S3’s Top Ten Ads of 2016 (Part Two)

December 30, 2016 Leave a commentCreative, Opinion, Video & PhotographyBy S3 Advertising

We recently gave you the first part of our countdown of 2016’s best ads and, featuring brands such as Bose, Apple and Sony, it was a true visual feast.

If choosing a top five was tricky, then picking our favourite was tougher still. Do we go for an ad that looks spectacular, or one with a hard-hitting message? Do we go for an ad that takes your breath away, or one that tugs at the heartstrings?

Opinions were indeed divided, but we got there in the end. And the winner probably isn’t the one you expected…

#5 – Sandy Hook Promise / Evan

#4 – Under Armour / Rule Yourself

#3 – Audi / Duel

#2 – Barnardo’s / Believe in Me

#1 – Amazon Prime / Vicar & Imam

Yep, Amazon’s widely-acclaimed, 80-second Christmas TV spot is our Ad of the Year. You might well be surprised at our choice, but the consensus here at S3 was that the online retail giant’s latest offering ticked every box

Beautifully shot? Check. Epic soundtrack? Check. A clever reveal? Check.

Sure, other ads ticked all of those boxes too, but it was the brand’s heart-warming, relevant message that helped it take top spot. Events such as Brexit, Trump’s election as president and a plethora of terror attacks this year have only fuelled racial hatred further and, as such, Amazon’s narrative is more important than ever.

And it just goes to show that, sometimes, brands don’t need to spend ridiculous budgets on extravagant CGI, special effects and production values. Because it’s the message that counts, and that’s something you can’t put a price on.

About the author

S3 Advertising

A proud, Welsh agency with a bold, worldwide vision: welcome to S3, The Drum Network’s Advertising Agency of the Year 2016. Our mission? To disrupt your potential audience and get them to pay attention to you. How do we do this? Between us we have over 300 years’ industry experience, and when combined with unrivalled audience insight platforms and a large dash of personality, talent and flair, we get you results. We are people’s people, which is helps explain why we’ve been voted #1 for Client Satisfaction at The Drum Digital Census – three years in a row. But we’ll never let our own achievements get in the way of our commitment to put the needs, satisfaction and ROI of our clients before everything else. It’s why some of the industry’s most exciting brands are choosing to work with us and why, after getting to know us, you’ll want to do the same.