World Cup Watching

A SHORT GUIDE TO FOLLOWING - AMBUSHING

WHAT IT IS

Ambushing is: “The incursive, obtrusive or associative activities of a brand intended to yield a range of benefits similar or comparable to those typically achieved by brands that have a formal, contractual sponsorship agreement with an event.” (Chadwick and Burton, 2018)

WHY IT IS IMPORTANT

Ambushing represents a major threat to FIFA’s official sponsors, as brands that engage in it distract consumers from seeing these official sponsors or else they undermine what official sponsors are doing. This summer, ambushing is set to be a hot topic: 1) because ambushers are becoming increasingly sophisticated in the way they do things; and 2) because there is some nervousness among ambushers about engaging in the practice in Russia.

WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR

Brands that have no legal right of association with the World Cup trying either to convince consumers that they are sponsors, or trying to distract consumer attention away from official sponsors. Paddy Power and Iceland worth watching (especially on social media).

SOME QUESTIONS TO ASK

Which brands will ambush official World Cup sponsors and how will they do it?

How will official sponsors, FIFA and Russian officials respond to this?

What part will online ambushing and trolling play during the tournament?

SOMETHING TO READ

‘Ambush Marketing and the Football World Cup’ https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057/9781137373687_5

‘How ambush marketing ambushed sport’ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8743881.stm

‘Models, Messi and wacky races: the art of ambush marketing’ https://theconversation.com/models-messi-and-wacky-races-the-art-of-ambush-marketing-22622

SOMETHING TO WATCH

‘Bavaria beer stunt organisers arrested’ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup/7832413/World-Cup-2010-Bavaria-beer-stunt-organisers-arrested.html

‘Mastering the Art of Ambush Advertising’ https://www.wsj.com/video/mastering-the-art-of-ambush-advertising/803A6BD2-31BB-47C3-AC09-09839B43D3AC.html

About Professor Simon Chadwick

Simon is Professor of Sports Enterprise at Salford University in Manchester (UK), where he is also a Co-Director of the Centre for Sports Business. He is also a Founding Co-Director of the China Soccer Observatory and a Senior Fellow of the China Policy Institute at the University of Nottingham (UK). He has worked in football across the world, for various organisations including companies, federations, and governments. He tweets via @Prof_Chadwick