The 20 Best Ads of 2023

But anyone who does creative work knows the struggle of it, the days that feel like drudgery—and how remarkable it feels to break through. 

When we looked back on the work of 2023, there were numerous examples of that imagination and talent at play. It was hard to narrow them down, but here are some of our favorites. And here’s to everyone who gets down in the mud of creativity and uncovers some magic along the way.

20. Fiat | ‘Operation No Gray’ by Leo Burnett Italia

Fiat thinks gray cars are boring, and it did something spectacular about it. Olivier Francois, CEO of the Italian car brand, stated boldly: “Fiat will no longer produce gray cars.” He followed it up by getting into a Fiat in a sun-drenched piazza and being dunked into a giant can of sunburst orange paint. The ad, created by Leo Burnett Italia, found Francois talking about how Italy is a vibrant country, so a gray car has no place there. What made the stunt truly stand out was its authenticity—there was no CGI, just a 10,000-liter paint can, an auto executive, a pretty Italian Riviera town and a huge crane that lowered the Fiat 600 into the paint. Simple, rule-breaking genius. —Kyle O’Brien

19. Steak-umm | ‘DeepSteaks’ by Tombras

Only world leaders and Hollywood stars are targets of deepfake technology, according to prevailing wisdom. But what if everyday folks could be victims too? Steak-umm and its agency Tombras showed just how easy it is—using readily available, off-the-shelf tools—to manipulate language and doctor footage, seemingly turning vegans in its focus groups into carnivores. The PSA, called “DeepSteaks,” warns about the potential for AI to invade anyone’s life, while continuing the brand’s battle against misinformation in the digital age and backing its “100% real” positioning. The spot kicked off a consumer education push, gathering signatures to support the Deepfake Accountability Act and asking lawmakers to take action. —T .L. Stanley

18. Liquid Death | ‘F**k Whoever Started This’ (in-house)

Brands embraced negative reviews long before Liquid Death came along, but perhaps no product has wallowed in hater vitriol with as much joy and abandon as the brash line of canned beverages. In fact, there’s a cottage industry of “Greatest Hates” albums, recorded by Liquid Death’s famous musician friends with lyrics made up entirely of caustic feedback from social media. To promote the third record in the series, the brand dropped its first music video, “F**ck Whoever Started This,” sprinkled with Puritans, pitchforks, ‘80s-inspired dance pop and a 16.9-ounce tallboy burning at the stake. Demented, hilarious and totally on-brand. —T .L. Stanley

17. Meow Wolf | ‘Come Find Yourselfs at the Mall’ by Preacher

Indie agency Preacher set out to make a “wonderfully weird and mind-bending invitation” to a Dallas exhibition from its new client and collaborator, art collective Meow Wolf. The resulting 60-second hero video reimagines the typical mall scene—circa the 1990s—with trippy touches, bringing mannequins to life and throwing friendly aliens, furry mascots and talking dolls into the mix. And don’t forget the neon track-suited mall walkers with cult-follower tendencies. Weird and mind-bending? Check and check. “Come Find Yourselfs at the Mall” anchored a launch campaign that also included wacky pop-ups, billboards and experiential activations under the brand’s mandate to “make Texas notice us.” The “very insane” flag is now planted ahead of Meow Wolf’s next outpost in Houston. —T .L. Stanley

16. Stella Artois | ‘The Artois Probability’ by Gut Buenos Aires

The use of data doesn’t have to be boring, as beer brand Stella Artois proved with this campaign by Gut Buenos Aires. Since Stella has the oldest logo in the beer world, dating back to 1366, Gut imagined what its drinkers from various eras would have looked like. Their efforts utilized art from over the centuries, culled from an algorithm that analyzed paintings from different eras that cross-referenced data with the brand’s historical records to find the probability of the presence of Stella Artois in the paintings analyzed. The campaign, which was created in partnership with Argentina’s Bellas Artes Museum and drew 7.28 million impressions by 6.7 million unique users, landed the Creative Data Grand Prix at Cannes. —Kyle O’Brien

15. Harry’s | ‘Feel Good, Fellas’ by The Or

Harry’s is not the first brand to upend advertising stereotypes of the perfect man—but its effort is among the most original. The humorous film, by Mother spinoff agency The Or, introduces a business leader who in another life “might have been the Gillette man,” according to co-executive creative director Dan Morris. But this usually polished man faces an existential crisis after witnessing an everyday guy peeling a satsuma in one long strip with a quiet, unshakeable confidence. Without missing a comedic beat, the niche story ends up resonating with a deeper message that challenges masculinity tropes. —Brittaney Kiefer

