What happens when you bring Steve Nash, Hope Solo, Landon Donovan and Tim Lincecum together? They play video games! FIFA Soccer 12, which features Landon Donovan on the cover, launched a nationwide promotional campaign last month.
The spot plays to the culture-defining nature of soccer in the US – where people, a somewhat elite group of people, get together to enjoy the game (a video game in this instance). While the US typically only celebrates soccer 4 times a year for the FIFA World Cup, this spot ups the sport's relevancy by showcasing some of soccer's US stars, as well as, famous names from the NBA and MLB. Seth Meyers from SNL is also in one of the spots – a bit of a strange inclusion, but I assume FIFA also wanted to include someone in the entertainment industry to fully saturate the sports and entertainment spheres.
FIFA 12's use of Celebrity Endorsements that transcend typical soccer players is a smart way to market the sport beyond its already established fan base. In a way, association with these other athletes legitimizes not only the video game, but the sport as well. As EA's tag-line claims, "It's not just a game, it's a movement."
See the viral videos on Media Bistro's "Agency Spy."