FIFA 10 - advert making 101

In the video game world there is probably no bigger face off each year than the battle between EA Sports FIFA franchise and Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer. Each year the combined sales figures of the titles make up a huge percentage of the overall games market and with that number growing year on year both publishers have more cash to splash on making their latest installment the must have game of the football season.

Until recently Pro Evolution Soccer had trumped FIFA on the most important aspect of all: gameplay. Even though FIFA has always been graphically superior and had all the licenses money can buy, Pro Evo has traditionally been the game for true football fans. However, for the last few years FIFA has been getting their game together and the developers over at Konami haven't been able to respond. By all accounts this years FIFA 10 is set to be the best yet and will finally fully surpass Pro Evo in the popularity stakes.

One thing FIFA has almost always got right are their adverts and the commercial for FIFA 10 is no exception. Their tried and tested formula of the past few years is as follows;
1. Recruit top real life footballers - Rooney, Benzema, and Xavi star in this years ad to name but a few
2. Put them together with real fans/FIFA players - this years version sees the pros playing amongst a whole group of fans
3. Show some cleverly shot gameplay - a rotating camera with changing team views really works well
4. Throw in some cinematic location shots - this years is about as iconic as you can get
5. A decent soundtrack and voiceover - see for yourself!

Watch the ad linked above and try to resist thinking about how many days it is until you can lay your hands on EA's latest masterpiece.

kit to wear under your kit

A recent innovation from sportswear manufacturers is the concept of compression clothing to wear under your sports kit. adidas have their techfit range, under armour have a set of performance gear, and Nike have their NikePRO range. The image above and link are for the new NikePRO collection which stars Adrian Peterson, arguably the greatest running back currently playing american football. An excellent iconic commercial with the range of kit being part of Peterson instead of something he just wears.

More and more resources from the big manufacturers are going into trying to make their compression kit the must have with Peterson the most recent in a long line of worldwide superstars across a variety of sports to be used to showcase the range. However, what are the actual benefits of using this sort of kit?

The adidas techfit range has the following benefits;

- the kit focuses energy where it is needed most generating greater explosiveness at critical moments

- techfit is designed with superior stability to enhance strength, flexibility and power

- the seamless garments from the range increase oxygen flow through the body to the muscles and reduce vibration in core muscle groups

- climacool technology increases ventilation to keep body temperature low

- greater stability in key areas including lower back, torso, and abdomen improve overall balance and diminishes the chances of injury

With the proven scientific benefits and high profile athletes endorsing the various ranges investment in this kit seems like a wise move that will enhance sports performance.

meeting a sporting legend

As a general sports enthusiast it is a pleasure to work in the field that is my passion. A massive perk of working within this arena is that sometimes, on very rare occasions, you get to meet sportsmen and women who are true legends and giants of sport. This slightly self-indulgent post is frankly a big boast about how I was lucky enough to meet Jonny Wilkinson yesterday. The Rugby World Cup winner and all round English hero is now based in Toulon and I was involved with some promotional activity he was taking part in. A genuinely nice, intelligent and eloquent guy who deserves the adulation he receives. Like every other England fan I am keeping my fingers crossed that one of best number 10s of recent times can stay fit for the upcoming Autumn Internationals, Six Nations, and the 2011 World Cup. If you don't share this sentiment click on the link above for a 2minute summary of why England are an entirely different prospect with him in the team.

Todays selection of imagery

 

Not a great deal of point to this point I'm afraid - just an example of randomness and variety of stuff being uploaded to the internet everyday

The greatest tennis player ever gets even better

 

This looks like it is about to be crucial point for Novak Djokovic from this weekends US Open Tennis event. Djokovic was 2 sets down, 5-6 down, and love-30 down but this was the shot that would turn the game around. Roger Federer, officially the worlds greatest tennis player, is on the back foot and a lob from the advancing Djokovic sends him chasing a lost cause to the back on the court.

Against any other player this shot would have made it 15-30 and would have put the pressure back on Federer, but he is not just any player. Click on the link above to see how Federer plays this unbelievable shot to leave a gobsmacked Djokovic feeling supremely beaten.

You should't laugh, but...

 

Not much point to this post I'm afraid other than the fact I got sent this and it made me laugh, when it probably shouldn't have. A valiant attempt by a school orchestra to play the famous opening to Stanley Kubricks "2001: A Space Odyssey"

Pretty damn terrible but also pretty damn entertaining

don't quit the day job

 

A recent list, compiled by Empire magazine, revealed 25 movie stars who sing. The talent on show varies from the gifted Russell Crowe to the vocally challenged Eddie Murphy. A massive variety of styles and genres exist within the list but the general feeling is that these guys and gals should stick to their dayjobs. Aside from some rare exceptions (Milla Jovovich being one) these people were made to act and its just not fair for them to have two dream jobs.

The picture above represents everything that is bad about movie stars straying into the music world - William Shatner. The two images are linked to below and are clips displaying his musical "talent". One is Shatner doing a spoken word version of Elton John's Rocketman, the second is him rapping about Shakespeare. Madness.

Shatner rapping at this link

Shatner the rocketman at this link

The new secret weapon of the police

 "Its not a job, its an adventure"
Is the line Steven Seagal uses to finish this teaser for a new TV show, imaginatively called;
Steven Seagal: Lawman

The premise is simple: for the last 20 years, in between making martial arts films, that have all had roughfully the same plot, Seagal has been serving as a cop in a small American province. The new series follows his job/adventure as a "normal" cop on the beat.

Utterly ridiculous, but if it ever makes it onto UK television I think it might have a Dog the Bounty Hunter type addictive-ness to it.

Can clever marketing alter taste?

Lager is one of those funny products where it is as much about the image of  the product as it is about the taste, which is why lager brands spend incredibe sums of money on trying to make their brand cool.

If successful, clever marketeers can make people think their beer tastes good, even when it doesn't. The above ads are simple, but cool - CDs and pizza boxes. Heineken like to promote themselves as premium lager and stylised communications help them do this.

Coors Light is a great example of where a lager has decided its strategy should be to make everyone think of mountains, fresh air, and the cold whenever they see it. "The Taste of the Rockies" has no real factual basis to it - its brewed in Burton! However, if you ask someone to describe what its like with a couple of adjectives they will almost definitely say light, cold, and refreshing.

Your own personalised bit of history

As a footballer you dream of scoring the winning goal in the World Cup Final - there is no other dream. Even if you are a goalkeeper you dream of scoring the winning goal from a corner or even better, direct from a goal kick.

However, if you are unlikely to play for a World Cup winning team then there is another decent milestone in you can achieve in your career - your own personal football boots. This is exactly what has happened to the little Argentinian magician Lionel Messi.

His sponsors adidas have created a special edition F50i boot inspired by his Argentinian roots. Messi is only the fourth player of all time to receive this honour, after Beckham, Beckenbauer, and Seeler. The above image shows Messi in his new boots doing what he does best.

Are you a disbeliever?

 Do struggle to cope with disbelief? You might have Irrational Belief Syndrome!

A little bit of genius from the team at Fibre One where they have created a campaign for their new snack bars. The premise is based on the belief that anything with Fibre in it can't taste good - but good news people, this is not true!

The team at Fibre One have created a syndrome and a whole set of entertaining videos offering the cure for disbelievers - the intro video is definitely worth watching. Good mix of subtle messaging and humour.

A clever marketing idea and if you're based in States you can get samples and coupons through the site as well.