Best world Cup 2014 adverts focus on the shared experience
I'm not much of a football fan. I grew up feeling ambivalent towards the beautiful game and, needless to say, I wasn't the first to be picked for the school team. My relationship with football wasn't helped when the 1966 final was announced for the same day as my barmitzvah. Of the 75 people invited, only 15 turned up.
Although I'm no expert on the game, I'd like to think I know a bit more about advertising – and with the World Cup around the corner, there is a lot of typically ambitious and creative work doing the rounds.
Tournaments like this always bring out the big guns and there's no escaping commercials from sport juggernauts such as Nike and Adidas. Both are truly spectacular, full of energy and laden with superstars. An absolute feast for the eyes; I can see why the younger generation love them.
However, what makes a standout ad beyond the striking visuals, music, big ideas and Ronaldo, are the relatable stories with a basis in real life. What makes a great World Cup commercial is the way that it highlights the human condition around the game and focuses on the shared experience.
Carlsberg has put the game in the background and focuses on the collective drama and humour in the pub. It uses its celebrities for their charisma and personality instead of their star power – Ian Wright, he's just like a bloke down the pub, one of the lads.
The Currys/PC World campaign provides a fresh perspective on the football ad and its audience. The relationships between the couples are at the heart of the story as the guy tries to convince his partner of the need for a massive new TV. He fails badly at trying to deflect her attention away from the screamingly obvious fact that it's for him to watch the football.
The BBC trades on football nostalgia with Subbuteo style figures. Again, the story is the main appeal of this ad, which promises to unfold in an interesting way. A fun commercial with a family feel.
These ads veer away from the epic qualities of the major sports brands but they effectively raise a knowing smile and add fuel to a palpable sense of collective expectation. They have a warmth and a sense of inclusion, which is where the advertisers' craft comes to the fore.
One thing I have always understood about football is its emotional value. It's our passion that unites us; in the park, in the pub and around the globe – and curiously, not being a fan only serves to highlight that. Out of all the work I've seen, Carlsberg's Fan Squad humorously captures this sentiment the best. I'm sure we'll remember the ad, especially if the referee in an England match needs to consult with the fourth official via his headset, only to award a penalty against us. I wouldn't want to be Ian Wright then.
Paul Weiland is the founder and executive creative director at Contagious London
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