If you’re someone from the 90s and still breathing, you probably have seen the

journey of video marketing from its humble beginnings on television. You know that it has made its way to social media today and dominating.

Now, this article will be interesting for content creators or people who work with ‘videos’ as we’re about to take you to a flashback. And then, we’ll talk about where we are today and how it all has changed.

Meaning — you’ll be able to explore the fascinating evolution of video marketing and how it has transformed the way brands connect with consumers.

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The Very First TVC: How It All Started

This section might look like some ‘History Homework’ but keep reading to get amazing insights.

Back on July 1st, 1941, Bulova snagged the title of "first-ever paid TV advertiser" during a Brooklyn Dodgers vs. Philadelphia Phillies game on WNBT (now known as WNBC).

This wasn't exactly a Hollywood blockbuster for an ad. Here’s the fun fact, the whole thing cost Bulova a cool nine bucks – that's like $150 today! Crazy, right?

The commercial itself was pretty neat – they took the station's test pattern and turned it into a clock, with the Bulova logo and "Bulova Watch Time" proudly displayed.

After World War II, television exploded in popularity. Advertisers took notice, and video ad expenditure skyrocketed from a mere $12.3 million to a whopping $128 million in the 1950s. This era, known as the Golden Age of television advertising, saw brands crafting commercials that resonated deeply with viewers.

Family values, traditions, and the pursuit of the "American Dream" became central themes. Memorable mascots and catchy jingles further solidified these messages in the minds of consumers.

Imagine this: it's the 1950s, the war is over, and everyone's got a brand-new TV. Talk about prime time for advertisers! This era, roughly between 1950 and the mid-60s, was all about reaching families coast-to-coast.

Why? Well, the Baby Boom meant tons of new consumers, eager to spend money saved up during the war. So, advertisers jumped in, selling everything from cars to cleaning supplies (remember the Ajax Pixies?).

They did this by creating commercials that felt like little TV shows, filled with happy families and catchy jingles that stuck in your head for days (think Alka Seltzer's "Plop, plop, fizz, fizz" or Oscar Mayer's "My bologna has a first name, it's O-S-C-A-R").

Back then, advertisers even sponsored entire TV shows! They had so much control, that they could even prevent competitors from advertising during their program. But as costs rose, this system changed. Networks started selling commercial slots like tickets, and competition for those slots drove the price way up. This trend reached its peak every year at the biggest TV event – the Super Bowl!

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The Birth of Online Ads (1994):

In 1994, history was made! The very first banner ad appeared on HotWired (now Wired.com). AT&T took a chance, paying $30,000 to display their ad for three months. Their cheeky challenge, "Have you ever clicked your mouse right here? You will," was a hit, with a surprising click-through rate of 44%. This success showed marketers a key advantage online ads held over traditional TV: reaching a targeted audience.

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The Rise of Targeted Ads (2000s):

Fast forward to 2000. Google AdWords launched, allowing ads to be displayed based on what users searched for. Then, in 2004, Facebook entered the scene. Their massive user base and data collection opened a new frontier for advertisers. Now, they could understand consumers' behavior and interests like never before, creating highly targeted ads.

2005: Rise of Mobile Youtube

YouTube launched its mobile platform in 2005, a move that proved hugely successful. Users could finally watch their favorite YouTube videos on the go, not just at their computers. This mobile-first approach was a hit, reaching over 100 million daily views within a year.

Things kept moving fast for YouTube. In 2006, they introduced interactive video ads in the top right corner of the homepage. These click-to-play ads seemed to resonate well, as Google acquired YouTube that same year for a cool $1.65 billion. The acquisition also opened the door for even more advertising formats on the platform.

This keeps the tone informative with a touch of informality, avoiding slang and excessive exclamation points.

In 2007, YouTube launched two big features: video ads and a partner program. This program allowed creators to make money from their videos, which helped fuel YouTube's growth. By November 2008, pre-roll ads started appearing before some videos.

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Let's Talk Ad Formats:

Fast forward to today, YouTube offers a variety of ad formats to fit different needs:

• Skippable in-stream ads: These ads are the most common type. They can show up before, during, or after a video, but viewers can skip them after 5 seconds. Advertisers only pay if someone watches for 30 seconds at least.
• Non-skippable in-stream ads: Short and to the point (15 seconds!), these ads play before the main video and can't be skipped. They usually have a countdown timer to let viewers know how long they have left.
• Discovery Ads: Ever notice those video suggestions on the right side of the player, or see ads based on your searches? Those are Discovery Ads! Advertisers pay each time someone clicks on these.
• Bumper Ads: Think quick and catchy! These 6-second ads appear before videos and can't be skipped. They're sold based on a cost-per-thousand-impressions (CPM) model, meaning advertisers pay a set fee for every thousand times the ad is shown.

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More On Mobile Ads: How Video Ads Took Over Your Phone (Thanks, 2007!

In 2007, Smartphones, like the first iPhone, became way more user-friendly. No more tiny screens and slow internet! Now you can scroll through websites and access apps like YouTube, all on a bigger screen with better connection.

This mobile revolution changed the game for advertisers. They could finally reach people anywhere, anytime – a far cry from static newspaper ads. Fun fact: mobile video ads have skyrocketed! Half of all video ad views happen on mobile devices, a 40% jump since 2018.

There's a bit of a catch, though. With all this on-the-go viewing, people's attention spans for ads have shrunk. News feed video ads, for example, only hold viewers' attention for about 5.7 seconds on average. That 30-second commercial you loved on TV? Not gonna fly here. Video marketers had to adapt, creating shorter, more engaging content to grab viewers in those precious few seconds.

