New AI 'Bumper Machine' Fires Out YouTube Video Ads In Seconds

Managing the creative treadmill is a major challenge for marketers and agencies alike.

Not only do messages need to be often tailored by platform, but increasingly within the platform, it is necessary to produce multiple edits of assets. Optimising for different placements. I.e. Instagram Stories versus Feed.

There can also be different technical specs between paid and organic placements. 

When working with static assets, like images, links or copy, this is relatively painless, if not a bit slow, to tailor.

With video, it's another story altogether.

Thankfully, for businesses using YouTube (and even probably outside of YouTube), life is about to get a lot easier with the launch of its new Bumper Machine.

Bumper Video Tool For Bumper Video Ads 

YouTube introduced its 6-second Bumper ad format back in 2016.

While oft-annoying for users, having to sit through another Uber Eats Bumper ad, before their YouTube ‘flossing’ tutorial commences, they do work very well for brand awareness. 

To help ease the creative burden for marketers, YouTube has unveiled a new tool to help video advertisers create six-second bumper ads from existing video ads that run 90-seconds or less. 

The Bumper Machine… 

Powered by machine learning, the tool will identify well-structured moments in a longer video, and convert those moments into multiple six-second video ads.

Machine Learning Powered Video Creation

For example, as an initial test, GrubHub took a 13-second ad and used Bumper Machine to create the six-second version. According to a Grubhub spokesperson:

“Bumper Machine enabled greater flexibility by allowing GrubHub to create captivating new video formats from our existing creative. As a result, we were able to generate short-form videos to leverage as part of our ongoing campaigns.”

The process takes only a matter of minutes, and video advertisers can adjust the creative before saving the new bumper ads.  

According to Techcrunch, the Bumper Machine scans a longer ad for “key elements,” like a voice-over or a tight focus on human beings or logos or products. Before turning into a shorter 6-second format. With the final 2-3 seconds offering a last call to action.

Currently being tested, the tool offers up three to four versions which an advertiser can choose between. Offering an opportunity to run as is, or perhaps doing some light touch-ups on top.

Evolving Supplier/Vendor Video Landscape

Templatable online video very much de rigueur at the moment, with venture capital funds flooding the space. For example, excellent Australian start-up Biteable raised $2.8 million before Xmas, aiming to become the Canva of online video.

Similarly, Shootsta, another smart video start-up (which many corporates use), has raised funds in the past to aid online video production and editing.

As content volumes grow, and video specs escalate, internal teams and agencies will need to reconsider how they resource video creation needs.

The reality is, the historical vendor options for producing video do not scale. And that, alas, is what the modern marketer needs.