Viral Now: Nike changes football

The company's upcoming product range is being promoted through an online film which states, 'Football will never be the same'.

How far does evangelism go and how much does it help when an expert endorses a sports brand? Nike, for one, apparently sets a store by it and has brought together a team of experts to validate the features of its upcoming product. In what can be called a teaser film, the video captures the testimonials of a few ace footballers in a compelling manner.

The video features popular footballers of the world, including Andrés Iniesta (FC Barcelona-Spain), Mario Götze (Bayern Munich - Germany), Thiago Silva (Paris Saint-Germain), Arda Turan (Atlético Madrid), David Luiz (Chelsea, Brazil), Christian Eriksen and Viktor Fischer (Netherlands), and Mamadou Sakho (Liverpool, France).

The footballers say things like 'perfect,' 'unbelievable,' 'futuristic,' 'moulds to your foot,' 'feels like a sock,' 'a second skin,' and 'a true revolution' when they describe the product - enough, in short, to encourage purchase. What is interesting is that though each footballer is shown wearing the new product (shoe) and talking about its benefits, the product is blurred throughout the one and a half minute film. It has been done to keep the surprise factor intact.

Within two days of its launch, the promotional teaser that ends with the thought, 'Football will never be the same' has gathered 9,09,779 views on Facebook.

The new product line will be launched just ahead of the tournament in Brazil. Nike Magista follows the Nike Flyknit range that was launched in 2012.

(Viral Now is a section about videos that are catching people's fancy on social media).