{"id":31592,"date":"2018-06-25T23:49:54","date_gmt":"2018-06-25T23:49:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ismartnetwork.co.uk\/?p=31592"},"modified":"2018-06-25T23:49:54","modified_gmt":"2018-06-25T23:49:54","slug":"marketing-the-world-cup-5-campaigns-proving-theyre-a-match-made-in-heaven","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ismartnetwork.co.uk\/?p=31592","title":{"rendered":"Marketing &amp; the World Cup: 5 Campaigns Proving They&#8217;re a Match Made in Heaven"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>You know what &#8211; I\u2019ll admit it, here and now. *Deep breath*<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m one of those people\u2026 Yes, one of those advertising-loving nut jobs who refuses to go to Super Bowl parties so that I can sit in silence and actually watch the commercials.<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t get me wrong, the sports ball and I are acquaintances but it\u2019s just that, like any great marketer, I\u2019ve fallen head over heels for ads. <\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s just something about being able to pack so much emotion into one 60-ish second clip that then gets seen by millions. It puts me in awe.&nbsp;Think about it: <\/p>\n<p>There are commercials that pull you in and immediately put you on the heroes side, like the&nbsp;Volkswagen\u2019s 2012 commercial featuring a mini Darth Vader.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"width: 560px; height: 315px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/0RHCGfZhheM?rel=0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>There are commercials that bring on a smile, like when Alexa lost her voice:<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"width: 560px; height: 315px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/J6-8DQALGt4?rel=0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Or those that put things into perspective for us, like my all-time-favorite commercial where Toyota Japan celebrated fatherhood:<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"width: 560px; height: 315px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/k9fy9gR__iE?rel=0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>But I digress because we\u2019ve got some brand (pun intended) spanking new ads around one of the most talked about sporting events on television right now &#8211; The World Cup.<\/p>\n<p>For advertisers, showing a commercial during The World Cup is a huge opportunity to get eyeballs on your brand. In fact, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fifa.com\/worldcup\/news\/2014-fifa-world-cuptm-reached-3-2-billion-viewers-one-billion-watched--2745519\">2014 FIFA World Cup reached 3.2 billion viewers and one billion watched the final.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Which is why it makes sense that it costs a lot to advertise during the game. <\/p>\n<p>Variety uncovered that <a href=\"https:\/\/variety.com\/2014\/tv\/news\/as-world-cup-popularity-grows-so-does-u-s-interest-in-soccer-1201218306\/\">i<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/variety.com\/2014\/tv\/news\/as-world-cup-popularity-grows-so-does-u-s-interest-in-soccer-1201218306\/\">n 2013, the average cost of a 30-second ad during the 2010 World Cup Final was $389,000.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>However, if you\u2019ve got the budget, it makes sense to spend it on this game with the opportunity to have a billion people not only seeing your product but, if you\u2019ve pulled off a great commercial, talking about it in blog posts\u2026<\/p>\n<p>1. Messi &amp; Luis Su\u00e1rez: Everything Changes <\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m coming out strong with this one right off the bat because it\u2019s one of my favorites so far:<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"width: 560px; height: 315px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Wxl2vMMBOk0?rel=0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Aside from this being just a delightful, relatable commercial (who hasn\u2019t had a little friend or sibling rivalry?), it\u2019s so on brand that it almost hurts.<\/p>\n<p>Gatorade has found an incredible way to bring the spirit of competition that comes with the World Cup alive in this commercial.<\/p>\n<p>As the viewer, you find yourself smiling when Luis sells his Messi jersey online or when Messi let\u2019s his dog \u201cdo its business\u201d on Luis\u2019s lawn.<\/p>\n<p>You find yourself itching to know how it ends and, again if you\u2019re nutjob like I am, you get this little ball of excitement in your stomach when you see them in the arena, ready to go and you think, \u201cGosh dang it, Gatorade has done it again.\u201dThey\u2019ve always been about sport, competition, and striving to be the best person you can be, so it makes complete sense that they\u2019ve come up with an over 2-min clip bringing us into the action and letting us get a glimpse into how these players are going to bring that tagline to life.<\/p>\n<p>This alignment with The World Cup just makes sense.<\/p>\n<p>Aside from the competitive aspect, Gatorade goes above and beyond recognizing the nations top high school athletes with their <a href=\"https:\/\/playeroftheyear.gatorade.com\/\">Gatorade Player of the Year<\/a> program &#8211; including soccer players. It\u2019s a natural fit!