For many of us in the media industry, every FIFA World Cup is our Super Bowl.
For brands, it is a time to put their best foot forward. On average, not less than NGN10 billion has been spent by local and regional brands to push their brand given an opportunity to meet close to 100 million people in Nigeria.
SBI Media collated the top brands who featured at the World Cup broadcast and how their strategy fits the platform and the market.
Ecobank
Touted as the pan African bank, Ecobank is using the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia live broadcast to push its mobile banking app, a platform it is promoting as a full fledge mobile bank. It is expected that the campaign is done via Kwese on a pan-African level.
Glo
Nigeria’s second largest mobile carrier is the exclusive mobile broadcast sponsor on DSTV targeting mainly West African countries where it operates. Glo’s message has been centred on its data strength and to also push its data product for the price sensitive targets.
Budweiser
Launching its brand into the Nigerian market, Budweiser seized the ‘golden’ opportunity the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia presented to make an entry into a market that is overtly tough but yet profitable. As the exclusive alcoholic brand on DSTV, Budweiser’s brand new commercial created for the event portrayed it as a free for all brand ready to be enjoyed by all fans of the World Cup.
Worldremit
For Worldremit, the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia will be its first time to be involved in such an elite event. As a money transfer tech company competing with giants like Western Union and even decentralized currencies such as Bitcoin used for remittances, there is no better way to create awareness than the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup.
SoKlin
As a mass market brand, SoKlin has since understood that an elite event such as the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia will connect it with one of the largest audience it will ever meet in four years. With rivals such as Unilever’s Omo and many fringes but equally strong competitors, it was a well-thought out move.
Big Bull Rice
While this comes as surprise to many, WACOT Limited used the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia to launch its Big Bull Rice into the market. The World Cup is not just a feel-good time for business owners to compete with their egos, it is an opportunity to meet close to 100 million viewers in Nigeria alone, launching the rice brand at this time is a masterstroke.
Sensodyne
Just like the case of SoKlin, GlaxoSmithKline’s Sensodyne is using the opportunity to counter whatever move Unilever’s CloseUp makes during the World Cup period. With more than 100 million Nigerians watching the event, it is not a wasted investment to make.
Panadol Extra
As a direct competitor to Emzor‘s paracetamol, the brand is not only in-sync buying into a football event broadcast, it is also trying to claim its leadership in a market where there is a heavy demand for pain relievers.
Emzor Paracetamol
With its sponsorship of Nigeria’s Super Eagles, Emzor Paracetamol has been consistent to always feature in competitions where Nigeria’s national team participates. Its dated but animated commercial, however, dampened its gains of making a good show at such event.
Nokia
There was no way Nokia would not feature in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia if it is to be taken seriously given its unique ‘problem’. Coming back into a market now dominated by Tecno and Samsung, pushing its cutting-edge Nokia 7 Plus is a good move for HMD Global.
Samsung
For Samsung, this World Cup seems like a low-key type. Despite its kind of hush-hush strategy, Samsung is using one stone to kill many birds by advertising as a group instead. Showcasing credentials in TV, refrigerators, sound system and mobile, Samsung will be looking at competing with everyone but itself.
Hisense
With the absence of LG in the mix comes Hisense which is pushing its TV sets across Africa with its partnership with Budweiser and DSTV. For a brand very much new in advertising in Africa, it is a well-thought-out move that can be leveraged after the event.
Peak Milk
For several World Cups, FrieslandCampina’s Peak has been consistent and more importantly any of such event where the Nigerian national team participates. Its strategy to back the Super Eagles has also remained the same and would be switched for normal campaigns should they crash out.
Unilever
With its portfolio approach, Unilever is pushing its Lipton tea and its flagship brand and toothpaste, Closeup. For many years, the latter has enjoyed over 70% market share. However, the position has been challenged by ‘comebacks’ and new entrants. Doing the World Cup is a move to stamp its leadership.
Indomie Noodles
As the brand with the largest market share in instant noodles, Indomie had no excuse not to feature in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia. With its acquisition of Dangote’s pasta and noodles business, Dufil’s Indomie is going almost unchallenged in the event.
