Here Are the Most-Watched Ads Among Women on YouTube

A collection of videos from women sharing empowering messages is now trending at No. 21 on YouTube. The theme is part of YouTube's newly released #HerVoiceIsMyVoice campaign, which aims to turn up the volume on girl power in honor of International Women's Day. Big Spaceship, YouTube's agency of record, created the campaign, which is anchored by a short video that includes Ellen DeGeneres, Issa Rae, Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai and Condoleezza Rice, among others. The video platform is also sharing the most-watched ads among female viewers for 2016, as well as a slew of statistics that help debunk stereotypes on what its female viewers watch. Savvy brands parlayed the 2016 Summer Olympics with inspirational messages to engage with women last year. Nike's celebrated "Unlimited You" video, created by Wieden & Kennedy Portland, (below) debuted on the first day of the Olympics, for example, and saw nearly 40 million global views among women on YouTube, Google said. Two other brands who advertised during the Summer Games also appeared in the top 10: Always' "#LikeAGirl" spot came in at No. 2 while P&G's "Thank you, mom -- strong" took the No. 5 spot. Brands also used another sporting spectacle -- the Super Bowl -- to engage with female viewers. Nintendo, for example, cracked the list at No. 3 with its Pokemon Super Bowl commercial, (below) as more than 25 million women globally viewed the ad on YouTube. Here is the complete list: Meanwhile, the time women have spent watching ads on YouTube has more than doubled year-over-year, Kate Stanford, managing director of YouTube ads marketing, said in a blog post released today. "Women are watching more ads," Ms. Stanford said. "More ads are empowering. And more brands are likely to see impact." For contrast, the most-watched ad in 2016 -- among both men and women -- didn't feature an inspirational message, but instead featured former "Celebrity Apprentice" star Arnold Schwarzenegger in a Mobile Strike Super Bowl commercial that netted more than 100 million views. Still, referencing Google research, Ms. Stanford points out that women aged 18-34 are twice as likely to think "highly of a brand that made an empowering ad and nearly 80% more likely to like, share, comment and subscribe after watching one." Google also noted that the number of women watching entrepreneurial videos on YouTube doubled year-over-year. While watch time among females for content related to small business, business news and business services more than tripled, Google said. "Follow the data, not the stereotypes," Ms. Stanford said. "A woman might want to build a house, not build her beauty regimen. Moms might be seeking gaming tips, not parenting tips. Don't assume a millennial mom has the same priorities as a Gen X mom. This generation of women is asserting their right to preserve their personal passions online, and they certainly don't conform to stereotypes."

Here Are the Most-Watched Ads Among Women on YouTube

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