Best video ads examples: A curated collection
Which video ads are still worth studying in 2026 once the novelty wears off and only the idea is left? I’m Emma from Zeely, and I pulled this list from live brand videos and current platform signals to show you what still earns attention fast.
If you want the best video ads examples in 2026, look for three things first:
- a hook you can explain in one sentence
- one clear offer, not five
- a format that feels native to where people watch it
Most roundups of video ads examples get messy fast. They start as inspiration, then drift into advice, platform picks, or random content marketing lessons nobody asked for. I wrote this as a tighter collection of best video ad examples, creative ads, popular ads, and famous ads that are worth watching for one reason: the idea still lands.
Best video ads examples by goal that still work
I’m starting with the gallery because watchability matters first. Google said in its 2026 ads and commerce update that YouTube has been the No. 1 most-watched streaming platform in the U.S. for nearly three years. That makes rewatchable creative the first filter, not a nice extra.
I tagged each example by goal, platform, and rough length so you can skim it like a filterable gallery.
Brand-awareness video ads examples that build a world
1. Coca-Cola, “Masterpiece”
Coke turns a sip into a passport through art history. I like how the bottle never disappears, even while the ad gets weird, playful, and visually packed.
2. Nike, “You Can’t Stop Us”
https://www.nike.com/gb/launch/t/you-cant-stop-us
The split-screen edit is the whole magic trick. It makes persistence feel collective, not private, which is exactly why the film still lands.
3. Airbnb, “Welcome”
The miniature handmade world makes travel feel warm instead of transactional. Hospitality is the real product here, and the feeling does the selling.
4. Dove, “Real Beauty Sketches”
https://www.dove.com/us/en/campaigns/purpose/real-beauty-sketches.html
Longer than most ads, still hard to ignore. The reveal carries the whole film, and Dove earns attention without shoving product into the frame.
5. Always, “#LikeAGirl”
It takes a familiar insult and flips it in public. That single turn gives the ad a clean social point and a memorable brand stance.
6. The Farmer’s Dog, “Forever”
This is pet-food advertising through time, not ingredients. I think it works because the product shows up as care, not as a bag on a countertop.
7. Google, “A CODA Story”
Google keeps the tech human and specific. Live captions are not abstract here. They become family closeness.
8. Apple, “A Critter Carol”
It is technically a product demo, but it behaves like a holiday short film. The craft is dense, playful, and still unmistakably Apple.
9. Apple, “I’m Not Remarkable”
This one slows down and earns it. I like how accessibility is treated as normal creative life, not a side topic.
10. Google, “Parisian Love”
Barely any visuals, just search queries. It still tells a whole romance because the audience does half the work in their own head.
Product-led video ad examples with a clear value proposition
11. Apple, “Detectives 8x Zoom | Shot on iPhone 17 Pro”
This one makes a single camera feature feel playful and memorable instead of technical. The zoom is the whole joke, which keeps the sell clean.
12. Volvo, “XC60: The Parents”
Volvo sells safety without a stiff brochure line in sight. The twist works because the tension feels parental before it feels automotive.
13. Hinge, “Designed to Be Deleted”
The brand line is the creative system. When the app icon keeps dying, the whole category premise gets flipped in seconds.
14. Squarespace, “Unavailable”
The joke is painfully clear right away. Emma Stone turns domain panic into a product reason, not just celebrity wallpaper.
15. CeraVe, “Not Developed with the Actor Michael Cera”
https://www.cerave.com/not-developed-with-the-actor-michael-cera
This wins by committing to a dumb rumor way past the safe point. Then it lands the real offer cleanly: dermatologist-developed skincare.
16. Microsoft, “Designer launch video”
The ad sells software through possibility. The motion language makes creation feel fast without pretending design is effortless.
17. Google Gemini, “New Home”
It frames AI as practical imagination, not sci-fi theater. That makes the product feel useful before it feels impressive.
18. Expedia, “Going Places with Ken”
Ken is doing real brand labor here, and it works. The character brings charm while the travel value stays easy to follow.
19. Dollar Shave Club, “Our Blades Are F*ing Great”**
Still one of the cleanest value-prop ads ever made. The humor is great, but the real flex is how quickly the offer becomes obvious.
20. Apple, “Great ideas start on Mac”
This is a product film that behaves like a pep talk. I like the quiet confidence. It shows finished work without sounding smug.
Creative video advertising examples that feel native, not forced
21. Salesforce x MrBeast, “First To Find $1,000,000, Keeps It!”
This is half brand content, half spectacle. It works because the product role is built into the premise instead of pasted on later.
22. Squarespace, “The Negotiation”
Emma Stone turns a simple domain problem into a dramatic standoff, which makes the pain point feel bigger and funnier than it is in real life. It works because the offer stays clear, the brand stays central, and the ad sells website ownership without sounding like a tutorial.
