The Top 10 Most Watched Indian Ads on YouTube in January 2018

The holidays are over and it is now time to boost sales. The new year is traditionally the time for making a fresh start towards rethinking brand strategies, advertising campaigns and generating more creative ways to connect with customers again.

Subrat Kar

Taking all these pointers into consideration, Indian telecom giants like Vodafone, Airtel and Idea pushed their new advertisements on YouTube aggressively.

Here are the advertisements that generated the most viewership for the month for January 2018:-

NOTE -

All the stats here were updated on January 31, 2018.

• Only advertisements launched in January of 2018 are considered.

• The list does not include ads (about the video content) by another content provider platform like Netflix India and Hotstar.

• The overall audience sentiment that is mentioned below each advertisement is based on - the number of views, likes, dislikes, watch time and comments.

1. The Pug is back with its pack! #StrongerTogether by adding a tower every hour

The iconic Vodafone Pug is back with their first campaign of this year. The advertisement features several Pugs throughout following a Vodafone customer. The ad ends with the statement that Vodafone is growing #StrongerTogether by adding a tower every hour. With the limelight totally on the return of the pugs, this advertisement has garnered more than 27 million views and hence, is on the top of this month's most viewed advertisements from India.

2. OnePlus 5T Lava Red

Meet the new OnePlus 5T in stunning Lava Red. The advertisement is short and mesmerizing, showcasing the physical features of the phone and emphasizing on the Lava Red colour option. With more than 20 million views, this advertisement sits at the second spot of the most viewed advertisements this month from India.

3. Airtel 4G Hotspot - Get 4G Speeds on all devices

With the Airtel 4G Hotspot, create your 4G Wi-Fi wherever you go. Connect up to 10 devices and enjoy 4G speeds. The advertisement is just about 11 seconds and conveys the message to the point with minimal imagery and a Hindi voiceover. This advertisement stands at the third spot of this month's most viewed advertisements from India with more than 17 million views.

4. Direct Mutual Funds by Paisabazaar.com

In comparison to any regular mutual fund, you get higher returns on direct Mutual Fund plans. Direct Mutual Funds are now available on paisabazaar.com. The advertisement is simple and direct featuring a man spilling the secret to investing in Mutual Funds directly via paisabazaar.com. The advertisement has garnered more than 16 million views and features at the fourth spot of this month's most viewed advertisements from India.

5. Samsung Galaxy A8+: Experience the Amazing

The new Galaxy A8+ is here and amazing things are just waiting to happen. With revolutionary features such as an enhanced Infinity Display, a sleek glass and metal Design, 6GB RAM for powerful performance, Dual Front camera with Live Focus for really focused selfies, 16MP rear camera with F1.7 lens for low light photography, expandable SIM slot, IP68 water resistance, Bixby vision and Samsung Pay, the Galaxy A8+ takes your smartphone experience to a new level. The advertisement showcases the physical and internal features of the phone in about one minute. It has garnered over 13 million views and comes in at the fifth spot of this month's most viewed advertisements from India.

6. 10.or G: Amazon Exclusive

10.or G is the new smartphone in the market promoted by Amazon as an exclusive product. The advertisement showcases some vivid visuals and concentrates on the physical features of the phone which can endure any kind of environment. The advertisement has racked up more than 13 million views and sits at the sixth spot of this month's most viewed advertisements from India.

7. Idea 4G | A video can change your life - 70

Idea 4G ke saath tum videos dekhoge, tum badloge, aur dekhte dekhte duniya badal jaayegi. A video can change your life. An idea can change your life. This is the crux of the advertisement campaign by Idea. It focuses on social causes and links it to the video viewing habits of the people. The advertisement has garnered over 10 million views so far and is at the seventh spot of this month's most viewed advertisements from India.

8. ASUS VivoBook S15 - Beyond The Edge

Get ready to experience the VivoBook S15 and take your everyday laptops #BeyondTheEdge with its cutting-edge technology and sleek looks. The advertisement showcases the various new features of the laptop which makes it worth a buy. It has garnered over 10 million views and comes in at the eight spot of this month's most viewed advertisements from India.

9. Fearless Kota: Horlicks

The exam nutrition you didn't know about - Fearless Kota. The advertisement features the importance of the city of Kota as to how it is the hub for students preparing for various exams. It highlights that Kota, being an education hub, is also prone to increasing rates of suicide amongst students due to the lack of nutrition - emotional nutrition which, according to the ad, means a mother's love. Horlicks takes an initiative of surprising a few students by inviting their mothers to the students' homes and providing some emotional nutrition. The branding is subtly placed within the ad towards the end. This ad has garnered over 10 million views and occupiresd the ninth spot of this month's most viewed advertisements from India.

10. INR 1 Crore Challenge I Hindi I Exide Life Insurance

Do you know your family is your responsibility even if you are not around? Hence, it's important for you to build a strong financial foundation so that your family's future remains protected, always. Here is the story of Sahil, who is ready to win a major reality challenge. But will he? Can Sahil spend 8 hours away from his family to win ₹1 crore? The advertisement showcases how your family gets worried about your absence and hence, it is wise to invest in a life insurance plan. Sahil couldn't complete the challenge after seeing his family so worried about him. The advertisement is in long-format i.e. more than 6 minutes. Despite its length, the concept of the ad has been successful as it has garnered more than nine million views. It stands at the last spot of this month's most viewed advertisements from India.

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