Ikea is using reverse psychology to get viewers hooked on some really boring pre-roll ads. No ill will intended—the ads break every rule by being intentionally boring and long, some surpassing five to eight minutes. The “Irresistible Pointless TrueView Ads” have fun with viewers’ aversion to YouTube pre-roll, showing scenes like an irritable teenager doing dishes, a group of guys arm wrestling slowly, and a young couple awkwardly making out. But all the characters break the fourth wall to beg you to skip the ad at some point, and believe it or not, agency Åkestam Holst reports targeted viewers are disobeying to watch the mundane marketing for an average of three minutes. (Adweek)
