Forget les Bleus – it’s all about les Bleues

Taking the internet by storm due to its incredible visual effects and strong message behind it, where better to begin than French telecom company Orange and its stunning viral deepfake advert.

The rapid advancement of AI technologies offers huge potential for marketing bods, and we’re continuing to see brands breakthrough in new ways in our industry. Orange’s World Cup advert is certainly no exception to this.

The concept is simple: A three-minute highlights reel, featuring a glutton of goals and slick skills from the likes of Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe. Or does it?

Harnessing insight into the sky-high levels of fandom in men’s football, Orange juxtaposes this against the much-lower passion around the women’s game, before speaking to viewers head on to expand their national loyalty this summer. This is already being dubbed by many as the greatest world cup advert ever, and for good reason.

Liberty Alex

Recognition of the women’s game – or the lack of – is a theme that many have taken on this tournament and we head over Stateside for our next example. Fox Sports’ touring 825-pound Alex Morgan statue, Liberty Alex, has been putting a shift in to ramp up fans’ excitement of the tournament across the pond, catching many eyeballs and news headlines as a result.

As USNWT hunt their third consecutive FIFA World Cup and cement their place as the greatest team in the sport, Liberty Alex has embarked on a road trip from California – and hometown of national treasure Alex Morgan – to New York before Team USA’s campaign of their own began.

Although beginning its journey in Morgan’s native California, it was the statue’s installation in Midtown Manhattan that took its awareness to new heights with coverage galore for official broadcaster Fox Sports.

You’re Our Pride

‘Make it huge or make it tiny’ is pretty PR 101, but if smartly executed, it still works. As the Lionneses took flight to Australia, back in the UK, FA partner Kind Snacks created a large ‘You’re Our Pride’ banner and laid it on the flight path out of Heathrow for the team to see (or at least, a drone for a PR shot), complete with talent appearances courtesy of Rachel Yankey and Faye White.

But what makes this campaign smart – which curiously was barely referenced in their comms – is the human element of this one. The banner had been signed by “thousands” of fans writing good luck messages to the team, embracing a sense of community and togetherness that is sure to resonate well with audiences.

The only negative on this one is the branding. Squint hard enough and you can just about make out the Kind Snacks logo.

Call Us A Lioness

No football tournament is complete without a football anthem – and the Women’s World Cup is no different.

Released on the eve of the tournament, a cast of 11 singers led by Mel C released what is already being touted as the summer’s chart-topping track that gives girls a soundtrack to their pride of the England national team.

Helping to stoke the fire of anticipation across the nation, not only is ‘Call Me A Lioness’ – which also features Wolf Alice’s lead singer as part of its choir ‘Hope FC’ – set to be a beer-garden banger, but all proceeds from sales and streams will go to funding grassroots women’s football. Result.