Advertising around the 2018 FIFA World Cup in the US

[bcla]

I guess it's going to be awkward in the US since the US didn't qualify. However, so far the one ad I hear a lot on local radio is a beer ad for the Estrella Jalisco brand of beer, where they're apparently an official sponsor of the Mexican national team. The ads are in English (maybe Spanglish to some degree) and it's kind of strange when it's someone saying "Bring it home boys" when talking about the Mexican national team to an English speaking audience.

I looked it up, and this brand (sold in the US by A-B) is running some promotion they call the "North American Adopted Football Team Agreement" although it doesn't seem to be anything official. They trying to get Americans and Canadians to adopt the Mexican national team as its own. However, the ads that I hear on the radio don't mention it.

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-rel...during-the-2018-fifa-world-cup-300660496.html

 

[NHdisneylover]

I guess it's going to be awkward in the US since the US didn't qualify. However, so far the one ad I hear a lot on local radio is a beer ad for the Estrella Jalisco brand of beer, where they're apparently an official sponsor of the Mexican national team. The ads are in English (maybe Spanglish to some degree) and it's kind of strange when it's someone saying "Bring it home boys" when talking about the Mexican national team to an English speaking audience.

I looked it up, and this brand (sold in the US by A-B) is running some promotion they call the "North American Adopted Football Team Agreement" although it doesn't seem to be anything official. They trying to get Americans and Canadians to adopt the Mexican national team as its own. However, the ads that I hear on the radio don't mention it.

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-rel...during-the-2018-fifa-world-cup-300660496.html

I know a heck of a lot of Mexican Americans who do not speak Spanish but follow the Mexican team (and a ton who are fluent in both Spanish and english of course)---I see nothing at all odd with the ads, which likely target that demographic and might well be running on both languages depending on the station. Mexico is highly ranked this year---I am betting they make it to the quarter finals if not the semi. I would love to see them make it to the final

Mexico is one of my three teams I cheer for in the Men'S cup and it is killing me that they are in the same group with my top team (Germany). The very game with a team I really like is the two against one another. I am just hoping they finish first and second in their group and both move on.

 

[bcla]

I know a heck of a lot of Mexican Americans who do not speak Spanish but follow the Mexican team (and a ton who are fluent in both Spanish and english of course)---I see nothing at all odd with the ads, which likely target that demographic and might well be running on both languages depending on the station. Mexico is highly ranked this year---I am betting they make it to the quarter finals if not the semi. I would love to see them make it to the final

Mexico is one of my three teams I cheer for in the Men'S cup and it is killing me that they are in the same group with my top team (Germany). The very game with a team I really like is the two against one another. I am just hoping they finish first and second in their group and both move on.

It did occur to me that there might be a lot of Mexican-American (or Latino) soccer fans. Still - I would have thought it might have been more like display ads targeting Latino grocery stores or ads on Spanish language radio/TV. I've been hearing these ads mostly on sports talk radio, where there is clearly a Latino demographic. It still feels a little bit awkward though.

I know around the world there are interesting loyalties. A friend of mine was originally from Venezuela, and he supported Brazil because it was considered a neighbor.

 

[kimblebee]

Why do you think it’s awkward? We still got Stanley Cup ads even though there wasn’t a Canadian team in the Finals.

 

[bcla]

Why do you think it’s awkward? We still got Stanley Cup ads even though there wasn’t a Canadian team in the Finals.

I don't see it particularly unusual if the World Cup is being promoted in general, that the Stanley Cup (with tons of Canadian players) was being promoted in Canada, or that the NBA Finals were promoted in China. What I find a little bit awkward is that they're specifically promoting the Mexican national team in the United States to a primarily non-Mexican audience.

The US team did qualify 7 straight times, so that may be making a difference. If the USNT had qualified, I don't think we'd be hearing/seeing these ads in the US.

 

[Planogirl]

They might have run different ads if the US was in it. Maybe something about both teams?

 

[kimblebee]

I don't see it particularly unusual if the World Cup is being promoted in general, that the Stanley Cup (with tons of Canadian players) was being promoted in Canada, or that the NBA Finals were promoted in China. What I find a little bit awkward is that they're specifically promoting the Mexican national team in the United States to a primarily non-Mexican audience.

The US team did qualify 7 straight times, so that may be making a difference. If the USNT had qualified, I don't think we'd be hearing/seeing these ads in the US.

So you can only cheer for a team if they’re from your country?

 

[bcla]

They might have run different ads if the US was in it. Maybe something about both teams?

I certainly understand marketing sports and products to certain demographics. I went to see Yao Ming's first appearance in the United States, which was an exhibition between the US and Chinese national teams before the 2002 FIBA World Cup played in Oakland. The Warriors were heavily marketing mini ticket packages that included the Rockets, Mavs, and Spurs because those teams had Chinese players.

However, this seems more like filling the void. It sounds like this is the official beer sponsor of the Mexican NT in Mexico, and they (and their parent/distributor AB/InBev) are trying to use this as a platform to get better name recognition in the US. I think it's just called "Estrella" in Mexico and seems to be a regional brand.

 

[bcla]

So you can only cheer for a team if they’re from your country?

Again - they're promoting the Mexican NT to an audience that generally wouldn't have an inclination to support them.

I get that there's a worldwide interest in the FIFA World Cup regardless of the team. During the last one there was a big screen TV set up in a room at my office, and a lot of my coworkers were taking "long breaks" watching games.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

So you can only cheer for a team if they’re from your country?

