Hasta La Creative!

Wongdoody taps Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson in a new spot for Alaska Airlines.

In the 60-second spot, Chief Football Officer Wilson puts the Alaska Airlines crew through training camp, remarking, “Alaska Airlines and I are basically one and the same: we’re always prepared. The separation’s in the preparation.” Wilson runs snackuracy and teddy bear tossing drills, and quizzes the team on routes and seat switching strategy. The airline training camp schtick is not a bad idea, and it is timely, but the full-length spot stretches the idea a little thin. It is much better served by the 30-second version, which we’ve included, along with credits, after the jump. (more…)

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It was at this time last year that we first met Ted Lasso, an American football coach (played by Jason Sudeikis) hired to manage London’s Tottenham Hotspur Football Club—and manage very, very poorly—in a hilarious short film promoting NBC Sports’ English Premier League coverage.

Well, Coach Lasso is back. And he’s better—or rather, worse—than ever.

In this sequel from New York agency The Brooklyn Brothers, Lasso has lost his Tottenham job (he lasted just six and a half hours) and has given soccer sportscasting a try. That goes wretchedly too, though, as Lasso can’t get a grasp on the concepts of relegation, the offside rule or really anything requiring a modicum of basic intelligence.

So, he returns to America, where he creates a Little England in his own home, gets drunk with friends in the morning while watching the EPL (games kick off at 10 a.m. ET, or even earlier, on Saturdays) and finds his next great coaching gig. He even catches up with Adweek cover boy (and sometime professional goalkeeper) Tim Howard.

The original film was great, but this one might be even better. It’s even more packed with jokes, most of which hit the mark, and Sudeikis has settled even more comfortably into the role of clueless buffoon.

This is one wanker you don’t mind spending a little more time with.

NBC Sports’s EPL coverage returns for another season on Aug. 16.

Michael Jordan’s Hanes must be in a twist now that Scottie Pippen has proclaimed himself the greatest player in Chicago Bulls history in this Foot Locker commercial.

Pippen’s cheeky claim comes toward the end of the amusing BBDO spot, in which Charles Barkley tells Houston Rockets star James Harden that all the greats have short memories.

“Achieving greatness requires never dwelling on the past,” explains Foot Locker evp of marketing Stacy Cunningham. “It’s always about looking ahead to the next opportunity and staying fresh.”

In the ad, Barkley says he has no recollection of being nicknamed “the Round Mound of Rebound.” Harden himself, of course, always forgets to shave. Kidding. Dude rocks that look! The spot is nothing but net for Foot Locker, generating lots of positive coverage and more than half a million views in less than 24 hours on YouTube. It’s called “Short Memory Pt. 1.” I wonder who’ll be forgetting stuff next?

Jordan’s long memory is well documented, and he isn’t exactly famous for being able to take a joke. I wouldn’t be surprised if the big grouch calls Pippen out for slinging bull.

“I don’t want to talk about who’s the best. I want to talk about who’s the baddest,” says Dick Gregory, while chilling at a basketball court at the beginning of W+K Portland’s new spot for Nike, “The Baddest.”

After listing some historical candidates for “the baddest,” such as Connie Hawkins, Artis Gilmore, George Gervin, Spencer Haywood, and David Thompson, the spot goes on to make a case for Kevin Durant as “the baddest” right now, through video footage and a variety of testimonials. The well-edited 60-second spot also spends some time explaining what the title of “the baddest” means, with comparisons including “bad like a good Thanksgiving meal,” “bad like money” and “bad like black coffee.” It all makes for a fun, very watchable spot, regardless of whether or not you agree with Nike and W+K’s  choice for the title of “the baddest.” Stick around for credits after the jump. (more…)

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Cheil Worldwide and R/GA teamed up with production company Psyop for the six minute conclusion to Samsung’s ambitious sci-fi soccer epic, “The Match.” The first episode in the series launched all the way back in November.

