In typical fashion, Nike gets all of us pumped up for the 2010 World Cup with their latest video.  It features some of the world’s best players including Cristiano Ronaldo, Didier Drogba, and Wayne Rooney, as well as guest cameos by Roger Federer, Kobe Bryant and even Homer Simpson.

Write The Future from Nalden on Vimeo.

More brilliant work from the folks at Nike.   The blending of marketing and entertainment continues…

At the beginning of November, producer Fede Alvarez posted a video on YouTube called “Ataque de Panico” (Panic Attack).   Six weeks later, the 5 minute film he produced for $300 has been viewed 3.5 million times and just landed Alvarez a $30 million movie deal from Ghost House Pictures.

When $300 can produce something of this quality, you begin to see why traditional media & entertainment companies are in trouble.  And it also makes you think twice about how much you are paying your agency for that latest TV commercial as well…

I have to admit, I have been fascinated by the Virtual Good / Social Gaming market lately.  It is something I am going to be thinking / writing about more often in the coming weeks for sure.  In the meantime, here is a great presentation that was recently given at the Virtual Worlds Conference.   Great primer for those new to this space.  [presentation embedded below].

Thanks to HBO, the Cincinnati Bengals are going to learn about a Hard “Knocks” Life.  Premiering on August 12th at 10 PM EST, the Bengals are going to be featured on this season’s Hard Knocks, a show that looks into life at a NFL Training Camp.

As a Bengals season ticket holder, I can’t wait to see the show.  Will Carson Palmer be able to come back two years of injuries?  Will Chad “Johnson” Ocho Cinco get into trouble for sending tweets from the locker room?  Or will any of our players end up arrested again before the season begins?  Those are story lines just made for a reality TV show.

And of course, I’m looking forward to talk to HBO and the Bengals about partnership opportunities with the real Hard Knox Life.