Keep calm and carry on
Since 1975 the global population has increased by one billion people every 11 to 12 years. On 15th November 2022 the population is projected to pass 8 billion for the first time. It was also 12 years ago that FIFA, the governing body of world football, announced Qatar would host the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup.
As the recent Netflix documentary FIFA Uncovered revealed, the house of FIFA has not covered itself in glory in recent years. To most insiders in the sport business this well-produced documentary did not reveal much that was not already known. Despite criticisms of corruption, lack of governance and moral compass aimed at FIFA executives, the global football business has grown on and off the pitch.
The commercial success of a sporting event like the Olympic Games or World Cup is often measured by the growth in match tickets sold, broadcast viewing figures and revenue from sponsors or partners. A press release from FIFA in July 2022 projected a cumulative viewing audience of 5 billion for the month-long tournament starting this weekend. That would be an increase of 1.5 billion compared to the tournament held in Russia in 2018 and almost double the previous tournaments in Brazil 2014 and South Africa 2010. Global TV viewing of sports peaked way back in 2012. Since then, new technology has provided sport fans with a myriad of options to consume content which has expanded the reach and engagement, especially with Millennials and Gen Z where gaming and tech drives participation.
Criticism surrounding a World Cup always includes the FIFA Family including official sponsors although some have maintained a lower profile than usual. Curiously, Anheuser-Busch, the global beer company which owns Budweiser, is accelerating its marketing spend to ensure its brands are front of mind as football fans enjoy the upcoming matches in Qatar. As Budweiser seeks to activate in 70 countries, they have employed the services of Lionel Messi, Neymar Jr. and Raheem Sterling. Fans can win tickets by scanning QR codes on more than one billion limited edition Budweiser bottles. On site there will be BUDX FIFA Fanfest watch parties and musical performances at the Budweiser Hotel. And if that is not enough fans can buy commemorative NFTs through the metaverse…..don’t rush all at once!
On the other side of the marketing pitch is the Scottish brewer, Brewdog, who decided it was an opportunity to launch an ambush campaign with an out-of-home ad reading ‘First Russia, then Qatar. Can’t wait for North Korea.’ All sales from Brewdog’s Lost lager brand will be donated to fighting human rights abuse. The biggest backlash came from former employees who accused the company of operating a ‘culture of fear’ and to get their own house in order before criticizing others. In less than one week, the LinkedIn post announcing the campaign from Brewdog CEO James Watt generated more than 127,000 likes, 3,500 comments and 3,709 reposts! Love them or hate them, you can respect them for taking a stance for something they believe in.
The most curious new official FIFA sponsorship comes in the ‘mindfulness and meditation product’ category from San Francisco based Calm. Free subscriptions for the app will be offered to all players, coaches and staff at Men’s and Women’s World Cups, as well as FIFA staff and tournament volunteers. There will be a 50% discount to fans of the tournament in Qatar. In addition, Calm will co-produce mindfulness content with FIFA in the form of webinars and online sessions for players, fans, and staff.
As we prepare to indulge in a month of football consumption, it is worth noting an estimated 33% to 40% of food production is lost or wasted each year with one in nine people not having enough food to eat each day. Perhaps we can follow in the footsteps of another long-time FIFA sponsor, McDonalds who feed almost 1% of the world’s population each day from 40,031 restaurants in 119 countries. Whether you like the food or not, McDonalds offer their customers what they want. If you’re not happy then do something to change the world or simply download an app, keep calm and carry on.