“The Match Part 2? picks up with Earth’s Galaxy 11 team trailing 3-1 at the half, and in need of some serious rallying to defeat the alien team. Of course, it’s hardly a spoiler to give away that the team is up to the task. Samsung wasn’t about to end its month long campaign with an alien apocalypse, as that would hardly help them move product. For those who have been following all along, it’s the ending they were waiting for. While Samsung’s timing is a little questionable — “The Match Part 2? was released just two days ago as a coda to the World Cup, while “The Match Part 1? made its debut with the opening of the tournament — it has still seemed to find its audience, with over four million views in two days. We’ve included “The Match Part 1? as a refresher after the jump. (more…)

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Sean Astin reprises his role as Rudy in a new spot W+K New York created to hype the new college football playoff format for ESPN.

In the spot, Astin apes his inspirational speech from Rudy, this time riling up the locker room with the promise of a playoff format for college football. When he reveals that the format won’t take effect until 2014 however, the reception falls somewhat flat. Filmed at St. Joseph High School in Brooklyn, New York, the spot takes place in 1975, the year Rudy Ruettiger played for Notre Dame. While the famously cheesy movie certainly deserved a satirical send up, W+K’s spot fails to really hit the mark and feels a bit drawn out at 90 seconds. Stick around for credits after the jump. (more…)

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

The Vault tapped NBA Draft prospect Dante Exum for a humorous new Foot Locker campaign.

The series of 15 second spots, entitled “Everything Changes After the Draft” highlight how things don’t change after the draft. Although Exum seems to perceive himself as a celebrity, it’s evident no one else does. The approach works best on the above “Paparazzi,” in which Exum informs friends that he doesn’t want to head to Foot Locker because “paparazzi might be there,” eliciting uncontrollable laughter from his two buddies. Other spots in the campaign take a similar approach, seeing Exum practicing his autograph, interacting with a dorky neighbor, combing through “fan mail” and making a dinner reservation. We’ve included “Reservation” and “Fan Mail,” along with credits, after the jump. (more…)

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

A new campaign from Commonwealth//McCann, Detroit for Chevrolet is allowing fans to be a part of Manchester United’s new shirt reveal.

Through a digital experience at www.chevroletfc.com “fans can be among the first to sign up and virtually wear the new shirt via their social channels.” A 60-second video stokes Manchester pride by following the history of the Manchester United shirt from the early 20th century to present day. Fans march down the street singing the “Glory, Glory, Man United” anthem. As each generation takes off their Manchester United shirt, a new group emerges, progressing in time to the modern day as the crowd makes their way to Old Trafford Stadium. Upon arrival they are joined by stars Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata, Robin van Persie and David De Gea wearing the new Chevrolet-branded jersey. Several Manchester United legends are also hidden in the crowd throughout the spot. “The History of the Manchester United Shirt” will run on both broadcast and digital channels. The effort marks the launch of Commonwealth//McCann, Detroit’s “What Do You #PlayFor?” campaign, celebrating Manchester United and soccer for Chevrolet. Stick around for credits after the jump. (more…)

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

ICYMI (and the ratings tell us that very few did), Tim Howard is America’s newest hero with his World Cup-record 16 saves in the game against Belgium, or the highest-rated soccer match in the history of U.S. cable TV.

It was great that our American media lauded him for his bluster, that Twitter provided us with the #ThingsTimHowardCanSave meme, and that our political class played along with the ‘U.S. Secretary of Defense‘ Wikipedia story.

Big brands would love to follow suit.

(more…)

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

You may have heard there’s a little soccer game being played today. In honor of that game—USA versus Belgium, for those who have somehow avoided World Cup news (to which I ask, how?)—ESPN on Tuesday unleashed the new “I Believe” spot below.

If you need pumping up before the 4 p.m. kickoff—and shouting “USA! USA! USA!” in the mirror somehow isn’t enough—then checking it out. It has everything: slow-motion shots of players, close-ups of spit and snot and blood, enraged faces, the glory of vistory and the fear of defeat, all to the tune of an epic soundtrack.

To top it off, the in-house team at ESPN ended the spot by bringing back the “I Believe” chant. “The chant has caught fire in bars, fan clubs, public viewing events and social media and has become the unifying narrative for this U.S. World Cup journey,” said Seth Ader, senior director of sports marketing for ESPN.

Oh, and now that you’re pumped up and practically ready to explode, let’s put things in perspective: FiveThirtyEight says the USA has a 0.6 percent chance of winning the World Cup. Underdogs!