John Lewis was pipped to the post on YouTube’s top 10 ads of 2013, coming in second behind mineral water brand Evian’s dancing babies advert.

John Lewis’ emotive The Bear & The Hare

The list, which ranks the ads on UK specific views, showed the top 10 were collectively viewed a total of 180 million times. The figure combines both promotion - paid for views - and popularity, or organic views.

YouTube said the list highlighted a number of advertising trends.

It said: “Trends this year include a marked increase in the number of brands drawing on popular memes among YouTube community members and starting ones of their own, from Three’s moonwalking ponies to dancing babies.”

There was also a trend towards ads that are longer than the traditional 30 seconds, as shown by Dove’s three minute offering. Generating emotional responses has also become important, which John Lewis has successfully tapped into.

The ad rank is determined using some of YouTube’s signals of viewer choice – number of views within the country, view rate or how much of an ad people choose to watch, and percentage of organic views versus paid views.

 

1. baby&me - The new evian film

baby&me, the evian advert, was YouTube's most viewed ad of 2013

Creative Agency: betc paris

Media Agency: Havas

2. John Lewis Christmas Advert 2013 - The Bear & The Hare

The Bear & the Hare, John Lewis' Christmas ad

Creative Agency: Adam & Eve DDB

3.Three - The Pony #DancePonyDance

Three created The Pony, using hashtag #DancePonyDance

Creative Agency: Wieden + Kennedy

Media Agency: Mindshare

4.Dove Real Beauty Sketches

Dove created the Real Beauty Sketches ad

Creative Agency: Ogilvy Toronto

Media Agency: Mindshare

5.O2 - Be more dog

O2 created the Be More Dog campaign

Creative Agency: VCCP

6.Honda “Hands”

Honda created an ad called Hands

Creative Agency: W&K

Media Agency: Mindshare/PHD

7.Exclusive video | PlayStation 4 See it First at E3 | Teaser

Sony's teaser for its new Playstation drummed up excitement

Creative Agency: Sony PlayStation

Media Agency: DNK

8.Pepsi Max & Dynamo present: “Bus Levitation” #LiveForNow

Pepsi Max produced an ad called Bus Levitation with the hashtag #LiveForNow

Creative Agency: Arnold KLP

Media Agency: OMD

9.FIFA 14 TV Commercial - We Are FIFA 14

FIFA 14's latest commercial was called We Are FIFA 14

Creative Agency: Wieden + Kennedy Amsterdam

Media Agency:  Mediacom

10.Xperia™ Z TV Ad - Sound, vision, colour, detail from Sony.

Sony's Xperia Z ad focused on qualities of the Xperia Z smartphone

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