The next stage of football sponsorship

Are you already looking forward to the World Cup? Or all the advertising that will then bombard you on a constant loop?

Because the FIFA World Cup is no longer really a purely sporting event. It's a meticulously planned, premium advertising environment with occasional contact with the ball.

The FIFA World Cup has always been a global business. But with each edition, the line between sport and marketing shifts further. Now the question is less about whether advertising is integrated, but rather how deeply it permeates the experience.

Between pre-match reports, kick-off, half-time, final whistle and interviews, not a single second is wasted to emotionally charge brands.

New advertising formats in football

Today we were brainstorming ways the organizers could rake in even more money. Because the future might belong to integrated, utterly absurd advertising formats.

What initially sounds like an exaggerated satire, on closer inspection appears to be a realistic future scenario: the throw-in as a branded event, the free kick "powered by" a comparison portal, or the VAR decision supported by an AI brand including loading animation.

The logic behind it is simple: maximum attention during emotionally charged moments. And even more revenue for the organizers.

The complete marketing

Here are our ideas – welcome to the next stage of football sponsorship:

◉ The throw-in is presented to you by an international delivery service – including a countdown of how quickly the ball will be back in play.

◉ This free kick is powered by some comparison portal – the trajectory is compared with loan rates in real time.

◉ The VAR decision is made using an AI platform – including thinking animation and a commercial during the review.

◉ The goalkeeper's goal kick is supported by a travel provider – because there's always room for going further afield.

◉ This yellow card is presented to you by an insurance company – because caution is better.

◉ The corner kick comes in cooperation with a furniture store – we all know that every corner counts.

◉ The extra time is extended by an energy drink or potency enhancer – for extra minutes of stamina.

◉ The penalty kick is presented by a dating app – couples meet and things get serious.

◉ The group formation is sponsored by a messaging service – everyone is now in one group.

◉ The pitch invasion after the final whistle is supported by a streaming provider – the new post-apocalyptic original.

◉ The game's swallow is awarded by an airline – flying can be so beautiful.

◉ The drinking break is presented by a mineral water company – including real-time hydration statistics.

◉ Ball possession is visualized by a banking app – who controls the capital?

◉ The replacement is being made in cooperation with a job portal – time for a change.

◉ The coach's rant is supported by a coffee manufacturer – stay awake now.

◉ The offside line is presented by a telecommunications provider – the boundary of the 5G network.

◉ The own goal is sponsored by a coaching app – just don't get depressed.

A very bright future

And for the really big future: personalized advertising directly in the game. Each viewer sees different brands, depending on their purchasing behavior. Just like it already is on smartphones.

While one person is presented with the penalty kick by a luxury watch, the other sees the same shot sponsored by discount store weekly offers.

For rights holders, TV broadcasters and Sponsors This is a billion-dollar market. For fans, however, the question increasingly arises as to where the actual football match ends.

Conclusion

In the end, even the most neutral entity in football could become part of the system: the referee, presented by a global partner.

This is still just a pipe dream and a bit of satire. But anyone who has followed developments in recent years knows: in the international sports business, the only thing often separating an idea from its realization is a lot of money and a signed contract…

Sierks Media / PR Agent / © Photo: SergeyNivens, de.depositphotos.com