Women’s World Cup Ad Bewilders The Internet With Its Kickass Surprise Ending
By Mikelle Leow, 19 Jul 2023
Video screenshot via Marcel
Sporting fans have been unanimously enthralled by a Women’s World Cup commercial with a plot twist that has come out of left field, for the lack of a better term.
The spot, commissioned by French telecommunications firm Orange and crafted by creative agency Marcel, starts out on a high note, with stars Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann, and others showing off their remarkable skills.
But the real kicker comes in a little later, when already adrenalized viewers find out that the talented players aren’t men but members of the Les Bleues women’s team such as Sakina Karchaoui and Delphine Cascarino.
“Only Les Bleus can give us those emotions,” the advertisement claims, referencing the nickname of the French national team. “But that’s not them you’ve just seen.”
The video reveals that the female stars have been deepfaked with the faces of their male counterparts through clever VFX editing.
It closes with the message: “At Orange, when we support les Bleus, we support les Bleues,” with the latter referring to the women’s team.
While the campaign rolled out in June, it has once again made its rounds on social media, with many calling it “brilliant” and a “must-watch.” Watch the kickass advertisement—pardon our French—below.