Ad Age Amp members select the 10 best ads of 2024

As we approach the final days of 2024, there’s a treasure trove of unforgettable creativity to look back on. There were ads that stirred our emotions, ads that made us laugh out loud and ads that tapped into the power of nostalgia and took us on journeys down memory lane.

Presented in no particular order, these 10 ads, selected by members of our Amp community, have it all—from celebrity-driven, blockbuster-worthy spots to inspired animation and brilliant displays of top-tier talent. In a rollercoaster year that teetered at times on the edge of dystopia, here’s to celebrating all the standout work that brought a much-needed spark of creativity, optimism and joy.

DoorDash, “DoorDash All the Ads”

Agency: Wieden+Kennedy Portland

It’s been echoed through the industry awards circuit, but it must be repeated: DoorDash’s Super Bowl ad was one of this year’s best. Beyond the quality of the ad itself, it represents an important lesson: consumer engagements belong everywhere, including on TV. Consumer engagements invite consumers in, encouraging participation in the brand’s world and offering a consumer something beyond a message. As a deliverer of anything and everything, who better to give you the chance to win the products from every other Super Bowl ad than DoorDash? It’s a great premise, but the details took it a step further: dynamic camera movement, social integration, authentic brand names, and a super long promo code that added a layer of humor and challenge to entrants. —Lisa Hurst, chief client officer, Amp Agency

Google Pixel SB, “Javier in Frame”

Agency: Google Creative Lab

I’m married to a woman who lives by the motto, “If there aren’t pictures, it didn’t happen,” so this spot resonated with a desire I recognize in my everyday life and paired it with driving awareness of an unrecognized need, rather than a product. Google has been adding accessibility tools into their Pixel phones each year, but this Super Bowl ad delivered a much bigger message than just hyping up a feature that can tell users how many faces are in a frame. It speaks to wanting to hold on to the moments that matter the most to us and making it easier for anyone to capture them. I’ve worked in television and advertising for more years than I’ll admit to in print, and I’ve never seen a better use of a blurry frame. —Shawn Peters, creative director, Newfangled Studios

Heinz and Marvel, “Can’t Unsee It”

Agency: Rethink

My favorite ad of 2024 was the Heinz and Marvel campaign that capitalized on the uncanny resemblance between Deadpool and Wolverine’s costumes and Heinz ketchup and mustard bottles. The ad starts off like a trailer for the movie “Deadpool & Wolverine” but quickly transitions into an ad for Heinz condiments, sarcastically narrated by Ryan Reynolds, that ultimately proved that once viewers saw the color-coordinated similarities, they “can’t unsee it,” the campaign’s tagline. The collaboration also resulted in limited-edition collectibles that allowed fans to accessorize their ketchup and mustard bottles to resemble Deadpool and Wolverine. Overall, the Heinz and Marvel ad is a prime example of how effective brand collaborations can be when done right. —Sam Zises, CEO, [L]earned Media

Volkswagen, “An American Love Story”

Agency: Johannes Leonardo

VW’s “An American Love Story” is a beautiful storytelling piece that shows the impact this brand has had on American culture since 1949. My first four cars were Volkswagens—a Rabbit, a Beetle, a Fox and a Cabrio—so I’d imagine I’m in the sweet spot of their target and likely why this captured me right from the start. The footage, the music and the use of icons from old VW spots were all so intelligently executed. But it wasn’t until the supers appeared at the end that I felt completely validated as a former VW consumer. “We shape its metal. You shape its soul.” An example of how perfectly romantic storytelling can be. —Alyssa Toro, chief creative officer, Connelly Partners

Airbnb, “Get an Airbnb”

In-house

Airbnb’s series of animated, use-case-focused ads are a well-executed reminder of what made Airbnb such an attractive travel concept from its inception. These short videos each highlight a specific, yet extremely relatable, hotel inconvenience that Airbnb solves. The creative and animation is fast-paced and plays well on various platforms. It’s also refreshing to see the ads are not overly negative toward the space Airbnb looks to disrupt—traditional hotels—but rather acknowledges the realities of a hotel experience that their platform solves. This is a win to lean into relatable, individual moments and circumstances that represent the vast majority of Airbnb bookings rather than unique, extreme experiences and properties that had been the focal point for past campaigns. —Grant Regillo, VP, brand partnerships, EightPM

