GLOBAL – It was discussed, debated on, and danced to, all with equal fervor. The World Cup theme song, "Waka Waka: This Time For Africa", had tongues wagging and hips shaking since it hit the web in June. The song, developed by Ogilvy & Mather Executive Creative Director Antonio Navas and international artist Shakira, and sung by the Colombian sensation, has reached a record 96 million views so far, setting it on track to become the most viewed video of all time. It is now ranks among the likes of Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus and Pitbull as having the most views for a single upload.
Initial reactions to the music video were mixed. Some lauded the choice of a singer from Latin America, while others complained about the choice of Shakira, as well as other non-African artists, as the performers for the kick-off concert. It was pointed out that the song samples a Cameroonian tune in its chorus. Comparisons were also made to "Wavin’ Flag", which is used by Coca-Cola in its ads. However, as the games started in South Africa, "Waka Waka" proved to be popular globally and its video hits reached 4 million a day. Thousands of YouTube users have uploaded videos of people dancing the steps. The song is said to rival Michael Jackson’s "We Are The World" in terms of "grassroots attention".
"It has been a pleasure to collaborate with a creative mind like Antonio’s,” said Shakira. “He truly understands the world’s cultures and with just an image or a word is capable to capture a universal truth." Aside from Shakira and the South African band Freshly Ground, the video features Argentina’s Lionel Messi, Brazil’s Dani Alves and champion team Spain’s Gerard Piqué.
"The idea behind the video was to take the viewer on a trip around the world, ending in Africa,” explained Navas. The video was shot in multiply languages by DNA Films director Marcus Raboy. In addition to the video, Navas and his partner, Ricardo Leme Lopes also designed the t-shirt, logos and merchandising for the Official FIFA World Cup song.
The Spain-based international clothing label Mango sells the shirts, with the proceeds from the sales going directly to The Barefoot Foundation, Shakira’s non-profit organization aiming for universal education.
When Shakira sang "Waka Waka" during the closing ceremony, it was clear that soon-to-be the most watched video in the history of YouTube is not just a football theme but a chart-topping earworm for the summer of 2010.
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