Over the years ad’s have become a part and parcel of our life. The globalised world meant that one would see advertisements from around the world, sitting in the comfort of their own homes. Ad’s that involved football and footballers, in general, have turned out to be more often than not exciting. The tricks, the moves, the all round game of footballers and their quirks are what attract us to these advertisements.
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When you look at the reach that football and the advertisement world have, there is no surprise that their combination often produces an entertainment spectacle that will always bring a smile to our face.
Let’s take a look at some of the best advertisements that featured footballers in them
#1 Nike Next Level
Nike is without a doubt the biggest brand when it comes to advertisements and they proved themselves with the Nike Next level ad. The commercial was revolutionary in its direction and display. Released by Nike Netherlands in 2008, the ad was a sneak peek into football with the viewers watching the advertisement through a player’s eye. It shows the kind of mental and physical pressure that comes down on a professional football player and beautifully shows the life of a player.
The two-minute ad starred some of the world's most famous players in Cristiano Ronaldo, Rooney, Fabregas, Ibrahimovic and a lot of other famous personalities. Directed by the famous filmmaker Guy Ritchie, the ad was a classic show of a footballer doing his best to reach the top level in the game.
PS: People often say that the unnamed player has been based on Robin van Persie
#2 Adidas Jose +10
Voted as the best TV advertisement in 2006, this is the only commercial from Adidas that makes it to our list which was prepared by the Dutch ad agency 180 Amsterdam. The backdrop is plain and simple with two young boys picking teams for a street football match. The boys use their imagination and the Adidas tagline ‘impossible is nothing’ to prepare a star-studded line up for their street football match which had players like Kahn, Zidane, Platini, Beckenbauer and Beckham among it.
An advertisement that targeted the young fans specifically, it was a huge success as it correctly tapped the feeling of football stars being Gods for football fans.
#3 Puma Deo
The only commercial from 2016 which makes it to our list, the Puma Deo ad was made by Puma France, starring the one player we all love, Antoine Griezmann. The French player is known around the world for his fun ‘Hotling Bling’ celebration that has been inspired by artist Drake who was the brains behind the song. The song and the dance moves that went with it caught up among the youth with people going crazy over Drake’s moves.
However, Puma who took Griezmann onboard combined his bling celebration with another billboard hit in the form of Desiigner’s song Panda which was another popular track of 2016.
#4 Nike Airport
The oldest ad in the list which dates back to 1998, this Nike ad was released ahead of the 1998 World Cup that was played in France. A classic as they call it, the ad featured a tonne of skilful and silky tricks that got everyone excited. Performed by the Samba boys, the ad was a huge success as it starred some of Brazil’s best players with Ronaldo, Cafu, Romario, Lucio, Roberto Carlos and others. The background music ‘Mas Que Nada’ by Sergio Mendes was the perfect track for the ad, with some superb beats that provided the much upbeat environment.
If only we had a similar skillset and an equally forgiving airport security.
Nike Football: Winner stays on
Another of Nike’s brilliant football ad’s, this particular commercial was produced by the American ad agency Widen+Kennedy who decided to roll it out for Nike under the Risk Everything campaign. Released in the wake of the 2014 World Cup, it featured some of the biggest names that are a part of the Nike roster with Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar Jr, Rooney, Hazard and Higuain.
The ad focused on a group of young lads playing football who slowly turn into their favourite footballers. Bundled with some great moves, goals and some greatly timed humour, this commercial was surely a success. The key message that was delivered was that you can achieve anything if you’re willing to risk everything for your goal.
