World Cup security threat of the now.

I fear for Paul the Octopus's life. Never underestimate the passion insanity of the soccer fan. But, even worse I overheard a couple of creatives who work on NY Lottery talking about using him in a lotto campaign. Will not this poor octopus be left alone.

The "Make it Happen" Challenge.

Time to play another special World Cup edition of "Make it Happen", the crowd-sourcing challenge to see if my big ideas can come to fruition thanks to the rich community of creatives, writers, artists, designers, inventors, scientists, architects, pharmacologists, techies, provocateurs, ethicists, military contractors, etc.

MIH Brief 012

OBJECTIVE:

Create a television show that will allow the English public to help chose the next England football manager.

Another World Cup has passed by for the hapless "Three Lions". It's now 44 years since they brought home the cup. This campaign, though, may be the most dismal yet. And much of the blame lies with manager Fabio "Don" Capello. Indeed his days look to be numbered as the "gaffer". If he does get the boot, England will be looking for their 14th manager since Sir Alf Ramsey lifted the Jules Rimet trophy back in 1966.

During this barren spell the English Football Association has been responsible for selecting the manager. They've picked native coaches, sophisticated foreign coaches, ex-players, tacticians, introverts, shameless extroverts, tall coaches, short coaches. The result though has always been the same. Failure followed by an angry backlash from a frustrated public, who are completely shut out of the decision making process.

Perhaps a drastic shift in how the manager is selected is needed. Maybe it's time to take the choice from behind the closed doors of the English FA and into the living rooms of the English public. Let them chose the next manager. This way they can personally feel connected to him, as well as make him directly accountable to them.

We do this through a "talent" show called, "So you want to be the manager of England." Talent shows are very popular. They usually arouse more audience interest and induce more participation than a parliamentary election. If the English public can be trusted to pick the next singing superstar or Britain's entry into the Eurovision song contest, why can't they chose the next England manager.

And just maybe, by connecting the public to the team in such a direct and fun way we might be able to change the attitude of the manager and players enough so that they may finally bring glory back home.
  
THOUGHT STARTERS:

  -  What should the format for the show be? Maybe it should follow traditional models like "Pop Idol" and "Strictly Come Dancing". How will the initial screening process work? How many finalists will be selected? Eleven (number of players in a football team) would seem to make sense.
  -  Perhaps the show should be centered around certain challenges that each finalist will have to face. Points are awarded for their performance. For example, they score positive points for successfully dealing with a hostile media, or negative points for failing to control an unruly WAG.
  -  How can the show root out and penalize the "character flaws" of the perspective candidates. For instance certain coaches have an annoying tendency to make ridiculously bold predictions. Yes I'm talking about you Harry Redknapp. Similarly, many coaches reflexively resort to the most pathetic excuses to explain away a poor result. Sir Alex Ferguson once blamed his team's dismal performance on the wrong color of their shirts.
  -  Should style matter? Do we want the next manger to be a snappy dresser or a slob in a tracksuit?
  -  How important is it to have a coach with pleasing facial expressions and positive body language. Surely we don't need another Capello scowl or the stiffness of Steve McClaren. Then again do we really want the tourette's syndrome of Diego Maradona?
  -  Is there a way to integrate a social media component? For instance, perhaps the initial screening process can be executed on Facebook. All perspective candidates have to submit a three-minute video explaining why they should be manager. The video should outline their achievements in football, as well as their complete disdain for 4-4-2. The top eleven are then chosen for the final elimination series on TV. Viewing and voting takes place on Facebook.
  -  Who can apply? Should it be only open to those with football experience or can we go outside the pitch. Military personnel might provide a different kind of leadership. Or perhaps Team England needs to be treated like a failing corporation. A dynamic trouble-shooting CEO might just be the answer. Sir Richard Branson, anyone?
 

MANDATORIES:

  -  Judges must included Sven Goren Erickson, Victoria Beckham and Ozzy Osborne.
  -  Only residents of England can participate. It's pretty clear that Scots will just try to sabotage the process by voting for the weakest candidates.
  -  The show must be called, "So you want to be the manager of England".

Good luck and make it happen, people!

World Cup ad of the now now.

This ad, which laments Brazil's elimination from the World Cup, first appeared in a Brazilian newspaper a few days ago. Back then it seemed awfully premature as the cup favorites were still very much in the competition. Not so as of right this minute. So kudos to the folks behind the ad for their amazing prescience. Perhaps they consulted with Paul the octopus.

Paul the octopus makes his prediction.....

The wait is literally over. It may have taken Paul the octopus an hour to decide, but the great eight-legged sage of our times has picked Germany to beat Argentina. Given his extra long deliberation, however, expect the quarter final to go to penalties.

And word in the aquarium is that Advertising Age have just signed him to predict next year's Cannes lion winners. Clearly a step up from Bob Garfield.

