Most Read of 2022: High Five
It’s been quite the year! And to showcase some of the most popular editorial content on LBB in the past 12 months, we’ve decided to round up our most viewed content channel-by-channel, spotlighting the articles that got you reading, talking and sharing in 2022. We’re starting this season of holiday highlights with our top-viewed ‘High Five’ features - a feature that gives creatives a soapbox to shout out five recent personal favourites from their market or area of expertise.
It’s been another exciting year for the High Five channel, with some of the biggest and brightest creatives, leaders and brands getting involved to share some of their favourite creative pieces. Covering a wide variety of markets - from some Irish and German highlights to some stand-outs from the next generation of talent and a Super Bowl special - the High Fives over the last 12 months have been a true celebration of the best work this industry does.
Among the over 230 pieces published this year, we’ve seen some sensational selections of 2022’s finest projects from the likes of legendary director Dougal Wilson and WPP’s Rob Reilly (a couple of honourable mentions who just missed out on the most-viewed spots). Below you’ll find the top 10 High Five features that proved most popular with LBB’s readers throughout the year… an early Christmas gift to you from us.
High Five: Youth Campaigns
Dave Byrne, head of creative at THINKHOUSE, picked out five punchy campaigns that all hit the spot with young audiences. He told LBB that youth marketing is “fast-paced, future-focused, digitally-led and often cut-throat - but always exciting, creatively driven and led by culture.” The selections include some of the most hip brands about, as well as some innovative projects using youth-forward platforms like TikTok and Fortnite.
High Five: Bunch of Stuff I Cobbled Together Because I Almost Missed the Deadline
After joining Toronto-based ad agency Diamond earlier this year, the iconic Canadian creative, Peter Ignazi sat down with LBB to complete a High Five feature. He instinctively recalled some of the most memorable and imaginative projects he has seen over his illustrious career, featuring some imaginative spots from Skittles, Nike, Wendy’s and more.
High Five: Super Bowl Special
By Jonathan Jirjis, Hogarth/WPP
The Big Game is one of the most hotly-anticipated sporting events each year - and not just for the football, but also for its tradition of the communal consumption of ads (as well as all the snacks). As soon as an ad break starts, the world’s eyes turn to the screens to see some of the most expensive, and most-watched, TV adverts of the year - often featuring celebrity cameos, pop-culture crossovers and arguably more action than the game it’s interrupting. For Hogarth/WPP’s executive producer, Jonathan Jirjis, this “global pause” unifies the audience and makes the jokes funnier, the drama more intense and the tear-jerking moments more emotional. For his High Five, Jonathan selected his favourites from 2022’s Super Bowl ads - including some crypto creativity, a classic reimagined from Budweiser and ScarJo’s Amazon Alexa sketch.
High Five: Spain
By David Caballero, Óscar Amodia, Paco Badia and Pipo Virgós, Wunderman Thompson Spain
In March, a collaborative effort between Wunderman Thompson Spain creatives saw an “interesting and fun moment” in Spanish advertising being captured by five ‘anuncios fantásticos’. Highlighting the recent transformation of the local industry, due to the effects of the covid-19 pandemic, David, Óscar, Paco and Pipo chose some clever and hard-hitting spots from Burger King, Campofrío, Pikolín and more.
High Five: USA
Also near the start of the year, Paulo Junger, executive creative director at DDB New York, selected five unforgettable projects from the USA that “broke through the clutter with truly unexpected and memorable ideas.” His picks showcased some innovative work for the City of Chicago, Miller Lite and two spots from video game giant Activision Blizzard. It’s a great selection that shows some unique ideas in the OOH and VR realms, beyond your usual 30-second spot.
High Five: Denmark
By Mette Hau Larsen and Sally Trier, &Co. / NoA
Mette Hau Larsen and Sally Trier, art directors at &Co. / NoA, picked out five incredible projects from Denmark that entertain - all while addressing serious topics like sustainability and road safety. Balancing these two aspects can be difficult, but is executed expertly by the likes of the Danish Road Safety Council, with its 'A Helmet Has Always Been a Good Idea' that the pair chose for its high production quality, comedic style and timeless message. Also featured in this High Five are projects that deal with life-saving healthcare and sustainability from Doctors Without Borders and TAKT.
High Five: Ireland
For an Irish edition of High Five, creative director at Core in Dublin, Mark Tuthill, decided to play a game. By weaving a mystery theme into his choices, he left readers guessing at just what might connect the projects. Can you figure it out?
High Five: Ads That Don’t Feel Like Ads
By Zack McDonald, ECD at B-Reel Stockholm
In August, Zack McDonald, ECD at B-Reel Stockholm, discussed with us a successful selection of work that was hard to ignore for being unconventional pieces of advertising. The name of the game is ads that don’t seem to be… well, ads! Some of the alternate branded content included a blind taste test from Liquid Death and ‘Eat the Rich’ popsicles from Mschf - a range of mediums and genres that impressed Zack in unexpected ways.
High Five: Czech Republic
By Amila Hrustic B., DDB Prague
“I wish I did this!” This statement was the driving force behind Amila’s High Five picks which shone a spotlight on some honest, authentic solutions and storytelling moments from the Czech Republic. Being one of the first High Fives of the year, the selection does have a decidedly Christmas and covid-influenced slant to it, with some clever copywriting for Prague’s post-Christmas vaccination programme combining the two. The creative director’s other choices include a domestic violence awareness campaign from IKEA and other festive films that feel particularly relevant as we approach Christmas again almost one year on.
High Five: Projects from Germany that Deserve to Be Shared
By Marielle Wilsdorf, GGH MullenLowe
Making the final spot of this year’s top 10 is a German selection from the chief creative officer at GGH MullenLowe, Marielle Wilsdorf. Describing her picks simply as “incredibly good pieces of work,” she says that these picks are five good reasons why Germany has no reason to hide on the global stage. From Samsung Galaxy’s visually impressive and adorable 'The Spider and the Window' to the Film Advertising Schools’ hilarious ‘Pudding’ film for Mercedes-Benz, this is some serious German talent showing out globally, and earning some much-deserved recognition.
