Business Insider's 10 Best Ads Of 2013

If there is a theme that ties together the best ads of 2013, it would be: "tearjerker."

There was something in the air among marketers these last 12 months, and it seems to have produced a bumper crop of dramatic, emotionally moving ads designed to stir your soul.

Just like last year, some of the winners will be familiar. But many are more obscure, and you'll see them for the first time here. Some of the world's best advertising, as usual, does not come from the U.S.

Our surprise No.1 is from a huge American fast-food chain - but the ad probably never ran on TV.

Our ranking is entirely subjective: we looked at originality, entertainment value, and success stories. These were the brands and the campaigns that stood out. Congratulations to everyone who made the list.

(Following the Top 10 list is a compilation of runners up that nearly made the cut but were ultimately rejected.)