This year, plenty of campaigns showcased the innovation and creativity of the ad industry.

Some created controversy—for instance, Apple was quickly met with backlash across social platforms for its controversial “Crush!” ad, which viewers perceived as an attack on artistic expression. Coca-Cola also came under fire for its heavy use of AI in holiday ads. But there were also memorable campaigns that brought brands closer to consumers.

From surprising out-of-home (OOH) stunts to compelling TV spots, here are our picks for the top five ad campaigns of 2024.

Etsy puts a spotlight on Waldo

The dominance of Amazon and the growth of budget ecommerce sites like Temu have left Etsy under pressure to stand out, and the online marketplace leaned into creative storytelling this year. For example, its debut Super Bowl ad showed America struggling to find an adequate gift for France after receiving the Statue of Liberty.

As consumers prioritized discounts this year, Etsy tried returning to its roots as a marketplace for homemade and handmade items with a notable campaign featuring the character Waldo of "Where's Waldo" fame.

To drive home the value of personalization, Etsy showed a real-life Waldo wandering around, receiving the attention of many people happy to have "found" him. A lonely Waldo says, “Some look for me, though most people just look at me.” He then receives an engraved compass from a friend at the end of the spot, driving home Etsy's point of differentiation with a clever take on a classic pop culture character.

HBO eyes the Empire State Building

To promote the latest season of “House of the Dragon,” HBO parked a 270-foot inflatable dragon on the top of the Empire State Building.

HBO’s marketing team has historically leaned into OOH ads—its promotion of "House of the Dragon" season one in 2022 featured a 3D Times Square ad that simulated a dragon breaking free from the screen.

This year's activation comes at a time when CGI marketing is taking off—Aritzia put a puffer jacket on Lady Liberty, for example. While HBO extended the Empire State Building campaign with CGI banners, the brand also decided to surprise consumers by giving them the real thing.

Sony boards the "O Train"

An abandoned subway stop in New York City doesn’t seem like Olivia Rodrigo’s first choice for a venue, but a partnership with the MTA reimagined her longterm partnership with Sony as a station takeover.

Rodrigo and Sony invited fans to an “O Train” subway takeover, where each subway stop was one of Rodrigo’s songs. The campaign also featured limited-edition Metro Cards, which will be the second to last custom cards released by the MTA. Rodrigo first partnered with Sony on a pair of earbuds last year, and on two more products in 2024.

Fans left the "O Train" event with a drawing from a subway sketch artist, and activations included tarot card readings and a kiosk with Rodrigo merch and sour candy as tribute to her 2021 album, "Sour."

Sony focused on creating an immersive environment for Rodrigo's fans where product placement came second to brand building.

Verizon invites Beyoncé to break the internet

Beyoncé used a high-profile partnership during the Super Bowl to introduce fans to her country era.

The spot, “Can’t B Broken,” starts with Beyoncé in the recording studio when “Veep” actor and comedian Tony Hale says that she can never break Verizon’s internet. She tests that theory by launching a lemonade stand, introducing an AI version of herself, running for president, and performing in space. In her last attempt, she says “OK, they ready. Drop the music.” Immediately after the ad ran, two new songs, "Texas Hold 'Em" and "16 Carriages," became available on streaming platforms. The rest of her album "Cowboy Carter" dropped the following month.

The campaign married a brand promo and an album promo, in turn creating buzz for both Verizon and Beyoncé.

Gap gives Gen Z its dancing jeans

Gap, a legacy brand that has struggled to keep up in today’s fashion landscape, worked to rebuild its relevance by leaning into creativity this year. The rise of platforms like Shein has made it difficult for the brand to uphold its identity as a discount shop, making brand storytelling and the right partnerships crucial.

Partnering with artist Troye Sivan, an artist that resonated with Gen Z this year, the brand paired pop culture with its products' functionality. Gap’s message is that a product like a pair of jeans, which is typically limited in terms of utility, can even be the right fit for professional dancers.

Instead of staying loyal to a legacy aesthetic, the brand sought to give Gen Z what they want, from the partnerships to the products. Our analysts have seen that this approach, which mirrors retailers like Abercrombie and Fitch and American Eagle, is starting to pay off.