One month before the opening whistle of the 2026 World Cup, major brands are already rolling out their advertising campaigns. They seek to capture a multi-billion audience with narratives that blend cinema, childhood memories, and technology. Adidas leads with Backyard Legends, a spot that brings together Messi, Beckham, and Timothée Chalamet in a backyard, using artificial intelligence to evoke the 90s without feeling cold or distant.
AI as a tool, not as the protagonist 🤖
The use of artificial intelligence in Backyard Legends is subtle. Instead of creating unrealistic figures, AI is used to digitally rejuvenate legends like Beckham or to integrate Chalamet into archive footage with cinematic quality. This technique allows blending eras without falling into the uncanny valley, focusing attention on the grassroots football narrative. The result is an ad that prioritizes emotion over technical prowess, demonstrating that AI can be an invisible ally.
Messi in a tracksuit, or how to sell sweat without sweating ⚽
Seeing Messi and Beckham playing in a garden with a disheveled Chalamet is almost a social experiment: how much is the nostalgia of a goal in the 90s worth? While brands compete for the most epic ad, Adidas reminds us that we all started by kicking stones in a vacant lot. The difference is that they sell the sneakers to do it in style (and with a Hollywood budget that your neighborhood team would lack to buy a new ball).