If you’re a sports fan, or specifically a soccer fan, I don’t have to tell you the World Cup is the most major thing to happen to your life since David Beckham’s feet.
And nothing turns the sports marketing world upside down like the World Cup. Adidas and Nike have always been competitors in the world of sports products, advertising and sponsoring. You might think since Adidas is an official sponsor for the World Cup and Nike is not, that Adidas takes the #1 spot. Well, not quite. Nike is not going to let being “unofficial” stop them from getting noticed during this absolutely crucial advertising time.
For the 2010 World Cup, Nike released the “Write the Future” campaign. Based on Nielsen ratings, the most frequently linked brand to the World Cup was Nike. Even though they were never officially associated with FIFA. Nice job Nike.
But this is 2014, and a new World Cup, and something tells me Adidas is not going to let that happen again. Adidas has teamed up with Google in the The “Desadio Tudo ou Nada” campaign, (“Challenge All or Nothing) which was released on day one of the 2014 World Cup, June 12th.
All ads lead to a microsite, and this microsite is every soccer addict’s playground. World Cup junkies can log on to the site and answer five daily questions about, what other than, the World Cup.
Adidas is really channeling the inner competitors in these soccer fans by awarding 10 winners every day that receive awesome soccer themed prizes like signed soccer balls. Google Street View also allows website visitors to check out all the World Cup stadiums.
Adidas has also released a YouTube web series called “The Dugout,” which gives you up close and personal views of live games and players.
But Adidas isn’t the only one on YouTube. Nike’s “The Last Game” takes a different approach, and it’s drawn in over 47 million viewers.
It’s anyone’s game at this point, and although Adidas is dishing out major dough to be a partner for FIFA, Nike is putting up a pretty good fight to stay in the conversation. What do you think? Which brand is doing a better job?