World Cup topical ad of the now.

Someone had to do it. But kudos to Specsavers for getting it done. Interestingly, they don't have an advertising agency. All their creative, which is prolific and rather clever, is done in house. So extra kudos.


(Sharing credit to adfreak.com)

Adidas having the last laugh?

That spectacular three minute "Write the future" Nike commercial can now be confined to the ash heap of history. Okay it will come back strongly during next year's advertising award circuit, but today Cristiano Ronaldo, its last surviving protagonist, meekly went the way of the others. Their future has been wrote.

The heroes in Adidas's vastly inferior campaign, on the other hand, are flying high. David Villa, aka "The Blaze" is the joint top scorer, while "The Spark", better known as Lionel Messi is arguably the player of the tournament so far. They go head to head in one of the commercials and will probably do the same for real in the semi-finals.

All is not lost for Nike though. A new spot in the campaign featuring Robinho has just started airing. And while he hasn't exactly set the World Cup alight, his Brazil are ominously starting to look like the last team that will be left standing.

The "Make it Happen" Challenge.

Let's play a special World Cup edition of "Make it Happen", the crowd-sourcing challenge to see if my big ideas can come to fruition thanks to the rich community of creatives, writers, artists, designers, inventors, scientists, architects, pharmacologists, techies, provocateurs, ethicists, military contractors, etc.

MIH Brief 011

OBJECTIVE:

Create the "Unofficial"story behind England's inglorious failure at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Another World Cup passes by for the hapless "Three Lions". It's now 44 years since they brought home the cup. This campaign, though, may be the most dismal yet. They didn't start off on the right foot, actually it was more like two left feet and it ended in total capitulation against ze dreaded Germans.

The inquest has already begun. And over the next few weeks speculation as to what went orribly wrong for the so called "Golden Generation" is bound to grow to a fever pitch. Players may talk, WAGS may talk, even the kit manager may talk, but in truth we will never really know what went down.

So let's take advantage of the English public's insatiable desire to know more and pro-actively create an "embellished" version of events, either through a movie, or documentary or even a book. Why not have more fun at the England team's expense.

THOUGHT STARTERS:

  -  A Guy Ritchie inspired movie, "The Inside Job" could be the answer. When the mafia kidnap Fabio Capello's family he has no option but to meet their demands and make sure England get knocked out of the World Cup. Steve Coogan stars as Fabio Capello, a desperate manager faced with the task of making sure England lose without raising any suspicions. Of course given that England usually do lose, how hard could it really be.
  -  Perhaps a farce, rather than a thriller is more appropriate. Roberto Benigni could turn Fabio Capello into the "Inspector Clouseau" of football mangers in the mindless comedy, "Down and Out of Africa." It would be filled with old and predictable gags like Fabio slipping on a banana peel; Fabio sitting on a whoopee cushion; Fabio being chased by a Rhino; Fabio playing 4-4-2.
  -  A juicy behind the scenes expose from an anonymous WAG might be the answer. "Lion on the Prowl" is the unauthorized documentary of how an "uncontrollable" John Terry seduced all the wives and girlfriends of the England team players, thereby creating tension and disunity in the camp. For example, Wayne Rooney catches Terry in bed with his wife. And when she blames his "lack of performance in bed" for her adultery, an affected Rooney takes his lack performance to the field.
 

MANDATORIES:

  -  David Beckham must be included.
  -  It must end with Harry Redknapp confidently predicting that England will definitely win the next World Cup.

Good luck and make it happen, people!

World Cup fashion highlight of the now.

This one is for all the ladies and dedicated followers of fashion. Here we have Brazilian coach Dunga in a rather snazzy coat. Part trench, part military it's almost as stylish as a Robinho step-over.

Word is that it was designed by his fashion designer daughter. So kudos to pa Dunga for giving his daughter some free advertising.

World Cup schill of the now.

Yahoo sports writer Martin Rogers speculates the financial worth of Landon Donavon's injury time goal against Algeria. “It only took a couple of seconds, but it changed Donovan’s life forever,” he quotes a sports economist. He might as well be quoting from Nike's "Write the future" campaign.

Indeed, one has to wonder if Martin hasn't been sponsored by Nike to provide the editorial content part of their campaign. Maybe not, but his post does leave a putrid after taste if you're a big believer in the purity of sports. To breakdown a classically thrilling World Cup moment into its financial implication seems incredibly cynical coming from a so-called sports writer.

Perhaps Mr. Rogers will be shocked to learn that the joyous eruption of celebration from American fans from Bloemfontein to Boston when Donavon scored had absolutely nothing to do with the potential millions that may come his way.

No doubt as we speak he's calculating the millions of euros in revenue lost by the members of the French and Italian soccer teams.

Requiem for Cannavaro.

