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world cup youtube ads 2018

The Best World Cup YouTube Ads of 2018 Celebrate the World’s Game!

  • June 13, 2018·
  • 4677  Views·

With the 2018 FIFA World Cup kicking off in Russia on June 14, official World Cup brands have started releasing their ads for the event. Here are some of the best World Cup ads that will surely grab your attention this year, and get you excited for the world’s game as it’s played on the biggest stage.

The adidas “Create the Answer” World Cup ad

Adidas has been a staple brand during the World Cup for decades. They certainly made sure to catch the audience’s attention this season with their “Create the Answer” ad.

The ad features several famous soccer players, including Lionel Messi, Paul Pogba, and David Beckham, showing off their skills. They are joined by other popular celebrities, including rapper Pharrell Williams, model Karlie Kloss, and tennis player Caroline Wozniacki. There are 56 popular celebrities in this short 90-second ad! My favorite was NFL star Von Miller.

Not only does it have over 1 million views on YouTube, but it has also a popular topic on Twitter. Users expressed their amazement at how Adidas managed to cram that many celebrities in one ad, and is a testament to how effective YouTube influencers can be.

Some even challenged adidas’ rival Nike to outdo adidas.

Be careful. Nike has Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Alexis Sanchez, Lebron James, and even Kevin Hart. You don’t want that kind of heat…

Hyundai’s “World Football Heritage” World Cup ad

Hyundai went for a simpler presentation with their World Football Heritage campaign. The brand released a series of videos featuring players talking about soccer’s fan culture.

The most popular video is that of former French National Team forward (and legend of The Arsenal) Thierry Henry talking about being a fan of Brazilian star Ronaldo.

Hyundai released the videos in April as part of a campaign encouraging fans to showcase their football cheering cultures. Henry’s video has since attracted more than 6 million views on YouTube.

Budweiser’s “Light Up the World Cup”

Budweiser is well-known for its quirky sports ads, which the company has carried over to their 2018 World Cup YouTube ad. The 90-second advertisement features an army of drones delivering bottles of beer to World Cup spectators.

The video is accompanied by a fast-paced soundtrack by electronic band Apollo 440 that befits its story. It also features a rather amusing twist at the end, typical of Budweiser ads.

Budweiser’s ad doesn’t feature any dialog or captions, which makes it easier to deliver to the World Cup’s international audience. The strategy proved effective, as the ad has over 20 million views across the brand’s different YouTube channels.

Visa with Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Even though he is sitting out this World Cup having retired from international football, there is no stopping Zlatan Ibrahimovic. He currently has several different World Cup themed videos with Visa, with this one being the most popular:

With the YouTube ad focusing on him as an international person, and with how Visa cards can be used internationally, it’s a smart association.

While they do not have huge views, they are great videos which may still catch on. At the very least, the Visa YouTube channel isn’t used very often and this will help them get more subscribers.

Qatar Airways “Dancing in the Street” with Nicole Scherzinger

Qatar Airways has had a surprising hit with former Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger getting everyone dancing in the street with the David Bowie/Mick Jagger classic:

There’s no hidden message here, it’s just a celebration of the game as it’s played in the streets. With Qatar hosting World Cup 2022, you can be sure that every brand associated with the country will be stepping up their World Cup endorsements.

To push the video even further they are promoting it using #OnYourFeet on Twitter:

It’s part of a contest to win two tickets to your dream destination. I’m sure there are some people would love to use those tickets to get to Russia for the 2018 World Cup!

Coca-Cola and Jason Derülo “Colors” music video

If you want to really get views on YouTube, the most viewed videos on YouTube show that you should release a music video. Perhaps the biggest of all World Cup YouTube ads this year has been this collaboration between Coca-Cola and Jason Derulo:

30 million views, and counting, is nothing to ignore! Something else to definitely notice is the fact that this video is sponsored by Coca-Cola, but does not feature a single Coca-Cola logo or product placement. These types of video collaborations between brands and musicians is becoming more common on YouTube.

How it works as an ad is that it features the Coca-Cola name in the title, and the song itself will likely be used by Coca-Cola in other advertising. Any way that you look at it, 30 million people were exposed to the Coca-Cola name every time they watched this video.

Best World Cup YouTube ads 2018

These ads are just the tip of the list, as there are likely going to be other great World Cup YouTube ads to be released during the event itself. If you are planning to mount your own World Cup-themed campaign, definitely check them out for inspiration. If not, just enjoy the beautiful game as you enjoy these ads!

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