By Connor Beitel, Activation Strategist – Performance Media, True Media
I was at a friend’s house the other day for a fish fry. After dinner, we sat down to play a board game, and my friend put on a YouTube playlist of DJs spinning mellow tracks—just some agreeable background noise to set the mood. About 30 minutes in, the video ended and, before the next one queued up, we were hit with a skippable YouTube ad that was over 45 minutes long—an entire episode of Oprah Winfrey’s podcast featuring Maria Shriver.
After hitting the skip button, I remembered several other times I’d encountered this. Usually late at night, half-zoned out watching random videos, I’d suddenly be served a 45-minute to one-hour ad in the middle of a 15-minute video. In a daze, I might watch three to five minutes of it before realizing I could skip and get back to my YouTube rabbit hole.
This sparked some digging.
Turns out, I’m not the only one.This phenomenon has been going on for years. On Reddit, some users report seeing full-length films as ads, including Bee Movie—yes, the entire 2007 Jerry Seinfeld-fronted bee-based rom-com—delivered as a YouTube ad.
So what’s the deal with these long-form YouTube ads?
(Queue Seinfeld intro music.)
Are advertisers somehow able to tell when you’re in the shower, dozing off, or too lazy to click “Skip Ad”? Are they preying on our passive viewing habits to force-feed us content we never asked for?
Well, the short answer is yes. The long answer is also yes—but it’s more nuanced than it sounds.
Of course, YouTube (owned by Google) likely has you slotted into interest-based categories—“Jazz Lover,” “News Junkie,” or “Aspiring Chef”—and uses these to help advertisers serve targeted ads. But what’s changed is the strategy on the advertiser side. They’re no longer just chasing impressions; they’re chasing attention. And sometimes, the best way to capture that attention is with a long-form ad that feels less like a pitch and more like a show.
These advertisers aren’t casting a wide net. Instead, they’re finding niche audiences who are more likely to engage with long-form content. Imagine a car fanatic being served a 15-minute ad that’s basically a beautifully shot behind-the-scenes look at an international auto show. Or a lifelong outdoorsman being served a short film about hiking gear tested in the Rockies. These viewers are primed to engage.
In some cases, users don’t even realize they’re watching an ad. If the content is compelling and fits neatly into the type of video they were already watching, the ad can feel like just another part of YouTube’s autoplay queue.
It’s about timing, targeting, and relevance.
Advertisers are aiming for moments when people are already locked into a screen—phone or TV—and in content-consumption mode. With refined targeting and YouTube’s algorithmic assist, these brands are betting they can hold a viewer’s attention with genuinely watchable content.
On top of that, some advertisers are using long-form ads to juice engagement and watch time on existing videos. By running the video as an ad, they can gain views, boost algorithmic favor, and even increase the content’s visibility in YouTube and Google search results.
Brands like MasterClass and Patagonia are ahead of the curve.
In 2023, Patagonia ran a long-form ad campaign for Black Friday that essentially asked people not to buy anything. One centerpiece was the 2013 documentary Worn Wear, which focuses on quality and sustainability. With stunning cinematography and a strong narrative, it captured the attention of Patagonia’s outdoorsy, conscientious customer base—many of whom stayed through the full video.
MasterClass has taken a similar approach. They’ve run YouTube pre-rolls that are actually short snippets from their full-length classes. It’s a smart play—catch viewers during downtime, hook them with a taste of expert-led content, and pitch them the full $180/year subscription.
This tactic helps refine the audience.
Even if only a small portion of viewers stick around for a 15-minute video ad, that group becomes more clearly defined as high-intent users. If someone watches one long ad, they’re more likely to watch the next. Google and MasterClass know this—and the data proves it.
According to European marketing agency Team5pm, some clients have seen long-form YouTube ads maintain viewer attention for up to 33% of the full runtime. Which is pretty impressive for a format designed to be skipped.
And here’s the kicker: advertisers only pay for ads longer than 30 seconds if the user watches at least 30 seconds. So why not run a 10-minute ad if your opening hook is strong? If a viewer sticks around, great—you’ve found a qualified lead. If not, you might not even be charged.
So who’s paying to show full-length Bee Movie ads?
We may never know. But one thing’s clear: if the content is good, some people will watch. That’s the gamble advertisers are taking—and in many cases, it’s paying off.
About the Author
Connor Beitel is Activation Strategist – Performance Media at True Media. Connor brings a decade of marketing expertise across both brands and agencies. Energized by the ever evolving landscape of performance media, he has a keen eye for noticing trends and building adaptable strategies to keep his clients ahead of the curve.