23. OREO, “Twist On It”
Tiny premise, clean payoff. I like it because the product ritual is the creative device, not just a prop.
24. Old Spice, “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like”
This ad is still absurd in the best way. Every new visual beat escalates the joke while the product promise stays simple.
25. Bosch, “The More You Bosch”
Guy Fieri could have swallowed the brand whole. He doesn’t. The line and the transformation keep Bosch centered.
26. Jeep, “Billy Bass Goes To The River”
It is shamelessly nostalgic and knows it. The fish joke gets attention, but the Cherokee still gets the selling job done.
27. Pepsi, “The Choice”
Pepsi turns comparison into the show instead of hiding it. That is risky, but it makes the taste argument impossible to miss.
28. Hellmann’s, “2026 Big Game Longform”
Food ads fail when taste feels abstract. This one does the opposite. It makes craving the point.
29. e.l.f., “Presenta: MELISA”
It is loud, campy, and very online, but the lip oil never gets lost. That balance is harder than it looks.
30. Apple, “The Underdogs: Swiped Mac”
This is workplace advertising with actual pace. The security features live inside a chase story, which saves it from feeling like training content.
Best short video ads examples that hook fast
YouTube’s 2026 AdBlitz ranking is based on views plus engagement, likes, and shares. I like that metric mix because it forces a short ad to do two jobs: earn the first watch, then earn the second one.
If you only have ten minutes, I’d start with these short video ads examples:
- Hinge for a one-line brand premise that explains the whole app
- OREO for a tiny ritual turned into a repeatable idea
- Old Spice for escalation that never loses the product
- Bosch for celebrity energy that still leaves room for the brand
- Jeep for nostalgia used as a hook, not as a crutch
- Google Gemini for a product story that feels practical, not preachy
- Pepsi for direct comparison done with confidence
- Squarespace for a joke that becomes a clear offer by the end
Best video ads examples by platform
I’m not turning this page into a media plan, but I do think it proves one thing: platform feel still changes what gets watched and what gets skipped.
YouTube and CTV video ad examples that reward a full watch
Watch Coca-Cola, Volvo, The Farmer’s Dog, Apple’s A Critter Carol, and Google’s A CODA Story. These work because they give you a full emotional arc, not just a punchline and a logo.
Social-native video ad examples that feel like content first
Watch Hinge, e.l.f., OREO, CeraVe, and Uber Eats. These ads understand internet pacing. They move fast, stay self-aware, and still leave you knowing what the product is.
Creator-led video ad examples that borrow existing attention well
Watch MrBeast x Salesforce, Apple’s Underdogs, and Dollar Shave Club. These feel less like polished interruption and more like something people might actually choose to watch.
What makes these video ads examples work
A hook is the first beat that earns attention. A CTA is the action the ad wants you to take. When I break ads down, I want those two pieces plus the offer sitting in plain sight.
Hook, offer, CTA table for brand-building video ads examples
| Example | Hook | Offer | CTA |
| Coca-Cola, Masterpiece | Paintings come alive | Coke equals creative spark | Enjoy and remember |
| Nike, You Can’t Stop Us | Impossible split screens | Nike equals shared grit | Keep going |
| Airbnb, Welcome | Handmade travel world | Airbnb equals belonging | Book a stay |
| Dove, Real Beauty Sketches | Two portraits clash | Dove questions beauty bias | Watch and trust |
| Always, #LikeAGirl | Phrase gets flipped | Always backs confidence | Rethink the phrase |
| The Farmer’s Dog, Forever | Life with one dog | Fresh food means more years | Start a plan |
| Google, A CODA Story | Distance and captions | Google tools connect families | Use Google tools |
| Apple, A Critter Carol | Animals make a film | iPhone creates story magic | Explore iPhone |
| Apple, I’m Not Remarkable | School musical setup | Accessibility belongs upfront | Learn the features |
| Google, Parisian Love | Search box story | Google understands life moments | Search with Google |
Hook, offer, CTA table for product-led video ad examples
| Example | Hook | Offer | CTA |
| Apple, Quiet the Noise | City turns surreal | AirPods Pro kill noise | Learn more |
| Volvo, The Parents | Adults overprotect everything | XC60 helps keep families safe | Explore XC60 |
| Hinge, Designed to Be Deleted | Icon self-destructs | Hinge helps you leave apps | Download Hinge |
| Squarespace, Unavailable | Domain is gone | Squarespace gets you online fast | Get your domain |
| CeraVe, Michael Cera | Fake founder rumor | Dermatologist-developed skincare | Shop CeraVe |
| Microsoft Designer | Ideas become visuals | Design gets faster | Try Designer |
| Google Gemini, New Home | New chapter visualized | Gemini helps plan and create | Try Gemini |
