What Can The World Cup Can Teach Marketers?
I found this article, and thought it would be a good follow up to my blog about World Cup marketing. In this article, Barry Finkelstein (Vice President/Director of Public Relations of Erwin-Penland in Greenville, SC), talks about some valuable marketing lessons that we can learn from the World Cup.
Here is a summary…
1. “Fan” is still short for FANATIC.
- Sport rely on the pride and passion of their followers. As marketers, we need to tap into that passion and emotion and deep-root our brands into those fans. For example, instead of just slapping up a sign at a stadium perhaps we need to develop a more meaningful connection with our target audience by creating an experience.
- An example that Finkelstein gives is of Verizon’s sponsorship of the New York Mets. Their sponsorshop includes an area at Citi Field where fans can use state-of-the-art augmented reality technology to “catch” a pitcher’s fastball or create a video image of their fact atop a team’s Mr. Met mascot.
2. Beyond Sponsorship.
- The World Cup has become a lab for clever guerrilla marketing efforts. As mentioned in my blog yesterday about Nike and Coke not being the office sponsors. However, ask anyone on the street to name an official sponsor of this year’s World Cup and you are just as likely to hear Nike and Coke as you are Adidas and Pepsi.
- So what are some ways to to reach a group of fans besides signing on as the official sponsor? How about sponsoring the team’s fan club or conducting ticket or merchandise giveaways? Finkelstein warns to be extremely mindful not to poach too aggressively on the team’s turf, for fear of incurring the wrath of attorneys.
3. Get Personal.
- It is a very sad fact that soccer isn’t as big in the US as it is in the UK or other countries. It really does bother me that people don’t see it as awesome. Anyways…this explains why most Americans had no idea who Wayne Rooney was, or David Villa, or the scores of other soccer players who emerged in ads during the World Cup.
- As Finkelstein states, as compelling as the games themselves may be, the essence of sports is about human triumph and personal tragedy, heroes and goats, fan favorites and reviled opponents. Partnering with a well-known, beloved player — or even a past luminary from the local team — could create a more powerful, personal connection between your brand and your target audience.
4. Peripheral Opportunities.- So we aren’t all the Visa’s, Nike’s and Coca-Cola’s of the world. We would all love to have their advertising dollars, but we just don’t. But you don’t have to be the big guy on campus to make your branding mark on the world. You just have to be a savvy marketer to those find opportunities on the fringes of these events to gain positive exposure.
- Finkelstein gives this example, bars and restaurants around the globe leveraged the tournament by hosting viewing parties to draw in customers who otherwise might watch at home. One company even cashed in by developing an iPhone app for the ubiquitous vuvuzela that created the unmistakable buzz in the background of every World Cup match.
5. Think Global, Act Local.- The World Cup is one big party. One giant celebration. Fans from various nationalities gathered for viewing parties all across the US. As the demographics of the U.S. would certainly support, multicultural influences are becoming harder and harder for marketers to ignore.
Sports marketing might be an ideal vehicle for expanding your brand’s customer base into new cultural territories. Many sports index higher among people from different nationalities, allowing companies to build relationships by leveraging an affinity with which the target audience is already deeply connected.
But don’t limit your thinking to major sports like football, baseball and basketball. Niche sports like rugby, cricket and even curling are developing strong followings at both the participant and fan levels due to increased TV exposure and the growing influence of non-Americans seeking familiar pursuits for their recreational activities.
