Nike Matches Socceroos Against History

Australians are being teased by an ancient 100-year-old soccer fan who believes that the Socceroos, the Australian national team, have no chance in the FIFA 2006 World Cup. It’s all part of a campaign by Nike Australia, rolled out on Australian television channels 9, 10 and SBS and on a MySpace web site.

Image from Nike Australia site

Two 60 second ads feature a very old man sitting in a rest home, waiting for his nurse to come and turn on the television.

Soccer Whos?

“So, Australia. Tonight you play Greece. But I say you don’t have a chance. They are the European champions, ranked number twenty one in the world. You know where you are? Forty four! Even Honduras is rated above you! Ha ha ha! Honduras! I know you’re going to the finals in Germany. But you have no chance against Brazil. The inventors of the beautiful kick.”

The nurse arrives and says “Look, History”, as she turns on the television. Brazil is featured.

“Just play it! Oh Joga Bonito Ronaldinho! How will you stop that? Socceroos? Or I mean Soccer Whos? Ha ha ha!”

The super: “History’s Against Us. Stuff History! Nike.”

Australia did in fact win against Greece that night.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDjM_Au42so

What Chance Do You Have In Germany?

“So Australia. Finally you’re going to the Cup Final. And I say you don’t have a chance. Sure, you beat Uruguay. On penalties. But who else? The Solomon Islands? Rank one hundred and forty in the world? Ha ha ha ha! But you have no chance against Brazil. Five times world champion! More than anyone! The inventors of the beautiful kick. The kings of football. Oh sorry soccer team full of stars.

Once again, the nurse comes in and says, “Look History” as she turns on the soccer.

“Just play! Oh Joga Bonito Ronaldinho! How will you stop that? Socceroos? Or I mean Soccer Whos? Ha ha ha!”

The super: “History’s Against Us. Stuff History! Nike.”

Australia indeed are not the hot favourites at the FIFA World Cup. Their first match against the Netherlands promises to be a real challenge.

Practice

History has trouble keeping up with the Socceroos.

Locker Room

How will you stop Ronaldinho? Cristiano’s masseur has a few moves to deal with History.

Running

“Stop defying me! You are 44th in the world!”

Croatia

History opens gifts from Croatian relatives…

History at MySpace

History's photo from his MySpace siteHistory has his own web site at MySpace: www.myspace.com/historysays where he’s showing the videos.

In his profile he writes, “I’m History I know everything because I was there, these days I spend most of my time in a old peoples home, watching stuff and beating everyone else at Trivial Pursuit.” He enjoys watching the History Channel, reads Encyclopedias and counts Ronaldinho and Ronaldo as his heroes.

Credits and Download

The Nike Socceroos Sponsorship campaign was developed at Publicis Mojo, Australia by regional executive creative director Darren Spiller, art director Simon Cox, copywriters Justin Ruben and Alex Derwin, agency producer Corey Esse, agency team leader Kellie Lennon and account director Luke Skrzelinski.

Filming was shot by director Hamish Rothwell at Good Oil Films, Sydney, worked with director of photography Greig Fraser.

The web site campaign, www.stuffhistory.com.au (accessed via nikefootball.com) was developed at Publicis Mojo, by regional executive creative director Darren Spiller, art director Simon Cox, copywriters Justin Ruben and Alex Derwin, digital creative director Joel Thomson, designer Daniel Billingham and Neal Latto, programmer Yalcin Houltham, agency producer Jackie Cook and Jason Cormier.

The ads are available to view in Vividas format at www.stuffhistory.com.au

42 Replies to “Nike Matches Socceroos Against History”

  1. “Just play it! Oh Joga Bonito Ronaldinho! How will you stop that? Socceroos? Or I mean Soccer Whos? Ha ha ha!â€?

    ehehheaahehe

    BRAZIL 5 x 0 Australia…

    how will you stop all the best players???!?!

  2. I love History, he is so funny.

    He is priceless and he reminds me of an old guy that used to come and watch us play soccer every Saturday. We loved his taunts and he made games more interesting.

    Go Australia and lon live Hisory as well 🙂

    Cheers 🙂

  3. SOCCERHOOS?

    IF YOU DONT KNOW THE SOCCEROOS YOU MUST HAVE BEEN LIVING ON THE MOON! CAHILL SCORES!

    BRING ON BRAZIL AND STUFF HISTORY!

