shots' most watched spots of 2022

10. Yorke hits the pits

Thom Yorke is no stranger to unusual, ethereal music videos, with Radiohead having created a number of iconic promos over the years. 

This time, Yorke collaborates with Bullion director Mark Jenkin on a promo for the former's Covid-borne band, The Smile. 

See what we said about the spot here.

9. Sofa, so good

Created by Wieden+Kennedy and directed by Vedran Rupic, through Riff Raff, The Awesome Product Adventure is an ode to comedy adventure movies. It follows the pair on an expedition through a fantastical land with talking animals, super villain hackers, and deep dark caves, as they discover the inspiring features of the new Galaxy phone. spearheads Samsung’s new 'awesome is for everyone' campaign. 

See what we said about the spot here.

8. KFC's poultry offering

You’ve may have heard of The Tinder Swindler, but another shameless trickster is rumoured to have been darkening the doorways of KFCs across South Africa. 

This two-and-a-half-minute spot, created by Ogilvy Johannesburg and directed by Romance Films' Greg Gray, is inspired by a viral report and is a brilliantly observed, tongue-in-cheek homage to comedy-laced crime caper films that leans into the cinematic conventions of the heist movie genre. 

See what we said about the spot here.

7. Foldable filmmaking

Egyptian actor/comedian Ahmed Helmy stars in BREAK FREE as a put-upon worker who raps his woes to an increasingly dynamic camera, bouncing between locations and styles with flair.

Created through Leo Burnett Dubai and production company Good People, the film's crackling vigour and witty choices from Hussein and editors Amr Rabee and Amr Mekky made for a rip-roaring start to the new year.

See what we said about the spot here.

6. Back To The Footer

Taking its cue from seminal spot The Cage (itself launched 20 years ago), Nike FC Presents the Footballverse sees a bunch of boffins harness their Large Hadron Collider-esque lab to scoot through history, drawing players like Alex Morgan, Carli Lloyd, Cristiano Ronaldo, Edgar Davids, Kevin De Bruyne, Kylian Mbappé, Leah Williamson, Phil Foden, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo Nazário, Sam Kerr, Shane Kluivert, and Virgil van Dijk into the ultimate match of 1vs1vs1vs1vs1vs...etc...

See what we said about the spot here.

5. E-xtreme violence

This epic film from Uncommon London centres not only on the battle to triumph in the competition, but in the race against climate change. Beginning with a dramatic on-track crash that sees three Formula E cars taken out of a race, the stricken drivers - Sam Bird, António Félix Da Costa and Pascal Wehrlein - take to their feet and begin a pulsating sprint through the streets in a bid to keep their Formula E hopes alive.

Directed by Pulse's Sam Walker, who is also ECD at Uncommon, the three-minute film, called No Turning Back, is an adrenaline-fuelled chase that features police horses, smashed windows and a rooftop foot race which, while the drivers battle for supremacy, juxtaposes live news reports of climate change and its impact. 

See what we said about the spot here.

4. Lolly grandpops

This deliciously witty and refreshing campaign out of Lola Mullen Lowe, produced by Poppa in Madrid, delivers a welcome message rarely conveyed in advertising – that oldsters can rock too. 

Set in a lavish mansion with lush grounds, The Pleasure Residence, has many sumptuous design flourishes (shout out to production designer Peter Grant and art director Pedro Santarem) – gilded wheelchairs, cool looking croquet games, flower-packed salons.

See what we said about the spot here.

3. Teary Hawk, Pro Skater

With a few years of unexpected aliens, crafty techniques and dinky dragons, John Lewis & Partners has brought festive cheer to our screens with its seasonal offerings. However, with the latest film, adam&eveDDB has eschewed much of the tinsel and baubles and aims a poignant poke directly at the feels.

Shot through Biscuit, The Beginner tells the intriguing tale of a middle-aged fella whose new hobby, skateboarding, seems to be a little beyond him. Regardless, his practice and dedication yield some decent results and lead to an unexpected climax that will melt even the most wintery of hearts.

See what we said about the spot here.

2. Flipping marvellous

When a life-changing moment occurs, it can sometimes feel like the world has upturned around you. Such is the truism brought to spectacular life by Pulse Films' Oscar Hudson in this striking work from Uncommon for B&Q.

Opening with the image of a woman discovering she has a baby on the way, Flip takes us into a home that soon begins to rotate to the dulcet tones of David Bowie, causing chaos for all but our protagonist, who takes the opportunity to have a little climb and a sit-down. 

See what we said about the spot here.

1. Stallion stampede