The Adidas advert celebrates street football in a campaign that brings back young versions of Beckham, Zidane and Del Piero.
The World Cup is just around the corner, and brands are getting ready to go all in. One of the strongest starters has been Adidas. The German brand has not hesitated to bring together all of its stars to make an impact in the United States.
And it does so with an advertising campaign reminiscent of the legendary José+10 campaign, using AI technology to rejuvenate some of football’s greatest icons.
Adidas – Backyard Legends
The Adidas advert for World Cup is titled “Backyard Legends”, was created by the agency Lola MullenLowe United States and produced by Smuggler. The campaign was filmed at the green court in Llefià, Badalona.
The piece features Timothée Chalamet as the master of ceremonies and centers around a street court where a small group of friends has become legendary after years of defeating every challenger brave enough to face them. In an attempt to end their winning streak, Timothée Chalamet recruits an all-star team made up of Lamine Yamal, Jude Bellingham and Trinity Rodman.
On the way to the court, the actor tells the story of this mythical local team, whose legend dates back to the late 1990s. The narrative connects different generations of football and brings back younger versions of icons such as Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham and Alessandro Del Piero thanks to special effects and digital technology.
In addition, the Adidas advert also features major names from sports and popular culture including Lionel Messi, Bad Bunny, Ousmane Dembélé, Raphinha, Pedri, Florian Wirtz and Santiago Giménez.
According to Florian Alt, Adidas’ Global Vice President of Brand Communications: “We all remember that feeling: playing simply for the joy of it, without pressure, without expectations. With ‘Backyard Legends’ we celebrate that freedom.”
Watch | YouTube
