The Pepsi "gladiator" ads, created by Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, topped the poll by being some of the most expensive and heavily promoted advertising of the year and receiving the most coverage in the national press.
McDonald's was second in the survey for launching its Salad Plus menu in the face of the obesity epidemic, and receiving a large number column inches for its reaction to Morgan Spurlock's documentary 'Super Size Me'.
Third place went to the 118 118 runners created by WCRS, having been transformed into 70s-style cops following legal action over their image from 1970s runner David Bedford.
Elsewhere, Chanel No 5's mini-film, written and directed by 'Moulin Rouge' director Baz Luhrman and starring Nicole Kidman came in at six. The three-minute ad is believed to have been the most expensive made to date, with an estimated cost of £2m.
Martin Loat, director at Propeller Communications, said: "Pepsi and Chanel No 5 have shown how to make an ad famous by spending on stars, production and media exposure."
Jamie Oliver seems to have lost his headline-grabbing ability for Sainsbury's, having featured in the top three for the past two years but not making it to the final 10 this year.
The top 10 Ads that Make News for 2004
1. PepsiCo - Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO
2. McDonald's - Leo Burnett
3. 118 118 - WCRS
4. John Smith's - TBWA\London
5. The Conservative Party - M&C Saatchi
6. Chanel No. 5 - written and directed by Baz Luhrmann
7. Walkers - Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO
8. Virgin Mobile - Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R
9. Dove - Ogilvy & Mather
10. BT - Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO
The survey is produced by Propeller Communications, Durrants Media
Monitoring in association with Brand Republic. It measures the volume of stories about individual advertising campaigns in the national press.
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