The FIFA World Cup kicks off in a couple of weeks, but TV viewers are already seeing ads that reference the global tournament. From footwear to potato chips, many companies are looking to use the World Cup in their marketing.
But, how effective might that be, given the relative popularity of soccer here, compared to other sports and compared to the rest of the world?
Tim Riester, founder and CEO of the Phoenix-based advertising firm Riester.
Full conversation
MARK BRODIE: Tim, good morning.
TIM RIESTER: Good morning.
MARK BRODIE: So, we should also mention you are a soccer guy, right? You’re involved with Phoenix Rising, the soccer team here in Phoenix. How big of a deal is the World Cup in the United States for companies looking to advertise?
TIM RIESTER: It is projected to be bigger than ever in its history. The last time the United States hosted a World Cup was in 1994. And those who will remember it really catapulted soccer into the prominence that it is now as it continues to grow as a sport in the United States.
Major League Soccer, the MLS, actually was founded after 1994 as a result of that growing enthusiasm. And the projection for the advertising commerce, they’re projecting $10 billion of advertising revenue just in the United States for this World Cup.
MARK BRODIE: Wow. And that is in a country where, I mean, no offense, but soccer is not the most popular sport. And while I think a lot of viewers would recognize like Lionel Messi or, you know, David Beckham, who of course is not playing anymore, some of the biggest stars and some of the biggest American stars are not household names and not household faces.
TIM RIESTER: And this is their opportunity. But what’s so fascinating is, their opportunity comes after the advertising instead of before. So, as advertisers, these big brand marketers, you mentioned Messi, you mentioned Beckham. Already they appear in the ads that I’ve reviewed in the campaigns I’ve reviewed that are already out. They appear in almost every one of them because they’re the among the few big international soccer stars that people in America know.
So, you’ll see fewer members of the U.S. Men’s National Team in the advertising. You’ll see more international soccer stars paired with celebrities from Hollywood, from our motion pictures and our music industry in the United States.
MARK BRODIE: OK, so is this an opportunity, like can the U.S. Men’s National Team use advertising maybe as a way to get the public to be more familiar with American players, with Team USA?
TIM RIESTER: So, they are, and they’ve they’ve just launched the biggest campaign in their history, the U.S. Men’s National Team. And what’s so interesting about it is, their their focus and their theme is “Never Chase Reality.” That’s actually the theme of the campaign.
MARK BRODIE: OK.
TIM RIESTER: And what they’re saying is, don’t focus on how difficult it will be for us to compete. Focus instead on the fact that anybody can win when it comes to this level. Everyone brings their best game. So, even even some of the smaller countries like Curaçao, who has to play Germany in the in the early group stage, you can’t count those players out because those are players who have been, they had a ball on their barefoot since they were 1 or 2 years old in their country, right? So, this is this is the time in the world where the best players come together and bring their very best match.
And for the U.S. players, they could really surprise everyone and come through. And that’s what the U.S. National Team’s campaign is about. And in fact, Fox Sports, who’s carrying the broadcast throughout the United States, their campaign they’re running to promote it already is about the dream and they end their commercial that’s running now with one of the famous U.S. hockey players, right? Which sport is closest to soccer in the United States? It’s hockey when you watch, is very similar sport. And a member from the Dream Team ends their commercial to remind us all, never count out the Americans.
MARK BRODIE: OK. Are there certain companies or types of industries that you think that are better suited to advertise during the World Cup?
TIM RIESTER: Well, for sure, the international brands, they already understand the impact of this. In the United States, many Americans and advertisers don’t understand that second only to religion is soccer in the rest of the world. I mean, it’s really, really big. The viewership will be over 6 billion people.
MARK BRODIE: Wow.
TIM RIESTER: So, imagine pretty much every game that’s played and televised during this six-week period will be as big as the Super Bowl worldwide. You have six weeks of Super Bowl games over and over and over again. That’s what the World Cup is.
So, you’ll see advertisers like Adidas, who really understand, and they’ve already released a a teaser campaign. And I just love it. It’s called “Backyard Legends.” And it’s about this group of kid s—
MARK BRODIE: Three kids like on a concrete soccer field.
TIM RIESTER: Exactly, right? In an inner city, where this concrete field is between these high-rise buildings, and how across the generations this team or across the decades, I should say, because it’s the same three players as they age, are unbeaten, even against the greatest players in the world who’ve come to try to defeat this trio. And they to make it work for the U.S. audience, Adidas brings in Timothée Chalamet.
MARK BRODIE: Yeah.
TIM RIESTER: And they have him narrating this this 5-minute film, and they bring in a U.S. player, Trinity Rodman. And and people who don’t follow soccer may they may, most people remember Dennis Rodman, the crazy NBA player who played with the Chicago Bulls during the Michael Jordan era.
MARK BRODIE: His daughter’s a phenomenal soccer player, though.
TIM RIESTER: The highest paid female soccer player in the history of the United States. She is a superstar. So, they’ve put her in this commercial with Timothee Chalamet, and he’s bringing her and two European players, Bellingham from England and Yamal from Spain.
And he says, “This is my team,” and he’s going to try to defeat this this local, this folklore story about this local trio. And they don’t show that match yet. They tease you for five minutes and let you know that as their campaign continues, you’ll find out if they’re good enough.
MARK BRODIE: Right. OK, so Tim, just about a minute left. If you are advising companies about putting together their campaigns, you mentioned this is like having six weeks of Super Bowls. Do you go inspirational? Do you go funny? Do you play it straight? Like, how what is the right strategy here?
TIM RIESTER: Advertisers need to think culture instead of commerce. If they understand the cultural phenomenon this is and they place themselves within the culture, like Lays potato chips is trying to do with Will Ferrell.
MARK BRODIE: Driving a big like RV.
TIM RIESTER: And calling it the bandwagon, right? Calling it what it is, right? Get on the bandwagon whether you follow this sport or not. And I think that advertisers who understand that it’s about culture instead of commerce, they’re the ones who will win in this World Cup.
MARK BRODIE: So, an ad like that, for example, great in the U.S., maybe not so good in England, where like people really just watch soccer as a matter of habit.
TIM RIESTER: That Lays commercial was designed for the U.S., where Adidas commercial was designed worldwide. And if if there’s time, I’d love to just invite people, you know, Phoenix Rising, for 10 years, we’ve had 37 different countries on our roster. There’s 20 countries on the roster today, and several of the players fans have seen at Phoenix Rising are playing in this World Cup for other countries, Panama, Curaçao, Haiti. We have a player from Haiti who’s playing in the World Cup right now.
So, people who have been out to see Phoenix Rising, which by the way costs 1% of what it costs to go see a World Cup match, will see some players they know in the World Cup this year.
MARK BRODIE: Interesting. All right, we’ll have to leave it there. Tim Riester, founder and CEO of the firm Riester. Tim, thanks as always.
TIM RIESTER: Thank you, Mark. It’s a pleasure to see you and be here.
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