The video opens with a screen recording of the early GitHub interface, showing a pull request being initiated. It then cuts to a fast-paced montage of people coding in real-world environments: a coffee shop, an office, a lab, a classroom, a dorm room, and a child at home. The emphasis is on human connection, collaboration, and the global reach of GitHub’s community. It ends with the message “Thank You For Ten Years of Code” and the GitHub logo, along with a dedicated URL.
The Formula (That Works at Any Budget)
Celebration of community = Diverse people coding and collaborating
The ad celebrates real users, showing coding as a shared, social act rather than a solitary task. The variety of locations and characters brings warmth and inclusivity to the brand.
→ Lesson: Humanize your platform by showing how it fits into people’s real lives.
Show, don’t tell = Visual montage of real-world use cases
There’s no narration, no jargon, no talking heads. Just people coding, learning, and building. The product is felt, not explained.
→ Lesson: Trust your audience to understand your product through action and environment.
Simple message = “Thank You For Ten Years of Code”
The entire campaign is summed up in a clear and gracious closing line. It shifts the focus from GitHub to the developers who made it thrive.
→ Lesson: Use gratitude as a branding tool when celebrating milestones.
Humor Breakdown
There’s no overt humor in the ad, but the emotional lightness comes from the positivity of the scenes. It’s celebratory, not funny—warm rather than witty. The energy is upbeat and respectful, focusing on impact rather than entertainment.
→ Lesson: Humor isn’t always necessary. You can create emotional engagement through tone, music, and human moments.
Final Verdict
This is a masterclass in brand storytelling. GitHub avoids selling and instead reflects on ten years of community and contribution. The lack of narration, combined with global visuals, makes it universally accessible. It’s simple, sincere, and highly shareable—an emotional win for a technical product.
Brave-o-meter
B-6 | R-7 | A-5 | V-8 | E-6
BRAVE – 6.4/10
Watch the full ad & learn more
Website: github.com/ten
LinkedIn: GitHub on LinkedIn
