Extra Gum Turns Pre-Roll Ads Into Music Talent Show

Australian music fans might pause before skipping YouTube ads thanks to the launch of Extra Gum's latest inititative, which transforms pre-rolls into a digital support stage for up-and-coming acts in an innovative talent competition.

Extra Support Acts - created in partnership with Clemenger BBDO Sydney, Universal Music Australia, BRING for talent, music strategy and content, MediaCom and YouTube - pairs 16 emerging Aussie artists with established musical talents to bring a live concert format to YouTube via media buying.

The headline artists - 5 Seconds of Summer, Alison Wonderland, The Rubens and 360 - have turned the ads that run before their videos into online support act slots, exposing the emerging acts to audiences of hundreds of thousands, and essentially offering them view-for-view with Australian music royalty. They'll also play an active role in promoting and raising the profile for the grassroots talent involved in the program.

Above: Alison Wonderland

And to add in a competitive element, an algorithm will aggregate the number of views, likes and shares each video gets to determine which Support Act garners the most engagement from Australian music fans and will eventually be crowned the country's next big artists.

“Turning ads in to a stage for emerging artists seemed like an interesting idea, and fits nicely with Extra’s brand position," says Clemenger BBDO Sydney chief creative officer, Ben Coulson. "We've seen all manner of branded music platforms and really feel this will be one of the best - an authentic role for the brand that creates value for consumers and artists alike," adds Roddy Campbell, managing director, new business, Universal Music Australia. "Our acts have been so passionate about supporting the next generation of talent and I think that shines through in the engaging content we've created with them. We can't wait to see how the journey unfolds!"

Above: Rackett, one of the 16 'Support Acts' in the contest

The campaign has now launched on the Extra Support Acts YouTube hub, featuring 60+ pieces of content from the established artists and their support acts, as well as a suite of supporting OOH and social content. 

If you're based in Australia and interested in discovering the next big thing, head to the Extra Support Acts YouTube hub.