World Cup Scots could be the 'Bru Brazil'

FLAVIO McFadden, Crawfurd Baptista, and MacKaka. It is a roll call of names both familiar and exotic, and if Scotland's other national drink has its way, could form the spine of a triumphant midfield.

• Scotland legend Archie Gemmill gets into the samba spirit as he gives his backing to Irn-Bru's campaign yesterday. Picture: SNS Group

In the latest in a series of advertising campaigns, Irn-Bru yesterday pledged to help Scotland's national football team achieve World Cup glory.

AG Barr has placed a series of lonely heart adverts in Brazilian newspapers in an attempt to encourage the nation's men and women to strike up a romance with Scots.

The campaign, dubbed "Welcome to Bruzil", aims to supplement the Caledonian gene pool with the footballing artistry of the South American country, giving rise to 11 players capable of winning the 2034 World Cup.

With Scotland's absence being keenly felt at this summer's tournament in South Africa, Irn-Bru believes its tongue-in-cheek crusade can "create a Samba McFootball team that will gub the world".

The company has produced several viral videos which will be placed online. The first features a singer by the name of Big Bobby Carlos giving a Brazilian-themed rendition of the song, We'll Be Coming, a favourite among the Tartan Army.

Former Scotland player, Archie Gemmill, famous for his goal against Holland in the 1978 World Cup finals, endorsed the Irn-Bru campaign yesterday.

"Brazil have won the World Cup five times, and their players have fantastic flair, ability and skill," he said. "Those qualities allied to the Scottish will to win, determination, and grit would bode well for the future."

The campaign, which will be rolled out this summer, is the brainchild of the Leith Agency.

The Edinburgh advertising firm, which has produced a string of adverts for the soft drink in recent years, is partly responsible for the ongoing success of AG Barr. The firm, founded in 1875, saw its pre-tax profits surge by 20.8 per cent last year to 27.9 million.

However, the adverts have also provoked controversy. A billboard campaign featuring a cow and the slogan, "When I'm a burger I want to be washed down with Irn-Bru," attracted a record 700 complaints.

Jonathan Kemp, AG Barr's commercial director, said that while the new adverts were "good fun", they underlined the firm's commitment to Scottish football's future. "We're going to put all the might of Irn-Bru's advertising resources behind the road to 2034," he said.

Martin Steele, AG Barr's senior brand manager, visited Rio de Janeiro last week in order to place the lonely heart ads on billboards and in the dating sections of the Brazilian press. One, placed in the O Globo newspaper, reads: "Scots lass seeks Brazilian man with good sense of humour to make Scottish football magic."