Small Investment, Major Impact: How BRIC Built a “TV Audience” on YouTube
When your goal is to grow a digital audience on a tight budget, YouTube can seem like a crowded, expensive place to play. But BRIC TV, Brooklyn’s Emmy and Ippie-winning TV channel and digital network, proved that a small investment can go a long way. BRIC TV is the first 24/7 television channel created by, for, and about Brooklyn, and serves as the borough’s source for local news, Brooklyn culture, civic affairs, music, arts, sports, and technology. BRIC TV features programming produced and curated by BRIC, an arts and media nonprofit located in downtown Brooklyn, NYC. BRIC incubates and presents work by artists and media-makers reflecting the diversity of Brooklyn.
BRIC TV’s television series, Ghosted, like all of BRIC TV’s programs, streamed on YouTube. With just a few hundred dollars in ad spend, they drove more than 3,400 video views, gained 572 new subscribers, and boosted key website engagement across Events, Courses, and Membership pages.
Here’s how smart targeting, clear objectives, and the right creative helped them achieve big results—right in the middle of the busiest ad season of the year.
Breaking Through During a Competitive Season
The BRIC TV campaign ran over the week of Christmas and New Year’s—a notoriously competitive window as major retailers flood the market with post-holiday sales. Despite that, the campaign not only delivered strong video performance but also attracted a wave of new, high-value subscribers.
Top-of-funnel targeting was key. The campaign focused on discovery—reaching new audiences interested in digital storytelling. This approach didn’t just expand reach; it also resulted in a higher view rate compared to retargeting audiences further down the funnel.
YouTube as a Launchpad for Online Programming
In Google Ads, a “video view” is counted when a user watches at least 30 seconds—or the entire ad if it’s shorter—so these 3,400 views reflect genuine audience interest. And because each view also boosted subscribers, BRIC TV built a stronger base for future organic engagement.
High Efficiency Across the Funnel
While the campaign aimed for top-of-funnel discovery, it also proved surprisingly effective at driving deeper engagement. Equal spend across both top- and bottom-funnel audiences produced very different results: the bottom-funnel segment generated 41% more impressions and contributed to an exceptionally strong cost per key page view.
That meant the new subscribers and viewers weren’t just passively watching—they were exploring BRIC’s broader ecosystem. Page views on Events, Courses, and Memberships showed that new audiences were engaging with the full spectrum of BRIC’s digital and in-person offerings.
The Takeaway
You don’t need a massive media budget to make a measurable impact with digital video. With a modest media budget and a smart, audience-focused strategy, BRIC TV grew its YouTube community, drove high-value traffic, and proved that even short campaigns can create lasting results.
If your organization is ready to reach new audiences through efficient, high-impact advertising, our Digital Advertising team can help you get there—no blockbuster budget required.
