This ESPN World Cup campaign, created by the Wieden+Kennedy ad agency, features passionate soccer fans in New York City sharing their pre-World Cup predictions. A number of colorful characters including an Italian barber, Ivorian cab driver and German butcher unveil the logic behind their World Cup hopes and predictions. The ad switches between fans of different ages and national loyalties confidently giving their predictions.
The final scene in the ad shows an English man in an elevator muttering "if it goes to penalties, we are doomed," alluding to England's long-standing tradition of being knocked out of tournaments on penalty kicks.
This fun ESPN World Cup ad campaign campaign does a great job showcasing soccer's unrivaled popularity among people of all ages and ethnic backgrounds, and capturing soccer fans' passion, excitement and opinionated views on everything World Cup-related. Every sports fan worth his or her salt believes that they're an expert, and this ad does a great job highlighting that mentality.
Opinionated World Cup Ads
This ESPN World Cup Ad Showcases Fans' Opinions & World Cup Predictions
Trend Themes
1. Passionate Fans - As fans become more passionate about sports, companies can leverage this trend by involving and incorporating their opinions into marketing campaigns.
2. Hyper-localized Ads - Creating ads that highlight the opinions of local residents in a hyper-localized area can be a powerful way for companies to engage with specific communities.
3. Interactive Campaigns - Interactive campaigns like this one can help brands to build a relationship with their audience, by creating content that their target market can directly interact with and relate to.
Industry Implications
1. Sports - The sports industry can benefit from creating interactive campaigns that allow fans to share their opinions, predictions, and preferences.
2. Advertising - Interactive and hyper-localized ad campaigns are a disruptive innovation opportunity that can help advertising agencies and brands increase engagement with their audience.
3. Entertainment - The entertainment industry can leverage passionate fans by incorporating their opinions into marketing campaigns, creating an engaging and interactive experience for their audience.