A self-skipping ad

It’s no secret audiences like to skip preroll ads so Barclays, a UK bank, decided to skip its ad itself with a Rube Goldberg machine.

The 21-second video begins with a message from Barclays corporate relationship directors acknowledging audiences will want to skip the ad before it’s dropped by a man who presses a red button triggering the machine made up of numerous wheels, a shredder, clothed, a battery and a hammer.

Each item triggers the next with the final step being a hammer hitting a ‘Skip Ad’ button found on most YouTube ads.

However, among all the action, the bank manages to get a message in for those who are paying attention. Did you see it?

“We offer all our corporate clients a dedicated relationship director with in-depth, sector specific knowledge” is revealed on a series of signs.

The props used also allude to the industries Barclays works for, including, agriculture, aerospace, retail and fashion, according to a behind the scenes video.