John Lewis & Partners has come top of YouTube’s Christmas Ads Leaderboard 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 last year’s list, followed by Sainsbury’s "The big night". The department store also came first in 2017, ahead of Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s. In 2016, 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 |
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 | We believe: the best men can be | Grey New York |
| 2 | Google UK | Make the most of summer, with a little help from Google | 72andSunny |
| 3 | Apple | Introducing AirPods Pro | TBWA\Media Arts Lab |
| 4 | Nike | Dream crazier | Wieden & Kennedy Portland |
| 5 | John Lewis & Partners, Waitrose & Partners |
Excitable Edgar | Adam & Eve/DDB |
| 6 | Sainsbury's | Nicholas the sweep | Wieden & Kennedy London |
| 7 | Heinz Ketchup | Ed's Heinz ad | David |
| 8 | Aldi | Christmas spectactular | McCann UK |
| 9 | Marks & Spencer | Go jumpers for Christmas | Odd |
| 10 | McDonald's | #ReindeerReady | Leo Burnett London |
