World Cup fever is upon us. The 3.2 billion people on this earth will be going nuts over the next month and half cheering on their national teams in the championship bracket of the world's most popular sport.
While the U.S. loves football, soccer (aka futbol) is basically the national sport of all other continents.Think about how much hype the Super Bowl gets, then magnify it for the entire world. The World Cup is the game of games, the king of kings, the gem of gems, the...you get it.
So far, there have been a few companies who have turned out exciting advertisements, and The DSM Group is here to give you some of our favorite World Cup ads leading up to the games in Brazil.
ESPN
In this hilarious spot, ESPN has its Soccer Play-by-Play anchor Ian Drake announcing the conversation of a couple on a blind date. Straight-up hysterical, this may bring home the award for the most clever advertisement.
Carlsberg
Carlsberg brings us possibly the most epic ad, telling the story of some regular sports fans in a bar whose dreams come true and hopes stay alive while sipping on a nice cold beer watching the final moments of the English National Team's fate in the World Cup. Frankly, every bar should be like this one.
Nike
Seeing as the World Cup is the most popular international sport, arguably the most popular international athletic retailer should be giving top-quality coverage. Nike goes above and beyond pulling many of their sponsored soccer athletes across the globe together in this kick-ass advertisement. A must-watch "Nike: Winner Stays" will get you motivated.
Fly Emirates All-Time Greats
Fly Emirates All-Time Greats brings two legends together, Pele and Cristiano Ronaldo. Cleverly done, this ad does it right and will make your brain smile. Also, Fly Emirates is the international sponsor of numerous professional soccer clubs (kind of like the New York Yankees of soccer sponsoring) and one of the most powerful companies in the world.
McDonald's
With creative execution, McDonald's brings together people of all ages showing off incredible soccer skills in this catchy ad. In fact, this ad has gone viral over social media with over 100,000 shares in the past week. It has nothing to do with big macs but is extremely entertaining. P.S. I wish I could do what these kids (and especially the old man) can do.
Visa
"Visa - Everyone is Welcome" will make you smile unless you support the Brazilian soccer team. This funny advertisement brings back all the painful memories of Paulo Rossi as he gets a shave from a brazilian barber, but in the end, shows us how the game brings together people from different countries, backgrounds and beliefs making sure that everyone is always welcome.
Powerade
In this absolutely inspirational advertisement, Powerade does it right in their ad "There's Power in Every Game". Powerade shows the story of Nico Calabria, a young soccer player who only has one leg. Powerade uses old home videos from the Calabria family in charting Nico's triumphant journey to play soccer throughout his life.
Direct TV
"DirectTV - Action" brings famous director Oliver Stone in giving a speech about capturing the moment (in front hundreds of millions) that will jack anyone up. Creative, awesome...I could write descriptive words about this all day. Do yourself a favor and check it out.
BBC Sports
BBC Sports has put itself on the national map with this Toy-Story-like advertisement where four soccer action figures journey their way to actually see the World Cup. Cute and entertaining, a good ad that will impress all generations from young kids to old vets.
Addidas
The chief rival to Nike in the soccer world, Adidas puts forth a worthy contender in its own motivational ad for the World Cup. Nike has Ronaldo, Adidas has Messi, but it doesn't matter: both result in great advertising for their brand.
Currys & PC World
If you're married you'll absolutely love this commercial. The eternal battle between watching what you and your partner want to watch is exemplified here in this humorous ad. Also, being a young kid, this ad makes me super happy that I am not married and always get to watch what I want on television.
Bank of Chile
Also up there for the most inspirational ad, the Bank of Chile has made a commercial (with translated subtitles for every country) featuring the Chilean miners who were trapped in a mine collapse for 70 days. Awesome ad that will brighten your day without a doubt.
Coca-Cola
The premier sponsor of the World Cup itself, Coca-Cola has already published many advertisements that are in print, outdoor, television, radio etc. Check out their website, but don't worry you'll probably see them spread like wildfire over the next month.
So there you have it, the best world cup advertisements for this year's game in Brazil. Worldwide events never seem to disappoint when it comes to creative and unique displays, and this year is no different.
Tell us which ads you like the most. Share them within the comments below.