MUMBAI: The FIFA World Cup is here, and Indian brands are all set to tap into the global soccer showpiece to gain a share of consumers' mindspace. The tournament's viewership tends to extend beyond hardcore football enthusiasts, and for companies, the opportunity is not just limited to advertising and sponsorships.
Engaging Young Consumers
Marketers believe there is significant scope to build engagement with young consumers, creating the potential to forge long-term partnerships and reach more people who otherwise may not have explored their brands. Companies across segments are preparing product launches around the event. In the quick-service restaurant space, brands like McDonald's are looking to roll out FIFA-themed meals. Some are planning screenings at bars, offering discounts on product purchases, and creating experiential retail touchpoints.
India Ranks Second in World Cup Content Consumption
For television manufacturers like LG, the enthusiasm has already translated into a surge in sales of large-screen TV sets. Data from performance advertising platform Taboola indicates that India ranks as the second-most engaged market globally after the United States for World Cup-related content consumption, generating 9.7 million page views over the past 90 days across the open web.
Advertising and Sponsorship Surge
Big companies are investing in sponsorships. Official India broadcaster Zee has signed more than 12 brands, including Mahindra, Diageo, Apple, Pernod Ricard, and Mondelez, with more expected to join in the coming days. The top-spending segments include auto, FMCG, BFSI, beverages, technology, and lifestyle. Zee is offering advertisers a complete package covering linear, digital, connected TV, social, and on-ground integrations. Matches will air on its sports channels Unite8 and OTT platform Zee5.
Vinita Pachisia, Executive Vice President of Investments at Amplifi (a unit of Dentsu), noted that Zee is seeking between Rs 10-20 crore for the sponsorship package and is expected to start selling spot inventory. "The challenge for brands has been that Zee acquired the property very late. Deal closures are taking time, but we are seeing many inquiries. Some brands are likely to come in later during the event," she said, adding that late-night timings could affect viewership on weekdays.
Sandeep Goyal, Chairman at Rediffusion, pointed out that selling inventory in football is not as simple as in cricket. Unlike cricket, where every over change offers an ad opportunity, football has no interruptions for 45 minutes each half.
Brand Activations
AB InBev, owner of beer brand Budweiser, will set up an in-store experience in liquor retail spaces around end-June and host match screenings at key bars in major metros, especially during the semi-finals and finals when viewership spikes. McDonald's India (North and East) will launch FIFA Value Meals starting at Rs 209, which come with football collectibles. Hisense, an official global sponsor, has introduced limited-period offers for consumers buying Hisense and Toshiba TV sets.
"Based on the momentum we are witnessing, we anticipate a 15-20% increase in demand for larger-screen premium televisions during this period," said Pankaj Rana, CEO of Hisense India. LG India is already recording two-times growth in large-screen TVs, led by West Bengal and Kerala, as consumers seek a stadium-like viewing experience at home, according to Abhiral Bhansali of LG Electronics India.
