Beyoncé leaned into her cowboy era, a gecko grew up, a barf bag went viral. Michael Cera pranked the nation, Waldo had an existential crisis, Ben Affleck realized his boy band dreams, and a potato chip lover got stuck in a time loop.
The best ads of 2024 took us on a wild, inventive, funny, bizarre, unexpected, and sometimes emotional journey. Even as the ad industry faced great pressure and change, it proved its creative mettle—and often entertained us along the way.
As we close out another eventful year, here’s a look back at the work that moved audiences and will stay with us for a long time to come.
20. Geico | ‘The Legend of the Lizard’ by The Martin Agency
We all know the Geico Geck as the affable, erudite brand mascot since 1999. But do we really know him? A cheeky 15-minute documentary filled in the humble-origins-to-worldwide-fame backstory of the animated spokeslizard, complete with interviews from key characters in his life, like his football coach, his childhood best friend, and his co-workers. Most notably, Caveman made a snarky appearance. Geico gave the content a Hollywood blockbuster-style rollout, complete with trailers that ran during the 2024 Super Bowl pre-game. –T.L. Stanley
19. Tubi | ‘Free for Everyone’ by Mischief @ No Fixed Address
Mischief @ No Fixed Address conjured up more mischief in its latest ad for Tubi, sending the message that the streaming service is free for everyone. The spots begin with a voiceover stating that Tubi is free for people like first responders, teachers, small business owners, and other do-gooders. Then the ads take a dark turn, with the narrator clarifying that the service is also free for “thugs and cronies” who like to shake down small business owners, as well as people who steal copper pipes from open houses and kids who throw rocks through windows. Tubi is free for everyone, and they do mean everyone. The campaigns are working, as Tubi has surpassed 81 million monthly active users and reached 2.1% of total TV viewing time, according to Nielsen. –Kyle O’Brien
18. Spotify | ‘Spreadbeats’ by FCB New York
B2B marketing got a creative jolt with this wildly inventive campaign from Spotify and FCB New York. With the mundane media plan spreadsheet as its inspiration, the work, set to the tune “Shiver (Cassian Remix)” by John Summit, Hayla & Cassian, brought Excel to life with inventive animation. The transformation from 2D spreadsheet to a 3D canvas became a fully-immersive audio experience to demonstrate the power of Spotify’s platform for advertisers. The four-minute video was built in a 10mb emailable spreadsheet. Spotify sent its innovative RFP to thousands of media planners all over the globe. The stunt earned the Digital Craft Grand Prix at Cannes Lions. –Kyle O’Brien
17. Dramamine | ‘The Last Barf Bag’ by FCB Chicago
People will collect just about anything. But barf bags? Yes, in fact, there are enthusiasts–and shockingly, there is an actual museum that curates and displays (unused) examples of the genre. While inferring that its products have rendered the throwback traveling aid nearly obsolete, the brand created a surprisingly entertaining 13-minute documentary on its history and a limited-edition collection of barf bags repurposed as stockings, vases, and more. The piece marked Dramamine’s largest ad investment in more than a decade and went on to snag a Health Grand Prix at Cannes Lions. –T.L. Stanley
16. Levi’s | ‘Chapter 01 Launderette’ by TBWA\Chiat\Day LA
Levi’s enlisted Queen Bey to reimagine a classic 1985 ad “through the female perspective.” The pop star recreated the famous drop-trou-in-public scene (replacing a male model in the original) with her Cowboy Carter single “Levii’s Jeans” as the soundtrack. Though it’s an American icon, Levi’s has struggled in recent years, looking to Beyoncé for a boost in energy and sales. “Chapter 01 Launderette,” part of a global campaign that included exclusive products, TV, OOH, digital, social, and other activations, marked the start of a long-term collaboration. –T.L. Stanley
15. Powerade | ‘The Vault’ by Open X and Ogilvy
Powerade’s portrait of Olympic gymnast Simone Biles was a refreshing change of pace from typically high-octane sports advertising. Directed by Kim Gehrig, the intimate film showed the world-renowned athlete’s human side, focusing on her personal life and musings about what matters most to her beyond the mat. Though quiet and slow-paced, Powerade’s ad lent a clear and assured voice to the discussion about the intersection between mental and physical wellbeing. –Brittaney Kiefer
14. Etsy | ‘Waldo’ by Orchard Creative
