If you have been rummaging through the World Cup videos on Youtube you probably have noticed that the only FIFA sponsor to consistently rank at the top of the list is Visa, but pay close attention, that ranking is not organic but instead a paid placement. No matter what, Visa is hoping for a big marketing GOOAALLLL by inviting people to post their ‘Goal’ videos, and offering gift cards and prizes for watching the entries.
In light of FIFA’s attacks on small firms it seems interesting that a World Cup search on Youtube lists on top many non-sponsors like ESPN and Pepsi’s Oh Africa ad. Nike’s WRITE THE FUTURE commercial features world wide soccer pros playing their hearts out and striving to be the best in their sport and fans celebrating their skills and success. There are no direct mentions of the World Cup. However, soccer players striving to ‘Write their future’ would seem to imply making it to the World Cup.
Nike faced off with FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) in 2003 before the Women’s World Cup, disputing the use of “USA 2003” which was the FIFA slogan and Nike’s ‘Swoosh’ + “USA 03” logo used for clothing and media. Nike won that suit because FIFA’s repeated use of the country name plus the year of the event is not distinctive enough to establish a secondary meaning and thus a trademark to be infringed upon. This argument did not take any precedence in the South African court case FIFA v. Metcash (most likely due to the different jurisdictions of the courts).
Nike’s WRITE THE FUTURE campaign has swept the world on Youtube, receiving more than 17 million views, while competitor and FIFA sponsor Adidas does not even show up on the first page of videos. When found (and you have to literally search “Adidas world cup commercial”), the Adidas ad features the cantina scene from Star Wars with David Beckham and Snoop Dogg, and has only been viewed by fewer than 4 million people. Both companies sponsor multiple teams in the tournament and hope to have their team win it all, but marketing between these rivals has been rather one sided.
Nike has also kicked it up a notch by constructing a huge statue in the Carlton Center shopping mall in Johannesburg, SA. Nike’s Ballman was constructed of 3000 yellow soccer balls suspended from the ceiling of the atrium inside the mall. Nike is throwing their influence in the face of FIFA who had bought up all the advertising rights inside the stadiums as well as along high traffic streets throughout Johannesburg. There are no reports of a lawsuit against Nike this year.
Courtesy of weheart.co.uk
