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.
Brazilian soccer star Neymar Jr. in latest Beats ad. | Source: Beats by Dre via YouTube
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.