Subrat Kar
Guest Article

The 10 Most-Watched Indian Ads on YouTube in August 2016

Ranveer Ching tops the charts.

Another month has gone by and we at Vidooly are glad to bring you the latest edition of the top 10 video ads on YouTube. With Google topping the charts in both June and July, I was quite excited to look at the list for August and I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of brands featured. This time around, we even have a regional advert in the list! Without further ado, here's the list of the top 10 ads on YouTube for the month of August.

The 10 Most-Watched Indian Ads on YouTube in August 2016
Note: All data updated till September 5.

10. Junglee Games commercial featuring Prakash Raj and Rana Daggubati

Ever since we started tracking the top performing video advertisements on YouTube, this is the first time that we have a regional ad in the top 10. The Telugu commercial of Junglee Games featuring popular Telugu actors Prakash Raj and Rana Daggubati has over 1.6 million views so far.

The 10 Most-Watched Indian Ads on YouTube in August 2016

Run time: 0:46

Average watch time: 0:43

Views: 1,943,151

Average views per hour: 2,791

9. Olympics ad by Amity University

Leveraging a tent pole event to catch some extra eyeballs is an idea that works really well in advertising. Amity University did the same this time around during the Rio Olympics.

The 10 Most-Watched Indian Ads on YouTube in August 2016

Run time: 0:25

Average watch time: 0:24

Views: 1,691,157

Average views per hour: 2,799

8. Lakmé Absolute Perfect Radiance

Lakmé's new TVC featuring Kareena Kapoor is at No.8 with over 1.7 million views so far. Clocking in around 2200 views every hour, the ad has performed quite well on YouTube.

The 10 Most-Watched Indian Ads on YouTube in August 2016

Run time: 0:25

Average watch time: 0:25

Views: 1,979,861

Average views per hour: 2,267

7. Made of Bold by Royal Challenge

This ad by Royal Challenge celebrates the lesser known sportsmen who give their all for their country when they go to the Olympics. The two-and-a-half minute video starts with Virat Kohli talking about the craze that Indians have for Cricket. But as it moves on, he talks about the countless other sportsmen and their selfless dedication towards sport and their country. The ad has over 2 million views so far and has a respectable average watch time of 1.5 minutes.

The 10 Most-Watched Indian Ads on YouTube in August 2016

Run time: 2:30

Average watch time: 1:30

Views: 2,079,612

Average views per hour: 2,683

6. #DeliverTheLove this Raksha Bandhan by Amazon

The month of August saw quite a few brands showcase and celebrate the spirit of Raksha Bandhan with their ads. This ad by Amazon, which revolves around the conversation between a father and a son, has been well received with over 2.7 million views so far.

The 10 Most-Watched Indian Ads on YouTube in August 2016

Run time: 1:57

Average watch time: 1:25

Views: 2,770,992

Average views per hour: 3,822

5. #RuknaNahiHai by JSW Group

We have an inspiring ad by the JSW Group, which was an official partner of the Indian Olympic Association this time around. The ad highlights the spirit of competing and showcases how sportsmen of this country come from even the humblest of backgrounds.

The 10 Most-Watched Indian Ads on YouTube in August 2016

Run time: 2:08

Average watch time: 1:23

Views: 3,082,046

Average views per hour: 3,621

4. First proposal on Vodafone SuperNet™

Vodafone TVCs have always been a hit with the audience. The commercials are tastefully done and the run time is almost always optimal not just for TV but also for the internet. Compared to its competitors, Vodafone ads have always performed better on YouTube and this ad is no different.

The 10 Most-Watched Indian Ads on YouTube in August 2016

Run time: 0:46

Average watch time: 0:31

Views: 3,428,611

Average views per hour: 5,620

3. Vistara rekindles the love for flying. #FlyTheNewFeeling

A beautiful jingle, a cute kid and Deepika Padukone - this feel good advertisement; even though a little old school has done really well on YouTube. With over 4 million views and hardly any dislikes, Vistara's ad is at number 2 this month.

The 10 Most-Watched Indian Ads on YouTube in August 2016

Run time: 1:00

Average watch time: 0:51

Views: 4,173,916

Average views per hour: 10,897

2. #StayStarted with NESCAFé - RJ Rishi's story

Remember that stammering standup comedian ad by Nescafe? It had won hearts all over with a touching storyline. Now they're back with another heartwarming story - this time of a stubborn RJ and his efforts to get people to call his show, which airs when the whole world seems to be asleep.

The 10 Most-Watched Indian Ads on YouTube in August 2016

Run time: 2:03

Average watch time: 1:08

Views: 4,185,113

Average views per hour: 13,588

1 . Ranveer Ching Returns by Ching's Secret

Not necessarily an ad, but at No.1 we have a branded video this time around. Said to be the most expensive ad film ever made in India, the Ranveer Singh and Tamannaah Bhatia starrer has crossed 10 million views on YouTube. Back in 2014, Ching's secret had done a branded song with Ranveer Singh called My name is Ranveer Ching which was received quite well.

After a gap of two years, Ranveer is back and this time, popular Bollywood filmmaker Rohit Shetty gets to tell the story in a desi Mad Max style. Made almost at the budget of a movie, this ad sure is a sign of the growing impact that brand videos have on the audience.

The 10 Most-Watched Indian Ads on YouTube in August 2016

Run time: 5:32

Average watch time: 2:20

Views: 10,115,403

Average views per hour: 23,200

(The author is co-founder and CEO at Vidooly, a YouTube audience development and analytics firm)

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