Video: Great Pepsi World Cup ad

OK. The moving pitch and the meerkat are cute. But the play for a Pepsi/gatorade/whatever thing in unoriginal, the Survivor-theme chorus is cliche, and the shiny happy, villagers coming out to see Europeans continues to be overdone. I also found the ad to drag on forever. They could have made their point in 30 seconds.

Does this imply that South Africa will cheat its way into the semifinals?

eh

Is that set in South Africa? Stadium construction has really progressed by unorthodox methods.

Did someone fail to mention that Serbia mauled Arshavin's world cup aspirations?

Eh - the moving pitch thing is funny, but the rest is pretty cheesy, from the music to the fun-lovin' dancin' locals. I'm guessing that's the full-length one, and there's a more tight 30-sec. spot.

Shenanigans! Henry did not set up the goal with a hand pass.

cont'd from previous thread:

Soccernomics is worth a read, especially if you liked "the Damned United" film. The chapter on Lyon is good, but overall it tries to be Freakonomics for soccer and the writing just isn't as good. The basic thrust is that soccer clubs are too often run by emotion instead of patient strategy, and that is hardly news to anyone.

Cynics, all of you!

Clearly that's the long form ad. I'm sure there's a version that gets to the point in 30 seconds.

I think the ad has a great spirit to it. I enjoyed it.

the guy in yellow with the drum is Akon, who is also singing the song, might be more famous than any of those soccer players.

If you've ever done any academic reading on Africa, the whole concept "its about people instead of land" thing is pretty well conceptualized by this human pitch idea.

Mr. Chang, did you see how they built that stadium?!

UnitedDemon: Slovenia, not Serbia, knocked out the Russkies. (Or was it Canada? Oops, wrong sport.)

Crocken: Akon may be more famous in the insular USA, and I'm sure he's well-known in Africa. But more popular globally than Messi or Kaká? Highly doubtful.

Akon! I was listening to a French-language Canadian station on Sirius (although I don't speak French) and saw that Akon was in a song. I thought that was odd -- and a great way for an artist to become more widely-known. Then I look up his bio, and saw that 1) he is bilingual and 2) is from Senegal.

I don't look forward to seeing that over and over again this summer.

I don't see why these big companies put all their money into making one commercial that gets exhausted when they could make a cheaper, smaller commercial, each featuring one soccer star. That would at least give the viewer a bit of variety.

Soccernomics is also a little too focused on England. I would enjoy it more if the Lyon example was extrapolated to other countries. There a chapter on what country has the biggest soccer fans, and while that's an interesting idea, it really isn't useful.

Not sure if this has been covered by the Goff, but I quite like the official theme song by K'naan:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhM-cpSwrmM

And to go totally OT --

Awesome "Chuck" last night

"I don't look forward to seeing that over and over again this summer. "

************

You want Dawson back?

The subtitle to that ad could be "Sepp Blatter approves a different goal-line technology."

That commercial is the closest Arshavin will get to playing in the World Cup in Africa.

Thanks, Reignking! It's a "Chuck Marathon" tonight at the Joe Doc household -- I'm 3 episodes behind. Looking forward to it!

I guess I'm in the minority. I thought it was very cool and was thoroughly entertained!

Is that set in South Africa? Stadium construction has really progressed by unorthodox methods.Posted by: I-270Exit1

Blame it on the prawns from District 9.

I've always thought Bride of Chucky was a bit underrated myself.

Typical Lampard, typical ball hog.

Best World Cup related ad is still the Nike "Secret Tournament"

Neat commercial, but it doesn't beat this one from 2006:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jkm86AfI48I

The subtitle to that ad could be "Sepp Blatter approves a different goal-line technology."

Posted by: I-270Exit1 | March 9, 2010 12:37 PM
________________________________________

+1

The World Cup remix of K'naans Wavin' Flag is a certifiable hit! I'm surprised it hasn't been released as a single yet.

I watch this performance of Wavin' Flag anytime I want to get motivated:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYfa0__P_pI&feature=related

Own goal! Loved it. Thanks, Goff.

