2020's most viewed...

2020 was a pretty bonkers year all round, with uncertainties piling up on a daily basis. However, one thing that could be counted on was a steady stream of top-notch commercial content that seemed to roll with the punches and speak to the moment at every step.

What with the madness of the months, we can't expect you all to have seen everything so, using the magic of data, we've analysed all of the views through our Work and Craft posts, plus our monthly Showcases, to bring you a list of the clips you couldn't stop clicking on this year.

Here are the Top Ten Most Viewed films on the shots site in 2020:

10. Burger King breaks the mould

Utilising the same photography techniques normally employed to make treats look even more scrumptious, Burger King’s agency partners: Publicis, INGO and David Miami have collaborated to instead deliver the message that, like most things in nature, every element of their trademark sandwich is prone to decay.

Boldly standing in contrast to what 'should' be shown, The Moldy Whopper instead draws a delicious (for want of a better word) comparison to stories and videos of rival fast-food burgers' distinct lack of rot, even after several years.

See what we said about the spot here.

9. The wiener takes it all

As promoted in this hilarious spot from agency Quality Meats, Wiener’s Circle, Chicago’s famed hot dog joint, is now offering up Curbside Abuse - allowing customers to order virtually face-to-face with its foul-mouthed staff by Facetiming the number 773-BITCHES, or, by adding 'curbside abuse' to the order on Tock, Grubhub or UberEats, a free profanity-laced earlashing of your choice when you pick up the order.

See what we said about the spot here.

8. Dacia's DIY ingenuity

Unable to utilise a full production crew, actors and most other trappings of a modern commercial, Vania & Muggia, who directed the spot through Iconoclast Films, shot the film in their flat in Tel Aviv. It took four weeks to produce using three laptops, a drill, a record player, some bike lights and a 1:43 scale model of a Dacia Duster. 

The commercial, called Ingenious Productions, uses those items to cleverly create what looks, initially, like a fairly cliche-ridden car campaign, before the camera pulls back to reveal a more homemade approach 

See what we said about the spot, alongside an interview with three of the creatives here.

7. SAS asks What Is Truly Scandinavian?

Taking a delightfully cheeky look at how traditions and values associated with a region can actually be traced backed to unlikely sources, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS)'s fun 3-minute film, What is truly Scandinavian?, celebrates how travel enriches all.

Created by Danish agency &Co and directed by Gustav Johansson, through production company New Land, the playful tone, tight editing and clever copywriting make this a heartfelt and honest celebration of true social sharing.

See what we said about the spot here.

6. Would you hire Trump?

As the vote for the most important job in the USA comes to a climax, this comedic spot from filmmaking funnyman Andrew Laurich reminds us, with terrifying deadpan, the somewhat spotted history of the incumbent Commander-in-chief.

Taking the form of a job interview, Would you hire Trump? lists the successes (few) and failures (many) from Donald's life so far.

See what we said about the spot here.

5. Cloudy with a chance of Burberry

Joyful and surreal, Festive was directed by Riff Raff’s Megaforce. The group acted as agency and production company, pushing a concept to the limit, making every movement and sound more intense and fun than the last.

See what we said about the spot, plus an interview with the directors, here.

4. Heineken’s ode to empty pubs

Back to Bars is catchy and fun, focusing on the neighborhoods and small businesses affected by the lockdown orders, touching on next-door dives, sports bars, and fancy cocktail lounges. As we move through each space, the lyrics of Don’t You (Forget About Me) appear in clever ways. Animators and designers have crafted, quilted, and trawled through stock footage in order to illustrate both the anthem and the bars we’re no longer visiting. 

See what we said about the spot here.

3. FT's new ad will have you lost for words

Collecting together press clips of world leaders and excessively rich people struggling to vocalise their thoughts, Lost For Words presents a chucklesome reflection of the uncertainties of this time.

Direct and all the better for it, this smart strategy from The Brooklyn Brothers, coupled with a perfectly paced edit job, makes for a clever commercial that leaves us speechless.

See what we said about the spot here.

2. Nike's powerful ode to the unstoppable Shim Suk-hee

It's interesting that, despite the intentions of creatives and filmmakers to tell a specific narrative, film can sometimes take on an even greater resonance because of the period into which it's released 

Such is the case with Crowns&Owls' powerful You Can't Stop Us for Nike and Wieden+Kennedy Tokyo concerning Shim Suk-hee; the female gold medalist speed skater and national icon, whose bravery in confronting her experience with systematic physical, sexual and mental abuse within 2019 South Korean sport triggered a widespread movement, forever changing legislation and discourse around the subject. 

See what we said about the spot here.

1. Coke ad fizzes with righteous indignation