The World Cup is Here
And these are the advertisers that are doing it best.
Whether it be South Africa firing the ball into the top corner of the net to send a continent wild. Or Mario Gotze slotting the ball home in the dying embers. Zidane headbutting Matarazzi and watching a nation’s dreams fade with a moment of ill temper. Messi’s coronation, Maradona’s hand of God, Gordon Banks’ wonder save, Germany’s seventh heaven, Van Persie’s flying dutchman, Suarez’s historic handball and so many more. The World Cup is known for one thing. Moments. Moments when the World stops, stands still and watches. In an attention economy where every form of entertainment jousts for a skerrick of viewability. The World Cup is truly the pinnacle.
As a football fan, there’s no tournament I look forward to more. The intensity, the storylines, and the vibes brought by different host countries, and those around the world who travel to it are more compelling than any story anyone could hope to write. It’s the tournaments innate unpredictability that makes it what it is.
Which is why it’s equally as entertaining to watch as advertisers. Over the years brands across the world have fought tooth and nail against one another to stand out. For so many it’s about who can have the wittiest catchphrase, or the most relevant celebrity endorsement. Who can make the most noise or see the trends before anyone else? Most importantly it’s about who we remember most. The World Cup is by far the most entertaining double-edged sword. In the current media landscape, attention is by far the most sought-after commodity. While the World Cup offers attention in spades, what it also offers is an unparalleled increase in competition. Everything becomes increasingly scrutinised. Every creative judged down to a viewer’s faintest flicker of eye movement. Never has it become so easy to be forgotten amongst an ever-growing tsunami of noise.
As far back as I can remember watching football every four years those that stood out, I can never forget. When Nike ‘wrote the future’ in 2010, and ‘risked everything’ in 2014. When Pepsi had players pose as surfers and gladiators, or more locally when Tim Cahill shrugged his shoulders as a ‘Weet Bix Kid’. Instantly these brands were able to drive an affinity to the biggest stage, by creating a deep lasting resonance, something that’s proving increasingly more difficult to do.
So, with all of that in mind, and with the World’s greatest football tournament rolling around again, here’s my list of the brand’s doing it right. Both around the World and right here in Oz!
Adidas Backyard legends:
Long form content has historically been a pinnacle of World Cup advertising. However, whilst the world has moved towards shorter form pieces, and attention spans have reduced that that of goldfish, seeing a 6-minute ad that demands viewers don’t look away, is a rare piece of advertising gold. Featuring Timothee Chalamet alongside Jude Bellingham, Lamine Yamal, and Trinity Rodman, with cameos from Lionel Messi and Bad Bunny, Adidas have nailed a masterpiece in storytelling. Playing on the themes of local legends, and community spirit, they conjure a direct World Cup affinity without mentioning it once. Many times, in the past Adidas have been criticised for slapping on a logo around the side of a field, while their competitors created memories and stories to last a liftime. Well, this year they’re not surrounding the noise, they’re making it.
Lego: Everyone Wants A Piece
Ok, first of all I am aware that executing this campaign requires a media and talent budget likely larger than the GDP of some small countries. Putting that aside for the moment, this ad is put simply a lot of fun. Pairing the best to ever do it in Messi with Ronaldo, and current stars Mbappe and Vinicius JR is enough to appeal to any football fan. But going beyond that by interweaving the average Lego enthusiast creates that sense of resonance and that spark of ‘that could have been me’. Driving home that fuzzy feeling of warmth and memorability, that ensures the viewer that Lego is absolutely connected to this World Cup Experience.
Paddy Power: No One does football better than Us
Paddy Power have long been known for their cleverness, quick quips, and aligning themselves to a big moment through quintessential British humour and the perfect celebrity cameos. This World Cup is no different, using comedy legend Danny Dyer and playing on American stereotypes. Paddy Power appeals to (an albeit delusional) country of fanatics that are convinced that no one does football quite like them. Whether Football comes home this summer or not, Paddy Power are coming home with the chocolates for a perfectly executed campaign.
SBS Watchers Rights Association:
SBS has held the majority or all of the rights to the World Cup in Australia since 1990. So, they have no burning need to remind anyone where they can watch it. Instead, this year they chose to play on the favourable timings of the matches and reinforce the right of all Australian’s to tune in during working hours. Leaning on the long-standing tradition of Australians taking a bit of time off work to watch and celebrate sport and using a hilarious public announcement from Ted Lasso star Nick Mohamed, this ad hits all the right notes. Creating that burgeoning excitement to watch every game of the World Cup, even if it’s only Cape Verde playing and especially when you’re supposed to be working.
Bet365 The Tim Cahill Milk Run
Admittedly, there’s a small bit of bias in this one for having played a small part in this campaign. With that out of the way, it’s easy to appreciate this ad for what it is, a fast pace, exciting campaign that connects an everyday experience of grabbing a bottle of milk from the shops to scoring a goal on the biggest stage. Featuring Australian all-time leading goal scorer Tim Cahill, and creating a fun feeling of football fever, this one generates that sensation of excitement that only the World Cup brings. The feeling of staying up until 2am to ride home the hopes of a nation. The feeling of delirium when the winning goal goes in, and the feeling of Joy that comes with sharing a beer with your mates and talking through all that happened.
This is what the World Cup is all about, and there are so many brands that hit this feeling. I could go on forever listing examples, but the football is about to start. So, phones, down, eyes open. You can’t miss it.