The metaphor of the moving goalposts is uncomfortable because it fairly accurately reflects the business/investment climate in many countries in southern africa, including RSA itself. That the locals adapt and many foreigners trip up also rings true.

OT: The Netherlands coach on De Jong (link courtesy of Soccer America):

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/English-referees-are-to-blame-for-leg-breaking-tackles-says-Holland-boss-Bert-van-Marwyk-article346355.html

Re: Video. Would have been better had a lion torn off Henry's hand. Cheatin' turd. GO IRELAND!

Re: Dutch coach.

“A foul like that the one Nigel committed on Holden can cost us the World Cup.

"As soon as the game was over, I got hold of him and I told him straight.

“Maybe he thought this foul was not even as bad as the ones in previous games, but he really must get this out of is system.’’

Pure class and really unusual to see a coach call out his player like that. Good for him. Still too bad for Stu, but at least a coach acknowledges dirt when he sees it.

delantero, I agree with you yet again. Yikes!

I'll just say the first 10 minutes from Arsenal have been entertaining. Could we get a new thread so I don't spoil this Mersh Discussion?

delantero, I agree with you yet again. Yikes!
Posted by: Rand-al-Thor

Great, let's hold hands and sing Kumbayah . . . . .

DMB gets the start today.

Hug it out boyzzz.

Duuuuuuude...

Don't tell me you have him on your Argy Bargy team.

Kenny Cooper on the bench for Plymouth vs The World's Greatest Football Club at The World's Greatest Football Ground. Case anyone's wondering...

LOL RK. No...

I agree, the adidas one where they "Forrest Gump'd" Beckenbauer and Maradona in was great.

As my brother points out, Arshavin is smaller than the corner flag.

stupid commercial. i found it to be saccharine and contrary to the spirit of fairplay. seriously.

best soccer commercial ever: brazil airport commercial (WC 1998?) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbFmK4zZ9Ys

"I agree, the adidas one where they "Forrest Gump'd" Beckenbauer and Platini in was great."

Fixed your post, JacobfromATL. :)

best soccer commercial ever: brazil airport commercial (WC 1998?)
Posted by: dfunkt
==========

+1

Akon is a role model for our African American youths. He alone is responsible for their higher SAT scores.

1) "Africans will take advantage of foreigners." A good message to send, Pepsi, and thanks for the heads up.
2) As my coach says: "The ball travels faster than the man." Too much dribbling for my liking on that choppy pitch.
3) Messi runs with his head down and wouldn't notice the only tree in the savanna? False.
4) Thanks for putting immensely talented athletics on a dirt field and have them play soccer in jeans. The other commercials posted in the thread are good because we get to indulge in a fantasy aesthetic, all tricks and flicks and physics-denying effects. This commercial is all meerkats and schadenfreude.
5) Did the kid really just smell Henry's shirt? We could look at this two ways: either they're trying to suggest idol worship (yawn/ gross), or Pepsi made a very bold and commendable attempt to recognize non-heteronormative sporting figures in football. My English professor would be full of praise if it were the latter.

The last point aside, this commercial makes me itchy and untrusting.

Shirt = FAIL

I didn't dislike the commercial as much as some of you. But there is something cloying about the whole "oh, aren't the natives so open and warm-spirited" thing.

And the moving goalposts/fairplay point someone raised above is a good one. There's a patronizing message in there, like, "Hey, this would be a jerky move by anyone else, but since these harmless peoples are so, well, harmless, then it's really just kind of cute. Yes, aren't they so cute, these otherwise powerless human beings?"

Wow, everyone take a deep breathe and relax. Is it the product of the economy or are soccer blogs becoming more and more filled with cynics and over-analyzing, marketing grad students. Get a grip people, it's a commercial with famous people and comedy, a relevant location, that is used to sell a carbonated beverage. It's practically a simple Disney Movie without the animation.

Oh, let me add that I'm just saying what others have said already with sarcasm. I'm so boring.