Since we nearly wrapped up speeches today in LA101H based on rhetorical analyses of advertisements, I still find myself in a commercial state of mind. Up until the point in which I realized there would be a 4-6 minute time limit on the speech (including the time of the advertisement!) I had one commercial in mind. Sadly, the ad is a marathon clocking in at 2 minutes 53 seconds. It is definitely a worthy 2:53 spent however, and it is the kind of video where you pick up something new with each view and are never entertained any less than the first watch. However, such an ad would not possibly restrict itself to the time limit of the speech, so I thought this would be a better arena to state my case.
The name of the commercial is “Write the Future” and it is under the Nike label. As my classmate Tessa Johnstone so eloquently put it, often times Nike is not trying to sell a product; rather, it attempts to offer consumers a lifestyle. Although in this ad Nike clearly hopes to generate interest in the world cup (personally, they had me at “Drogba”), it makes the World Cup out to be a grandiose cosmic force of destiny impacting the players, fans, and nations involved instead of just a sporting event.
This epic advertisement takes the viewer from a meager home in the Ivory Coast to the halls of the British monarchy and everywhere in between while highlighting soccer's impact. Meanwhile, it is combined with the perfect blend of comedy (the lackey getting his butt kicked at table tennis is Roger Federer, priceless!) and soccer action to make a believer out of any World Cup doubter.
You may not know who Wayne Rooney is, but the commercial makes you want to know who that bulldog-faced Brit is and why he has England’s fate on a string. Even if you don’t recognize the mastry of Ronaldinho, you still want to know where you can see moves worthy of the emulation of Brazilian dancers and Kobe Bryant. The ad may even have female viewers hoping to get better acquainted with the Portuguese stud with the perfectly coiffed hair (Cristiano Ronaldo).
Nike might not be trying to push a lifestyle this time around, but if they are trying to sell us anything it is the idea that these players are titans who shape the world from the ends of their cleats. If you don’t know their names, you better start catching up.
Here is the commercial itself...
…And here is the “Making Of”
Even though Onyewu doesn't appear in this commercial, I have to say that it is still pretty awesome. It has so much to say. So much is stated into this commercial through the use of various rhetorical devices, and it allows the view to feel like they are a part of the action. The way the whole globe is incorporated and how we are all tied together through soccer is a very strong argument made in this commercial. I really enjoyed watching it and I think Nike does a great job conveying its message.
ReplyDeleteOh Nike. They just get better and better. I never think it is possible for them to come up with a better ad campaign, and then BAM! an amazing new commercial pops up just in time for the next major sporting event. I also love how Nike uses athletes from all different sporting backgrounds in the same commercial. While this was a soccer commercial, there were cameos from Roger Federer and Kobe Bryant. With each commercial, Nike solidifies their status of being the pinnacle of sport performance gear, a title I don't think they'll soon give up.
ReplyDeleteThis advertisement is epic. I remember watching it around the World Cup season and thinking to myself, "wow." I'm not a big soccer person, and every World Cup, my cheering extends to only the 4 or 5 names that I know. However, this ad caught my attention, and I found myself SO excited for the World Cup. While this ad may not be selling a product, or even a lifestyle, it's selling a state of mind-- the excitement, the passion, the charge that drives these athletes to live their days in anticipation of the future. This ad transcends the normal idea of an athlete and shows us that Wayne Rooney's 1 second of hesitation could have an impact on the world economy. Well, perhaps not the world economy, but you get the point.
ReplyDeleteAnd I LOVED Roger Federer's cameo in this ad! I, myself, am an avid Federer fan and a follower of tennis, so it was nice to see that sportsmanship and passion go beyond a single type of sport.
Nike employs the best group of athletes in the world to wear their gear. It is noteworthy that in the commercial, Wayne Rooney is still shown wearing his standard English uniform with the Umbro symbol clearly visible. I guess Nike didn't see them as big of a competitor. However, Frank Ribery who plays for France (an Adidas sponsor) is shown wearing his non-official uniform. I guess Nike prioritized things and thought it'd be terrible for Adidas to be in the ad, but no one would care if Umbro. It's just something worth observing and noting.
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