We take a look at the best sports commercials on time, with these ads gaining not only huge exposure, but helping to build brand loyalty and making these advertisements among the greatest commercial successes.
15. Be Like Mike – Gatorate (1992)
“Be Like Mike” is one of the best sports commercials ever. The Quaker Oats Company owned the Gatorate brand at the time until PepsiCo bought out the parent company in 2001. Right after Michael Jordan and the Bulls won the 1992 NBA Finals, Gatorate launched one of the greatest taglines in sports advertisement history with the “Be Like Mike” campaign. The commercial shows Jordan’s greatest highlights and young kids trying to imitate his dunks.
14. Winner Stays On – Nike (2014)
In the lead up to the 2014 World Cup, Nike delivered one of the greatest and most iconic soccer commercials. The ad was based on the effective marketing idea of young kids imitating their idols.
The kids transform into their superstars including Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Wayne Rooney, Eden Hazard, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Andres Iniesta. The commercial also features non-football stars such as Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, Kobe Bryant, Incredible Hulk and Irina Shayk.
13. The Showdown – McDonalds (1993)
Not long after Michael Jordan’s famous “Be Like Mike” commercial with Gatorate we saw Michael Jordan at it again, this time with fast food giant McDonalds. In a showdown between Michael Jordan and Larry Bird, the pair agree to play a game of H.O.R.S.E with the first to miss watching the other eat Jordan’s Big Mac.
The iconic commercial was remade again in 2010. None of them can miss a single shot, so take Jordan’s advice and go and get a Big Mac.
12. Joga Bonito – Nike (2006)
In the lead up to the 2006 World Cup in Germany, the Joga Bonito (Portuguese for Play Beautifully) campaign launched by Nike was aimed at helping to inspire a generation of youngsters to the beautiful side of football as the game was being criticised over player theatrics and poor sportsmanship.
The commercials were presented by Eric Cantona and featured superstars like Ronaldino, Ronaldo, Kaka, Thierry Henry and Wayne Rooney.
11. Just For Men (2008)
It’s great to see Emmitt Smith again. The Cowboys’ legend spent 15-years in the NFL and won three Super Bowls. The commercial has a couple more all-time great players turned broadcasters Clyde Frazier and Keith Hernandez searching for Smith in a retirement village for running backs. The humour adds to the commercial which did wonders in targeting an older audience.
10. Take It to the Next Level – Nike (2008)
Another Nike classic. The commercial features a young professional footballer from a first-person perspective playing Sunday League football. He scores a goal, gets scouted by Arsene Wenger and shares the pitch with legends like Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Our fictional star ends up playing international football with Holland capping off one of the greatest football commercials of all-time.
9. Under Armour – We Must Protect This House (2003)
Delivered on a shoestring budget Under Armour’s first TV commercial “We Must Protect This House” made such an impact, the slogan has found its way into many NFL and collegiate level stadiums as a pump up for home teams. The brand was still in its infancy and the campaign helped launch it into what it is today.
8. The Cage – Nike (2002)
In the lead up to the 2002 World Cup, Nike’s “The Cage” campaign involved a fictional tournament with eight teams of three. Eric Cantona played the role of referee with 24 of the best players in the world involved including Ronaldinho, Roberto Carlos, Edgar Davis, Rio Ferdinand, Thierry Henry, Figo and Patrick Viera among others.
The campaign was so successful, millions of kids worldwide participated in 3-on-3 tournaments matching the rules of the tournament. The advertisements song was a remix of Elvis Presley’s “A Little Less Conversation” by Junkie XL which reached Number 1 on the charts across large parts of the world.
7. Michael Vick Experience – Nike (2004)
Before Vick was convicted for his role in a dog fighting ring, he was one of the greatest dual-threat quarterbacks we’ve ever seen. Nike continues their marketing dominance with one of the greatest NFL commercials.
The commercial features the old Georgia Dome and fans waiting in a line to take on the fictional Michael Vick Experience roller coaster ride. The ride features defensive superstars Brian Urlacher, Michael Strahan and Derrick Brooks all trying to get their hands on the rider. Riders scramble like Michael Vick and they end up flipping into the end zone which finishes off one of the greatest commercials.
6. Very Real Power – Powerarde (2001)
Michael Vick was a marketers dream and Powerade capitalised on it during the “Very Real Power” campaign which cost approximately $60 million. One of those commercials saw Vick throwing the ball at receivers training with such ferocity it uplifted them off their feet. He also threw the ball about 180-yards into the stands. It was clever editing, but Vick’s power was undeniable.
5. 1984 – Apple (1984)
The commercial used sports as a platform, introducing the Apple Macintosh computer to a Super Bowl audience and the world. The commercial’s theatrics was considered a masterstroke helping to turn the brands fortunes as well as turning Super Bowl commercials into a must see event. It’s ironic however that Apple has now become exactly what the commercial was portraying, the fear of a controlled monopoly of technology.
4. Bo Knows – Nike (1989)
The Bo Knows campaign was the perfect blend of cross-over athlete Bo Jackson and a brand that was promoting its cross training product. Jackson is the only athlete to become an All-Star in both the NFL and MLB and Nike took their opportunity to create one of the best sports commercials of all time. The commercial shows Jackson in the form of a baseball player, footballer, hockey player, race car driver, golfer, surfer and even a cricketer.
3. Two Kids – Pepsi (1992)
Arguably the greatest Super Bowl commercial of all-time. Supermodel Cindy Crawford steps out of a red Lamborghini Diablo at a gas station and straight for a Pepsi, as two kids watch with their jaws dropped in amazement. In 2018 Crawford and Pepsi remade the commercial, this time with a Corvette.
2. This Is SportsCenter – ESPN (1995)
Running since 1995, ESPN’s “This is SportsCenter” campaign is the greatest ongoing series of commercials ever, and one of the most iconic campaigns in television.
The commercials usually depict famous athletes doing things like everyday tasks at the ESPN office in a deadpan mocumentary style. There isn’t any athlete in the world too big to not appear on the commercials and everyone from LeBron James, to Floyd Mayweather and even Steve Irwin have featured.
1. Freestyle Hoops – Nike (2001)
The best sports commercial of all time was delivered in 2001 by Nike. The “Freestyle Hoops” ad has upbeat music beats mixed to the sounds of streetballers and players like Vince Carter, Jason Williams, Baron Davis, Lamar Odom, George Gervin and Darius Miles doing basketball handling tricks.
The concept is one of the greatest in advertising history. Every youngster was trying to replicate the moves at the time and the fusion of dance, basketball and hip-hop served as a receipt for the greatest sports commercial in history and helped propel basketball into pop culture.