A cut above the rest...funny and nostalgic...scores highly 8 / 10

Nike: Mario Balotelli and the Nike Barbershop

‘Nike Barbershop,’ starring hotheaded Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli, really is a cut above a lot of social-media video campaigns we have seen this year.

The spot, which features the Italy player trying out several legendary football hairdos before finally settling on his famous Mohican style, has gained traction on social media since it was released, and with good reason.

It helps that it stars a footballer who generates headlines for his actions both on and off the field. It is also funny – a key sharing trigger – and dips into football’s past, thus appealing directly to football fans’ sense of nostalgia and passion for the game.

Just like its Nike predecessor ‘My time is now’, this clip scores highly because it is interactive. The campaign allows viewers to apply footballers’ crazy hairstyles to a photo of themselves and share the results with friends and followers online.

Ones to watch: Viral hits from this week

 

Absolute Radio: What If?

Absolute Radio pushes coverage of Euro 2012 on Ian Wright’s Rock ‘N’ Roll Football show. Wright recites Rudyard Kipling’s poem If over images of famous England football moments from the past.

Captain Morgan: Party Like a Champion

The Diageo-owned rum brand uses a catchy tune and a Wayne Rooney lookalike to position itself as a party drink for Euro 2012 football fans.

Paddy Power: England Team Rave

Paddy Power is rolling out a series of risque videos to coincide with the tournament. This one imagines an England team-bonding rave in an Eastern European forest.

This article was first published on marketingmagazine.co.uk