Death of Franz Beckenbauer
“Yes, is it Christmas already?”: Beckenbauer’s best-known commercials
Franz Beckenbauer in a commercial for E-Plus in 2000
As a world-class footballer, Franz Beckenbauer has been a sought-after advertising partner since the beginning of his career. Some of his most famous commercials have been making the rounds online since his death.
The beginnings: Beckenbauer and the meatball soup, 1967
In 1966, Franz Beckenbauer had just been named Footballer of the Year and the following year he was allowed to smile into the camera as an advertising face for Knorr. The saying back then: “Power in the plate, Knorr on the table” – of course with strongly rolled “R’s”
As national coach: When the Emperor pours milk for Lothar, 1986
Four years before the World Cup victory, Beckenbauer campaigned for Müllermilch together with the national team, including players like Lothar Matthäus. Small singing performance by the team included.
The classic: “Yes, is it Christmas today?”, 2000
There are TV commercials that immediately achieve cult status. The E-Plus advertisement from 2000 is one such example. Beckenbauer’s Bavarian exclamation: “Yes, is it Christmas?” Years later, many viewers will still have positive memories – even though the brand associated with it may no longer be known. This could also be because Beckenbauer later switched to competitor O2 – and took the saying with him. E-Plus banned the whole thing with an injunction, so that Beckenbauer only alluded to it in a new version (“Now just say it!” – “I’m not allowed to”). But E-Plus also took legal action against this. This didn’t affect the popularity.
Beckenbauer, the man of the world: Playing with clichés, 2002
This Postbank advertisement from 2022, on the other hand, has aged poorly: First, Beckenbauer brags that he flies around the world several times a year in a less climate-friendly way, then he jokes about stereotypical peculiarities in other countries, and then creates a team feeling with “We Germans”. to conjure up.
Concentrated celebrity power: On the road with Schumacher and Häkkinen, 2010
In 2010, Beckenbauer got behind the wheel for a Mercedes commercial and was allowed to overtake the two former Formula 1 drivers Michael Schumacher and Mika Häkkinen as a punch line. The concentrated celebrity power alone caused a stir.
Prost: At home in Bavaria, at home in the world, 2011
A Bavarian folk festival, green meadows, freshly tapped beer and in between: Franz Beckenbauer, who welcomes the world as a guest of friends. You can’t get much more to the core of the brand than this Erdinger advertisement from 2011.
Cheers, Franz, to you!