BBC Studios Digital Brands Lead UK in YouTube Watch Time and TikTok Engagement
Thanks to a bold fandom-first strategy, BBC Studios has officially outpaced every UK broadcaster and most global streamers in YouTube watch time and TikTok engagement, according to the latest data.
The numbers reveal a remarkable transformation since launching its advertising proposition in 2023:
- Highest YouTube watch time across the UK competitor set, with figures almost doubling year-on-year
- Top TikTok engagement rate in 2024 across both UK and global media brands
- 14 billion annual YouTube views, growing at +56% YoY, significantly ahead of global streamers including Disney+, Amazon Studios and Apple TV
- A 111% YoY revenue increase in 2024/25 – a direct result of fan-first digital strategy and platform-native content
“Fandom is not the end goal – it’s the starting point,” said Jasmine Dawson, SVP of digital at BBC Studios. “We’ve built a digital model that turns casual viewers into superfans, and superfans into communities that drive both cultural impact and commercial return.”
A New Era for Advertisers: Premium IP, Trusted Platforms, Unmatched Engagement
Since 2023, brands have been able to advertise directly within BBC Studios’ digital ecosystem – a first for the company. This offering gives advertisers access to premium, culturally influential content with proven scale and high emotional investment – all within a safe, brand-friendly environment across YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and more.
Advertisers can now:
- Align with globally beloved IP like Bluey, Top Gear, BBC Earth and Doctor Who
- Reach deeply engaged fandoms that drive high retention, sharing, and repeat viewing
- Tap into creator-first branded content, powered by BBC Studios’ in-house production and strategy teams
- Partner on bespoke campaigns that are informed by platform-native insight, community feedback and real-time performance data
In 2024 alone, BBC Studios delivered almost six billion ad impressions, with formats outperforming industry benchmarks on both reach and relevance, and and has been named European Publisher of the Year for two years running at the Lovie Awards.
"This isn’t interruptive advertising – it’s brand storytelling with built-in cultural resonance," said Jasmine. "We’re offering advertisers something most platforms can’t: emotional context, scale, and IP that audiences actively love."
Built for Digital. Designed for Results.
This digital success is no accident. The strategy – unveiled for the first time during The Media Odyssey podcast at Cannes Lions with Evan Shapiro and Marion Ranchet – is built around four core principles:
1. Fandom-first thinking, backed by KPIs like sentiment, UGC volume, and return viewer rates
2. Creator-led content, developed in partnership with digital-native talent
3. Deep engagement over vanity metrics, prioritising watch time, shares, and comments
4. Audience obsession, using dashboards, social listening and rapid iteration to shape output
With around 150 channels across 17+ languages, a weekly reach of 40 million, and creator-driven franchises scaling across LATAM, the US, Australia and Singapore, including two of YouTube’s top 1% channels. BBC Studios is now setting the global standard for fan-powered, platform-native entertainment.
