These are the 10 best ads of 2020

Good morning! The mission of all marketers is a tough one in the best of times. Not only must they get our attention, but also hold it, then somehow ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ 

Good morning! The mission of all marketers is a tough one in the best of times. Not only must they get our attention, but also hold it, then somehow use it to galvanize us into action. Buy our product! Love our brand! Just like us, please like us. But 2020 has been a year when a pandemic, a reckoning with systemic racism, and an American presidential election have made our already thin patience with advertising and other brand shenanigans even slimmer. Brands, however, are still a part of our culture, and the best are able to use that status to contribute something meaningful to either the culture, our lives, or both. Or at least make us laugh and temporarily forget the hell of 2020, even if just for 30 seconds at a time. Don’t believe us? We collected 10 ads or brand moves that managed to acknowledge and navigate the difficulties of this year, and still make something worthy of your attention. Check it out here. ​​​​​​ ​—Jeff Beer   2020 in review These are the 10 best ads of 2020 Here's how Burger King, Nike, and Patagonia made great advertising for an awful year.   coronavirus How 5 corrosive conspiracy theories made our fight against COVID-19 even harder 2020 wasn’t just a pandemic—it was an “infodemic.”   news Most people would be happy to never shake your hand again A new Harris Poll conducted exclusively for Fast Company shows many Americans are not yearning to return to the world exactly as it was pre-pandemic.   streaming wars Why ‘Wonder Woman 1984,’ ‘Soul,’ and Shonda Rhimes’s ‘Bridgerton’ are streaming Christmas Day Netflix pioneered the idea of dropping big, splashy movies and TV shows during the winter holidays. Now Amazon, Disney Plus, and HBO Max are in on the act.

branding What the world’s sappiest holiday ads reveal about branding in 2021 In the UK, tearjerking holiday ads have become the norm—but there’s a reason the best ones are so effective.   recommender These 13 cozy items will keep you warm and snuggly all winter Affordable cashmere, comfy joggers, and the softest slippers imaginable. These products were made for cuddling up on a cold winter’s night.   co.design How designers are memorializing the biggest tragedy of the century These three early COVID-19 memorials offer a vision of pandemic monuments to come.   coronavirus How Jeff Daniels’ ‘Arachnophobia’ predicted disastrous U.S. COVID-19 response Clearly, no one in the U.S. government watched the ‘Jaws’ but spiders thriller before deciding on our approach to COVID-19.   news Remember greeting cards? They’re making a COVID-19 comeback From handmade to Hallmark, the greeting card industry is emerging as one of the big winners of a physically distant holiday season.   recommender The best slippers, slides, and shoes for lounging around the house   The comfiest, coziest, most practical footwear for inside your house—and occasionally outside, too.   coronavirus Employers can legally impose a vaccine mandate. But should they? Here’s why an employer-mandated COVID-19 vaccine policy could backfire.     Video 3 ideas to treat yourself this holiday season 2020 is finally coming to an end, and Liz Segran has a few ideas to help you wind down and indulge a little, from wine to baked goods. WATCH NOW     FREE SPONSORED E-BOOK OF THE DAY 421 Modern Job Search Tips for 2021 Learn how to find your new job faster! Click here to download your free e-book.

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