BTS, The Weeknd songs feature in first global ads for YouTube Shorts

As YouTube Shorts seeks to compete with TikTok and other copycats, the social platform is launching its first global ad campaign—the largest marketing push yet aimed at Gen Z fans and creators.

The campaign introduces the world to the “shorter side of YouTube,” and leans heavily into the kind of music that creators can use on the platform to create their Shorts—60-second or less videos shared in a vertical format on YouTube’s mobile site and app.

For example, a new 60-second video shows creators making Shorts set to some of today's top charting artists and their popular singles such as The Weeknd’s “Take My Breath,” BTS’ “Permission to Dance” and Camila Cabello’s “Don’t Got Yet.”

Another 15-second version features Doja Cat’s “Kiss Me More.”

The campaign, created through internal creative team in collaboration with New York-based creative ad agency Interesting Development, will run on Google’s YouTube and YouTube TV, but also strategically on competitor social platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and Twitter. All the artists featured in the campaign will also be creating and sharing their own Shorts. 

Jodi Ropert, VP, YouTube marketing, says the campaign is one of YouTube's largest to-date, but would not reveal the spend behind it. She says YouTube Shorts has already partnered with more than 250 music partners, including individual artists and publishers, around music for the app. 

"YouTube Shorts gives everyone the opportunity to have all the fun of short-form video in a way that can only be done on YouTube,” says Ropert. "We’re working closely with artists, songwriters, labels and publishers to make their content available and will continue to expand our partnerships and catalog."

Read more about the growth of the YouTube Shorts platform here.