14. Nike | ‘What the Football’ by Wieden+Kennedy Portland, Amsterdam, Shanghai

The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup was a galvanizing moment for gender equality in sports. Nike—one of the earlier brands to support the women’s game—celebrated soccer legends as well as future stars in its World Cup campaign. Along with an anthem spot, episodic videos brought to life the stories and personalities of players such as Megan Rapinoe, Wang Shuang and Ada Hegerberg. Finally, women’s soccer got the brand hype it deserves. —Brittaney Kiefer

13. Uber | ‘Best Friends’ by Mother London

Uber has been on a drive to promote its membership program, Uber One, starting with a Super Bowl ad earlier this year. Most memorable, however, was its short film starring an unlikely pairing: Hollywood icon Robert De Niro and Sex Education’s Asa Butterfield. The two have nothing in common except “going places and eating food,” but according to Butterfield’s delusion, they become best friends. The ad plays on buddy movie tropes, but with a dry humor that sets it apart from most big-budget commercials fronted by celebrities. —Brittaney Kiefer

12. Hilton Hotels | ‘The Ad You Stay In‘ by TBWA\Chiat\Day NY

Defying conventional wisdom about short-form content and viewers’ dwindling attention spans, Hilton Hotels made a TikTok video that was 10 minutes long. The ad rewarded people for sticking with it, taking viewers on a winding journey with Paris Hilton and seven other influential creators who showed off talents from cooking to remixing music. It was noteworthy not only for its entertainment value but also for its clever use of TikTok’s native features. The video went viral and reached 16 million views within a week, proving that it can be beneficial to break the rules. —Brittaney Kiefer

11. Levi’s | ‘Greatest Story Ever Worn’ by Droga5 NY

When Droga5 New York and Sao Paulo were selected as the lead creative agency for Levi’s last year, the offices were tasked with developing a global campaign celebrating the 150th anniversary of the brand’s signature 501 Jeans. What resulted was an epic tale that spanned the centuries, going deep into the past while acknowledging the oddly true stories to find the passion behind the pants. The series of films tells tales of Jamaicans first discovering 501s and making their own style, a young man in Tbilisi, Georgia who trades the family cow for a pair of jeans, and perhaps most interestingly, a man who requested to be buried in his 501 Jeans and asked that everyone attending his funeral dress in Levi’s denim as well. The spot features a crowd at a funeral remembering the man in the casket in his 501s and boots, to the tune of “My Blue Heaven.” —Kyle O’Brien

10. Squarespace | ‘The Singularity’ (in-house)

Super Bowl advertisers tend to lean heavily into celebrity, and at first glance Squarespace seemed to take a similar approach by enlisting actor Adam Driver to star in its Big Game commercial. But things got weird—and meta—when Driver multiplied into an army of clones enraptured by the brand’s proposition of being “a website that builds websites.” Accompanied by a behind-the-scenes film also featuring multiple Drivers, the campaign comprised beautiful craft, storytelling and digital integration for a simple product demonstration. —Brittaney Kiefer

9. Ocean Spray | ‘Power Your Party’ by Orchard

Ocean Spray has been on a mission to dust off its image and take center stage at holiday gatherings. After last year’s “Jiggle,” in which a family at Thanksgiving mirrors the cranberry sauce’s wobble with uncontrollable shaking, the brand returned with another bizarre tale that appeals to a younger generation. The ad stars a mischievous granny who upends a dull party by spiking the punch bowl with Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice Cocktail. With a strong narrative arc and memorable main character, the spot maintained the brand’s newfound absurdist humor and stood apart in a sea of sentimental festive advertising. —Brittaney Kiefer

8. Canal+ | ‘The Secret of Wakany’ by BETC Paris

Anyone who’s binged a TV show knows the crushing disappointment of a lackluster ending. French broadcaster Canal+ brought this feeling to life in a hilarious depiction of a couple who become obsessed with a fantasy series called The Secret of Wakany, which has notes of Game of Thrones—a show notorious for its unsatisfying conclusion. In an ad as immersive as the fictional series itself, the world of Wakany takes over the couple’s life for an entire decade, and the finale is a nationally anticipated event. But when it turns out the story was just a dream, the passionate pair are so outraged that they destroy their series memorabilia. As the ad aptly puts: “It’s never just entertainment.” —Brittaney Kiefer

