The top 10 ads we liked in 2019 (10-6)
The Drum’s editors and reporters picked their favorite ads and campaigns throughout the year with a header simply called ‘Ads We Like’. As 2019 draws to a close, we’ve thumbed through the many quality choices and put them in order of how our readers liked them as well, collating them by the amount of reads they generated on our site.
Today we count from the bottom up, reviewing numbers 10 through six, and they range from the silly and strange to action and adventure, from big brands and challengers.
10. McDonald’s Canada, ‘Friends Wanted’ by Cossette
McDonald’s Canada recruited friends to apply to work at its restaurants in the most endearingly Canadian way possible. A set of commercials shows two young workers at a McDonald’s restaurant. In one, they talk about going to “Ruth’s party”. The considerably older Ruth then tells them to bring their dancing shoes. A second shows them playfully altering their name badges to “Mick Chiggen” and "Chris P Nugget". A third sees one trying to figure out an order. He reads that it’s an Egg McMuffin with “no egg, no cheese and no English muffin.” A little girl on the other side of the counter shouts out “That’s my ham.” To which they reply, “that’s fine.”
9. Apple, ‘Don’t Mess with Mother’
To celebrate the intensity, color, action and vibrancy of our world, Apple upped the ante on mobile-shot videos with this action-packed ode to the globe in time for Earth Day.
The sheer power of Mother Nature is shown in up-close action with scenes one might not think could happen when shooting from an iPhone. From mighty ocean waves to electrifying bolts of lightning, to the animals above and below sea, the beauty and unexpected nature of the planet inspires and impresses through this video, caught in exciting action and vivid color the whole way through, set to the thundering track Last Rites by Megadeth.
The ‘Shot on iPhone’ footage was taken in nine countries around the world, each showcasing a magnificent side of nature.
8. Air Canada, ‘Travel Like a Canadian’ by FCB Canada
Killing Eve star Sandra Oh is from Canada, and since Canadians are known globally for their polite ways, Oh set out to teach people how to ‘Travel Like a Canadian’ in a spot for Air Canada.
The launch video features Oh walking through an airport and pointing out that when people fly Air Canada, they’re essentially traveling like a Canadian, so she points out a few ways to act like a local.
She uses Canadian phrases, offers Canadian food, meets people from all over the planet and acts oh-so-polite.
7. Aviation Gin, ‘The Gift that Doesn’t Give Back’
The gin brand owned by Ryan Reynolds hopped on the Peloton backlash bandwagon with this spot that featured the same actress as the Peloton ad. And they poked fun at the character without being mean or blatant.
The ad shows Monica Ruiz with three friends at the holidays at a bar, looking stunned and glum with martinis in front of them. After some uncomfortable silence, they cheers “to new beginnings” as Ruiz slams her martini with her friends comforting her.
A tweet of the ad by Reynolds digs in with the text “exercise bike not included.” Zing.
6. Lego and Chevrolet, ‘Getaway’ by Commonwealth//McCann
The Lego Movie 2 promoted its action-packed animation with a Chevy Silverado tie-in ad that utilized plenty of auto sales tropes in a way only Lego could imagine.
The 60-second spot, ‘Getaway,’ recreated an epic chase scene from the movie with a tongue-in-cheek twist. Main characters Emmet and Lucy – aka Wyldstyle – are fleeing an enemy in a spaceship, which shoots apart their Lego vehicle.
Emmet quickly assembles a satin steel metallic Lego Chevy Silverado and the two then dodge bombs and lasers as Emmet points out the many features of the truck in commercial verbiage, backed by a monster-truck-like voice and graphics promoting vague features like “interior” and “cubic." A great combination of humor and animated action.
Tomorrow we will count down the top five Ads We Like. Visit our Creative Works page to see and vote for the latest campaigns.