This world cup, brand it like Beckham

Starting tonight, the quadrennial football World Cup, the biggest global television spectacle for decades, will be played out on a second screen. This is the first World Cup in which the majority of spectators watching matches on TV will also be watching and discussing football on their smartphones.

Brands are optimising their World Cup marketing with decentralised creator-led campaigns for these extra eyeballs. Influencers will push out community-driven content into social media feeds, and podcasts will serve as companion media to extend engagement. Both Coca-Cola and Pepsi have moved their marketing campaigns away from products to fans. Nike and Adidas are zeroing in on the unifying culture of football. The switch to emotional storytelling from pure spectacle of the game will throw up a new set of winners among brands during this tournament.

Brands are connected with the rise of football culture in the US and Canada, as well as how audiences consume the sport. Since this World Cup will play out longer, with 48 participating countries rather than the traditional 32, and over a bigger geography, it opens up the field for localised marketing. Geo-targeted campaigning across a diversity of cultures is another area of marketing innovation during this Cup. The tools to deliver the 'right' message to audiences have never been as powerful, and they will be tested rigorously over the next 39 days.


Audience engagement is expected to be an astounding 6 bn people, which makes the World Cup as much a marketing championship as a football tournament. Marketing mavens have widened the event to a cultural one where fans are as much a part of the spectacle as players. Tech has added a social layer to communication that is driving engagement. Over the years, football has also changed quite a bit off the field. It's no longer restricted to sponsorships and broadcast rights. Smart messaging is moving with the new realities of the World Cup. Along with the likes of Mbappe, Yamal, Haaland, watch out for other brands tackle and shoot to the top.