Sports Marketing and World Cup Ad

Weeks after the conclusion of the 2018 World Cup, Raheem Akingbolu reckons that some of the campaigns used by some of the top brands are still in sync with market trend.

That many business owners within and outside African continent looked in the direction of the just concluded world cup to connect with consumers, is like stating the obvious.

Of course, consumers too appeared ready while the show lasted. As a result of this, each of the brands engaged the market through different positioning tools to gain competitive edge. Though the game has since ended, some of the brand promoters and consumers are still in the euphoria of their successful outing.
In Nigeria, top brands like Glo, Star and Coca Cola explored the platform perfectly.

This marketing theory asserts that a consumer’s knowledge or feeling around a brand – be it a place, person or product – will transfer to the brand it’s linked with in an advertisement or marketing campaign.

For Glo, it was a familiar terrain, considering its passion for football. That is why its World Cup campaign has remained relevant event after the event.
The brand has deployed tonnes of money in football sponsorships nationally and at the continental level. The World Cup holds a great opportunity for companies with such pedigree, to tap into this wonderful and effective passion point, by harnessing opportunities to be on the same page with its growing subscribers and the global audience.
As expected, African brands started on sound footing as five countries including Nigeria represented the continent at the FIFA 2018 World Cup. This raises marketers’ hope to explore opportunities as the competition progresses. Unfortunately, none of these national teams survived the group stage.

The onus, therefore rests on agencies to come up with creative strategies and executions capable of giving strong voice to brands of African descent, in tourney in which their representatives, failed to survive the first stage. It’s beyond a “Support the National team… or Support Africa Rep” campaign. It has to be exploratory, revolutionary and challenging.

In this case, the brand owner, Glo and its agency challenged, still ensured that the African voice continued to sound loud and clear in the ears and hearts of football lovers courtesy of a far reaching materials flighted by the brand.

The commercial tagged “African Legends” by Glo, otherwise known as the “grand master of data”, is hinged on some real heroic deeds of Africans – sports, culture and more. The concept is bound to make lasting impression during and after the world Cup.

The biggest and arguably the loudest 2018 World Cup focused African Ad from Nigeria, African Legends, is unprecedented in driving passion for African football without a single African team in the game.

The advert depicts the dexterity of Africans in a number of positive deeds, the heroic nature of Africans, the legends, the stars and greatness embedded in Africans.

The casts, the setting, the music, wardrobe, props, all are creatively synchronized in the 60” seconds TVC to create what could be described as ‘Black Panther’ of TV Commercial.

The other name for the TV commercial would have been, the irrepressible “African spirit”, it opened with the traditional Moroccan music and prop and people dancing, in procession to celebrate their king. The clips transition to Ghana with her proud black stars displayed in subtle arrogance, the effect is pride and shared accomplishments.

Tunisia brought glitz and glamour to add colour to the one-minute commercial, heroes were celebrated with euphoria through the bonfire and show of African strengths and power. Senegalese flavour added a pep through unqiue African wrestling and dance that aroused cheers and jubilation. All these depicted the greatness in Africa culture.
Nigeria joined in the euphoria with her luxurious green-white-green colours with the horse ready for action.
All these were laden with the power of football, as the most potent unifying factor for Nigerians, nay Africans. Stars and football legends across the different countries were featured not their traditional playing gears but in paraphernalia that spring surprise, and arouse a smile.

Sunday Ogunniyi, A lecturer in communications and football buff said the commercial very well resonated and confirmed that Glo is the biggest supporter of African football.

Africa may not have participated in the 2018 World Cup as much as we would have wanted, but we have our legends and it is possible for us to live up to this aspirational status again, I think this was one of the points of the ad.
This advertisement was big and loud, although, snobbish at the onset, you would never have known where its leading, the surprise element! Glo made us to realise through the campaign that celebrating heroes and legends can add value to our psyche. As they are commemorated in the right way, it restores hope, inspires the youngsters to be better and desire to make it to the global stage.

The commercial from concept to finish was handled by X3M Ideas along with the Glo brand team.
Commenting on the work, the CEO/Chief Creativity Officer of the agency, Steve Babaeko comment on the campaign reluctantly said, “The Chairman (referring to the boss at Glo, Otunba Mike Adenuga) challenged us that he wanted the best ad, and we strived to do just that. The campaign was designed to build on Glo pedigree as the biggest supporter of football on the continent.”