Montblanc, “100 Years of Meisterstück”

In-house

This year, the best ads were the less traditional ones. My favorites—and the most memorable—were long-form, straying away from the 15- or 30-second ads we see on TV or pre-rolling streaming content. Montblanc’s collaboration with director Wes Anderson to celebrate 100 years of their Meisterstück fountain pen stood out from the pack. Longer-form content is becoming increasingly popular for brands due to its ability to deeply engage and effectively tell complex stories that leave a lasting impression. While shorter ads are still relevant on platforms like Instagram or YouTube, longer content offers a richer experience that feels less like traditional advertising. Consumers are willing to invest time in content if it educates, entertains or inspires. —Hannah Schalles, associate creative director, Wondersauce

Honda, “Unstoppable Dreams”

Agency: RPA

It wasn’t just a commercial, it was an emotional ride. Narrated by John Cena, the ad started with a reflective, almost somber tone but transformed into a powerful declaration of resilience and ambition, thanks to its genius reverse poem format. Featuring motorsport legends like Ayrton Senna and Max Verstappen, alongside Honda’s iconic race cars, it celebrated perseverance. What truly set this ad apart was its seamless blend of nostalgia, inspiration and cutting-edge technology, tying in Honda’s future-focused projects. The brand isn’t just honoring its past—it’s charging toward the future. By highlighting how failure can fuel success, the campaign resonated universally. Honda’s ability to inspire while showcasing its legacy made this a standout ad of the year. —Noelle San Jose, senior manager, DEI Programs, GPJ

Nike, “Winning Isn’t for Everyone”

Agency: Wieden+Kennedy Portland

I love it because if feels like some of the old big campaign or brand spots from the past. In a world where everything is so performance driven or value feature-focused, it’s nice to see brands like Nike still doing the big aspirational brand message, and in a big way. —Eric Fowles, CEO and founder, Voltage

Penny, “Price Packs”

Agency: Serviceplan Group

Looking back on the year, there was so much great work to be jealous of but one in particular really stood out for me. Simple, striking and deeply relevant, Penny’s “Price Packs” from Serviceplan was one of the most insightful and well-crafted ideas of the year. At a time when inflation and rising prices loomed large, the simple act of placing the price of goods on the packaging was a brilliant fusion of insight, design and practicality. The execution was the perfect balance of minimalist design and functional clarity, ensuring it would stand out on shelves while delivering a real value to everyday shoppers. What could have been just another dry expected value message turned into a bold visual statement that served as a lasting promise to Penny shoppers. Beautifully done.” —Jason Apaliski, chief creative officer, Pereira O’Dell

Loewe, “Decades of Confusion”

Agency: Partizan

Loewe is simply brilliant. This year’s ads felt like all of my ‘80s art school trial and error manifested, from their surprising Maggie Smith- and Daniel Craig-led print campaigns to photographer Juergen Teller’s dirt-biker-meets-medieval-knights shoot aesthetic. Everything Loewe did this year was delightful, but “Decades of Confusion” with Dan Levy and Aubrey Plaza was my absolute favorite. The accents, the wigs, the pleather, the cursing—and we will never forget the line “I’m gay as a maypole.” It was the ad we needed in a year where time had no meaning and we were all forced to remember that the past was pretty ugly too. So why not live in the moment, have a non-PC laugh, make fun of our flaws, and covet some objects we can’t afford? —Val Carlson, chief creative officer, Critical Mass

Honorable Mention: Kai Cenat, “Mafiathon 2”

This is not an ad, but a harbinger of the next evolution of live streaming. Kai Cenat’s record-breaking, 30-day live stream on Twitch did exactly what so many advertisers want—getting young audiences engaged and talking. Part spectacle, part talk show, it is a platform for celebrities—and their brand endorsements—to show up in an authentic way versus interrupting audiences’ social media feeds. Kai’s platform will continue to be envied by brands, with many more advertising dollars to follow, I’m sure. —Glen Scott, chief creative officer, VML