Commercial Success

If you're a soccer fan who owns a computer, I'm fairly certain you've already seen the following commercial:


Write The Future from Nalden on Vimeo.

It seems like everyone I know has posted this on Facebook, and there's a lot of talk out there about this being "the best soccer commercial ever."

Bullshit.



The commercial is totally sweet, no doubt, but it's not the best soccer commercial by a long shot (also, it's kind of derivative).  What follows are three commercials I consider to be the gold standard from Nike's stellar history of soccer ads.

First up, Guy Ritchie's "Take It to the Next Level" from Euro 2008.  Pay particular attention to the way this ad ends, then consider that it came out two years before the "Write Your Future" campaign.  Like I said, kind of derivative.



I like how the ad includes a good deal of failure, as well as success.  It's a fairy tale without being extremely unrealistic.  Also, any commercial that includes vomiting, pantsing, and bikini-thunder, all while focusing on Arsenal is good in my book.

Next up, Terry Gilliam's "The Secret Tournament" from World Cup 2002.



Okay, so technically, it's an ad campaign, not a single commercial, but COME ON, how is this not the greatest thing you've ever seen?  Don't forget the rematch, either.  The whole thing is just magnificent.

Last on the list, perhaps the commercial that started it all, "Good vs Evil."



This ad converted an entire world of young players into collar-poppers.  Sick-nasty.