YouTube Ads Challenge Lecture Notes

Overview

• The presenter shares their credit card, indicating it might be taken away after this challenge.
• Challenge: Purchase every ad encountered while scrolling through YouTube Shorts.
• Limitations: Maximum of 20 products or one hour of scrolling to avoid excessive spending. Expected spending: $1,000 - $2,000.
• Noteworthy concerns about potentially buying expensive items (e.g., cars, houses).

Preparation

• Used incognito mode and cleared cookies/history on YouTube to avoid targeted ads.
• Aim for a "natural" experience without pre-existing data influencing ads.

First Ad Encounter: St. George's University Medical School

• The first ad was about applying to medical school.
• Completed MD application for St. George's University, Grenada campus.
• Mentioned a 95% residency placement rate for graduates.
• Personal experiences and hesitations regarding medical education were discussed.

Second Ad Encounter: BuzzFun Quiz

• Engaged with a quiz to test birthday rarity.
• Personal birthday: June 14, encouraged viewers to comment if they share the same birthday.

Third Ad Encounter: Sizzle App

• Interaction with a math-related app.
• Explored the app's features but found it uninteresting.

Fourth Ad Encounter: Comfort On Shoes

• Purchased shoes (Roger Advantage) after being sold on comfort and quality.
• Total cost at this stage: ~$150.

Additional Ads Encountered

• Various ads focused on mobile games, apparel, and random services.
• Disappointment with repetitive and uninteresting content from YouTube.
• Discussion about buying a keychain from a car dealership due to a car ad.
• Noted the absurdity of the car-related ads.

Clothing Purchases

Arc'teryx Shorts

• Purchased for $100.
• Criticism for lack of pockets.
• Overall rating: 7/10 due to comfort but missing functionality.

Salomon Shorts

• Purchasing decisions based on preference for features like pockets and lining.

Comfort Items

Plush Blanket

• Mint green blanket purchased for coziness.
• Review expressed satisfaction with comfort and cooling properties.

Zeba Shoes Inserts

• Premium comfort insoles purchased for added comfort.

Pet Grooming Product

• Humorously engaged with dog food product, reviewing it as a science experiment.

Educational Product: Adapted Mind

• Mentioned a math learning platform for kids that involves engaging game-like elements.

Final Product Reviews

• Review included various products such as Crocs, dog food supplements, and comfort products (insoles, blankets).
• Most products reviewed positively except for those perceived as a waste of money.
• Crocs received high praise for versatility and comfort.

Conclusion of Challenge

• Time's up after interacting with 20 different ads.
• Reflects on the mixed experiences of buying products and applying to school.
• Plans to reveal outcomes from product reviews and the medical school application in future content.