Adidas unveils star-studded global World Cup campaign
Adidas has launched its new campaign “The Quest” as part of its FIFA World Cup push, kicking off with a star-studded TV ad created in the style of a movie trailer.
As part of the campaign, created in conjunction with 180 Amsterdam/RIOT, there is a digital element which includes: an interactive graphic novel that combines live action and animation that reacts as the football tournament unfolds; the Adidas FIFA World Cup Match-Ups in which fans are encouraged to participate and set up head to heads with 32 players from 32 countries and make their predictions on which player or team will win; and other activity hosted on its Facebook page.
Levin Reyner, director of Adidas global football communications, said “The 2010 FIFA World Cup is the greatest football event on the planet and the perfect platform for us to launch our new campaign which enables consumers worldwide to interact with each other and engage in the tournament like never before.
“Our previous campaigns only highlighted certain players and teams, ‘The Quest’ incorporates players from every team – something never done before!”.
A group of African artists will also capture those moments on the pitch that make history into daily paintings and form the “Live Quest”. The paintings will then be auctioned via eBay throughout the tournament with proceeds going to the Nelson Mandela 46664 Foundation.
The Quest features 32 players from all 32 federations playing at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
They include FIFA World Player of the Year; Lionel Messi (Argentina) plus Steven Pienaar (South Africa), Jozy Altidore (U.S.A), Shunsake Nakamura (Japan), Salomon Kalou (Côte d’Ivoire), Eljero Elia (The Netherlands), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany), David Villa (Spain), Yoann Gourcuff (France), Steven Gerrard (England), Diego Forlán (Uruguay), Andrés Guardado (Mexico), Obafemi Martins (Nigeria), Chu-Young Park (Korea Republik), Theofanis Gekas (Greece), Karim Matmour (Algeria), Zlatko Dedic (Slovenia), John Painsil (Ghana), Nikola Zigic (Serbia), Tim Cahill (Australia), Aurélien Chedjou (Cameroon), Daniel Jensen (Denmark), Daniele De Rossi (Italy), Andrew Boyens (New Zealand), Nelson Valdez (Paraguay), Stanislav Sestak (Slovakia), An Yong Hak (Korea DPR), Tranquillo Barnetta (Switzerland), Simão (Portugal), Kaká (Brazil), Mark Gonzalez (Chile) and Maynor Figueroa (Honduras).
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Not as good as Nike – too pompous, not entertaining enough, no real premise other than beautiful shots – the endtag could have been for any boot brand or infact almost any product connected to the world cup.
If you had Messi on your books I expect you’d want to show more of him.
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“The journey goes live”
Money well spent.
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Lazy.
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As a rule, I’m vehemently opposed to team sports in general and football fanaticism in particular, but this epic ad and its appeal to my inner classicist got me a little bit excited. Pass me the blue pill and a nice glass of Kool-Aid to wash it down with; World Cup fever has just claimed another victim.
But what was the brand again…?
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The TVC is zzzzzzzzzzzzzz,, trying to accomodate so many players in 90 secs would never work. I think its a case of trying to please all their sponsored players who are in the world cup
The digital elements sound more interesting – hopefully they are executed with more life than the TVC
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Well acatinatree, as someone with an opposite view to you I think it’s a pretty good ad. I actually like team sports and am proud to say I’m a fanatical football fan. Does that make me more qualified to pass judgement? I remember the brand, it’s Adidas. it’s pretty clear to me and I’m the target market.
Decent enough ad, agree not as good Nike’s write the future, but still exciting to watch given we are 3 days away from the greatest show on earth.
Zinedine Zidane has to be the most handsome man in football, if not all sports.
Oh I also like cats, but not cats in a tree. In fact I’m vehemently opposed to cats in trees.
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suitably rousing but it’s got nothing on the nike one
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Gorgeous production quality and under normal circumstances would be a pretty click TVC. Unfortunately Nike smoked them out of the park and jumped the gun with a more emotional connection… Go to facebook page and it’s more of a “coming soon” rather than continuing the story and process through… feels to be lacking in timing like someone got their ass kicked when Nike TVC came out.
Still not a bad TVC… Visually strong and hot production value. Unfortunately smoked by Nike.
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Nike clearly won this one.
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I’m a dyed-in-the-wool football fan. This bores me more than AFL. If it doesn’t excite me, on the eve of a World Cup, can’t see it doing much for the fairweather football set.
Next.
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I believe the phrase is “highly polished turd”.
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I like Messi.
I like Gerrard.
I like World Cup.
I like mumbrella.
Like… and you will be liked.
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It’s got everything!!!
… except an idea.
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I wouldn’t be judging the success of an integrated campaign on the ‘strength’ of a TVC.
This looks like a perfect strategy to engage in a more relevant and meaningful way with their target audience of young kids who like social media, gaming and who buy a fair bit of football kit.
(Old English blokes working in advertising, who like to drink beer and watch football, generally don’t buy a lot of adidas football gear.)
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Click on my link to see a different and IMHO, better, addidas ad. DIsclaimer: I do not work for Addidas but do have a pair of World Cup football boots.
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i rather liked it
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“Where speed meets power” (said in dodgy frog accent. Puhlease. This is shite.
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Adidas 0 Nike 1
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Nike 1 Adidas 0.
Nike’s ‘Write the future’ is actually a big idea with great emotional connection and involves people via ‘the chance’ idea which they’re promoting on facebook. Albeit has great production values, Adidas have missed the mark here bigtime..Anytime an ad likes this needs narration ‘speed meets power’ etc, you know you havent got the visual engagement
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If i was the creative director who signed off on this, id neck myself.
Once they saw the Nike ad, they should have pulled production.
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I enjoy makein this here ad. but i no like dirty David Villa. why he in this? why he now at Barca?
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Good God that ad should come with a heart warning. If you’ve seen Zidane: A 21st C Portrait, you’d be fainting all over again.
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Nike’s spot so much better on every level. The ‘You Decide’ line is confusing too, how do ‘I’ decide who wins a world cup game?? Some of the post production (3D) is a bit ropey on this as well. Shame for Adidas
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If Nike’s ad wasn’t in market this would have been great. But it is totally outdone by a simple and well executed idea which translates much better.
Sucks to be Adidas.
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No emotional connection
Big idea lacked substance
They would be spewing that they are the official sponsor and Nike have completely steamrolled them in timing and execution.
Looks like the jokes on Adidas and the milky bars are clearly on Nike
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At least it deflects attention away from the Jabulani…
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Um, do adidas realise the World Cup has started? Not seen either of their ads on TV so far.
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