Challenge
ASOS wanted to test whether its emotionally resonant long-form video content could drive stronger brand engagement with Gen Z across different video channels. The team specifically wanted to evaluate how YouTube ads performed versus broadcaster and video on demand platforms.Approach
Google and ASOS partnered with Kantar to run a Context Lab study on Kantar Marketplace, comparing campaign performance across three channels: YouTube, a major UK broadcaster, and a global video streaming platform. The same creative was tested across channels among 18–34s, with a focus on the core Gen Z segment (18–26s). Kantar measured shifts in key brand metrics, including awareness, consideration, and brand-message linkage.
Insight
Across the total audience, Context Lab data proved that the YouTube ad matched or exceeded the performance of other channels on brand awareness, while driving significantly higher cost efficiency: 50% lower cost than the video on demand platform and 70% lower than the broadcaster.
The non-skippable nature of the YouTube ad format engaged consumer attention at stronger levels than the VOD content, as YouTube users see the ad before their video content, ensuring continuous attention, while VOD viewers experience brief interruptions during their watched content.
As a result, among Gen Z, the YouTube ad delivered the strongest lift in brand awareness at +31%, compared to +27% for the broadcaster and +25% for the streaming platform. The YouTube ad also outperformed in driving consideration and favourability, proving its effectiveness beyond just product-led content. The YouTube content also delivered the strongest impact on brand awareness among a core interest-based audience, showcasing the platform’s ability to reach and influence niche consumer segments.
Impact
The study provided clear, data-driven evidence of YouTube ad effectiveness and cost-efficiency versus VOD for reaching Gen Z with long-form creative. This insight empowers advertisers like ASOS — and publishers like Google — to confidently prioritize YouTube advertising in their video campaigns to maximize brand impact and efficiency.