BEST SPORTS ADS 2021

Looking for the best sports ads 2021? Then you have come to the right place!

The best sports ads are cinematic and powerful. They make you want to get fit, active and involved – even if you haven’t held a racket, bounced a ball or seen the inside of a gym since your school days.

How? By featuring everything from action to world-class athletes, helped along by energetic, inspiring music.

We’re taking a look at the best sports commercials of 2021, analysing their use of music as we go, featuring:

• Nike
• Adidas
• William Hill
• Betfair
• Sports Direct

Best Sports Ads 2021

Here, we take a look at the best sports commercials of 2021, analysing their use of music as we go along, as well as exploring the 10 best ads from the year before.

Nike – 'Play New'

Nike’s ‘Play New’ advert (released in June 2021) reminds audiences that football’s an inclusive sport and Nike is an inclusive brand.

The spot features people of all races, genders, sexualities and religions – including Marcus Rashford, Pernille Harder and Richarlison de Andrade – harmoniously participating in the sport together on pitches across the globe.

And for the music? Nike opted for a contemporary remix of Blur’s ‘Parklife’, a mid-90s Britpop/indie rock track that’s often associated with avid football fans.

Adidas – 'Impossible is Nothing – Mohamed Salah'

In spring 2021, Adidas revived their ‘Impossible is Nothing’ tagline and recruited the likes of Beyoncé, Cyrill Gutsch, Tiffany Abreu and Mohamed Salah to push the campaign.

Salah’s ad begins in his hometown of Nagrig, Egypt, and subsequently works through several clips of the star player on the pitch.

In just 30 seconds, the audience becomes better acquainted with the heroic football player – a man who constantly reminds his fans to stay true to themselves.

The Arabic-inspired music Adidas picked is inspired by the player’s North African heritage.

Adidas - Honoring Black Excellence

During US Black History Month in February 2021, Adidas launched, 'Honoring Black Excellence', their year-long initiative which aims to:

• Provide under-served youth with access to skill development, mentorship and sport resources
• Create visibility by using their brand platforms to hero the stories of changemakers striving to make a positive impact in their communities
• Hold themselves accountable to shape a more inclusive narrative

As part of this initiative, Adidas is honouring different athletes from a variety of sports throughout the year, starting with the likes of Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Etop Udo-Ema and Kelli Stewart, to name a few.

These videos use Audio Network music which drives home the purpose of Adidas' initiative, evoking that same sense of strength, resilience, and excellence which these athletes have displayed in their careers.

Audio Network are proud to be able to work with Adidas to provide the best tracks for this series; in this video you'll hear esteemed NYC producer, Kelly Mac's, 'Enter The Stage':

William Hill – 'Let The Good Times Roll'

The William Hill ‘Let The Good Times Roll’ commercial places focus on the sports fans instead of the players.

Throughout the ad, groups of fans celebrate the spring/summer sports season by cheering, chanting and even participating in matches.

Over the years, Neil Diamond’s ‘Sweet Caroline’ has become a part of English sports culture – it’s a good luck charm of sorts sung by the fans to the players. William Hill used the song to establish a relationship with England fans just before the Euro 2020 tournament kicked off.

Betfair – 'Because We’re Betfair'

Another gambling company that released a commercial to celebrate the UEFA Euro 2020 championship is Betfair.

Set in a snowy landscape, the commercial informs viewers – using an animated mammoth – that they can cash out at any time as betters won’t be frozen out during Euros season.

The song used in the Betfair ad is Fatboy Slim’s ‘Right Here, Right Now’, keeping the narrative moving with its uptempo, dance rhythm.

Sports Direct – 'Just A Game?!'

Sports Direct focus on the idea that football is the glue that brings individuals and communities together. Ex-Manchester United legend Eric Cantona guides viewers through the ad, decoding the spirit of the sport whilst travelling from match to match across the nation.

Other football superstars Sports Direct secured for this project include Jack Grealish, Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes.

The song Sports Direct selected for their ‘Just A Game?!’ ad is ‘Can’t Catch Me’ by NoMBe, featuring New Mystics. The track has a unique rock’n’roll-meets-soul sound that helps drive the commercial: it’s fun, upbeat and gives the football-focused ad a touch more character.

Music For Your New Sports Advertisements

Inclusivity, mental health, inspiration and equality? Many of 2021’s best sports ads have been about far more than selling kit, products or events, and showcase the huge range of creativity within Adland.

As you can tell from the commercials we’ve picked for this year’s round-up, the type of music a producer requires for a sports advert will largely depend on the ad’s mood and narrative. However, if you’re looking for an archetypal sports track, take a look at our playlists dedicated to Background Music for Sports, and a variety of sports moods. Alternatively, you can check out our Editor’s Toolkit. Who knows, perhaps you’ll make it to our list of the best sports ads next year!