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2015's most shared ads - Will Disney, Android or Budweiser take the top spot?

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By Rebecca Stewart, Trends Editor

November 19, 2015 | 5 min read

2015 has seen marketers deliver a string of striking campaigns – from Budweiser's 'Lost Dog' Super Bowl spot through to Zorba's 'Maya' film.

top ten most shared ads 2015

So before we shake the dust of 2014 off our feet, The Drum can reveal the 10 most globally shared spots of the year.

Clips starring animals reign supreme when it comes to sharing, with several of the top 10 entries (including work from Kleenex, Android and Purina) featuring our furry friends in some way or another.

The rankings, supplied by Unruly, are based on the number of shares generated by ads on Facebook and YouTube across Twitter, Facebook and the blogosphere. As such, the list is based on a video's buzz or virality rather than views.

Scroll down to see who made the cut this year, and which brand stole the top spot.

1. Android 'Friends Furever'

The most passed on ad of the year was Android's sweet 'Friends Furever' film, which generated a massive 6.4m shares. From a sheep and elephant duo to a monkey with a pet dog, the Google-owned brand used adorable, and unlikely, animal pals to highlight its 'be together not the same' mantra.

2. Disney 'Disney Characters Surprise Shoppers'

Earning second place with over 3.9m shares was the 'Disney Characters Surprise Shoppers' spot. The feel-good campaign secretly filmed customers to find out what happened when Mickey, Minnie, Elsa or Buzz Lightyear magically surprised them in a mall.

3. Purina 'Puppyhood'

Coming in close at number three was Nestlé's pet brand Purina, which showed the power of fuzzy with 3m shares. Produced by BuzzFeed video, the three-and-a-half minute long film tells the story of a bachelor who discovers his soulmate in the form of a King Charles Spaniel puppy.

4. Monster - 'Cristiano Ronaldo - People are going to think I’m crazy!'

Real Madrid star Christiano Ronaldo took to the streets disguised as a homeless man to trick the public as part of a stunt for energy drink company Monster. The footballer surprised onlookers with his nifty footwork, and the video has clocked up 2.9m shares this year.

5. Budweiser 'Lost Dog'

Another dog-themed ad made it into the top ten as Budweiser's emotive Superbowl campaign secured fifth place. Set to a cover version of the Proclaimers' '500 Miles', the film showed a tiny Labrador puppy searching for a place to call home, and was passed on by social users over 2.8m times.

6. Ad Council 'Love Has No Labels'

The Ad Council's 'Love Has No Labels' was posted across social 2.7m times throughout 2015. The clip encouraged viewers to open their eyes to bias and prejudice and not make snap judgments about people based on first impressions.

7. Zorba 'Maya'

This tearjerker from renaissance studio Zorbo challenged those watching to 'love others to love yourself' and was shared over 2.4m times.

8. Fanpage.it 'Slap her - Children’s Reactions'

What happens when you put a boy in front of a girl and ask him to slap her? Fanpage.it did just that with powerful results. The video clearly struck a chord with a social audience and was posted 2.3m times.

9. Microsoft 'Robert Downey Jr. Delivers a Real Bionic Arm'

Microsoft ranked at nine thanks to Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr. and Albert Manero, a Collective Project student who founded Limbitless. The pair generated 2.1m shares on social when they surprised a little boy with a new bionic 3D printed arm at no cost to the family.

10. Kleenex 'Unlikely Best Friends'

With 2m shares, Kleenex' ad centred around a man who found companionship in a dog that faced the same struggles he did.

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