John Lewis pips Sainsbury's again to be named UK's fave Christmas ad on YouTube

'Excitable Edgar' topped YouTube ranking based on compilation of factors.

John Lewis: Edgar started a fire on YouTube
John Lewis: Edgar started a fire on YouTube

John Lewis & Partners has come top of YouTube’s for the third year running, this time in its joint campaign with Waitrose & Partners, "Excitable Edgar". 

For the second year, it beat Sainsbury’s to the top spot, with the supermarket finishing second with its nostalgic Santa story, "Nicholas the sweep". 

John Lewis' "The boy and the piano" topped , followed by Sainsbury’s "The big night". The department store also came first in , ahead of Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s. In , however, Sainsbury’s animated "The greatest gift" finished top, ahead of John Lewis’ "Buster the boxer". 

Ads for several other high-profile retailers also made the top 10, with Aldi, M&S and Very each making the cut for the fourth year running. But there was no room for Argos' "The book of dreams", despite the retailer making it into the list in each of the past three years.

Brand Title Agency
1 John Lewis & Partners,
Waitrose & Partners
Excitable Edgar
Adam & Eve/DDB
2 Sainsbury's Nicholas the sweep
Wieden & Kennedy London
3 JD Sports #JDComesAlive Drum
4 Aldi Christmas spectactular McCann UK
5 Very Get more out of giving St Luke's
6 Iceland #MagicofFrozen Disney Studios
7 Walkers All Mariah Carey wants this Christmas Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO
8 Marks & Spencer Go jumpers for Christmas Odd
9 Barbour 125 years of blooming Barbour Christmasses Thinking Juice
10 McDonald's #ReindeerReady
Leo Burnett London

YouTube’s Ads Leaderboard is a measure of the most "engaging" ads on the platform and is determined by an algorithm that factors in watch time, organic views and audience retention. The Christmas list covers the period from 1 to 29 November.

The video platform also announced the top 10 ads of the year for the UK, with Gillette’s controversial US spot "The best men could be" finishing top of the list, ahead of ads for Google, Apple and Nike. Christmas ads make up half of the top 10, with "Excitable Edgar" at number five – it is also the year’s top ad created by a UK agency.

Brand Title Agency
1 Gillette Grey New York
2 Google UK 72andSunny
3 Apple TBWA\Media Arts Lab
4 Nike Wieden & Kennedy Portland
5 John Lewis & Partners,
Waitrose & Partners
Adam & Eve/DDB
6 Sainsbury's Wieden & Kennedy London
7 Heinz Ketchup David
8 Aldi McCann UK
9 Marks & Spencer Odd
10 McDonald's Leo Burnett London

 

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