2024’s 10 most-viewed ads on The Drum

From January onward, we’ve captured the attention of millions, showcasing standout ads from global brands such as Apple, KFC, Heinz and Tesco. These campaigns have resonated widely.

From Heinz launching the world’s first-ever ketchup insurance policy to Cadbury remaking ‘Mum’s Birthday’ to mark its 200th anniversary and KFC’s vertical burger, this year’s offerings have been as varied as they have been memorable.

Here’s the top 10. Which one is your favorite?

Heinz ‘Ketchup Insurance’ by FP7 McCann

Heinz released a campaign aimed at ketchup lovers who get a little bit carried away when using red sauce. For people who had a spillage, the brand encouraged them to go on to the MyBenefits app, where 57 different types of claims were covered.

Heinz fans could redeem compensation through a range of rewards, including home cleaning services, laundry assistance, handyman services and even indulgent spa treatments.

Cadbury ‘Yours for 200 Years’ by VCCP

To mark its 200th birthday, Cadbury reworked one of its recognizable spots.

‘Birthday’ revived the much-loved ‘Mum’s Birthday’ ad from 2018 and transported viewers through 200 years of British life, beginning with a young girl in the pre-war period buying her mum a bar of chocolate as a present. Over the 60 seconds, the girl’s surroundings subtly change as time advances, but the story remains the same.

Cadbury enlisted much of the original cast for this reworking, but with it having been five years since the first ad aired, it also used body doubles and post-production techniques to ensure continuity with the original clips.

Apple ‘Custom Memory Movies’ by TBWA\Media Arts Lab, Los Angeles and Sydney

Emmy-winner David Shane and Oscar-winning cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt worked on this ad for Apple that starred Bella Ramsay. It centered on the company’s artificial intelligence platform, Apple Intelligence, and how it can be integrated into everyday scenarios.

KFC ‘Tower Burger’ by Mother

To promote its Tower Burger, KFC launched an ad campaign that showed off the chicken sandwich in all its glory. The video spot came with a warning that it was just too tall for TV while showing a close-up shot of the burger.

Tesco ‘Icons’ by BBH

Tesco’s visual identity was dismantled and replaced with food photography (or ‘Icons’) that replaced the letters T, E, S, C and O.

The brand equity of Tesco’s chevrons was deemed strong enough by BBH London to be recognizable to passersby and allow them to make a connection with the brand. This said, they will still read the familiar ‘Every little helps’ strapline.

Target ‘Born to be Kris’ by Target Creative

Target’s holiday ads introduced consumers to a mysteriously handsome team member from the North Pole who brought a dash of charm and whimsy to the busiest shopping season of the year.

Haribo ‘Kids’ Voices’ by Quiet Storm

Gummy brand Haribo has released an American version of the popular ‘Kids Voices’ campaign.

As the US prepared for the Super Bowl, the biggest football event of the year, the confectionary company got in on the action with a spot called ‘Football’ that sees two adult players chat to each other. The usual twist is that the voices coming out of the duo’s mouth belong to children.

Beats by Dre ‘Beats’ by Mirimar

It’s hard to imagine a world where any musician would ask people to turn off their music, but that’s exactly the scenario depicted in this Beats By Dre spot.

In the ad, viewers see rapper Lil Wayne becoming increasingly annoyed as his classic track A Milli is being rinsed at a party thrown by basketball legend LeBron James and his wife Savannah.

Volvo ‘Meet the New Volvo’ by Hoyte Van Hoytema

Volvo released a long-form, poignant ad that pulled on heartstrings to promote its electric XC90 SUV, with a shock ending.

The spot told the touching story of a first-time father who reflects on his hopes and fears as he raises his daughter, guiding viewers through the pivotal moments of her life, from birth to adulthood.

Decathlon ‘Outage’ by Rethink

Decathlon responded to the global IT outage with a billboard subverting Microsoft’s blue error screen message.

In July, the world was rocked by an outage impacting airlines, banks, hospitals and retailers. Within 24 hours of the crisis, Decathlon had put up a poster telling those affected to use the outage as an excuse to get outside instead. The copy read: ‘Outage? Get outside. Enjoy 50% off on our outdoor goods.’