The 25 Best Ads of 2018

With all the industry hand-wringing of late about whether creative agencies are a dying breed, one might have expected a drought of ambitious advertising in 2018. Instead, we saw that when bold marketers put their faith in provocative agencies, they can create work that doesn’t just reflect culture but also drives it forward.

As a reflection of how much great work there was to talk about this year, we’re expanding our usual Top 10 list to a Top 25, and we’ll be creating a separate list just for our favorite stunts, activations and innovations.

So let’s get to it. Here are Adweek’s picks for the Top 25 ads of 2018:

25. KFC Hong Kong | “Hot and Spicy”
Agency: Ogilvy Hong Kong

These print and outdoor ad images are classic art direction at its best: simple in concept, flawless in execution and (once you catch the concept) impossible to stop staring at. By replacing the fire in different images with KFC’s Hot and Spicy fried chicken, Ogilvy Hong Kong created a campaign that sparked praise among consumers and creative peers alike. While Ogilvy didn’t invent the idea of using fried chicken as fire (a technique that’s been popping up in different parts of the creative web for years), they certainly cooked it up perfectly.

24. Nat Geo | “Nujeen”
Agency: 72andSunny

The story of a young refugee who escaped Syria in a wheelchair is an incredible one to hear or read—but to see the young woman herself, Nujeen Mustafa, re-enacting her impossible odyssey is something truly special. Nat Geo and agency 72andSunny made it happen, thanks to Mustafa’s extensive cooperation and the powerful storytelling of director Reed Morano, best known for her work on The Handmaid’s Tale. “I wasn’t supposed to see the bright side of my journey,” says Mustafa, who has cerebral palsy, in her narration of the spot. “So I made it an adventure, and discovered all sorts of new things.”

23. Greenpeace Canada | “Don’t Suck the Life From Our Oceans”
Agency: Rethink

The debate over the destructive role of single-use plastics on ocean life reached critical mass this year, with major brands including Starbucks pledging to phase out plastic straws. Perhaps the most powerful visual to make the case for this consumer shift came from Greenpeace Canada and agency Rethink, whose print ads feel like a punch in the throat to each viewer. It’s a powerful, unforgettable image—and one that sadly isn’t hyperbole.

22. Newport Beach Film Festival | “Quota”
Agency: The Garage

Promotional videos for film festivals have become some of the most fun and freaky ads in recent years, and Newport Beach Film Festival has certainly been one of the leaders in the trend. For this year’s festival, director Jillian Martin created a mini-masterpiece with “Quota: Who Made the Cut.” It’s a fantastic feat of short-form storytelling with an ending that … well, let’s just say it makes its point in a way you won’t forget. Martin was featured on this year’s Adweek Creative 100 as an emerging director to watch.

21. Bud Light | “Oracle Susana”
Agency: Wieden + Kennedy New York

While “Dilly Dilly” may have been a dominating force in both advertising and pop culture this year, picking a best ad is a challenge. Bud Light’s Super Bowl outing, “Bud Knight,” was memorable and featured the dry wit and subtle acting that have made the campaign a hit. But for our money, the best spot was “Oracle Susana,” created with a clever blend of Spanish and English aimed at appealing to World Cup audiences. The ad isn’t just funny and memorable; it also showed that the Dilly Dilly campaign still had quite a lot of area to explore. At Adweek’s Elevate: Creativity event earlier this year, Wieden + Kennedy New York ecd Karl Lieberman said the creative team behind the ads pictures the campaign taking place on a map similar to the sprawling geography of Game of Thrones. “Oracle Susana” was the first foray into this wider world.

20. Monoprix | “The Worst Song in the World”
Agency: Rosapark

Imagine being presented with this creative challenge: Write a song that’s so bad, it could believably called “The Worst Song in the World.” But don’t make it so bad you can’t listen to it all the way through. In fact, try to even make it addictively catchy in the way only truly great bad songs—”We Built This City on Rock and Roll,” “The Final Countdown,” etc.—can be. French agency Rosapark and its production partners were up that challenge, crafting a hilariously awful track for grocery chain Monoprix. The gag is that the ad’s protagonist can’t stop listening because her hands are full of grocery bags—which they wouldn’t be if she used the delivery service being advertised. But even if you don’t remember the payoff, you’ll always, always remember the song.

19. Apple | “Unlock”
Agency: Furlined

Unquestionably, 2018 was an amazing year for Apple’s creative marketing, as you’ll see more than once again in this list. One exceptionally crafted piece that’s often overlooked, though, is one made by production house Furlined to launch the iPhone X. With a breathless pace and effortless style, “Unlock” is a feast of visual popcorn as a young woman learns that her glance can unlock the new iPhone—and maybe everything else?

18. Kiwi | “Greatness Starts With a First Step”
Agency: Ogilvy Chicago

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