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The Rise of Video Ads: A Platform Revolution (2013-Present)

Around 2013, video content exploded online. Consumers craved it, and social media companies rushed to deliver. Now, major players like YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram all boast video capabilities. Here's a look at some key platforms that transformed the video advertising landscape:

Short-Form Stars (2013-2016):

• Vine (2013-2016): This Twitter-owned platform took the internet by storm with its 6-second video limit. Users created hilarious viral content, but Vine's resistance to monetization limited its appeal for advertisers. It sadly shut down in 2016.
• Snapchat (2012-Present): Introduced in late 2012, Snapchat's disappearing videos (Snaps) offered a unique marketing opportunity. Brands could reach younger demographics through short-form video ads within Stories and feeds. Today, Snapchat boasts billions of daily video views, making it a strong platform for youth-oriented campaigns.

The Power Players Emerge (2013-Present):

• Instagram (2013-Present): In 2013, Instagram joined the video party, allowing users to share 15-second clips. Today, it offers a wide range of ad formats, from in-feed videos to carousel ads, catering to diverse marketing goals.
• Facebook (2013-Present): In 2013, Facebook introduced autoplay video in feeds, becoming the second-largest video platform after YouTube. Their ad options are vast, including slideshows, interactive app previews, and immersive Instant Experiences.

The New Generation (2016-Present):

• TikTok (2016-Present): Launched in 2016, TikTok offered a platform for creating and sharing short, engaging videos. Its focus on lip-syncing, music, dance, and comedy fueled its rapid growth. Today, it boasts millions of users and a variety of ad formats, including in-feed video ads, branded hashtag challenges, and AR filters. Like Snapchat, TikTok attracts a younger audience, ideal for targeting Gen Z.

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Social Media: A Platform for Content Creators

It's the king of content, grabbing everyone's attention – both viewers and marketers alike. Believe it or not, over half (that's 54%!) of marketers say video is their secret weapon for social media success.

But here's the crazy part: even though the video is so powerful, it's still not being used nearly enough on the big three social media platforms – Facebook, Instagram, and

Twitter. We're talking only 14% of content on Facebook, 11% on Instagram, and a measly 5% on Twitter are videos! There's a whole treasure trove of video potential waiting to be discovered.

And the good news? Using video on social media pays off BIG TIME. A whopping 93% of companies have scored new customers thanks to strategic social media videos. It's like a magic growth potion for businesses!

The future is looking even more video-focused. According to a report, by 2023, most of the stuff you see online (over 82.5%) will be videos, and social media is a big reason why. YouTube, with its massive user base of over 2 billion people, is a prime example of this video dominance.

So, the message is clear: social media and video are a match made in marketing heaven. Time to jump on the bandwagon!

From Creators to Influencers

YouTube empowered everyday people to become content creators, sharing videos about anything imaginable, from fashion and food to travel and tech. This trend spread to other platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok, all with massive user bases.

Each platform fostered a unique community of creators, content, and viewers. Brands, eager to reach these audiences, turned to digital marketing. While traditional paid advertising existed, a new approach emerged: partnering with these established creators, the social media "influencers."

These folks can be your next-door neighbor who loves cooking or a travel blogger with amazing vacation pics. Everyone is creating content now. And the ones with thousands to millions of followers are sponsored by brands.

The price tag for these influencer partnerships can vary wildly. It depends on how many people they reach (think follower count), how engaged their audience is (do their followers like and comment?), and how well the product or service fits their usual content. It can range from a casual ten bucks to a whopping ten thousand per video!

Things got so crazy that these social media stars became celebrities themselves. Suddenly, you'd see them popping up on shows like The Masked Singer or Dancing With The Stars. Who knew creating content online could lead to that kind of fame?

Short Form Videos

Forget those long-winded TV commercials! Social media is all about short and sweet videos now. Brands everywhere are jumping on this trend, especially when it comes to

user-generated content (UGC) – that's when regular people like you and me create content about their products.

Think Instagram

Tons of influencers are whipping up awesome branded content that's perfect for scrolling through. It's a win-win for everyone: brands get their message out, and creators get paid or snag cool products. Now, some Instagram videos can stretch to a whole 90 seconds (crazy, right?), but let's be real, nobody wants to spend that long watching an ad these days.

The real stars of the show are the super-short videos, think 2 to 10 seconds. If a brand can't grab your attention in that time, you're just gonna swipe right past. Vine and Snapchat were the OG's of this ultra-short game, but the king of the castle is definitely TikTok.

TikTok already has over a BILLION active users, with millions creating content daily. It's gotten so popular that companies are even hiring full-time TikTok stars to make viral videos that lead to viral sales. Talk about a career change, huh?

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What about Facebook; the OG of Social Media Platform?

Though some of us oldies might argue MySpace was first! When it comes to video ads, Facebook is a bit more old-school. Sure, influencers and user-generated content can still shine there, but Facebook's whole system is geared toward those classic video ads you might remember.

Think about it: ever mutter "need new soap" near your phone, then BAM – the next day, Facebook shows you an ad for fancy, pumpkin spice-scented soap? That's Facebook's targeting in action!

That's why video marketing on different platforms is like choosing the right tool for the job. Some companies might crush it with longer Facebook ads, while others win big with a snappy 30-second TikTok clip.

The bottom line? Short, creative social media videos are king. They tap into both the power of brilliant ideas and, well, the fact that we're all a little more swipe-happy these days.

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