These World Cup commercials are incredibly epic

The World

Only a few days in and this World Cup has been so intense: the sweat, the blood, the tears… the headphones.

This year's World Cup has introduced us to a slew of mini-movie, adrenaline-pumping commercials that are dominating YouTube and television. The standout commercial, over 5 minutes of fist pumping that's headed toward 10 million views on YouTube, was for headphones, specifically Beats by Dre headphones. The commercial features a variety of soccer stars including Brazil’s Neymar Júnior and Uruguay’s Luis Suárez. But it’s also got hip hop artist Nicki Minaj, rapper Lil Wayne and tennis champion Serena Williams — I guess everyone is a soccer fan.

Budwiser — yes, the beer that John Oliver said FIFA forced into the World Cup stadium in Brazil — lauched a six-part mini-documentary series called "Rise As One." They've already rolled out five 10 minute-long stories about playing soccer around the world. Here's episode five (with over 5,000 views on YouTube) that looks at the Palestine Women's National team as they challenge a men's team:

oembed://http%3A//youtu.be/Y5Zp55tEAa4

Nike, as part of their Risk Everything campaign, has created an animated short that shows what happens when an evil scientist creates genetic clones of the World Cup soccer players. The animated short has already racked up over 3 million views on YouTube.

oembed://http%3A//youtu.be/afUUBvWBp3I

Nike also created another 4-minute commercial of teams playing "winner stays" for a field. As they compete, they imagine themselves as the world’s best soccer players among other fantasties.

oembed://http%3A//youtu.be/3XviR7esUvo

Adidas took a light-hearted, shorter approach with one minute of soccer legends destoying a house.

oembed://https%3A//www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DBDUIuzIwwTU

McDonald's entry is also short, but connected to an app unlocked by a purchase — a two-minute diversion of trick shots to get you to buy french fries.

oembed://https%3A//www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D-T7zyezBkuY%26list%3DPLKkYatWHDPav3Axurub5jIqCRoiVDbivk

Kia made a more conventional play, sending a message to American football players about soccer, er, football via Brazilian model Adriana Lima. Not surprisingly, the 47 second ad is going on 2 million YouTube plays.

oembed://https%3A//www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DOHhFGu4ZuTc

Invest in independent global news

The World is an independent newsroom. We’re not funded by billionaires; instead, we rely on readers and listeners like you. As a listener, you’re a crucial part of our team and our global community. Your support is vital to running our nonprofit newsroom, and we can’t do this work without you. Will you support The World with a gift today? Donations made between now and Dec. 31 will be matched 1:1. Thanks for investing in our work!