YouTube has posted a gallery of the top 20 most-viewed ads of 2012. Topping the list, with almost 21 million views is "Nike Football: My Time Is Now," the 3-minute plus film which debuted for last summer's Eurocup. My personal favorite, with 17.7 million views and in the #3 position, is "The Bark Side," (see below) Volkswagen's 2012 Super Bowl teaser spin on its clever 2011 Super Bowl ad, "The Force" which is now up to 55 million views itself. The top 20 ads have over 200 million views combined.

In an age where TV viewers actively skip ads as frequently as they can, if you're a brand marketer or an agency, you have to love the concept of viewers doing the reverse - proactively seeking out and watching your ads. This behavior once again proves that great content is compelling, even when it is meant to sell something.