The World Cup of Marketing: Do's & Don'ts for Reaching a Global Audience Online

THE WORLD CUPOF MARKETING

Do's & Don'ts for Reaching a Global Audience Online


June is a crazy month in the world of sports: the NBA Finals, the NHL Stanley Cup Finals, and the U.S. Open Golf Championship. While each of these highly televised events provides a fantastic opportunity for marketers, they pale in comparison to the hype that surrounds the World Cup every four years.

THE GLOBAL STADIUM

There are few media events left for marketers with this kind of magnitude; however, with great opportunity comes great responsibility. While the prospect of gaining immense visibility is a compelling enough reason for brands to dive in, catering to the specific World Cup audience requires a number of crucial considerations.

will be broadcasting the 2014 World Cup will be played across 32 days

214 COUNTRIES

expected to watch the World Cup this year.That is 50% of the world’s population!

3.6 billion

dollars will be spent on sponsorships and commercials

5.7 billion

64 matches



Consumers are quick to penalize brands for foul play. Here’s how brands can dodge the devastating red card.


Be cognizant of the widespread audience.

Brands must ask themselves: how can we e�ectively produce a campaign that reaches all of the 214 countries where the World Cup will be broadcasted, across all media channels and audiences?

GLOBAL AUDIENCE1

1. Think global; act local. 2.Which content is relevant for which region?3. What goes viral in one region may fall flat in another.

CROSS-CULTURAL RELEVANCE 2


Brands need to be flexible in their approach.

How and where content is shared makes a world of a difference.

Which points of contact will drive consumer engagement for each market?

Which channel—TV, radio, mobile, social, etc.—or combination of channels will hold the most weight in each country or region that we are targeting?

Which devices are used in local markets?

VERSATILITY3


A little goes a long way, especially when it comes to respect.

The importance of having regard for differences: dialect, cultural sensitivities, local laws and regulations.

Build content that is consistent with the positive aspects of the World Cup, such as honor, competitive spirit and global cooperation.

VALUES4


This year, during a typical 90-minute World Cup game, only 17% of that time will be dedicated to commercials. For fans, this means a nearly uninterrupted watching experience; meanwhile, brands will be elbowing and slide tackling for those precious 15 minutes of airtime.

The upside for marketers is thatthe 2014 World Cup will be the most “social” sporting event in history, providing an unprecedented opportunity for global brand engagement.



74.2%

42.1% expect to post a status update/tweet about favorite ads.

55.8% will share World Cup ads on social media in order to support a brand they like.

58.4% expect to be using their smartphone during the World Cup games.

52.1% are more likely to like/follow a brand after the World Cup.

47.9% are more likely to like/follow a team.

VIEWERS TUNE IN & LOG ON

When it comes to brand di�erentiation during the World Cup, the winner might not have the best television commercial. While television certainly has its advantages, the limitations of its reach prevent it from being the ideal medium for the World Cup. The true competitive advantage lies in the right com-bination of online video and social media. Commercials end, but the sharing of content continues even after the games are over.


•The top 20 World Cup ads have (thus far) earned 6.9 million shares across social media

•The top 20 Super Bowl ads only attracted 4.7 million shares

•That’s a 31.4% advantage!

•YouTube users have already watched four times more World Cup ads than Super Bowl ads

If you watched every single game in the history of the World Cup, that still wouldn’t be as much time as people have spent watching World Cup ads this year!

crazy fact!


AWARDSAWARDS


Although Pitbull & JLo’s “We Are One,” is the o�cial music video of the 2014 World Cup, the fans award the Man of the Match trophy. The fans have spoken—whether by word-of-mouth or through social media—and it’s clear that the true anthem of the World Cup is “La La La,” by Shakira in partnership with Activia.

(WO)MAN OF THE MATCH: Shakira & Activia, “La La La”



ADIDAS GOLDEN BALL: Beats by Dre, “The Game Before the Game”

The Golden Ball is awarded to the competition’s most outstanding player. When it comes to brands, this year’s winner is an unlikely one. Beats by Dre released an ad, “The Game Before the Game,” that killed despite one rather small obstacle: Beats headphones were banned by FIFA due to its o�cial licensing agreement with Sony Corporation. Success in the face of adversity is a sign of a true competitor.


The adidas Golden Boot Awardis presented to the World Cup’s leading goal scorer. Nike, with its imaginative “The Last Game,” spot, has exceeded its goals while leading the online video charts with 57,384,870 views and 839,698 social shares.

ADIDAS GOLDEN BOOTNike, “The Last Game”

ADIDAS GOLDEN GLOVEGALAXY11: The Anthem


Goalkeepers are often unrecog-nized and underappreciated; however, protecting the house is no small feat. The series of #GALAXY11 ads take the World Cup beyond the pitch; the biggest match is not USA vs. Germany, but the battle over Earth. The result of this apocalyptic war: soccer and Samsung will save the planet.

The purpose of the Hyundai Young Player Award is to recognize the impact made by young, fresh talent. Coca-Cola took customer engagement to a di�erent level with its user-generated video contest. The viralty of this ad in particular bested Coca-Cola’s professionally made ads. This is proof of the World Cup’s visibility: talent that was relatively unknown before can emerge as a household name after.

HYUNDAI YOUNG PLAYER AWARDWhat Will Happen If You Boil Coke?



Even though Nike outperformed adidas in terms of viewership,sometimes being a good sport has its benefits. “All In Or Nothing,” promotes the true meaning of the global competition that is the World Cup: when the whole world is watching, there’s only one way to play—all in. It’s not always about who is on top of the leaderboard, but who has the most heart.

FAIR PLAY AWARD: Adidas, “All In Or Nothing”


The right to compete is earned, not given. The World Cup may feature 204 international squads, but there are only 32 qualifying spots to compete for. The same goes for brands; just because marketers have content, it doesn’t guarantee an opportunity to capture the attention of the massive World Cup audience.

There’s no reward without risk. The World Cup is filled with inspired moments: a daring pass, a diving header, or on rare occasions, a dramatic bicycle kick. Content marketers often have these same moments of inspiration; so don’t be afraid to run with it. Be silly; be bold; be a winner.

Every four years, the World Cup sends a worldwide audience into fits of cheers, chants and panic. For one month anything goes, as the games seem to unite the entire world around a common beauty: soccer (well, football). The strategies exercised by teams are not far-o� from the tactical takeaways for marketers.

ViralGains had quite the presence at the Publicity Club of New England’s 2014 Bell Ringer Awards, and it was anything but boring. The night may have included some of the most celebrated names in Advertising and Public Relations, but what was the most memorable part? Unicorns, fox ears and Instagram magic. Check out some wild photos and the new ViralGains ad that it inspired.


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The World Cup of Marketing: Do's & Don'ts for Reaching a Global Audience Online

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Transcript of The World Cup of Marketing: Do's & Don'ts for Reaching a Global Audience Online