Here’s a new Beats Electronics long-form advertising video that could portend better days for Apple’s hit-or-miss marketing efforts since the passing of Steve Jobs. Beats’ headphones may be crap, but their marketing certainly isn’t.
As MacDailyNews reader Ara Gregorian (who sent us the link) wrote, “The forces behind the creation of this ad are part of Apple now. Very encouraging!”
Before the goals, before the glory, there is an unseen game played in the locker room. Watch how the best prepare for greatness with Beats SOLO2 and Studio. This is how the game is won.
Featuring: Neymar Jr., Bacary Sagna, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Blaise Matuidi, Cesc Fàbregas, Daniel Sturridge, Chicharito, Jozy Altidore, Luis Suárez, Mario Götze, and Robin van Persie. Special Appearances: Neymar da Silva Sr., LeBron James, Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Rafaella Beckran, Rio Ferdinand, Serena Williams, Sydney Leroux, Stuart Scott, and Thierry Henry.
Music: “Jungle” by X Ambassadors & Jamie N Commons. Original Score by Michael Einziger and Annmarie Simpson.
Direct link to video here.
MacDailyNews Take: This ad has life, like Apple’s best efforts under Steve Jobs.
Related article:
Apple building 1,000-person internal advertising agency – June 10, 2014
Yes, that’s the goods, right there
So, judging from the responses on this forum, the ad’s a wash. Not really worth pursuing. ‘Course, it wasn’t an actual Apple ad to begin with. Now that Apple have absorbed our invaluable advice, they’re sure to go back to their bland Chiat/Day inspirational spots that we admired so. Oh wait, we hated them too. What to do, what to do?
Late to the party here, but since the Apple+Beats purchase just happened, it’s very unlikely Apple had anything to do with it at all.
Horseshit! This ad wouldn’t even exist w/out decades of previous Apple ad campaigns paving the way…
But Apple’s not living in the past; they’re recognizing who the taste makers are today.
Idiot!
Very good. Community, professionalism, focus, family, communal experience. Excellent ad.
It’s a music video.
And it can all be done on an iMac and an iPhone. 😉 That’ll sell!
All these football stars also have iPhones. Perfect match.
Yep. And the only communication device & music source shown in the video, is an iPhone!
Meh, too dreary. Not Apples’ cup of tea I’m sure.
To add to SHOCK ME” comment
Stylish , Edgy , Racy , Poetic , Dramatic. Engaging , perfect ending .
Apple, Beats and Nike .. All higlighted.. In one add!
Powerhouse team!
Lots of tats, bad haircuts, mediocre music, crappy headphones, a nod to faux Christianity and the world’s most boring & over-hyped game (Soccer).
What is to like? It looks like a paean to vapid celebutard ‘culture’.
It may be crappy music to you, but I love that song. I’ve never heard it before, ITunes just made a sale.
Wow, you’re a happy soul.
Most days
Boring now that’s funny cos I feel the same about your prime sports, even if you simply stole them from our rejects box and slapped lipstick on hoping no one will notice they are pigs.
I have lived overseas and seen Football/Soccer in it’s prime environment. I have no doubt that it is a fun game to play, but watching it is like watching grass grow. The same is true of baseball and golf- fun if you are playing.
If you think Foot Ball is boring you have never seen American Football. What a snore fest!
I find both sports boring but I appreciate the raw power and strategy of Football and the elegant mobility of Soccer.
I just can’t watch either without wishing to be somewhere else. But both are more interesting than say Baseball or Golf.
American football is fun to play and fun to watch. Soccer looks fun to play (not my sport growing up) but a snooze to watch. I was amazed as Europeans seemed transfixed when that ball was getting kicked around that huge field.
I admire the skills- amazed at how good the average kid was with a jacky sack. But the game just didn’t connect with me.
I want those headphones.
Beats is now Apple, folks. We’re no longer ruminating on a possible deal here, it’s done and this ad and its product are now the property of Apple. So either fall in line or get the hell out of the way.
Love it!
Great ad but far too long as most sports ads are. But certainly has the spirit of Apples best ads.
This is whats called a master ?.
Yes too long for tv spots in whole..
Whats normally done is that the master is edited in a few different shorter versions and then broadcasted on tv?
Meant “!” Not “?” At the end
Sorry folks, just don’t see it. I’m a marketing professional, and when you compare this to the best of Apple or Nike or Addidas, this is just so-so. It’s about two minutes too long, and there’s very little development from the beginning of the spot to the end.
I really wanted to like this, since a lot of ad blogs I read are raving about it, but it left me cold. If you were REALLY doing a sports workout, would you want these big heavy cans on your head? Really?
2 minutes too long!!! Try 4 and that’s being generous. It lost me near a minute in and I KNEW there was four more minutes of this! That’s my complaint. Nothing against the characters, the locations, the music, the general idea, but just too damn long to hold my interest!
For every one star this post receives, would be me giving one star for this ad. Let’s see how much I disapprove of the Beats ad, shall we?
see yojimbo007’s comment.
it’s odd that you’d think that a company like Apple or Beats didn’t have the brains enough to notice this ad is really fkking long—they know exactly how long it is. why are people so venomous that they can’t even think for a second before shitting on everything???
think ffs!
Good not great music video. A tad long to be considered a commercial. Football players don’t get yellow cards or fake injuries. Soccer players do. Besides, other than Third World countries, kids learn to dribble that soccer ball and shoot it into the hoop. Then you’re talking about a real sport. A skilled sport.
