World Cup round up

The Football Association ‘England World Cup squad announcement’ / Wieden & Kennedy

The Football Association kicked off the football frenzy this year with a spot that captures all the excitement of the World Cup. Young fans race through cities – London, Manchester, Stoke – announcing the names of their favourite players who have won a coveted spot on the England World Cup team. Teenagers aren’t the usual target market for World Cup campaigns, but they follow the sport as avidly as any other fan. The Football Association is somewhat ahead of the curve in recognising the popularity of the sport among younger audiences, and the appeal of seeing themselves represented in its advertising.

Paddy Power ‘Enough of the nonsense’ / Chime

Paddy Power has come under fire for its blunt ‘shockvertising’ tactics – most recently for another World Cup campaign, which appeared to feature a photo of a polar bear painted with the St Georges Cross and the Paddy Power logo. Told to ‘hang their heads in shame’ for the stunt, which was actually produced in conjunction with Polar Bears International to raise awareness of the plight of the animals in Russia, the sports betting brand showed no remorse. However, it has taken a definite step back with this ad. It imagines what life would be like if video replay technology could be used in everyday life: disputes about who was first at the bar could be solved in seconds, while faking injuries or illness to get time off work would be impossible. The ad builds on Paddy Power’s straight-talking brand identity that makes it so popular with betting fans.

Just Eat ‘Put it on a plate’ / Dark Horses

One thing is for sure: this will be the most memorable ad of the World Cup season. Just Eat is celebrating the biggest football event in years with a commemorative plate, in the grand British traditional of weird memorabilia, giving fans the opportunity to lick the face of a legend. And to advertise the limited-edition plate, it recruited ex-footballer John Barnes for an ad where people literally lick his face.

BBC ‘History will be made’ / BBC Creative

With the plethora of creative agencies rolling out stunning visual campaigns, in-house teams have a lot to prove. The BBC’s in-house agency BBC Creative has risen to the challenge for the World Cup. This incredible spot has exactly the right amount of drama as it charters the big moments in the World Cup’s history with an embroidered tapestry animation. Each frame was individually embroidered, and the spot is supported by a seven-metre long tapestry which will be displayed in the National Football Museum in Manchester. Every second of work that went into this spectacular ad communicates what the World Cup is to fans: so much more than just football, it’s sport history in the making.

ITV ‘Forget’ / ITV Creative

ITV’s ad runs in a similar vein to the BBC: running through it is the understanding that the World Cup is much more than just a marketing opportunity. This spot charters the highs and lows of previous years – but tells fans to forget them. What better way to build hype for the 2018 tournament than to say it’s the only one that matters?

Beats by Dr Dre ‘Defiant mixtape, volume 1’ / In-house

Directed by Guy Ritchie, this short film is a tour de force in World Cup advertising. It mixes live action with cartoon animation as it tells the story of four ‘defiant’ football stars who beat the odds to get their dream career. Spanning cities and continents, we’re taken first to Russia, then to England, Germany, France and Brazil. It features cameos from other sports stars Serena Williams and Thierry Henry, set to a vibrant soundtrack that perfectly sets the tone, and captures the personality of its stars with only thirty seconds or so dedicated to each.

Lidl ‘Dream big with Lidl’ / TBWA/London

Lidl secured a three-year sponsorship deal with the England football team and has been helping girls and boys from all over the country get into football. The discount supermarket’s World Cup campaign features England stars and some inquisitive fans. Does Raheem Sterling reckon he could beat your pet dog in a race? Watch to find out…

Volkswagen ‘Complete confidence’ / Adam&Eve/DDB

Having only won the World Cup once, the England team is something of an international joke. You’d have to be truly delusional to be so confident that the England team will win that you’d get a tattoo commemorating their 2018 victory when the games have barely kicked off. In 22 ten-second spots, Volkswagen follows a fan who does exactly that, although his confidence comes not from the performance of the team but from his reliable Volkswagen vehicle. The ads will appear on ITV as part of the car giant’s World Cup sponsorship deal.