Influencers, marketing gurus and a cool line-up of artists were all present at the YouTube Festival the 14th of September 2023. The event was all about collaborations, trends and advertising on YouTube.
Content-worthy entrance
On arrival, the huge, illuminated ‘YouTube’ letters immediately catch the eye, with the Ringvaart during ‘golden hour’ as a backdrop. The reception is in the Binnenstraat, where everyone is given a black silicone bracelet that lights up when a show starts. To get to the next section in the Binnenstraat, we have to cross a kind of virtual ‘red-carpet’ where special lighting creates an eye-catching entrance where many a photo is taken. The various Bietenwasruimte are used for experiences, there is a cool Tout Bien pilsner beer space set up AND there is a sparkling Volkswagen.
Foodcourt
The Middenfabriek – East has been transformed into a huge foodcourt, with food trucks and stands offering tacos, ice cream, fries, pasta and more. Something for everyone, to be consumed at one of the many picnic tables.
When the wrist bands light up, everyone rushes to the Westside of the Middenfabriek, where several plenary sessions and entertainment in the form of a cutting line-up are scheduled. During the plenary sessions, various influencers, creators and marketing gurus will speak about their experiences with YouTube and how advertising on the video platform can help businesses grow.
Plenary sessions and performances
For example, we will hear from Rutger Tuit, Industry Leader Brands & Agencies at Google (YouTube’s parent company), about developments in YouTube and content. BookTube, for example, a subcategory of YouTube that focuses specifically on (video) content around books. New publications are already often highlighted (paid) and it is mentioned as a source of growth for the publishing industry. Speaker ‘The Book Leo’ is one such BookTuber in attendance. But Selma Omari also talks about her experiences with YouTube, on which she vlogs her life daily. After the plenary sessions, the roof goes off with live performances by Loreen, De Jeugd van Tegenwoordig and Afrojack, and emerging talents like Rimon and Nnelg.
What is clear is that YouTube continues to evolve, be it for music, vlogs or how-to videos, and is now the world’s biggest search engine after Google.