7. Tinder | ‘It Starts With a Swipe’ by Mischief @ No Fixed Address

Tinder has been courting Gen Z daters as it tries to overhaul its image as just a hook-up app. In a world fatigued by online dating, Tinder’s first global campaign instead positioned the platform as a facilitator of meaningful connections, while still acknowledging the nuances of modern dating culture. The resulting ads feel authentic, warm and lighthearted, showing daters who end up keeping a toothbrush at their partner’s place or shopping for bedroom furniture together—the ultimate sign of commitment. Notably, the campaign has so far paid off for the brand, too: Owner Match Group credited “It Starts With a Swipe” with increasing Tinder’s user sign-ups, particularly among women and young people. —Brittaney Kiefer

6. Ikea | ‘Proudly Second Best’ by David Madrid, Ingo & Ogilvy

Avis used to state in its ads, “When you’re only No. 2, you try harder.” With “Proudly Second Best,” Ikea turns that concept into a sweet ode to parenting. In the campaign, a few of its popular baby items are featured briefly until the camera pans to contented parents cradling their young children, teaching and interacting with them in loving ways. The ad acknowledges there’s no place a young child would rather be than with their family, which means the Ikea products can remain momentarily unused and there when needed. —Kyle O’Brien

5. Channel 4 | ‘Idents 2023’ by 4Creative

More than your typical channel promos, broadcaster Channel 4’s idents were a public art project capturing modern Britain. The spots, accompanied by spoken word narrated by British writer John Joseph Holt, were abstract and sometimes surreal interpretations of themes such as identity, love and the land. A stunning piece of craft by diverse creators from across the U.K., the branding ultimately conveyed a sense of optimism while standing up for human creativity in all its weird and wonderful forms. —Brittaney Kiefer

4. Tubi | ‘Interface Interruption’ by Mischief @ No Fixed Address

One of the biggest “gotcha” moments of the year happened during the Super Bowl. As people were watching the broadcast, many thought they had errantly sat on their remotes. Turns out, it was a promo for Tubi, the streaming service that had already aired a spot “Rabbit Hole,” which found aggressive bunnies pulling people down the proverbial rabbit hole. The 15-second spot that aired during the fourth quarter went in a different direction. What looked like the live feed of the game was interrupted by what appeared to be someone clicking through their Tubi menu. Considering the game was close, the ad had people yelling at their remotes. It was a touchdown for Tubi and its agency Mischief. —Kyle O’Brien

3. Apple Music | ‘Run This Town’ — Super Bowl 2023 (in-house)

All eyes were on Apple Music when it replaced Pepsi as the Super Bowl Halftime Show sponsor after the beverage brand’s decade-long run. Apple’s performer, Rihanna, stole the show with an act that doubled as promo for her Fenty Beauty line. Apple also built excitement head of the event by exploring the cultural impact of Rihanna’s music. Its short film, “Run This Town,” paid tribute to the singer’s childhood in Barbados—a beautiful ode to one of this generation’s most notable pop stars and the power of realizing big dreams. —Brittaney Kiefer

2. McDonald’s | ‘Grimace’s Birthday’ by Wieden+Kennedy New York

2023 was a standout marketing year for McDonald’s, with highlights including the 1980s-soundtracked “Raise Your Arches” and the “As Featured In” campaign highlighting the brand’s role in entertainment. But it was its revival of furry purple mascot Grimace that transcended traditional advertising and became part of pop culture. McDonald’s celebrated Grimace’s birthday with a nostalgic commercial, merchandise, 8-bit video game and a purple milkshake that unexpectedly went viral on TikTok. In McDonald’s second quarter earnings, CEO Chris Kempczinski partly attributed its 10.3% rise in U.S. sales to the Grimace effect. Milkshakes aside, the campaign demonstrated how the brand is deftly building loyalty with existing customers while also appealing to a younger generation. —Brittaney Kiefer

1. Barbie / Mattel | ‘Pink Billboard’ (in-house)

The world was tinted in a hot pink hue in the run-up to the blockbuster Barbie movie, whose promotional campaign was arguably the biggest marketing event of the year. For a while, the doll and her glitzy aura were inescapable thanks to Mattel and Warner Bros.’ savvy marketing teams. There were Barbie-themed fashion collections, luggage lines, food items and roller skates—even her iconic Dreamhouse was listed on Airbnb. But the simplest and perhaps boldest statement was a bright pink billboard with no images or words besides the film release date, July 21. So ubiquitous was the character at that point—and so confident was the movie’s marketing machine—that the color alone was enough to convey a message: It was Barbie’s world, and we were just living in it. —Brittaney Kiefer