Endorsement Deals And Sponsorships
The World Cup is without a doubt the single biggest sporting event in history. Countrymen and soccer fans alike come out in droves in support of their favorite players and national teams. And of course, that popularity means a few benefits come to brands who become partners: attention, eyes, views, marketing opportunities, and a chance to make a lot of money.
The fact that the World Cup only comes around every four years just adds to the excitement and anticipation of it all. With the billions of views that this momentous occasion generates, brands and marketers jump to get in on some of the action. In this blog, Hollywood Branded looks at three of the ultimate sports and fitness brands that have the top brand sponsorships and endorsement deals for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
World Cup Brand Sponsor 1: Adidas
Adidas is currently at the top of the leader board in terms of sponsorships and endorsements for this World Cup beating out Nike’s ten team sponsorship with their twelve. Not to mention the fact that they are the official World Cup partner supplying the game ball for this year’s tournament; the Telestar 18 as they are calling it.
At the moment they have endorsement deals with such players as Lionel Messi, Paul Pogba, and Luis Suarez just to name a few. The 2014 World Cup in Brazil was quite the marketing success for Adidas. Not only did sponsored team Germany win the tournament but their brand endorsers, Messi and Colombia’s James Rodriguez, were awarded the golden ball and golden boot awards.
“We see this as a brand-building event,” adidas CEO Kasper Rorsted told Marketing Week.
Currently, Adidas holds the biggest national team deal in the world with Germany. Last year the brand signed a deal with the German football team worth $57 million per year until 2022. That surpassed the now second highest deal between France and Nike for $50 million.
And Adidas did one other thing that is truly exceptional for the games. They have created the biggest celebrity endorsement commercial to have ever existed. Check it out, it's truly amazing.
The 90 second ad includes some of the absolute biggest names in the world of soccer, including: David Beckham, Gabriel Jesus, Jose Mourinho, Lionel Messi, Paul Pogba, Mo Salah, and Luis Suarez and so many others. Plus, included from the world of actors and music artists, fashion and other athletes were Usain Bolt, A$AP Ferg (the spot's narrator), Karlie Kloss, Damian Lillard, Von Miller, Pharrell, Caitlyn Schrepfer, Caroline Wozniacki. Plus MORE! See... truly unbelievable. And you can't even begin to fathom the cost to make that commercial and bring all of those individuals together.
World Cup Brand Sponsor 2: Nike
In second place, comes the highly coveted Nike franchise. Whereas Adidas has Lionel Messi, Nike has Cristiano Ronaldo from Portugal and Neymar from Brazil. Arguably two of the biggest and most well-known athletes in the world currently.
They also sponsor some of the best talent being showcased in Russia this summer with team sponsorships for Brazil, France, and England to name a few. They even made headlines weeks before the World Cup commenced with record breaking pre-order numbers for the Nigeria national team jersey coming in at 3 million. Cristiano Ronaldo alone is considered a marketer’s dream - with over 131 million followers, when he posts a single still image the post gets over 4 million views, and his video posts over 7 million.
Nike is also looking to make some noise this World Cup with an exclusive collaboration with current “Off White” collaborator Virgil Abloh. His highly popular “Off White” sneaker collaboration with Nike will transition onto the soccer fields in Russia this World Cup in the form of cleats and goalkeeper gloves.
World Cup Brand Sponsor 3: Puma
While Puma may not yet have the stature or notoriety that Adidas and Nike have, it is definitely on the rise! Part of the reason why Puma only has four teams currently represented in the World Cup is because many of the national teams they sponsor did not successfully qualify. What could have been 8 total teams represented in the tournament turned into 4 when the Ivory Coast, Ghana, Cameroon, and Italy did not pass the qualification rounds.
Still, the German company hopes that the few represented athletes they endorse can do their best to have their share of the spotlight and success this summer at the Cup.
Even away from the World Cup, Puma is doing their best to snag some deals from their counterparts. Over the past couple of years they have sponsored such big name teams as Arsenal from England and Dortmund from Germany. According to sources, Manchester City from the English Premier League will reportedly ditch Nike for a rumored $60 million per season deal with Puma. All signs definitely point to nothing but growth for the athletic company in the coming years.
Until The Next Tourney...
In short, the 2018 World Cup, regardless of brand or partnerships, is undeniably guaranteed to be a successful marketing and branding campaign for many companies, athletic or not.
With so many eyes being focused on this once every 4 year event it is absolutely crucial that brands and marketers get their names seen and heard as much as possible in this month long span. From TV commercials to celebrity laden social posts, the competition that the tournament garners is more than just on and off the field with players and brands alike.
For numerous blogs about celebrity endorsements, influencer marketing, and marketing in Hollywood, check out our links below!
- 7 Steps to Secure the Right Influencer To Post For Your Brand
- 4 Celebrity Endorsement Ads Paired With Unexpected Brand Categories
- What Makes a Good Celebrity Endorsement – For a Beauty Brand
- The Most Effective Celebrity Endorsements For Super Bowl 2018
- Top Celebrity Beverage Endorsers
Interested in learning how to work with celebrities and influecners for your brand? Then check out our Influencer Marketing School which will provide more than just the basics, and get you on your way to being able to negotiate the best deals for your brand.
