AdForum.com selected the two spots among 50 it has deemed the best of 2003. The ads came from 15 different countries, with the US, Belgium, Slovakia and New Zealand also making the cut. "Cog", created by Wieden & Kennedy London, was cited for its "wow factor" while Abbott Mead Vicker BBDO's "hair of the dog" was listed as one of the shocking ads of the year.
Other British ads to be featured are Mother's creation for Xelebri called "beauty for sale"; the TBWA\London "morphing Michael" ad to promote the Five documentary about Michael Jackson's plastic surgery; and "fish" for Johnny Walker, created by Bartle Bogle Hegarty.
The TBWA network had the most number of ads on the list, with five campaigns. These included the "colours" campaign for iPod, created by its Los Angeles office, and an ad promoting the Apartheid Museum, created by the Johannesburg team.
Euphrate Khantouche, research and information supervisor and editor at AdForum, said: "Even if the first criteria was the awards, the press coverage and overall popularity of some spots quickly weighed into the selection for the best of 2003."
He said that there was no predominant tendency in the ads but that all had proven their worth by being widely appreciated.
The 50 Best Ads of 2003 are viewable on .
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