Ahead of November’s 2022 Men’s World Cup, FIFA partner Budweiser’s ‘The World Is Yours To Take’ activation programme kicked off in September with a hero spot starring a team of soccer superstars – including Lionel Messi, Neymar Jr and Raheem Sterling – running with fans and flags from all around the world heading for and through the players’ tunnel and out onto the pitch.
Set to a reworking of the Tears To Fears track ‘Everybody Wants to Rule the World’, the 45-second video starts with an overview of the significance of the player tunnel, before focusing on Argentina’s Messi, Brazil’s Neymar and England’s Sterling lead supporters of different teams, ages and ethnicities down the tunnel.
One interesting details in the spot sees the inclusion of the LGBT Pride Flag: a reference to the criticism of Qatar 2022 host country for its persecution of LGBT people.
Another is the mention of the sponsor’s Budweiser Zero product: one which will be served in stadiums in a host nation that tightly restricts alcohol sales and consumption.
The footage is accompanied by copy reading “No matter your tunnel, the world is yours to take. Lionel Messi, Neymar Jr, Raheem Sterling, and inspirational influencers from all over the world are leading the way for the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Qatar” and the ad encourages viewers to follow a link to enter a contest to win World Cup and brand linked prizes.
Created in harness with regular agency Wieden + Kennedy, the film aims is to unite football fans and players around the whole world.
The launch ad, titled The World Is Yours To Take’, dropped across TV and online from 15 September.
As well as the spearhead spot, Budweiser also began to roll out a line of limited-edition FIFA World Cup cans which carry a QR codes that give consumers a chance to win prizes including match tickets and entry into Budweiser-hosted watch parties.
The campaign will evolve as the tournament approaches and other activations will include launching an NFT programme, hosting onsite experiences and fanfest watch parties around the world.
The Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) flagship launched the Qatar 2022 campaign in 70 countries – making it one of the brand’s biggest ever marketing initiatives.
Budweiser Global Vice President of Marketing Todd Allen explained that the team wanted to capture the infectious global energy of football fans everywhere to encourage people to find the conviction to go for greatness – no matter what the journey to get there might look like.
“Determination to overcome challenges in the name of achieving greatness, like we’ve seen countless times from Messi, Neymar Jr and Sterling, is an inspiration to us and to fans around the world,” added Allen. “We hope our new campaign reminds fans that no matter what stands in your way, the world is yours to take.”
“The FIFA World Cup is one of the biggest sporting events in the world and a really unique opportunity to bring all of the football fans around the world together once every four years,” continued Allen. “Every host market provides unique opportunities and challenges and regardless of the location, we kick off planning two years ahead of the tournament to provide the best possible experience for fans attending the tournament in person. And working with the largest sporting event, the FIFA World Cup, really allows us to meaningfully connect and impact our customers. And we believe that sport and football can be really a beacon of positive change in the world and we’re proud to celebrate the sport and the players and most importantly the fans.”
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Budweiser has not only been a FIFA sponsor for more than 30 years, but has also developed a strong association in the sport through official sponsorships and player partnerships in football in markets around the world.
Amongst its notable recent football activations are its FA-linked ‘Support Your Club, Support Your Pub’, the Messi-fronted ‘Be A King’, a La Liga’s ‘Beer Of Kings’ campaign, NWSL’s ‘Worth Watching’ activation’,
Qatar 2022 throws up multiple challenges for the beer brand and its fellow sponsors. Not only was the hosting process surrounding by controversy and the country’s laws and attitudes towards women and the LGBTQ community have been widely criticised, but also the planning and construction programme has seen multiple worker deaths, injuries and accusations of worker mistreatment.
Plus, for Budweiser in particular, Qatar is a country where alcohol is tightly regulated.
This campaign follows on from Budweiser’s Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup work which included ‘Light Up The World Cup’.
QR codes are not new for Budweiser when it comes to activating around the World Cup. In August, the beer brand launched a Qatar 2022 scavenger hunt called ‘The Drop’ with QR codes leading fans to prize boxes filled with match tickets, signed memorabilia and other prizes.
Budweiser has also begun to heavily invest in NFTs, recently launching an NFT with digital horse-racing company Zed Run.
Despite the criticism, controversy and scrutiny, advertisers – both official and unofficial – have already begin activating and leveraging the tournament.
For example, Coca-Cola also launched a ‘Believing Is Magic’ digital and mobile campaign around the World Cup earlier in September.
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