Many people argue that all advertising is storytelling. Even ads that seem devoid of story—Coinbase’s bouncing QR code on the Super Bowl, for example—help build a narrative around a brand.

Storytelling was central to many of our Top 5 campaigns this week. In some cases, the stories were literal—a New York hospital’s telling of a patient’s survival story, for example, or a New Zealand telecom’s pleasantly mysterious tale of a young man’s search for self-identity.

In others, it was more oblique—an automaker launching a special driving school to build a narrative around safety, or a beauty brand creating a virtual event to chronicle teens’ struggles with body image.

See below for the full Top 5, all of whose stories were worth our time this week.

5. Blockbuster: Signs
Agency: Atlantic New York

The last remaining Blockbuster Video store, in Oregon, has been telling quirky stories for a while on the theme of survival—how it’s managed to endure even as the rest of the once-great video-rental chain perished. This latest spot from Atlantic New York focused on a curious bit of architectural trivia: that many businesses that took over old Blockbuster locations kept the iconic Blockbuster sign, simply rebranding it. Thus, Blockbuster survived—in a way—even in places where it didn’t. This brand’s riches-to-rags saga is always fun to keep tabs on, and this was an inventive way to keep the gag going.

4. Volkswagen South Africa: VW Night School
Agency: Ogilvy South Africa

This initiative went well beyond an ad campaign, as Ogilvy South Africa helped Volkswagen create a whole night-driving school to teach drivers to navigate roads at the most dangerous hours of the day. The level of cooperation to make this happen was impressive—it involved working with the South African government to ensure the viability of the curriculum—and the advertising behind it (with help from media agency PHD) was sophisticated in its targeting. A great example of creating action, not just ads.

3. Montefiore Einstein: Everyone Loves a Comeback
Agency: Alto

Montefiore has been telling evocative stories for years, from its 48-minute film made with director John Hillcoat in 2018, to last year’s excellent holiday film shot by Tom Hooper. Yet another Hollywood player, Alexander Payne, directed the New York hospital’s latest film, in which longtime Payne collaborator Paul Giamatti tells the story of a Montefiore patient’s complex life—and subsequent brush with death. Giamatti is always a compelling presence on screen, and this piece nicely reinforces the hospital’s commitment to film craft in the service of saving lives.

2. Dove: Most Likely To
Agency: Ogilvy

Dove, Ogilvy and Smuggler director Henry-Alex Rubin have combined for a number of powerful films, from “The Cost of Beauty” to “Toxic Influence.” Their newest collab, “Most Likely To,” continues that run, turning the anodyne trope of “Most Likely To” yearbook predictions upside down as a way of digging into body-image anxieties in teens. The film alone is worth a watch, but it’s connected to something bigger—the first-ever “Dove Day” event, happening Oct. 10, in which the Unilever brand will lead a nationwide virtual self-esteem workshop for middle schoolers across Canada.

1. One NZ: Finding Jade
Agency: FCB Aotearoa

Being connected with others has been the core theme across decades of telecom advertising, but FCB nicely tweaks the formula—turning it into an episodic mystery—in this intriguing campaign for One NZ. The brand asks: How would you connect with your loved ones if you didn’t know where you came from? It’s a promising setup, and this 90-second launch spot, directed by Steve Ayson, sets a wonderful tone—featuring a charming young man who’s traveled to Scotland for clues about his provenance. The series will continue with more spots and, while we’ll have to see how those play out, this heartfelt, lightly comic, long-game approach is a breath of fresh air in a category that’s typically much more transactional.