Here are two unexpected takes on football culture from across the Atlantic, where Dove and Nescafe have muscled in on the World Cup with ads that target whole new untapped areas of football fandom.
Lola USA (created by Omnicom from a merger of 180 with adam&eve New York) is promoting Dove’s World Cup sponsorship with an ad suggesting that men take care of their skin in the face of upcoming dangers like unwashed football shirts and intense face painting.
Nescafé and agency Casanova are introducing coffee as an option for the more thoughtful fan. The idea is that the post-match discussion goes on during a “third half” where caffeine is called for rather than beer, although there’s a nod to the more traditional World Cup refreshments with a limited-edition Espresso Keg. It’s a shame that former USA captain Landon Donovan needs to have his name and identity flagged up.
Both ads manage to blend the product with a World Cup narrative pretty successfully. Good to see some new ideas around football that don’t include renditions of Sweet Caroline and pints being chucked about.
MAA creative score: 6.5 (for both)
