U.S. Navy Campaign Takes Top Honors at YouTube Works Awards

U S Navy Campaign Takes Top Honor at You Tube Works Awards Stage

VML and Wavemaker are thrilled to have won the “Brands as Creators” category at the YouTube Works Awards for our innovative campaign with the U.S. Navy. The campaign, “Sailor Vs.,” stood out among over 400 entries, and was one of just five winners recognized during the gala event held on Tuesday, Oct. 8, in New York.

The YouTube Works Awards celebrate the most creative and effective YouTube campaigns that drive real business results. These awards highlight campaigns that not only push the boundaries of creativity but also leverage the platform's unique ability to reach wide audiences, making it an essential barometer for digital marketers. Winning this award places VML and Wavemaker among the elite in digital innovation, reinforcing the power of storytelling on YouTube.

This award isn’t just about flashy content or partnering with creators; it’s about showing that YouTube is in our DNA. This team regularly crafts content informed by consumer trends and knows how to nurture passionate communities. And once again, we proven that we’re more than just a brand — we’re creators.

Ryan Blum

Chief Creative Officer, VML

Reaching Gen Z with Authenticity

America’s Navy, faced declining sign-ups among Gen Z. VML and Wavemaker decided to move away from traditional recruitment tactics and work with popular YouTube creators Darryl Mayes and Xiaoma, who — as a dog handler and linguist, respectively — had skills that were necessary for specific Navy jobs.

Together, we built a long-form video series called Sailor VS to showcase different Navy careers and humanize the military experience.

One video, for example, had Darryl challenging a military working dog and its handler to find hidden items in a house, while in another Xiaoma explored what it’s like to be a Navy cryptologist technician. By leveraging the creators’ diverse talents and authentic voices, the campaign succeeded in breaking through to Gen Z, driving a remarkable 48% increase in searches for Navy sign-ups.

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