Based on the number of views and subscribers, the “curiously awesome” gift site Vat19 is the most popular YouTube brand channel in the United States and the second most popular worldwide. How do they do it? By making product videos that people want to watch.
Here is a list of the most popular videos from Vat19, to provide inspiration for your own product video production. While Vat19’s entertaining videos are appropriately silly — the company sells silly products, after all — they also highlight product features in a short amount of time, as well as providing gift ideas. There are a few different formats: employee testing games, music videos, and short interstitial sketches. And there are new videos every Friday and Saturday. The production design of any of these videos is easily within reach of a small business.
The Original Kinetic Sånd by Brookstone
Sånd is a “curiously awesome” kinetic sand product that’s fun to play indoors with no mess. The video demonstrates how this novel product can be sculpted and carved and even used to build complex scenes. The video shows the benefits for kids and parents and uses a funny scene of soldiers in combat using Sånd to make a map. 105 million views.
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World’s Largest Gummy Worm
This “World’s Largest Gummy Worm” video opens with a 40-second skit of two fishermen, then has a series of shots showing what the giant 3-pound gummy worm is, and another series showing what the gummy worm is not. There’s also a do-it-yourself cake idea for a birthday party. 84 million views.
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We got into a bathtub full of Liquid Glass Thinking Putty!
Vat19 sells a lot of putty. Exploring a creative use, the staff filled a bathtub with 500 pounds of crystal clear Liquid Glass Thinking Putty. The video follows the production crew loading the tub with putty, then a time-lapse of the subject getting in the tub, followed by the difficulties of the subject getting out of the tub. 66 million views.
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Will It Blend? – World’s Largest Gummy Bear (and other Burning Questions)
Vat19 encourages customers to ask “burning questions” about its products. The first video answers some of the most popular inquiries about the World’s Largest Gummy Bear, such as “What happens if you put it in the microwave for 10 minutes?” and, of course, “Will it blend?” 44 million views.
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GIANT Gummy Cola Bottle
“GIANT Gummy Cola Bottle” lists the amazing features of the giant, 1,080-calorie cola-flavored gummy treat. It also has a quick scene of happy campers enjoying the indulgent dessert, while a health nerd refrains as he struggles with his seaweed and wheatgrass strudel, but then finally succumbs to the happiness of a giant gummy cola bottle. 38 million views.
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Real Food vs. Gummy Food Challenge!
In “Real-or-Gummy?,” Vat19 employees spin the wheel to see what they get on their plates to eat — brain, mustache, gator, peppers, bear, snake, and worm. Watch them eat strange things and suffer. 36 million views.
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Candy Magic Automatic Candy Dispenser
To promote Candy Magic Automatic Candy Dispenser, this video opens with a funny demonstration of why communal candy dishes are unhygienic. Then we see the smart features of the touchless Candy Magic dispenser, followed by a quick scene to illustrate why Candy Magic’s portion control settings are so crucial. 35 million views.
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World’s Largest Gummy Bear
This video explores the features of the 5-pound, 6,120-calories gummy bear. It also shows the product’s curious effects upon a series of delighted customers. 31 million views.
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PAC-MAN Pot Holder
The PAC-MAN Pot Holder works like any other silicone potholder with one distinction: It looks like PAC-MAN. This video combines game nostalgia with an exploration of the many features of this product. 29 million views.
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The 26-Pound Gummy
This video for The Party Gummy Bear, at 26 pounds and 32,000 calories, features a funny video of two young men leading a Hollywood-party lifestyle, singing about the gummy bear. The video ends with a quick review of product features. 28 million views.
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Original Gummy Pizza from Vat19
Vat19 sells a lot of gummy candy. This video features its 8-inch Gummy Pizza, which looks like the real thing, complete with an authentic pizza box. Like a pizza commercial, the video shows “quality” gummy ingredients, along with a funny pizza meal suggestion: gummy pizza, two gummy colas, and no breadsticks. 28 million views.
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The Room Made of Gummy Bears (Gummy Shot Glass music video)
This Gummy Shot Glass music video is for edible gummy shot glasses. The video features two young men who don’t have enough money to buys expensive drinks. Instead, they turn to the candy glasses to live a luxurious lifestyle and impress others. 27 million views.
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World’s Largest Gummy Skull
This video for World’s Largest Gummy Skull opens with three different characters — Hamlet, Indiana Jones, and a pirate — vying for the skull. The video lists the aspects of the gummy skull, provides DIY ways to use the skull as a party favor, and adds a short segment of music. 26 million views.
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Burning Questions: 100 lbs. (45 kg) of Magnetic Thinking Putty
Here is another spot from the “burning questions” series. This video on Magnetic Thinking Putty reveals the answers to odd user questions, such as “What happens when you shoot it?” and “Will it make me better at sports?” The video also features some mesmerizing time-lapse footage of Magnetic Thinking Putty in action. 24 million views.
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Ultimate Fountain Challenge
Everyone loves a chocolate fountain, but what about a gummy fountain? In “Will it fountain?,” Vat19 employees sample different liquids from a fountain, such as syrup, ranch flavored cola, hot sauce, and more. 24 million views.
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We Put 10 Million Orbeez in Our Backyard Pool!
What is it like swimming in a pool filled with 10 million Spitballs (or, Orbeez)? In this video, Vat19 fills an above-ground pool with clear Orbeez and has a spitball pool party. Watch as employees launch themselves into the pool. 23 million views.
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Tie-Not Water Balloon Filler & Tying Tool
The Tie-Not is a tool for filling water balloons quickly. The spot demonstrates how quick and easy it is to make perfect water balloons. Then the video cuts to a water balloon fight with too many water balloons, along with funny uses for excess water balloons. 23 million views.
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World’s Spiciest Pepper Challenge: Carolina Reaper Powder
In “Sugar & Spice,” Vat19 employees spin a wheel to eat either food made with the Carolina Reaper, the hottest pepper on the planet, or sweat relief foods like ice cream and milk. 22 million views.
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Liquid Glass Thinking Putty
This video explores the features of clear Liquid Glass Thinking Putty. A voiceover description of the product is accompanied by a montage of playing-with-putty shots and cool time-lapse shots of the putty flowing to its rest state. Then the video features funny scenes of adults (a club-hopper and an office worker) playing with putty. 22 million views.
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Das Beer Boot Music Video Featuring Hans Gretel
“Das Beer Boot Music Video Featuring Hans Gretel” is another music video from Vat19. To promoter the Beer Boot beverage glass, the video features Hans Gretel, a German industrial music character, singing about the giant snacks that go well with the drinking from the boot. 22 million views.
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