Here's What YouTube Promised Advertisers at Its Star-Studded BrandCast 2016

Even Big Bird took the stage to tout digital video

YouTube's massive impact on culture, viewing habits and advertising budgets walked the red carpet on Thursday night, as thousands of YouTube celebrities, marketing executives, fans and plenty of Googlers crowded into the Javits Center in Manhattan for the company's annual BrandCast.

The event was as much of a celebration of the digital video empire's cultural clout as it was a direct pitch to steal even more dollars from traditional TV budgets. Starting with a long montage of clips from some of YouTube's biggest celebrities and ending with a surprise performance by Australian singer-songwriter Sia, YouTube enlisted its stars, its advertisers, Big Bird and the commissioner of the NBA to tout advertising online instead of on traditional networks.

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