Google has released this year’s YouTube Canada Ads Leaderboard, showing which ads Canadians sought out and watched the most in 2019.
Six of the 10 ads were made within Canada, with FCB’s “Travel Like a Canadian” spot featuring Sandra Oh for Air Canada earning the most views among them, though it was beaten out by spots for Nike and Heinz for the top spots on the list. Google’s analysis of this year’s top-10 found celebrities had big drawing power, pointing to the fact that the ads featuring Oh, Ed Sheeran and Serena Williams took the top three spots. But prestige isn’t limited to famous actors, musicians and athletes: also on the top list are ads announcing the arrival of Disney+ and the iPhone 11, both highly anticipated releases this year.
Google also noted that humour continues to play a part in appealing Canadians, so long as it is used to “illuminate a human truth,” such as Maple Leaf compiling clips of kids refusing to eat dinner and GO Transit positioning things that have always helped public transit be a less frustrating way to commute as new innovations. But, again, sometimes that can be helped by linking to something that has already captured public attention: the eighth spot was taken by WestJet’s April Fools video that parodied Fyre Festival, after the doomed event was thrust back into the cultural consciousness following the release of two documentaries earlier this year. And, in number nine, Reese spoofed ASMR trends with a feature-length movie filled with whispers and crinkling candy wrappers.
Google creates the leaderboard rankings based on an algorithm that factors in both organic and paid views, as well as watch time and audience retention.
YouTube Canada Ads Leaderboard 2019
“Dream Crazier”
Nike
Creative: Wieden+Kennedy
Media: Publicis.Sapient
[iframe_youtube video = “whpJ19RJ4JY”]
“Ed’s Heinz Ad”
KraftHeinz
Creative: David
Media: Starcom
[iframe_youtube video = “keOaQm6RpBg”]
“Travel Like a Canadian“
Air Canada
Creative: FCB Canada
[iframe_youtube video = “Y2F2y4NnlX8”]
“I’m Not Eating That“
Maple Leaf Foods
Creative: Sid Lee
[iframe_youtube video = “9K9svftV_Dg”]
“Disney+: Start Streaming Now”
Walt Disney Studios Canada
Creative: Disney+ Works
Media: Carat
[iframe_youtube video = “zzZQP8TjOP8”]
“Introducing iPhone 11”
Apple
Creative: TBWA\Media Arts Lab
Media: OMD
[iframe_youtube video = “5EFq33mvSPA”]
“The Bus. From GO. The GO Bus.“
GO Transit
Creative: BBDO Toronto
Media: PHD
[iframe_youtube video = “NuWS4XGb-G4”]
“WestJet introduces #FlyreFestival“
WestJet
Creative: Oliver
Media: Media Experts
[iframe_youtube video = “-kZ7WT8RACk”]
“Reese The Movie: A Movie About Reese (An ASMR Experience)“
Reese Canada
Creative: Anomaly
Media: UM
[iframe_youtube video = “bwrJZrGmsc0”]
“Bell Let’s Talk Day 2019 – Official Video“
Bell Canada
Creative: Lg2
Media: Media Experts
[iframe_youtube video = “H1y0mHPY6k8”]
