If I have to be honest, I’m not a football fan or enthusiast. However, i like the fever & the frenzy of the game
– I like to watch Liverpool play (from time to time) because of Mohamed Salah (please don’t ask me why), I can only say I like his smile🤭.
– I also like listening to the presenter & guests analysis during the break time. For me, it creates great debate on superior and weak team, it helps me understand the players better and I love to watch my family playfully fight while watching.
Unfortunately, I observed nowadays we have so many brand commercials during the break time, leaving little or no time for analysis & discussion before the 2nd half begins. This observation is supported by a recent Wall Street Journal report suggesting an average ‘football’ game includes ~63 minutes of commercials or nearly 33% of the broadcast! Not sure how many minutes of brand commercials are allowed in Nigeria, nonetheless, it’s good to understand who is ultimately benefitting from it.
1. Is it the Organizers? E.g., It was reported yesterday that FIFA has earned record revenues of ~$7.5 billion in the four years of commercial deals tied to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
2. Is it the broadcast station and partners? They need to pay bills for bringing the matches live, or repeat broadcast?
3. How beneficial are these commercial deals for the Brands? Are brands gaining new consumers and followers, do they feel connected, is there strong & emotional association between the brand & consumers? Is there a brand lift?
4. Lastly, are consumers engaged with the brands or the sport/match? Are the commercials adding value to their experience of the game they’re watching & keeping the brands at the front of their minds?
There’s something about ‘football’ that brings people together like no other sport and that creates an amazing opportunity for many in the football ecosystem. If well planned and executed, brands can use football to connect fans to unforgettable moments.
But seriously, why do ‘football’ games have so many (television timeout) commercials?
Written By: Dolapo (Dolly) Otegbayi is the Specialised Nutrition Director at Nigeria’s foremost dairy company, Frieslandcampina WAMCO
