Traditional

While driving in Los Angeles, this billboard caught my attention. Not only is YouTube advertising on a billboard, but they are advertising a specific creator. Based on what I’ve learned in SMM, I couldn’t help but think of the business objectives, audience strategies, brand messaging, and content selection that YouTube was making. Here, they have advertised Tyler Oakley, a social and humoristic content developer mainly focused on social activism. With the slogan “Dare to be you” in the lower right corner and the number of fans clearly displayed in the bottom left corner, YouTube seems to be suggesting that YouTube is place where everyone can find a channel to connect with, and they’ve used Tyler’s channel to show that. They are clearly seeking to reinforce existing viewers and convert others (either from other YouTube channels or other sites altogether). Since YouTube takes 40% of ad revenue, the growth in viewership helps the company monetize. It is interesting to me that they feel they can reach new audiences through traditional P&A spending given that they are an inherently digital business, but it proves that the convergence of digital, social, and traditional strategies is both fascinating and evolving before our very eyes!