When the Word Cup is in full swing, it essentially dominates the attention spans of everyone who has even a passing interest in football, and countless others who don’t follow the game at all. It brings with it feelings of pride for your country, the excitement of sport, and the opportunity for brands to capitalize on those feelings and excitement alike.

Whether it’s a company directly advertising with the World Cup, or just a promotion to take advantage of the Football frenzy that sweeps the world during the Cup, this is a huge marketing opportunity for all sorts of different businesses to reach a massive audience and to engage with fans of the world’s most popular sport.

Let’s look at a few different industries in particular that take advantage of this opportunity. It is typically either massive global brands, or companies that are closely related to sports or football that tend to benefit the most, but there are always exceptions!

Here are some of the best marketing campaigns that do a great job of tapping into the World Cup fever.

The Beverage Industry

You’ll notice Budweiser logos quite often during a World Cup broadcast, they are one of the major sponsors of the event. It makes sense, because beer and watching sports are a very iconic duo.

Budweiser wants to be the brand you think of when you think of beer, so that the next time you’re at a restaurant or a bar and the server asks what kind of beer you want, you’ll say the first thing that pops into mind which will be a Bud.

At their level, everyone is already aware Budweiser exists, but they still want to occupy that ‘default’ spot in as many people’s minds as possible. Being front and center during one of the world’s biggest sporting events definitely helps them accomplish that.

Nightlife

In addition, Greene King, the largest pub retailer and brewer in the UK, who operate thousands of pubs, have been selling incredible amounts of beer thanks to the World Cup. They sold an additional half a million pints during England’s game against Panama, and while they aren’t a direct sponsor of the World Cup like Budweiser, they’re still able to capitalize with their own promotions to attract fans who want to cheer on their team.

Casinos

Introducing our new TV advert featuring Danny McBride as Sports Rodstein.

"Guy with the big hands, I'm backing you to score first!"

Don't bet silly, bet savvy. pic.twitter.com/vALAEswIB5

— Coral (@Coral) May 26, 2018

Betting and sports are another iconic duo. There’s Coral, who recruited Hollywood actor Danny McBride who you might recognize from Pineapple Express, This is the End, or HBO’s cult-classic Eastbound & Bound, to star in their World Cup ad campaign. Working with a recognizable face like this helps build trust and adds credibility, and betting during a sports game is a very common thing, so chances are at least a handful of people watching this commercial are going to be reaching for their mobile phones to place some wagers.

And while they’re at it, they may stumble across Ask Gamblers and their list of online betting promotions for the World Cup. There are many different casino sites out there, and Ask Gamblers compiles the most trustworthy and the most highly rated ones, and also curates the best offers and promotions that any of them are currently running. It’s a good place for consumers to start looking if they’re thinking of placing bets, and the site also has a huge selection of tips and advice, and a long track record of helping people solve disputes with some of the less-than-credible casino sites that are out there. The best thing to do is to check out the reviews, stick to the highest rated ones, and see if any of the World Cup promos are tempting enough to try your luck. This is an effective promotion because it’s a helpful resource first and foremost, and adds a lot of value for people who want to bet on sports.

What Makes a Great World Cup Promotion?

With so many brands trying to scream and yell about their promos, it can start to feel a bit overwhelming. The most memorable promotions and sponsors are the ones that give back to the audience. While many companies are trying to take from the customers (money, time), when they give back instead, it can have a profound impact. That can be giving back in the form of entertainment and comedy (The Coral short with Danny McBride), or a useful and helpful tool like the Ask Gamblers’ list, or any number of other ways that a business can give value to the customer and enhance their World Cup experience.