Brands have stepped up marketing activit-ies in a bid to capitalise on World Cup fever, with new campaigns kicking off on the eve of football's showcase tournament.
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World Cup sponsor adidas has unveiled a mobile portal in China, featuring content from football players and news alerts for World Cup games, along with branded images, audio and video content, ringtones, and prize competitions, as well as MTV-created 'snippet' videos of players including David Beckham and Raul. "Football is the heart and soul of our brand, it always has been," said Paul Pi, VP marketing, adidas China. "The World Cup gives us the perfect platform to strengthen our leadership in this category."
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Freight and logistics company DHL, meanwhile, has unveiled a TV burst in Hong Kong and China, in a bid to communicate the brand's 'can-do' attitude. Developed by Ogilvy & Mather, the first of the two spots depicts a heavily-laden courier moving through office locations, while performing an array of football tricks, before delivering the package, with the tagline, 'We love football. We love delivering'. The second spot will break in the next week.
"To stand out from the World Cup clutter, this ad is entertaining, light-hearted and fun with direct linkage to DHL's services," said Alan Wong, director of marketing, DHL Express Hong Kong.
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Also in Hong Kong, eBay's operation, in line with the company's global sponsorship of underdog Trinidad and Tobago's national football team, has rolled out an extensive treasure hunt, which revolves around a football theme, while M&C Saatchi roped in local celebrities for Japanese-themed football activities for Langham Place property development.