Everyone is used to asking “Where’s Waldo?” but never “Who’s Waldo?” Etsy’s charming holiday ad delves into the mind of the beloved children’s book character. Waldo muses that while he loves being in crowds, barely anyone takes the time to get to know him. It’s in small moments off the page – like when his girlfriend, Wenda, gives him a customized compass from Etsy – that he feels truly “seen.” While this may sound like a silly premise, the ad movingly captures the quiet joy of being with someone who really gets you. –Brittaney Kiefer
13. Frito-Lay | ‘Happy Groundhog Lay’s’ by Maximum Effort and Kimmelot
How is it possible for a campaign to air 75 times in a single day without getting old? These spots for Lay’s, starring Stephen Tobolowsky, got darker and funnier with each viewing. The prolific character actor, a key supporting player in the classic comedy film, Groundhog Day, was himself stuck in a time loop in a series of ads that dropped, appropriately, on Groundhog Day. The wildly creative experiment, via a novel sponsorship deal with Disney Advertising, managed to hype the brand’s many (many) product incarnations while paying a pitch-perfect homage to a beloved film. –T.L. Stanley
12. Heineken | ‘The Boring Phone’ by LePub
One of the hottest debuts at Milan Design Week was a throwback phone with basic features from the early 2000s. Heineken collaborated with fashion retailer Bodega and Nokia manufacturer Human Mobile Devices (HMD) to drop a limited collection of Boring Phones, which could only send and receive phone calls and texts. The beer brand threw a launch party for the device and gifted some to celebrities and influencers. The digital detox conversation is ongoing, but Heineken joined in with marketing more akin to streetwear brands, making it cool to be tech-free. –Brittaney Kiefer
11. Uber One | ‘Brian Cox Goes to College’ by Special US
Since Succession, Brian Cox is best known for playing a formidable patriarch and business titan, but it was refreshing to see him bring out his comedic side in this ad from Uber One. Cox goes back to school as a college freshman intent on scoring Uber One’s student membership deals. In a self-aware nod to his Succession character, Logan Roy, he intimidates classmates along the way. But there’s a (sort of) heartwarming end when he shares a free taco with his roommate. Uber often uses celebrities in its ads, but by letting Cox showcase his talents, it delivered a standout. –Brittaney Kiefer
10. Quilted Northern | ‘We Quilt This City’ by Orchard Creative
A musical trio called the Quilted Queens, dressed in white quilted jackets that read “Keep it quilted,” have a singular mission: to share the gospel of Quilted Northern’s toilet paper. Dancing throughout a grocery store, they sing a toilet paper-inspired remake of Starship’s 1985 song, “We Built This City,” that you won’t be able to get out of your head. These queens bring smiles as well as useful shopping information. Who says toilet paper advertising has to be boring? –Brittaney Kiefer
9. Dunkin’ | ‘The DunKings’ by Artists Equity
What began with a meme grew into a hilariously self-referential Super Bowl ad starring Ben Affleck and his fictional “boy band” called the DunKings. Celeb cameos abound in this instant classic, including the actor’s BFF Matt Damon, his now-ex-wife Jennifer Lopez, retired football legend Tom Brady, and rapper Jack Harlowe. The song that fuels the spot, “Don’t Dunk Away at My Heart,” later dropped as a single, as did an extended cut of the video, further hyping the chain’s new iced coffee drink and donut skewers, created in the DunKings’ honor. Related merchandise—bright track suits and bucket hats among them–sold out quickly. –T.L. Stanley
8. Liquid Death x e.l.f. Beauty | ‘Corpse Paint’ (in-house)
Seemingly odd bedfellows, Liquid Death and e.l.f. turn out to have considerable common ground, namely that they’re both social media powerhouses with die-hard followers and strong brand mashup track records. Their ghoulish stunt this past spring centered on a co-branded makeup kit—packaged in a “keepsake coffin”—that wrapped the Insta-fave beauty brand in Liquid Death’s horror-comedy sensibility. A satirical video announcing the crossover borrowed the cheery tone of old-school toy commercials and brought goth culture further into the mainstream. The campaign quickly went viral, with the product selling out in 45 minutes. –T.L. Stanley
7. Apple | ‘Flock’ by TBWA\Media Arts Lab
Imagine Hitchcock’s The Birds, updated for the surveillance era. That’s the scary but brilliant creative idea behind Apple’s Privacy on iPhone spot from earlier this year. The two-minute film, from TBWA\Media Arts Lab and directed by Ivan Zacharias, shows unsuspecting mobile device user being spotted by surveillance cameras. With some inspired animation and production from House of Parliament and Legacy Effects, the cameras sprout wings and begin to attack, everywhere from the bus stop to office elevators, fishing boats, and even in private homes. Before they’re able to reach their targets, people realize they have the power to become private from the invaders, turning on privacy features on Safari as bird bots blow up in the air. –Kyle O’Brien