Well I barely watch and don't really cheer soccer when my country is playing. So now that it isn't, I'm not really interested. Come to think of it, I don't really cheer for any sport unless I'm at the venue and the players can hear the cheering.

 

[CarolAnn856]

Your confusion confuses me. Why wouldn't a company take an opportunity to promote one of its products when the circumstances arise? It all seems pretty logical to me.

On a different note, NHdisneylover, my family and I were in Germany on vacation when they won in '14. It was so much fun to get to be a part of all that!

 

[NHdisneylover]

It did occur to me that there might be a lot of Mexican-American (or Latino) soccer fans. Still - I would have thought it might have been more like display ads targeting Latino grocery stores or ads on Spanish language radio/TV. I've been hearing these ads mostly on sports talk radio, where there is clearly a Latino demographic. It still feels a little bit awkward though.

I know around the world there are interesting loyalties. A friend of mine was originally from Venezuela, and he supported Brazil because it was considered a neighbor.

Given that there is a long history of beer advertising being tied into sporting events, and that sport fans (of all ethnicities and backgrounds) listen to sport talk radio---I fail to see how this is at all awkward or surprising. If they were using the World Cup as a tie in to advertise drinking beer in ads aired during the Tony Awards, OK, I might think it was an odd choice in a passing though at the time, but this? Can't see it.

Thinking that advertisements for Mexican beer or tie ins to rooting for Mexico in the World cup should be limited "latino grocery stores or ads on Spanish Language radio/TV" is about as off base as saying ads for hair care products formulated for black hair should be limited to BET and watermelon stands.​

 

[NHdisneylover]

I think it's just called "Estrella" in Mexico and seems to be a regional brand.

It might be---but I doubt it given the populartiy of Estrella beer out of Spain.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Your confusion confuses me. Why wouldn't a company take an opportunity to promote one of its products when the circumstances arise? It all seems pretty logical to me.

On a different note, NHdisneylover, my family and I were in Germany on vacation when they won in '14. It was so much fun to get to be a part of all that!

Oh my gosh--isn't it though? How fun that you got to experience that. I love the excitement in any country that is really into football when their team is doing well on the international level. I am SO HOPING we take a 5th title this year---the nationwide party will be epic.

 

[GreatLakes]

I can't believe any company would think USMNT fans would root for their most heated rival because the US managed to not make it. I'm trying to imagine how tone deaf it would be if Argentina failed to qualify, which was dangerously close to happening, and some company decided to run an add saying "we aren't there so root for Brazil". It just doesn't happen.

I don't think Mexico gets out of the group personally and, if they do, they will likely play Brazil in the round of 16. Anything can happen but they are not that good of a team when they play outside of CONCACAF and I don't think they will still be in that game at half time.

 

[soccerdad72]

I can't believe any company would think USMNT fans would root for their most heated rival because the US managed to not make it. I'm trying to imagine how tone deaf it would be if Argentina failed to qualify, which was dangerously close to happening, and some company decided to run an add saying "we aren't there so root for Brazil". It just doesn't happen.

I don't think Mexico gets out of the group personally and, if they do, they will likely play Brazil in the round of 16. Anything can happen but they are not that good of a team when they play outside of CONCACAF and I don't think they will still be in that game at half time.

ITA with all of this - no self-respecting USMNT fan would ever root for Mexico.

That being said, there are millions of Mexican-Americans living in the US, so I wouldn't be surprised at all that a company would be advertising in the US during the World Cup.

 

[GreatLakes]

ITA with all of this - no self-respecting USMNT fan would ever root for Mexico.

That being said, there are millions of Mexican-Americans living in the US, so I wouldn't be surprised at all that a company would be advertising in the US during the World Cup.

Oh, I agree that advertising to the large Mexican-American population makes sense. It is the "North American Adopted Football Team Agreement" thing I found asinine.

My two teams both managed to conspire not to make it, the US and Italy. I am going to be pulling for France myself though I think Germany are the favorites. I like them but don't want them to pull ahead of Italy with a 5th win.

I'd actually like to see a rematch of Portugal and France in the final with Ronaldo on the pitch. I don't think it is likely but it is what I would like to see happen.

 

[soccerdad72]

Oh, I agree that advertising to the large Mexican-American population makes sense. It is the "North American Adopted Football Team Agreement" thing I found asinine.

My two teams both managed to conspire not to make it, the US and Italy. I am going to be pulling for France myself though I think Germany are the favorites. I like them but don't want them to pull ahead of Italy with a 5th win.

I agree - I knew that's what you were referring to. I don't root for a region of the world - that's truly asinine.

Go Iceland!

We're actually going to be in St. Petersburg for one of the pool play games (on a cruise ship), but trying to figure out the logistics of getting tickets and getting to the game was too much, so we won't unfortunately be catching a game. Hoping that some of the games will be shown on our ship during the cruise.

 

[Denise W]

I agree - I knew that's what you were referring to. I don't root for a region of the world - that's truly asinine.

Go Iceland!

We're actually going to be in St. Petersburg for one of the pool play games (on a cruise ship), but trying to figure out the logistics of getting tickets and getting to the game was too much, so we won't unfortunately be catching a game. Hoping that some of the games will be shown on our ship during the cruise.

We will be on a Baltic cruise right as things are ending (I think). Our cruise leaves Amsterdam on July 15. When are you in St. Petersburg?
Denise

 

[soccerdad72]

We will be on a Baltic cruise right as things are ending (I think). Our cruise leaves Amsterdam on July 15. When are you in St. Petersburg?
Denise

We're there June 21st and 22nd