FOX opens World Cup media campaign with Jon Hamm as Santa

FOX started its World Cup media campaign with a megastar in a new role. Jon Hamm plays Santa as he realizes the world’s biggest sporting event comes during his “time to shine.”

If that all sounds a little bizarre, much of the 2022 World Cup sounds bizarre. After all, this is the first time in history the quadrennial competition takes place outside the summer months. Intense heat in Qatar during the typical June to July time period forced the tournament to interrupt the European club calendar.

The FOX media campaign embraces that change, actually providing some empathy towards fans and Santa Claus. It is a new experience to have the World Cup in, as the video describes, “the holiday season.” It certainly throws a wrench in the plans of Santa Claus, who now competes with soccer’s biggest stars in November and December.

Jon Hamm stars in FOX World Cup media campaign

From a pure video perspective, it is an enjoyable concept. Santa Claus, usually the metaphorical spokesperson for the holidays in December for millions across the world, takes a backseat to mortal people like Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. Plus, Jon Hamm is great in almost every role he takes on.

Moreover, this feels like FOX poking fun at the fact that the World Cup is not in the summer. The broadcaster can do what it wants to appease FIFA and call this a great World Cup. Yet, everyone knows that is is marred in controversy in a wide array of topics. With the time shift and weather being just one, it is perhaps the easiest one to use as comedy in the build up to the World Cup. Certainly, it is more sponsor-friendly than targeting any of the other talking points regarding the World Cup.

It will be interesting and entertaining to see what FOX can do with Jon Hamm at the helm of its media campaign for the 2022 World Cup in the coming weeks and months.

PHOTO: @FOXSports on Twitter