Top 5 Greatest Video Ads of the YouTube Era

Advertising videos are a huge component of YouTube—with four of last year’s top ten most-watched videos being ads. In honor of the site’s strong ties with brands and its 10th anniversary, YouTube recently invited viewers to vote for their favorite ads from a list of 20 iconic brand videos.

After a couple weeks of open voting, YouTube announced the top vote getters (including the number-one winner) on June 3. You can see which videos cracked the top five here. YouTube notes that combined the top five videos have been watched for over 7.7 million hours.

Our Favorite YouTube Brand Videos from the Past Decade

On a recent episode of our podcast Speaking Human, we shared our own MONSTER picks for favorite ad videos from the 20 nominees. After some heated debate, here are our top five brand videos from the first decade of YouTube…

Ship My Pants by K-Mart

Ridiculous, silly and fun, we love this video because it plays to our ten-year-old psyche with the pun to end all puns. Most surprising of all may be the fact this video came from K-Mart, a brand not really known for its humor when this video was unleashed.

Most Shocking Second a Day Video by Save The Children UK

Surprising, inspired, and impactful, this video takes the concept of “second a day videos” (where you record a second of your life everyday to create the full picture of a year) and turns it on its head to relay a powerful and devastating message.

#LikeAGirl by Always

Honest, real and emotional, this video also delivers a strong message in a way that really grabs you. You go from giggling to thinking to choking back tears. Amazingly well-crafted and meaningful, this is a video you’ll be thinking about days or weeks later.

The Epic Split Featuring Van Damme by Volvo Trucks

Jean-Claude Van Damme does a split on top of two moving trucks. Repeat: Jean-Claude Van Damme does a split on top of two moving trucks. It’s a mesmerizing feat that you will never forget. And it gets bonus points for pairing the star of “Bloodsport” with the music of Enya.

The Force by Volkswagon

Hitting the ideal level of cute, this fun, warmhearted and memorable ad nails the perfect pitch throughout. It uses classic pop culture imagery and music, and a humorous narrative, to hit the targeted family demographic right in the sweet spot.

THAT’S OUR OPINION…

NOW GIVE YOUR HUMAN OPINION AND SEE WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THESE PICKS.

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