Reclaiming the Kingdom: A Fantasy Theme Analysis of Brazilian Identity in Nike’s 2018 World Cup Advertisement
This paper applies Fantasy Theme Analysis to Nike’s 2018 World Cup advertisement featuring the Brazilian national soccer team. Through an examination of character, action, and setting themes, the analysis reveals how the artifact constructs a shared rhetorical vision centered on national identity. The advertisement calls a group into existence by drawing on history and a shared passion for soccer, showing the possibility of redemption after the loss to Germany in the 2014 World Cup, which took place in Brazil. The ad presents a key temporal moment, referencing the 1998 World Cup, in which Brazil lost in the finals. However, four years later, in 2002, Brazil won its 5th world cup. By reintroducing this memory in 2018, after the difficult 2014 defeat, Nike creates a collective narrative that resonates with Brazilian soccer fans. Characters such as professional players, everyday individuals, and a young boy who emerges as a symbolic leader represent different dimensions of Brazil’s soccer culture. Recurring actions, including playing, dancing, reinforce the narrative. The varied settings, from informal street games and video games to professional arenas, highlight both the shared identity and the cultural impact of soccer in Brazil. The artifact invites the audience to reimagine Brazil as the enduring “kingdom of soccer,” emphasizing responsibility, legacy, and the possibility of future triumph even after a significant loss.
COMM 441, Rhetorical Criticism
Doyle Srader
10 AM – noon
L203