Seriously? Soccer not a “real sport”? Tell that to the rest of the friggin’ world. There’s a reason they call soccer “the most beautiful game.”
You say football players don’t get “yellow cards” or fake injuries. Well, soccer doesn’t stop play dead every 20 seconds or so to regroup, plan out the next little play, rest up and start all over. And basketball players have to run for a full 12 minutes before they, too, get to stop and rest.
Those wimpy soccer players just run flat out for 45 minutes, end to end on a field much larger than a football field, designing and executing plays on the fly, slamming into each other without the benefit of pads or a helmet.
Yeah, not a real sport at all….
1) “It’s about two minutes too long”
many World Cup Fans thought this ad was too SHORT as their favourite superstar might only have gotten a few seconds. This is NOT a general ad but one directed to the fans of the World Cup. And they just like the ad blogs ARE raving about it. So how can an ad be a failure if they the INTENDED audience are crazy about it? (people don’t believe me, just do an internet search).
2) ” there’s very little development from the beginning of the spot to the end.”
i had the complete different reaction :
it builds up from the quiet intro into a throbbing rush. It tells a story of the dad and son , the fans including other sports stars around the world and the managers… It’s the most cinematic ad I’ve seen in a long time.
3) “If you were REALLY doing a sports workout, would you want these big heavy cans on your head”
I don’t see anybody in the ad doing a serious sports workout in the ad , they preparing for a game, zoning in (the ‘game before the game’).
4) it’s actually harder to make exciting ads for a one function device like a headphones vs things like Macs and iPads where you can play around with a variety of functions like apps, peripherals etc. so for an ad for HEADPHONES to be as exciting and get the kind of play and attention that this has…
A super successful ad is one that gets Word of Mouth i.e viral beyond the Ad Spend and this has succeeded in spades, not even a TV spot it’s got millions of hits on Youtube alone.
Look at the press:
Huffington Post: “Beats by Dre just released an epic, star-studded World Cup ad called “The Game Before The Game”… oh lord does “Jungle” capture the epic nature of the world’s greatest sporting event.”
AdWeek : “Good lord, Beats by Dre is getting great at sports commercials.
We wrote at length last month about how the music company and ad agency R/GA have teamed up to make some of the year’s best sports ads …. But nothing could prepare us for this five-minute World Cup extravaganza”
NewYork Post : “This is one of the most emotive, inspirational pieces of advertising you will ever see”
Time Magazine ; “Beats by Dre has one-upped Nike at its own game: amped-up football commercials …. If you’re still waiting for the excitement to set in for the sports spectacle of the year, these are the best-spent five minutes out there.”
ETC.
SERIOUSLY how much would companies pay for all THAT free publicity?
as an ex Ad pro myself it’s impossible for me to say an ad that generates that kind of fan (intended audience) fervour and FREE positive additional publicity as a failure…
NOTE: a lot of the examples i’ve given are not from ad companies but the general press.
Recent Apple ads like Powerful etc have been good but this is better. Some old apple ads might be as good or more effective but this ad is world class.
—-
I’m was also a Ad pro.
Graduated top of my class of 200 in Arts and Communications in University. Art director in my twenties. Semi retired in my thirties to live on an island.
above was in reply to Kaplanmike
Voice of a bright mind ! 😉
Cheers
Brilliant post IMHO
Second macdailynews story where I’ve seen you write a nigh on perfect ad review that I really agree with!! Go retired to live on an island man!!! 😀
thanks, ‘ppreciate the kind words from everyone.
my long posts show my addiction to graphics, ads , art…
Apple is always ahead of the puck, Apple sets the pace, Apple never misses a beat…Never.
What, like Ping and Maps? Apple has a few misses to go with the hits, don’t forget that.
i like the ad.
WHO did the advertisement for Dr Dre + Beats?
Nabil Elderkin
“photographer-turned-filmmaker Nabil Elderkin, who’s made his name directing videos by Kanye West, Bon Iver and Nicki Minaj, among many others …. Behind the Scenes of the Beats by Dr. Dre World Cup Commercial – LightBox ”
(I sliced off link as it’ll get snagged as Spam. Search for Dre ad Time Lightbox )
look at the haters go at it!
lol
putting one star on a factual post where i didn’t express an opinion just listed the name of the director and what he’s done before.
lol.
I really don’t get the MDN take on this. This ad sucked the life from me – it’s too long and doesn’t really build to anything. It’s hardly inspiring in the vein of Apple’s best. I’m not buying.
This ad really rocks. So does football: the greatest and biggest sport in the world!
Sure if you can’t play any other sport.
Sorry, didn’t like it. At all. Sorry.
Don’t be sorry. We know you have no taste. It’s all right, someone here will excuse your ineptitude.
….says the holder of all wisdom. Not.
All about modern day gladiators. Are their fans really Apple’s target audience? Are is Apple about the future?
“Are their fans really Apple’s target audience? ”
1 billion will watch the final.
last year FIFA says 3-4 billion watched at least some World Cup, over 1 billion for the final. (, Europeans like English, Irish, Germans, Spanish, French etc , Koreans, Australians, etc all crazy about soccer )
you don’t like money?
It’s a soccer ad! And soccer sucks! Soccer might be popular, but so are Fords and they suck too. Just because something is popular, that doesn’t make it any good. Soccer World Cup = boring. Yep, and it is soccer too, not “Football” as the soccer yobs insist we call it.