<\/p>\n<p>2. Root for Your Roots &#8211; 23andMe <\/p>\n<p>Even though I just sang Gatorade\u2019s praises, I\u2019m going to also say that it\u2019s fairly easy for sports-based brands to chime into the conversation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s not as easy industry to do the same with ? DNA testing.<\/p>\n<p>But 23andMe tried it anyway:<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"width: 560px; height: 315px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/grQTx2hbg0o?rel=0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>Here\u2019s the thing, though, I think it works well; Really well actually. <\/p>\n<p>23andMe did a good job of making The World Cup conversation work for them versus just butting into the conversation and hoping for the best.<\/p>\n<p>Personally, I watched this commercial and thought, \u201cOh! That\u2019s so fun!\u201d because it makes us (or me) stop and realize that I may have some distance cousins who are watching\/celebrating in ways much different than I\u2019m doing (cough cough watching alone in my room so I can study commercials cough cough) &#8211; but we\u2019re still connected through our roots.<\/p>\n<p>Like DNA, the World Cup is connecting people all around the globe; clever, 23andMe!<\/p>\n<p>3. McDonald&#8217;s Brazil <\/p>\n<p>Okay, so do I think McDonald&#8217;s Brazil brought the greatest campaign to the field? Nah.Do I think they made The World Cup work for them instead of just inserting themselves into the conversation? Nope. Do I think that they honed in on something that\u2019s extremely important for any marketing campaign to succeed? Heck yes I do. <\/p>\n<p>The company held a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adweek.com\/digital\/5-brands-that-have-a-solid-twitter-strategy-for-their-world-cup-marketing-efforts\/\">contest<\/a> for kids in which 11 winners were selected to attend Brazil\u2019s match versus Costa Rica. <\/p>\n<p>In addition, the restaurant featured <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vix.com\/en\/gastronomy\/530394\/mcdonalds-launched-2018-world-cup-menu-8-new-burgers\">sandwiches celebrating World Cup-winning countries since 2002<\/a> along with discount coupons and free products.McDonald\u2019s Brazil did something different than the other companies I\u2019m calling out today &#8211; They focused on their fans and what the World Cup means to them. \u201cWe don\u2019t have good memories from the last World Cup,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adweek.com\/digital\/5-brands-that-have-a-solid-twitter-strategy-for-their-world-cup-marketing-efforts\/\">Roberto Gnypek<\/a>, VP of Marketing at McDonald\u2019s Brazil, said reflecting on their loss to Germany in 2014. &nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDespite the economic environment and political issues in our country, I believe we\u2019ll be very excited in the next few days. It\u2019s very, very important to prepare a couple of months before the World Cup and create an emotional connection with customers.Sure, they updated their menu to honor World Cup-winning countries but what I love here is that McDonald\u2019s Brazil simply wanted their fans to know that they know how much event means a lot to them; that they understand them. <\/p>\n<p>This connection is what turns mere consumers into advocates that scream their love for your product from the rooftops &#8212; or the stands. <\/p>\n<p>So, even if this year doesn\u2019t end in Brazil winning the game, I think it\u2019s a pretty big win that this company played a role in creating lasting memories for the families and kids that were able to attend.<\/p>\n<p>4. The FIFA World Cup Is Here &#8211; Bud Light <\/p>\n<p>If there\u2019s one thing I\u2019m more ashamed of than eating Doritos alone while watching The Super Bowl, it\u2019s the fact that I think I\u2019m one of only a handful of people who cannot stand the whole \u201cDilly Dilly\u201d thing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>I don\u2019t get it. I don\u2019t like it. And I would like to refuse to acknowledge it except I can\u2019t because dang it, I give credit where credit is due.Bud Light did it again and brought this phrase back into our lives with their latest ad:<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"width: 560px; height: 315px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/XQL0MY0cLwg?rel=0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Oracle Susana lets the king know that something big is coming. <\/p>\n<p>The world loses its mind every four years, people are getting emotional and throwing themselves into the experience of The World Cup, and how you simply need to have enough Bud Light in the fridge to satisfy them. <\/p>\n<p>Plus, they\u2019re a sponsor of The World Cup so\u2026<\/p>\n<p>While I\u2019m not a fan of this \u201cDilly Dilly\u201d nonsense, I am a fan of a good call back. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cDilly Dilly\u201d isn\u2019t Bud Light\u2019s tagline or anything like that, but it is a phrase that consumers can use again and agains.