    P.S HAHA JAPAN 3-1 TO AUS

  4. LOOK AT THE SCOREBOARD

    Btw was there any trick photography involved in the ad where Bresciano’s kick skittles History, and if not, how many takes did you need?

  5. Australia are going down, History is a legand and hes right, the best are the best and there is no dening it, Brazil rule the world of football, Austalia should just pack up and leave now without getting an ass spanking from the champs

  6. how funny is the ad.. one of the best ive seen…*kicks another ball at history*
    ‘oh my gawd!’ hahahahahhahaha
    GO THE SOCCEROOS!! KICK HISTORY IN THE BEHIND! (_|_)

  7. What does history say after Marco Bresciano strikes him with the football?
    Oh my….? Guus, foot, guts???

  8. Brazil all the way, All u ossies need to do is stick to your surfboards and your footy. Im with history. Hes sick. How can u even compare Australia to Brazil. Aussies are warped in the head.

  9. whatever!! hahahahahah soccerwho u lose from brazil XD how crap u played !

    im with history i think soccerwho should stick w footy, after all, soccer is not a physically violent game like ur soccerwho has played all the way through world cup

  10. I TOLD YOU SO….

    aehaehaehehaehaehheheheahhe

    bye bye Socceroos!!!! Or I mean Soccer Whos??????? aehheheaheahaeaheahe

    see ya 32 years later…..

  11. Hehe, History is so funny, his accent reminds me of some of the old wog guys I see at the cro club, and my dad’s… I think he says “Oh my Got (God – in his accent)”

  12. History is nothing but a big loser. When he gets smacked in the face by Bresciano’s brilliant shot he says “Oh my foot……Oh ho…”.

  13. The actor playing as History has clearly got a face mask and makeup on. Nobody could truely be that ugly.

    PS. I’ve watched Croatia play in their last two matches and I say they had better change their tactics if they want to get a win against the Soccerroos. There is no way they are going to get a win by the playing the way they have.

  14. History rocks!! hes great and heaps funny.
    OMG go aussies
    brazil played like crap. For the world number 1 team they were really bad.

    Croatia is gonna lose to the SOCCER WHOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  15. bet u any money bresciano will score the wninning goal against Crotia. how r we supposed to win when the ref is always against us just like history. well stuff the ref and history

  16. I am not really sure if all the decisions went against Australia in the match against Brazil. but yes the match was a lot closer than what the scoreline might suggest. Socceroos could have easily drawn the match with Brazil. The brazil played marvelously against Japan and were not convincing against Croatia and Australia. Maybe it was their complacency or it was the socceroos who played a notch higher than what was expected from them.

    They could have easily won the match against Croatia but a penalty ruling went against them. But they still managed to reach the round of 16.

    and yes stuff the RATTLING history. It always rears up its ugly head at you when you want to change it. I say Aussies you deserve to go atleast to the semis. You rock and i am with you all the way.

    Aussie Aussie Aussie

  17. Brilliand ads! Have grown very attached to History and hope he hasn’t died as the current ad depicts. Who is the guy who plays the part????

  18. hahahha i luv history is so cute!! hahah go the aussieS!! we can go all the way!!!! whoooooooooo!!

  19. the history ads are hilarious, but seeeing as the aussies aren’t in the world cup no more, shutup and leave it alone

  20. we relied to much on cahill, the stupid midget idiot, its all his fault. stupid midgets, aw well…GO GERMANY, STUFF BRAZIL

  21. history might be right

    but look out next time

    josh kennedys our gun striker

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

  22. Well Italy suprised us all. Who would of guessed that the team who stopped our campaign ended up being the team to win the world cup? Oh well good luck soccerwhos or I mean socceroos in the Asian cup next year.

  23. Italy 2006 World Cup Winners…and the game agaisnt the soccerwhos/socceroos?? “Italians Are Divers and Dirty Cheats etc etc…” How did Australia hold off italy untill the 89th minute? eh mind telling me?… ohh wait i remember, by a bullshit red card that was clearly a dive…red card ha..what a joke socceroos….stick to the AFL or whatever you morons call it…Forza Italia…!

  24. I am looking for a copy, or just the words to the very last History TV Add… The one where History is in the stands and is yelling at 2 Aussie soccer players, one kicks the ball and hits history in the head, History falls back and says a line… Is this line “Oh my GOD” or “Oh my FOOT”… there is a bet of a bucket of KFC on this… its almost a year later and cannot find a copy of this ad… please help

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