Editor’s Note: Michael Köckritz is editor of German autos magazine Ramp. All opinions expressed are his own.

CNN  — 

Creative agencies love car commercials.

In an overstimulated world, the supreme discipline of advertising really lets you show what you’re made of. And as a highly emotional product, cars are always an ideal subject.

So is there a patented recipe for a successful car commercial? Not really. That would be too easy. In the competition for attention, a canned formula leaves us cold.

Creative advertising enters our consciousness, but then goes a step further. We start a relationship with the product and the brand because it draws us in, giving us a sense of well-being, making us laugh, making us think.

Although we still take note of more conventional attempts, we don’t truly embrace them. They are just too inelegant. Instead, what we value every time is to get wrapped up in a story that is as good as it is surprising. Surprising, entertaining and to the point.

Check out the video above to watch Michael Koeckritz’s picks for the top 10 car commercials.