There are more prestigious advertising awards and less prestigious advertising awards. They’re all still judged by people within the industry. YouTube’s top 10 ads of the year are determined by audiences. The YouTube Year Leaderboard uses an algorithm that factors in things like organic and paid views, watch time, and audience retention from the period of January 1 to December 31.

It’s a weird and wonderful collection. Weirdness came top. Sportsbet’s in-house parody, Grubs Subs Collector, is 2019’s #1 YouTube ad. Samsung’s #SponsoredPost (how to do one – another parody) by Leo Burnett came second. Humour did particularly well, winning the #1, #2 and #3 posts. Innocean’s smile-inducing Fits in anywhere for Hyundai came in third.

According to Google Australia and New Zealand head of creative development, Fiona Walford, ads that were highly customised to a specific audience were often the most successful.

“The number one video from Sportsbet really leaned into this – within the first five seconds, their core sports-loving audience saw a famous cricketer and knew they were in for something out of the ordinary,” noted.

The average length of a video on the Ads Leaderboard for 2019 was three minutes.

The top 10 are:

1. Grubs Subs Collector – Chopper Parody Played By Merv Hughes

Company: Sportsbet

Creative Agency: In House

Company: Samsung Australia

Creative Agency: Leo Burnett

3. Hyundai | Venue – Fits in anywhere, stands out everywhere

Company: Hyundai Australia

Creative Agency: Innocean

https://youtu.be/clirS91All4

4. AirPods — Bounce — Apple

Company: Apple Australia

Creative Agency: MAL (Media Arts Labs)

https://youtu.be/p21lUFy_1-o

5. S2 E1: Let Battle Commence! | The Great Travel Hack | #MakeTheFuture

Company: Shell

Creative Agency: JWT

https://youtu.be/N5lwxROxlzc

6. New Australia-land | Share the Lamb

Company: MLA Australian Lamb

Creative Agency: The Monkeys

https://youtu.be/YgO-ZI7FkhY

7. Christmas is where we are | MYER

Company: Myer

Creative Agency: Clemenger BBDO Melbourne

8. Ed’s Heinz Ad

Company: Heinz

Creative Agency: DAVID Miami

9. Dream Crazier | Nike

Company: Nike

Creative Agency: Wieden+Kennedy Portland

https://youtu.be/whpJ19RJ4JY

10. It’s The Most Wonderful Time For a Beer: By the Carlton Dry Christmas Orchestra

Company: Carlton Dry

Creative Agency: Special Group