With the enormous buildup and kickoff of the World Cup comes another example of superior branding. Nike has intimately tied its brand to nearly every facet of communication the
World Cup has to offer, including the faces of key English players. This massive sculpture billboard “feature(s) the faces of England squad members Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand and James Milner, as well as absentee Theo Walcott…and is predicted to be seen around six million times in the lead-up to the opening fixture.”
What an amazing concept. Closely identify your brand with a sport that is fueled by the united passion of nearly every country in the world. When people see, hear and think about soccer (or “football” for most), they see, hear and think about Nike.
Such tremendous brand saturation does not come easily. Nike has “launch(ed) its largest-ever presence at a World Cup,” and its tireless efforts have effectively put it in front of every fan of every team. I can’t help but to see its brand swoosh across my eyes on a daily basis…and I’m not even much of a soccer fan.
Strategic ambush marketing tactics have led to “Nike (being) mentioned twice as often online as sponsor Adidas.” It has employed everything from a captivating commercial that is quickly climbing the charts to be one of the best in history, to sustainable efforts by providing sponsored teams with shirts made from recycled polyester. Its ad campaign “Write the Future” successfully links Nike to the
World Cup in the consumer’s mind by evoking the fervor and intensity felt worldwide by soccer fans.
So what does all of this mean for Nike in the aftermath of the whirlwind World Cup experience? The passion and excitement of the game’s final matchups, and Nike’s forefront presence in the entire event, will continue to resonate with fans around the world. Fans of both winning teams and losing teams will continue to write their future with Nike.






















