YouTube #1 in marketiThe numbers are in: in 2025, viewers rank YouTube as the number one platform for streaming video content, reaching more consumers on a daily basis than all competitors including TikTok and Meta, according to new Kantar research shared at YouTube’s annual YouTube Works Awards.
The awards served as a powerful showcase of the platform’s unparalleled reach and its growing ecosystem of creators and communities. The winning campaigns from this year’s Southeast Asia YouTube Works Awards highlighted how brands are leveraging YouTube to achieve real, measurable business impact and high return on investment (ROI).
When it comes to business results, YouTube consistently delivers. According to the consulting firm Analytic Edge, across markets like Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, YouTube drives more than 2X the ROI of linear TV – specifically 4.1X in Indonesia, 2.9X in Thailand and 2.3X in Vietnam. It also outperforms other social platforms like TikTok and Meta – delivering 1.5X in Indonesia, 1.6X the ROI in Thailand, and 1.2X in Vietnam.
Meanwhile in the Philippines, another study this time commissioned by Nielsen found that YouTube is one of the most effective media channels for advertising. It’s 3.86 times more effective than linear TV, and 2.71 times more effective than other digital platforms.
Southeast Asia’s most influential voices are on YouTube. Data from marketing research firms Kantar and MTM show that YouTube creators are trusted by 90% in the Philippines, 88% in Thailand, and 86% in Indonesia, higher than the competitive average in these markets. For advertisers, this deep trust, combined with YouTube’s unparalleled reach, is a powerful formula for driving business results.
YouTube Works Awards: Celebrating creativity that drives business results
The awards also celebrated the creativity and strategic thinking of campaigns across the region—almost all of which leveraged on the use of humor and quirkiness to help craft messages that stick.
Dutchie Yogurt from Dutch Mill, representing Thailand, took home the Grand Prix and the Multiformat Storytelling awards with the Fight For Thais’ Gut campaign, besting every entrant from the entire region. The short film from the brand tells the story of its 40-year legacy in the country by blending thrilling martial arts action with the trademark Thai humor that’s propelled the country’s advertising industry to viral status on the internet. This approach became the most-watched content in Dutchie’s history, achieving a 95% view-through rate and an 11+% increase in sales.
Also from Thailand, Netflix won the Best of Festive category with its Songkran Thai Splash campaign, Lifebuoy Indonesia won the Big Bang category, while Honda Indonesia won the Brands & Creators category.
GCash makes Southeast Asia history
A historic win went to GCash, the first-ever brand from the Philippines to win at the SEA stage of the YouTube Works Awards. With their GSafeTayo: Entertainingly Serious campaign, they effectively communicated a serious advocacy through the lens of humor, which helped land an important message of cybersecurity and vigilance.
GSafeTayo was launched at the height of SMS spoofing scams that affected over 600,000 Filipinos in 2024. Recognizing its responsibility as a category leader, GCash partnered with YouTube to deliver a powerful multiformat campaign anchored by a 40-second video featuring “Tita Marnie,” whose meme-worthy reaction to nearly falling for a scam made the issue both relatable and memorable. The campaign was further strengthened by a three-part exposé uncovering how scammers exploit telco infrastructure and educating users on how to stay protected, building trust in a time when it mattered most. GCash’s strategy paid off, driving over 70 million views, a 14% increase in brand trust, and an 80% drop in SMS phishing reports within the first month.
“We’ve always known that to combat the very serious threat of cybercrime, we needed a creative approach that would truly resonate with Filipinos. By using humor and relatability on YouTube, a platform that would enable us to reach so many Filipinos, we were able to turn a critical message about cybersecurity into something memorable and impactful,” says GCash Chief Marketing Officer, Neil Trinidad
“This award is a testament to our team’s collaboration, creativity, and commitment to protecting our users. I’ve always believed that as marketers, our greatest influence goes beyond the campaigns we create, but in the lives that we help transform. It proves that with the right strategy using YouTube as the most effective and widely viewed medium, we can make a serious topic like online safety both engaging and effective, helping to keep our users safe from scams,” Trinidad added.
In addition to the winning video campaigns, for the first time ever, the YouTube Works Awards also honored the best ad agencies throughout the region this year. Mindshare from Indonesia won the Media Agency of the Year, Ogilvy Group Thailand won Creative Agency of the Year, while Little Red Ants Vietnam won Specialty Agency of the Year.
By celebrating the best in Southeast Asia and introducing cutting-edge tools to help advertisers even more, YouTube reinforced its role as the go-to platform for brands looking to connect with consumers, drive tangible results, and hone the next generation of video advertising.
