Sunday, May 23, 2010

Is The New Nike Ad Rubbish?



A friend just sent me this saying it was the best ad of the year. My perspective: it talks about the consequences of activities on the pitch almost over what is happening on the pitch. I don't care if Wayne ends up in a caravan or some random russian ends ends watching Cirque du Soliel in a tittty bar, I care about the game.

Whilst it taps into the current trend of all powerful football; red top papers, wags and gossip columns it adds weight to the notion that football is a sell out.

I don't really like it.

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13 comments:

Unknown said...

it kinda feels like a ploy. a friend of mine sent me the same video stating the very same thing. IMHO the nike + guy ritchie video was wayyy better

Séan said...

The million+ hits over night it consumed say differently.

Its easy to that it glorifies the super star culture of football - which is obviously a downside of the modern game. It does promote themes that make football the global sport it is - that one tiny piece of play can change a reputation (Something Mr Rooney knows all about) - it can unite a country is celebration or unite in a mobbish hatred. That simply is football.

PS. the "random russian" is captain of the present World Cup holders Italy - Fabio Cannavaro - arguabley one of the best players from the last WC. The advert is in my eyes is quite close to the current situation of the game - that one touch can elevate or deflate a players career, therefore it is an excellent and humourous advert.

Giles Rhys Jones said...

@rsonneyj - agree - they have done some lovely stuff in the past - in particular the last spot in the list. http://interactivemarketingtrends.blogspot.com/search?q=nike

@sean - don't mistake reach for approval. i agree it is brilliantly close to the game at the moment, in my eyes that is a bad thing. maybe the game is flawed, not the ad.

Sean said...

In my eyes the game is flawed, a quick list through West Hams leaked salary list from last week will show you how many generally no-bodies are on the likes of 90k a week. But its the SkySportisation (Sorry for the crude -isation!) of football and it seems the masses of people love to have the most expensive player, see the WAGS, support the labeled top teams over their local side and ultimately enjoy the superstar status attributed to it all. Before that was reserved for the music industry and film stars. . . . but if the noughties are to be remembered for anything - it should be the mass commercialisation and branding of atheletes.

I think the ad hits the nail on the head with that perception, but adds some humor to it and appeals to this concept. But you're totally correct that its a sad state of affairs when we glorify that culture even further.

Melle Bos said...

I agree with you that everyone going nuts this being the ad of the year is pushing it.
However, of course you don't care if Rooney ends up in a caravan, the point is however that you probably do care if you yourself end up in a caravan. The point being made (the way I see it) is about the consequences of how you (not Ronaldo or Rooney) as an athlete perform at a certain moment (in sports), which means that you have to at least 'just do it' and you can influence your chances of failure by using the right gear.

Giles Rhys Jones said...

@melle - a nice point, well made

jmac said...

Unless I knew it was for Nike, I would have to wait until 2:19 to see the brand...oh hang on...no there it is on the football.

Is it the best ad of the year? In terms of budget spent? Probably

In terms of raising sales? I very much doubt it.

We sell or else.

I'm with Giles, underwhelmed....and no, I don't buy the knock-on moral ignition that caravan circumstances resonate with many people as a sign of how we must step up.

Those that DO, do.

Those that don't will be watching the fancy footwork.

doug said...

giles, whilst you're of course entitled to your opinion, you're in a very small minority dude. you're right - reach is nice but worth little. global enthusiasm is a wee bit more exciting. do a quick search on twitter (or anything else) and see what people are saying.

Giles Rhys Jones said...

@doug. result one in google:

http://sport.stv.tv/football/179116-new-nike-world-cup-ad-divides-opinion/

doug said...

Dude, c'mon. I'm talking about overall. Not one article. Balance is not just positive, but overwhelmingly positive.

Said from a neutral POV of course.. :)

Murat said...

This is what happens when people try to de-construct an advert too much.

All my mates who have played Sunday, Saturday and semi-pro football with me all love the ad and posted it on Facebook. If you've played at any level you know the type of things that go through your mind during the game and trust me, when you running up for a corner in the last minute you really do think about what will happen if you score or what happens if you don't put a challenge in.

Don't you think everyone thinks of glory in their own different way? Of course the way I see the positive and negative outcomes is going to be different than top players because my life isn't as extreme but it's still running through my mind during the game.

At the end of the day this advert resonates with the type of people who would go out and buy Nike boots and football apparel.

If you feel the need to dig down into this advert to the point you realise you don't enjoy the spectacle of it then lets be honest, the likely hood of you buying a pair of Mercurials was always slim

Anonymous said...

Do all the dancers in the tittty bar have three knockers?

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