<\/p>\n<p>To me, this felt like they were just inserting themselves into the conversation because they wanted to say \u201cDilly Dilly\u201d again but hey, it\u2019s interesting regardless.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s almost as if it\u2019s a war cry for Bud Light fans. But\u2026 *scratches head* this feels a bit like deja vu to me\u2026 Oh right!<\/p>\n<p>This isn\u2019t the first time that Anheuser Busch has created a little catch phrase that has taken the world by storm. Anyone else remember those frogs?<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"width: 560px; height: 315px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/pVcbasIb8lQ?rel=0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>And that, my friend, is some great publicity.<\/p>\n<p>5. Jump on the Wagen &#8211; Volkswagen <\/p>\n<p>We may not have gotten a chance to compete in this sports ball game but Volkswagen is letting us know that we\u2019re not forgotten.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, far from it.<\/p>\n<p>In this ad, &nbsp;Americans are being recruited by other countries to cheer for their teams and, like an ex-boyfriend who realized that I\u2019m delightful (just like this commercial) I\u2019m being fought over and recruited. And I like that.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"width: 560px; height: 315px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/5T1i45-ySew?rel=0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Volkswagen has taken a fun, lighthearted approach to their The World Cup ad.<\/p>\n<p>Unlike some of the other brands out there who have taken the competitive route, this is like a breath of fresh air and it feels very on-brand to me.<\/p>\n<p>Sure, not every Volkswagen car is fun like the Beetle (come on &#8211; there\u2019s a flower vase on the dash) but the brand knows how to be quirky and have a good time.<\/p>\n<p>For the people out there who like sports but don\u2019t get crazy competitive over it, this commercial is for us.<\/p>\n<p>Games can be fun, but we aren\u2019t going to relate to those who think \u201cMY TEAM BETTER WIN OR I\u2019M TRASHING THESE SO-CALLED LUCKY SOCKS.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It also does a great job of making American viewers still feel important and like they belong despite not still competing.<\/p>\n<p>Conclusion <\/p>\n<p>This is just the beginning of The World Cup ads that we\u2019re going to see but dang, we\u2019re off to a good start. <\/p>\n<p>What I\u2019m seeing already is that brands are being smart this year &#8211; they\u2019re finding their unique ways to make the game and the situation fit their brands.<\/p>\n<p>They aren\u2019t stretching or forcefully nudging their way into the conversation just to be heard and, if you ask me, that\u2019s the way it should be. <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/track.hubspot.com\/__ptq.gif?a=145335&amp;k=14&amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.impactbnd.com%2Fblog%2F2018-world-cup-marketing-campaigns&amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.impactbnd.com%252Fblog&amp;bvt=rss\" alt=\"\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" style=\"min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; \"><\/p>\n<div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div>\n<p>Read more: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.impactbnd.com\/blog\/2018-world-cup-marketing-campaigns\">impactbnd.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You know what &#8211; I\u2019ll admit it, here and now. *Deep breath* I\u2019m one of those people\u2026 Yes, one of those advertising-loving nut jobs who refuses to go to Super Bowl parties so that I can sit in silence and actually watch the commercials. Don\u2019t get me wrong, the sports ball and I are acquaintances &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":31593,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1255],"class_list":["post-31592","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-uncategorized","tag-marketing"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/ismartnetwork.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/shutterstock_1068618896%20%281%291529970596.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ismartnetwork.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31592","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ismartnetwork.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ismartnetwork.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ismartnetwork.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ismartnetwork.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=31592"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ismartnetwork.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31592\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ismartnetwork.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/31593"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ismartnetwork.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=31592"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ismartnetwork.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=31592"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ismartnetwork.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=31592"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}