| Expedia, Going Places with Ken | Ken wants more life | Expedia makes travel easier | Book travel |
| Dollar Shave Club | Brutal price callout | Cheap razors delivered | Join the club |
| Apple, Great ideas start on Mac | Start from nothing | Mac supports creative work | Start on Mac |
Hook, offer, CTA table for creative and social-native video advertising examples
| Example | Hook | Offer | CTA |
| Salesforce x MrBeast | Million-dollar hunt | Salesforce powers action | Learn more |
| Uber Eats, Build Your Own | Viewer builds the ad | Choice is part of the fun | Open the app |
| OREO, Twist On It | Tiny ritual solves dilemma | Ritual equals brand memory | Grab OREO |
| Old Spice | Bathroom to horse jump | Smell great, stay memorable | Buy body wash |
| Bosch, The More You Bosch | Guy Fieri transformation | Bosch makes you feel pro | Learn Bosch |
| Jeep, Billy Bass | Singing fish wants river | Cherokee hybrid equals fun freedom | Explore Jeep |
| Pepsi, The Choice | Blind taste test shock | Pepsi Zero wins on taste | Choose Pepsi |
| Hellmann’s, Big Game Longform | Craving hits fast | Hellmann’s makes food better | Use Hellmann’s |
| e.l.f., MELISA | Telenovela chaos | Lip oil with entertainment value | Shop the lip oil |
| Apple, Swiped Mac | Missing laptop chase | Mac security protects work | Learn Apple at Work |
Patterns you can borrow from these video ad examples
TikTok’s 2026 trend report says Millennial and Gen Z users are 1.5x more likely than Gen X+ to try a new brand because of its community. That is why so many strong ads now feel like they belong to a world, not just a one-off stunt.
Here are the ten patterns I’d steal first:
- Open on tension, not on the logo. Volvo does this beautifully.
- Turn one feature into the whole story. Apple does it in Quiet the Noise.
- Make the brand line do real work. Hinge is built on one unforgettable phrase.
- Use culture, but keep the product visible. e.l.f. gets this right.
- Let humor carry the offer. Dollar Shave Club is still the cleanest version.
- Build a world people can describe from memory. Coca-Cola and Airbnb both nail that.
- Use emotion to smuggle in the sell. The Farmer’s Dog is ruthless in the best way.
- Give the audience a role. Uber Eats makes participation part of the idea.
- Keep the offer embarrassingly clear. Squarespace wastes zero time.
- Make the product part of the plot. Apple’s Underdogs films are strong because the features move the story.
5 best video ads examples to watch first
If you want the fast version, I’d start here:
- Coca-Cola, “Masterpiece”
Watch for the visual density and clean brand presence. - Apple, “Quiet the Noise”
Watch for single-feature storytelling. - Volvo, “XC60: The Parents”
Watch for misdirection and emotional timing. - Hinge, “Designed to Be Deleted”
Watch for category-flipping clarity. - e.l.f., “Presenta: MELISA”
- Watch for social-native energy that still sells product.
Video ads mistakes to avoid copying
I’m not interested in mocking bad ads for sport. I only keep anti-examples when they teach something useful and specific.
Gillette, “We Believe: The Best Men Can Be”
https://www.theguardian.com/p/afvha
This is a strong anti-example because the reaction overwhelmed the intended message. The point was clear, but the tone split the audience so hard that the debate became the ad.
Jaguar, “Copy Nothing”
Great mood, weak product anchoring. I remember the atmosphere before I remember what Jaguar wanted me to care about.
Peloton, “The Gift That Gives Back”
The intended aspiration lost to a stronger unintended story. When viewers write a harsher plot summary than you do, the ad slips away from you.
Pepsi, “Live for Now”
https://vimeo.com/101662014
It borrowed social imagery the brand had not earned. Once the audience sees the setup as costume instead of conviction, trust disappears fast.
How to create AI video ads
Now that you’ve seen some of the most successful video ad examples, the next question is how to actually create one. The fastest way to start is by using an AI tool like Zeely ad generator, which handles scripting, visuals, and editing in one place. You can also explore other tools depending on your needs, some focus on avatars, others on automation or creative control:
AI Avatar Video Ads Examples.Real-world examples of high-performing AI-generated ads to inspire your own campaigns.
How to Make AI Avatar Video Ads. Step-by-step guide to creating engaging ads using AI avatars.
Best AI Avatar Generators. A breakdown of top tools for creating realistic AI avatars for video content.
Best AI Ad Generators. Comparison of leading AI platforms for creating video ads quickly and efficiently.
Emma blends product marketing and content to turn complex tools into simple, sales-driven playbooks for AI ad creatives and Facebook/Instagram campaigns. You’ll get checklists, bite-size guides, and real results, pulled from thousands of Zeely entrepreneurs, so you can run AI-powered ads confidently, even as a beginner.
Written by: Emma, AI Growth Adviser, Zeely
Reviewed on: April 14, 2026
