Forbes' Top 5 Ads of 2016
In A Year Of Great Storytelling, The Top 5 Ads Of 2016
Will Burns , Contributor
I'm sure I didn't see every single video ad in 2016. But, being in the industry, the good ones tend to quickly bubble up and catch my attention. And the best ones - the ones we can all learn from, good or bad - are the ones I write about. Today, I went back through all of my posts in 2016 - nearly sixty of them - and chose my favorite five ads that I reviewed this year.
My criteria is not purely based on "creativity," but that's an important component. It's based on creativity and strategy. Because a creative film without a strategy is not advertising, it's just entertainment.
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#2 Donate Life "The World's Biggest A**Hole"
What I love most about this film is the strategy. By exaggerating how bad a person can be in life, yet still be considered a hero by donating organs, Donate Life dramatically magnifies the appeal of organ donation.
The ad is well cast, well shot, very well written, and builds from an emotionally satisfying insight. So good.
Here's the full review: Donate Life Boldly Launches Powerful Film About 'The World's Biggest A--hole'
Any other year and this Donate Life spot would have been my #1.