There won't be any song and dance extravaganzas in Fabio Cannavaro's future. Perhaps a nice death march to accompany his return to Italy.

Song of the now.

My current favorite song in a TV commercial is a special mix of "Get your boots on" by U2, featuring the Soweto Gospel Choir. It's featured in a spot for ESPN's World Cup campaign. A long version is not available for purchase right now, but judging by the reaction in cyberspace it soon should be.

The entire campaign features U2 songs mixed with the Soweto Gospel Choir. The music is the only engaging part of an otherwise uninspiring campaign.

"The referee is a wanker" chant of the now.

The honor goes to Koman Coulibaly of Mail, who supposedly "refereed" the United States/Slovenia match. Did he botch that disallowed goal call or what.

What kind of advertisers can he expect to represent after the World Cup. Contacts, glasses and eye wear are way too obvious. Perhaps an employment search website is more appropriate.

World Cup shocker of the now.

Rank outsiders Switzerland just pulled off a major upset win over Euro chumps Spain. Can't you just imagine the headlines in the Spanish press. "El fucked" would be my choice.

But this isn't the biggest shock of the World Cup so far. FIFA have actually dared to take a stand against advertising.

Check this out for the full story, but to surmise Dutch beer maker Bavaria Beer engaged in some "ambush" or free advertising, much to the outrage of FIFA and probably all the paid advertisers.

It seems while paid, intrusive advertising is perfectly acceptable and to be encouraged, marketing by ambush is a no no. In fact it gets you jail time.

The future is still a blank page.

The first round of World Cup matches are in the books for all the protagonists in Nike's "Write the future" commercial. Let's assess the performances so far.

• Cristiano Ronaldo -  Nothing to write home about.
• Wayne Rooney - Nothing to write home about.
• Franck Ribery - Nothing to write home about.
• Fabio Cannavaro - Nothing to write home about.
• Didier Drogba - Nothing to write home about.
• Ronaldinho - At home, nothing to write.

Branded goal of the now.

And it didn't cost them a single yen.

World Cup performance of the now.

Haven't seen such fluid movement from the Germans since they rolled through Czechoslovakia in 1939.

World Cup goat of the now.

Brand most likely to sign England goalkeeper Robert Green, following his howler against the United States - Butterfinger

Brand least likely to sign him - Allstate (You're clearly not in good hands with Mr. Green)

World Cup rout.

Adidas have just released their anthem World Cup related spot. It's the culmination of a campaign that started last year with "The Spark". Nicely shot, it has the feel of a graphic novel, but the French voice over (meant to be Zinedine Zidane), is a tad annoying and uninspiring. Oh yes, and there's no real concept.



The bigger problem for Adidas is that when matched up against Nike's brilliant "Write the future", it gets blown away. Indeed, this is probably the biggest trouncing at the World Cup since Hungry crushed El Salvador 10 -1 in 1982.

Brain-teaser Monday.

In Nike's brilliant launch commercial for their new "Write the future" campaign, one moment of magic or ineptitude by a star player at the World Cup becomes destiny defining.

Match these real defining moments from World Cups past with the year in which they occurred.

• Johan Cruyff's "Turn".
• Diego Maradona's "Hand of God" goal.
• Robert Baggio's wonder goal.
• David Beckam's retaliatory kick
• Zinadine Zidane's "Headbutt".
• Harald Schumacher’s "Flying Assault".
• Rob Rensenbrink's last minute miss. (this one's very personal)
• Geoff Hurst's "It is now" goal 

• 1966
• 1974
• 1978
• 1982
• 1986
• 1990
• 1998
• 2006

Answer to last week's brain-teaser: 2. VisitBritain.org

World Cup spot of the now. (And possibly later)

I've been terribly disappointed with the lame batch of World Cup related commercials that are starting to dribble out. So far I've seen a lot of cheetahs, lions, elephants, tribesmen and other African related cliches. I've also seen a Budweiser commercial where people exchange their shirts???? Very feeble stuff.

Then Nike shows up. Wow! This three minute epic is pure rock n roll. And it's based on a simple premise to boot. Ha, boot!



I should add that the creative director on this spot is a good friend. So naturally I spent hours searching for all possible faults. Alas I couldn't find any, it's almost flawless.

And the choice of the brilliant Alejandro González Iñárritu to direct seems a particularly inspired one, given that the theme of "consequences of moments" is a central part to his recent movies.

The one small hiccup, and only a soccer fanatic would notice or care, is that Ronaldinho wasn't included in the Brazil squad and so is almost certain to miss the World Cup. No rosy future for him then.

Major kudos to my friend Eric Quennoy, Wieden & Kennedy/Amsterdam, Nike. And Alejandro González Iñárritu, who's new movie "Biutiful" is premiering at the Cannes Film Festival this week. It probably won't be the only time this year that his work is honored at Cannes.