Top 7 US-led Fifa World Cup campaigns, from Ted Lasso’s McD’s envy to Coke’s trophy tour

7. US Soccer’s Ted Lasso billboards

We believe.

@TedLasso pic.twitter.com/cCx5Tet2tS

— U.S. Men's National Soccer Team (@USMNT) November 13, 2022

In one of the more heartwarming gestures, the writers of the beloved show Ted Lasso teamed up with US Soccer to craft individual messages for each of the players selected to the United States men’s national soccer team’s (USMNT) 26-man World Cup roster. Each player, as well as manager Gregg Berhalter, had their personalized note displayed on a billboard in their respective hometowns.

6. US Soccer teams with AT&T and Volkswagen

US Soccer teamed up with two of its largest partners as they revealed their official roster over the past week. First, it rang AT&T for a series of short-form videos titled ’The Call’. These clips showcased Berhalter FaceTiming players and informing them they have been selected to the team. The series captures these players’ visceral reactions and makes for some awesome content.

The organization then released ’26 Stories’, another short-form series which showcases interviews with each of the players on the roster. Each video showcases the players’ upbringings around soccer, their career journeys, and what it means to each of them to be representing their home country on the world stage. For this series, US Soccer tapped their presenting partner Volkswagen.

5. Frito-Lay asks: Is it called ‘soccer’ or ‘football’?

Frito-Lay teamed up with notable “footballers” David Beckham, Peyton Manning, Javier ‘Chicharito‘ Hernández, Julie Foudy, Brandy Chastain, Tim Howard, Mia Hamm and Ron Funches to ask the age old question: “Is it called soccer or football?“ The campaign seeks to reach newer fans of the sport who will be tuning into the World Cup, possibly for the first time.

4. Hisense: The wrong football

In another play on ‘football’ v ‘football,’ Fifa partner Hisense teamed up with former NFL wide receivers Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco for a clever TV giveaway. The campaign features a Hisense intern who accidentally taps the wrong type of football stars for their World Cup spot. The company teamed up with USMNT starter Walker Zimmerman for the spot.

Additionally, the brand has been active in promoting their World Cup trip giveaways on social media. Fans can enter for a chance to win an all-expenses paid trip to Qatar to watch the World Cup final, Hisense TVs, and Amazon gift cards.

3. Ted Lasso asks 'Wanna Go to McDonald’s?'

A longtime FIFA partner, McDonalds is rolling out with their biggest campaign to date: ‘Wanna Go to McDonald’s?‘ The series highlights a wide-variety of globally recognized stars including Emmy Award winner Jason Sudeikis, TikTok star Khaby Lame, K-pop sensation ITZY, and Twitch streamer Edwin Castro. It will be the first time McDonald’s has launched the same campaign at the same time in over 75 different markets.

2. Adidas: The ball that started it all

As one of the most iconic World Cup partners, Adidas launched their worldwide campaign ‘When Football is Everything, Impossible is Nothing.‘ The campaign will see a handful of the company’s biggest athlete and influencer partners – including Lionel Messi, Karim Benzema, Achraf Hakimi, Son Heung-Min, Jude Bellingham, Pedro ‘Pedri’ González López, Serge Gnabry and Stormzy – come together to chronicle their journeys to Qatar in a series of video shorts throughout the tournament. As the competition inches closer to the final on December 18, the campaign will build towards the next leg in their series of videos.

Additionally, Adidas will host a massive experiential-based fan zone in Qatar. The environment “will give fans the opportunity to watch every game live, test their skills on the specially designed pitch, be in with a chance of meeting their favorite football legends and capture a range of content through augmented reality.”

1. Have a Coke with that trophy?

Fifa partner Coca-Cola traveled around the world to provide a rare opportunity to pose with the World Cup trophy. Stopping in each of the 32 countries that will compete in the tournament, the Fifa World Cup Trophy tour presented by Coca-Cola also gave fans the opportunity to meet former World Cup heroes from their native country.

Additionally, the Coca-Cola Fan Festival in Riyadh will provide fans with the chance to interact with fellow World Cup travelers throughout the entire tournament. Fans will be able to view a variety of halftime entertainment acts, participate in e-gaming events, tour a collection of World Cup footballs, and engage in other interactive activities.

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