Written by World Cup season is in full swing. Uncles have begun gathering at coffee shops with beer in hand. The chorus of “GOOOAAALLL” can be heard emanating from many a household around Singapore. Amidst the thrill and excitement of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, we’ve seen a bevy of creative World Cup-themed ads gracing our screens during commercial breaks.
From an advisory against football betting to a wacko battle royale between two new fast food burgers, here’s 7 of the best FIFA World Cup ads we’ve seen this year.
1. McDonald’s: Hawaiian Grilled Chicken Burger vs. Smoked BBQ Chicken Burger
McDonald’s is a perennial sponsor for the FIFA World Cup over the years, and 2022 is no exception.
Apart from screening the World Cup matches across 19 outlets in Singapore, McDonald’s has also rolled out two swanky new burgers: the Hawaiian Grilled Chicken and Smoked BBQ Chicken Burgers.
To get you into the groove of the World Cup and encourage you to buy their new burgers, McDonald’s came up with an ad that’s done in the style of a football match. The only difference is that the players have been replaced with tantalising burger ingredients and the commentary is peppered with burger puns!
2. National Council on Problem Gambling: Advisory against excessive gambling
“I hope Germany wins. My dad bet all my savings on them.” So a boy woefully told his friend in the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG)’s infamous ad campaign during the FIFA World Cup 2014. Then Germany won, and NCPG’s messaging against problem gambling was lost as people wished that they were the boy’s dad.
Undeterred by the 2014 fiasco, the NCPG is back with yet another ad campaign against excessive gambling for World Cup 2022.
This time round, however, the NCPG was careful not to specify any countries, opting for the generic “East Blues” and “West Side Reds”. Guess they’ve learned their lesson to avoid making premature predictions – whether intentional or not – of match outcomes.
3. adidas: Reunion of World Cup greats
The theme of ‘Family’ is strong in this one, centred around the idea of the World Cup serving as a platform to reunite football’s greats under one roof.
The baton is rapidly passed amongst England’s Jude Bellingham, Spain’s Pedri, France’s Karim Benzema, Argentina’s Leo Messi, South Korea’s Sonny (Heung-Min Son), Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi, and Germany’s Serge Gnabry.
British rapper Stormzy not just provides the narration for this ad. He also makes a cheeky cameo at the end as the driver of the bus that picks the players up and sends them to the “World Cup” station.
4. Coca-Cola: Celebrating unity in diversity
Coca-Cola is pretty much synonymous with the FIFA World Cup. It thus comes as no surprise that it has rolled out yet another one of its subtle yet inspiring ads for this year’s game.
Believing is magic – this is the theme of Coca-Cola’s World Cup 2022 ad campaign. Under this slogan, all it takes is a sip of the sweet carbonated concoction to conjure a massive crowd of football fans from across the globe. Driven by their collective love for the sport, they come together to celebrate in one massive gathering.
The messaging in this ad is quite clear: FIFA World Cup brings people together, regardless of race, nationality, or creed.
5. Frito-Lay: Soccer or football?
Soccer or football? That is the question. In this ad by Frito-Lay, American Peyton Manning and British David Beckham lightheartedly banter about whether to call the ball game soccer or football. Things quickly blow out of proportion as the pair turns the question to the world.
Frito-Lay’s not-so-subtle product placement adds on to this little squabble, with Manning and Beckham repeatedly correcting each other on referring to the brand’s products as “chips” or “crisps”.
Above all, this ad continues FIFA World Cup’s emphasis on togetherness – regardless of what the game is called, it still brings crowds of different nationalities together.
6.Qatar Airways: We Will Rock You (Qatar ed.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXmKCUCQFvo
Queen’s legendary “We Will Rock You” is a hot pick for international sporting events, and it is the track of choice for Qatar Airways’ promotional ad for its airline services.
The ad goes through the standard sequence of togetherness by showing how people of different nationalities celebrate the FIFA World Cup. Despite this, there’s just something warm and comforting about these images and how the airline ties all these people together.
7. Kia Worldwide: Every Four Years
“We learn that football is not just a sport. It’s a movement.” Who knew a car ad would turn out to be so thought-provoking? Kia Worldwide definitely nailed this one, showing how the FIFA World Cup has the power to move people as it holds a special meaning for everyone.
As this feel-good ad flits from one country to another, you see how the differences in people, setting, and culture are eroded. The common love for the FIFA World Cup unites everyone, giving people a simple reason to celebrate.
Best FIFA World Cup 2022 Ads
Whenever the FIFA World Cup comes around, you can always expect brands to craft creative ads to keep you entertained even during the intermissions. After all, the FIFA World Cup is one of those key international events that brands capitalise on to drive both exposure and profits in equal measure.
All we can say it’s these ads must’ve taken months – maybe even years – of preparation and pre-planning leading up to the big event, and now they can finally reap the rewards of their hard work.
Check out some campaigns that have also caught our attention:
Cover image adapted from: McDonald’s, OfficialFritoLay, adidas, NCPG Singapore
