This week: giant shoe vans, a Christmas ad that only aired once and a poignant father-son adventure.

5. Vans: Vans
Agency: Gut Los Angeles

The fashion brand grabbed New Yorkers' attention this week with an eye catching stunt; it drove two vans, designed to look like giant, 10-foot-tall replicas of its new MTE-3 shoe line, through the city, manned by a pair of local influencers. Those who stopped to take a closer look could even score a free pair of the sneakers.

Also read: Top 5 out-of-home innovations of 2022

4. NBA: A NonStop NBA Christmas
Agency: Translation

Basketball fans are bound to love this star-studded take on “The Twelve Days of Christmas” in the form of a kids' holiday play, featuring NBA legends, musicians, influencers and young fans. There's something for every generation here, from superfan NonStop to the likes of Julius Erving and Ray Allen, as it communicates all the teams set to play on Christmas Day. 

3. Pluto TV: Stream Now, Pay Never
Agency: Known

Drew Barrymore plays all the roles in the new global campaign from Pluto TV, promoting its new “Stream Now, Pay Never” positioning; she's the star of action, romance and surreal drama scenes, teased in a campaign trailer on “The Drew Barrymore Show” and rolling out as three different spots directed by David Shane of O Positive. It's great casting (Barrymore brings talent, sparkle and a hint of mischief to the script) and the campaign engagingly reinforces that Pluto TV is “totally free” while showcasing the different kinds of content on offer.

2. Taco Bell: UK Christmas ad
Agency: The Or

Taco Bell teamed with YouTuber An0nymooose on its U.K. Christmas ad this year. Although the spot, featuring an animated version of Santa as a YouTube restaurant reviewer who gets freaked out by a scary swan, is amusing enough, the clever part of this campaign is that it only aired once on TV (and that was late at night on one of ITV's lesser channels). Instead, Taco Bell made a point of donating its media spend towards a free taco giveaway on a single day in December. 

See more of this year's Christmas and holiday ads

1. Dutch State Lottery: Husky Frida
Agency: TBWA\Neboko

It's less than a week until Christmas, and this is our last Creativity Top 5 of the year, so it feels fitting to end on a heartwarming holiday ad. Although this spot is for the Dutch State Lottery, it's less about winning a big prize and more about seizing the moment (and perhaps, OK, buying a ticket too) as a son takes his elderly father on the adventure of a lifetime, complete with cute husky puppies. Likely to put you in the holiday mood.