Veterans Affairs Canada launched their branded YouTube channel just in time for Remembrance Day.  They really got things started on the right foot (marching pun is not intended).  First they have some great content – the feature video is done well.  They also have some footage of veterans sharing their experiences.

One of the most interesting innovations is one that you can no longer see.  They purchased a YouTube “home page takeover” ad a few days before Remembrance Day.  This is a special type of video ad in a player right on the primary YouTube homepage for Canadian viewers. (Note – these ads are quite inexpensive relative to their reach).

While the hundreds of thousands of impressions and thousands of clicks are certainly of interest, it is the timing that is important. They didn’t do it on Remembrance Day.  They started to build interest beforehand.  They laid the foundation for Canadians to embrace the day itself.

Veterans Affairs have gotten off to a great start. You know how much we appreciate social media community-building efforts. Let’s hope they keep it up.

Here is a link for you to take a look.  http://www.youtube.com/user/VeteransAffairsCa

Let us know what you think.

Joe

PS – We may have heard some credible rumours that more GoC YouTube channels are to come!  Stay tuned.