Dre Hires Soccer Stars, Ad Firms Turn Into Cannes Filmmakers

When Beats by Dr. Dre wanted to promote its headphones in time for the World Cup, it didn’t rely on a 30-second TV spot or online banner ad. Instead, it created a mini-movie showing the pre-game rituals of soccer stars Neymar, Cesc Fabregas and Luis Suarez.

The five-minute film, called “The Game Before The Game,” racked up more than 9 million views on YouTube in just one week. Beats isn’t the only brand trying out long-form content. To promote its Helix Ultra motor oil, Royal Dutch Shell Plc sent Oscar winner Adrien Brody on a driving challenge through a Malaysian jungle for a series on Discovery Channel.