#5 - "The Game Before The Game" (Beats by Dre)
Anyone who has ever played a sport, had a pre-game ritual. Music often plays a role in that amping-up for battle. This ad focuses mostly on Brasil's Neymar Jr. and his conversations with his father, but highlights players from from other teams including Spain, Germany, and The Netherlands...and Lil' Wayne (?). I like the sentiment and the crescendoing energy but, at five whole minutes, it goes a little long.
#4 - "The Last Game" (Nike)
Points to Nike for going all out and including a cast of players - Wayne Rooney (England), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Andrés Iniesta (Spain), Tim Howard (USA), and David Luiz (Brazil), among others - that would have tipped even their budget had they been real. Though I like the ad, the fact that they are cartoons, keeps me from ranking this any higher. I do give credit to the animators for giving Neymar Jr. plenty of opportunities for taking #selfies, something that becomes quite evident as a favorite activity upon visiting his Instagram account.
#3 - "Ouse Ser Brasileiro" (Nike)
"Dare to be Brazilian" in English, Nike released a series of these ads for different countries at the start of 2014. Obviously, this one got a lot of play here in Brasil. The ad features a number of the Brazilian team members and a caricature of their personalities: Neymar Jr. grew up in Santos playing beach soccer, Bernard is known for his short stature, and Thiago Silva is known to a dapper guy. It's hard to watch this ad and not see why Brazil and soccer are synonymous.
#2 - "Winner Stays" (Nike)
Nike again. But this time with actual players. The ad embodies the internationality of soccer by taking a pick -up soccer game in a park in England (because clearly this can't happen in the US) and turning it into the All-Star game to end all All-Star games with the kids claiming different professional soccer personas. I think anyone who ever idolized an athlete growing up can relate to this ad, regardless of the sport. I especially love when a kid is called out for not playing like their hero (Neymar Jr.) or when two kids choose the same player at the same time (David Luiz). The thing holding this back from being number one is that, unless you know who these players are, you never get the full emotion of the ad.
#1 - "Gol!" (McDonald's)
The shortest of all the ads on this list, and featuring no professional players, this ad is simple and impressive at the same time. Basically a collection of sick trick-shots backed by the old-timey "Oh By Jingo" (1919), the fact that it's a McDonald's ad doesn't even present itself until the end; there's not a burger or fry to be seen. Bonus points for featuring several women/girls with skills as well.
Conspicuously absent from this list is soccer mainstay Adidas, who seem to be putting a lot of their World Cup advertising into focusing on their officially sanctioned ball, the Brazuca, with "meh" ads like "House Match" and "The Dream". And let's not even talk about this trying-way-too-hard Galaxy 11 spot.
*I am not an advertiser, nor do I know the slightest thing about marketing or commercial design. Neither, coincidentally, am I a consumer of any of the top five ads' products.
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