After Apple announced a $3 billion acquisition of Beats Electronics and Beats Music — expected to be finalized later this year — the music company's Beats by Dre headphone arm released a lengthy World Cup promo guest starring the iPhone 5s.
As with most recent Beats be Dre ads, Thursday's five-minute film for the new Solo2 packs in big-name athletes wearing their distinctively styled headsets in the hours and minutes leading up to a game. Unlike previous spots, however, the new ad shows the headphones being powered exclusively by Apple products like the iPhone 5s.
Titled "The Game Before the Game," Beats' latest commercial is a five-minute ode to the World Cup starring Brazilian football star Neymar da Silva Santos, Jr., better known as Neymar Jr. Since Beats is not a sponsor of the FIFA World Cup, it is not allowed to mention the huge event by name, reports AdAge, but it is heavily implied that the sequence takes place in the moments before an important match.
"We decided to do something that only Beats could do," said Omar Johnson, Beats chief marketing officer. The pre-game rituals on display are authentic, he said, adding, "It's all real. Nothing is make-believe."
A number of other soccer stars can be seen prepping for the big game, while Samsung product ambassador LeBron James makes a cameo appearance, reminding viewers that Beats is not yet completely under Apple's guidance. The company said it plans to use James in future ads, though that stance may change once it gets swallowed by Apple.
"He's going to be all over the place," Johnson said, while a Beats spokeswoman added, "He's part of the Beats family."
Apple is awaiting regulatory approval of the Beats purchase and is expected to close the deal deal in its fiscal fourth quarter, which ends in September.
43 Comments
This ad was beautifully done. It did an excellent job in making the viewer lust after the sexy Solo2 headphones, which I would presume was the whole point. Regardless of product quality, good marketing is half the battle toward high brand value, which Beats most certainly has. Apple needs to look into using Beats' ad-agency rather than shifting to an in-house approach.
I'll still never waste money on Beats.
I'll still never waste money on Beats.
In a year from now, that Beats heaphone set may resemble its trademarked look, but the guts will be designed in Cupertino.
"New Beats by Dre promo film prominently features iPhone 5s"
... major stretch, if a person didn't know the iPhone by camera location or the design- no one would know that is an iPhone. They don't show the logo or anything. Also, they only show the phone for the first minute or so, that is not prominent.
Quote:
I'll still never waste money on Beats.
No one cares, you are not nearly as important as you think you are. It's called freedom of choice, no one is losing sleep off your purchase decisions.
Is that Nikki Minaj making a cameo at the 2m:38s mark?