System1 and ITV today revealed the 50 top-performing UK ads of 2022, including work from Aldi and McCann, Boots and VMLY&R, Amazon and Lucky Generals, Tourism Australia and M&C Saatchi, and more. The creative was ranked using System1’s Test Your Ad platform, which measures viewers’ second-by-second emotional responses to advertising and features a database of nearly 25,000 ads aired in the UK.
Every ad in the Top 50 scored 5-Stars on System1’s scale from 1 to 5.9-Stars, with the average rating being 5.4-Stars. Typically, only 1% of ads get the top 5-Star score. Additionally, 21 of the Top 50 ads centred on Christmas. By comparison, just two Christmas ads – from Aldi and Coca-Cola – scored 5-Stars in 2021.
“This past year was an exceptional one for effectiveness, especially during the festive season,” said Jon Evans, Chief Customer Officer, System1. “We’re seeing more brands and agencies bring their best creative ideas forward, resulting in ads that deliver on long-term brand building.”
The Top 10 Nation’s Favourite Ads are:
- Asda – Have your Elf a Merry Christmas – 5.9-Stars
- Disney+ – All these + more streaming this Christmas – 5.9-Stars
- Amazon – Joy is Made – 5.9-Stars
- Aldi – Christmas advert 2022 – 5.9-Stars
- Waitrose – Food to Feel Good About – 5.9-Stars
- M&S – Gifts that Give – 5.9-Stars
- Samsung – Curious Cats – 5.8-Stars
- Lindt – Christmas Time to Melt – 5.8-Stars
- Lego – Build a Playful Holiday – 5.8-Stars
- Nintendo – Nintendo Switch Lite – 5.7-Stars
The Top 10 category leaders are:
- Asda – Retail
- Disney+ – Streaming and TV
- Samsung – Phones
- Lindt – Confectionary and Chocolate
- Nintendo – Video Gaming
- Kellogg’s – Cereals
- The National Lottery – Casinos and Lotteries
- Go Türkiye – Travel and Holidays
- McDonalds – Fast Food and Coffee Shops
- Bonne Maman – Ice Cream and Desserts
In addition to Christmas, there were additional themes from the Top 50, including:
- Emotional Engagement is Up – 2022 saw a dramatic increase in the number of 5-Star ads compared to 2021 and 2020, demonstrating brands’ success at engaging viewers through emotional storytelling. While many advertisers captured the hearts of viewers with their festive season spots, there were other strong performances throughout the year.
- A Return to Normal – While the Covid-19 pandemic isn’t over, many consumers are thinking about travel again. A wave of holiday ads made the Top 50, putting sun, sea and scenery back on the agenda. Tourism Australia had a great success with its first Ruby the Roo campaign, and closer to home a stirring advert for Dundee is a reminder that you don’t need glamour or high budgets to make an appealing travel ad.
- Cultural References are Gold Dust – There’s been a rise in ads which reference or borrow iconic actors or characters, like Barbour’s annual use of Paddington Bear in its Christmas ad. Cultural references work because they appeal to the right-brain and the broad-beam attention it brings to bear on the world. When ad campaigns are long-running and beloved enough they can serve as cultural references themselves – this is why Kevin the Carrot is so successful.
- Moments of Indulgence – Ads for confectionery and other treats score well every year since brands in those sectors have a naturally high level of emotional appeal. In 2022, top confectionery ads followed a particular formula – they zoom in on a single moment of indulgent, sensual pleasure created by the product. To confirm how potent this ad format is, especially in a high-stress, high-inflation world, Waitrose used it in its Christmas ad and landed in the Top 5 of 2022.
- Put on a Show – From the office worker dancing to Carly Rae Jepsen in Wrigley’s ad to the conga line in M&S’ joyful Christmas ad to the excitable kids in Matalan’s back-to-school ads, there was no shortage of entertainment through song and dance in last year’s ads. With the right music and dancing, ads offer celebration, emotion and human connection.
“It’s encouraging to see more brands creating more emotionally engaging ads. But an interesting lesson from this year’s top 50 is the importance of not resting on your creative laurels – relative advantage versus your competitors is what really matters and that’s where brilliant creativity and craft can make the difference,” said Kate Waters, director of client strategy & planning at ITV.
“We’re proud to have played a role in the development of multiple top-ranking ads from 2022,” added Evans. “Marketers who recognise the value of ad testing and creative guidance better position their brands for profit gain and market share growth, especially during crucial periods like a recession.”
