Considering we’re supposed to be in the era of 6-second ads and TikTok loops, it’s a bit counterintuitive that marketers continue to love one seasonal form of ultra-long-form content: the branded Yule log.
From Lagavulin’s 45 minutes of Nick Offerman enjoying a fireside Scotch to Old Spice’s adrenaline-fueled hour of “Ye Olde Exploding Yule Log,” a range of brands in recent years have brought their own spin to the concept of a crackling fireplace. Marvel even made 10 hours of superhero-themed Yule log videos featuring the fictional homes of Iron Man, Ms. Marvel, Captain America and more.
The odd niche’s newest addition comes from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, otherwise known as the beef industry advocates behind the 27-year-old marketing campaign, “Beef. It’s what’s for dinner.”
The group’s “Drool Log” video, created in partnership with agency VMLY&R, features two hours of a prime rib roast sizzling on a spit in real time, streamable on YouTube.
Expanding on the beef association’s success with other, albeit shorter, “sizzle” videos that show meat cooking in real time, the “Drool Log” aims to put beef in consumers’ minds while they plan their holiday feasts.
“The holidays are the perfect time to build on the sizzle concept we know consumers love and add a touch of nostalgia by pairing two holiday favorites, beef and the traditional Yule log video,” says Season Solorio, senior executive director of brand marketing and communications at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.
The beef association says its first “Keep Sizzlin'” video, featuring a strip steak cooking in a cast iron skillet, amassed 33 million views across all video platforms. The full collection of different cuts and cooking methods has been viewed more than 81 million times, the group says.
Much shorter versions of the 2-hour “Drool Log” video will run as ads on Hulu, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn. It will also be promoted at cinemas in 10 states.
When it comes to beef, prime rib roast is one of the biggest-ticket items available to most consumers, and the holiday season is the premium cut’s time to shine. Of annual roast sales, the trade group says, a beefy 60 percent happen in December.
