It’s been an undeniably rough year, but at least we had some brilliant advertising along the way to inspire, amuse and delight us.
Adweek’s picks for the 10 best ads of 2016 are an extremely varied collection, from comedy to drama and everything in between. And they represent many of the year’s cultural touch points. There is the year’s best Super Bowl ad, the best Christmas ad and the best Olympic ad. There are celebrity directors (Wes Anderson and Spike Jonze) and celebrity stars (including Taylor Swift and Michael Phelps, who bookend our selections).
There’s a Nike blockbuster, though it’s not from the U.S. There’s a shocking PSA, though while it’s about school shootings, it’s not about gun control. There are also several masterpieces of craft, from a stunning set piece cleverly designed to air around the presidential debates to the latest incredible brand partnership from OK Go.
Congratulations to all the agencies and brands here for making the year’s best work.