6. Xbox | ‘The Everyday Tactician’ by McCann London
Xbox joined the wave of brands creating original entertainment with a sports documentary series following a gamer who put his virtual skills to the test for a real soccer team. After winning Xbox’s recruitment contest, 23-year-old Nathan Owolabi got his dream job as a tactician for Bromley Football Club in south London. With no professional soccer experience, would his gaming acumen translate to the field? Many branded entertainment projects fall flat, but Xbox’s human storytelling made this series highly watchable. It also scored two Grand Prix at Cannes Lions this year. –Brittaney Kiefer
5. CALM | ‘Missed Birthdays’ by adam&eveDDB
Each balloon represents a young person who died by suicide and the age they would have been at their next birthday
A birthday balloon is a joyous, universally recognized symbol. But in the case of “Missed Birthdays,” an installation in a high-traffic shopping mall in London, each of the 6,929 brightly colored balloons represented a young person who died by suicide in the U.K. in the past decade. The program—with ITV broadcast tie-ins, educational resources, and tool kits for the public—continued CALM and its agency’s Cannes Lions-winning work on suicide awareness and prevention. –T.L. Stanley
4. McDonald’s | ‘WcDonald’s’ by Wieden+Kennedy New York
Despite being a global powerhouse, McDonald’s has a knack for authentically tapping into subcultures. Case in point: its foray into anime. “WcDonald’s” is a fictional chain with upside-down golden arches that has appeared in many famous anime films and shows. Collaborating with the genre’s biggest names, McDonald’s brought WcDonald’s into the real world, unleashing manga-inspired packaging, a special sauce, and anime episodes in more than 30 markets. There was also a virtual WcDonald’s in Fortnite and a manga-themed restaurant takeover in Los Angeles. The campaign proved that catering to niche fandoms can have massive crossover appeal. –Brittaney Kiefer
3. Gap | ‘Get Loose’ by Invisible Dynamics
Gap has been on a comeback tour, and one of its biggest headliners this year was Troye Sivan. The Australian pop star led a head-bopping choreographed dance to Thundercat’s “Funny Thing,” featuring all of the dancers clad in Gap’s denim. The aesthetic is a nod to the retailer’s peak in the 1990s and 2000s, while spotlighting a young talent who is very of the moment. Led by creative director Zac Posen, Gap’s joyful advertising is a return to form. –Brittaney Kiefer
2. DoorDash | ‘DoorDash-All-The-Ads’ by Wieden+Kennedy and Superette
DoorDash’s ambitious approach to the Super Bowl this year resulted in the biggest giveaway the Big Game has ever seen. The delivery app used its 30 seconds of air time to give away every item advertised during Super Bowl 58. The ad gave a dizzying tour of all the things someone could win, from luxury cars to Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups to a thousand wings from Popeyes. A man from Texas won the giveaway and received $500,000 worth of prizes, while the campaign went on to win the Titanium Grand Prix at Cannes Lions. The elaborate product demo pushed the limits of collaboration, with Wieden+Kennedy developing a new brand platform and building the sweepstakes alongside the brand’s in-house creative studio, Superette. DoorDash also worked with all the other Super Bowl advertisers and the NFL to make the giveaway possible. –Kyle O’Brien
1. CeraVe | ‘Michael CeraVe’ by Ogilvy
Early this year, actor Michael Cera started exhibiting some strange behavior. He was seen signing bottles of CeraVe moisturizer in a Brooklyn pharmacy and carting bags of the product around New York City, photos of which ended up in Page Six. He dramatically walked out of a podcast recording when asked about his ties to the L’Oréal brand. Was Cera trying to build a side hustle as a skincare influencer, or was he actually the founder of CeraVe? The truth was finally revealed in CeraVe’s first Super Bowl ad: it had all been an elaborate prank to build buzz. CeraVe and Ogilvy broke the mold by creating an influencer-led Super Bowl approach, capturing the attention of the general public long before the Big Game. It went on to win a Social & Influencer Grand Prix at Cannes Lions. Just to reiterate, CeraVe was developed by professional dermatologists, not Cera. –Brittaney Kiefer
