‘Tis the season, the season to watch football? While mid-November to December would usually be the peak build-up to Christmas, this year, it just so happens to be the timeframe for this year’s controversial FIFA World Cup.
As if it wasn’t already enough for brands to create and produce their Christmas advertising in time for November, they’ve also had to sort out their World Cup marketing. After all, it’s a highly anticipated occasion for people worldwide and a chance for brands to profit from promotions.
So, with the World Cup starting amid the build-up to Christmas, the question remains: how will the World Cup affect advertisers’ run-up to Christmas?
The festive football season: What it means for advertising
This year’s FIFA World Cup will be held in the winter for the first time in the 92-year history of the world-famous tournament. FIFA’s governing board decided to host the event in winter due to concerns about the heat in the host country Qatar. Running from November 20 to December 18, the tournament clashes with the traditional run-up to Christmas.
For the first time ever, we’ll be dreaming of – and living through – a World Cup Christmas. Christmas time is traditionally the most crucial advertising period of the year, so the World Cup could likely throw a spanner in its works. However, it could result in a profitable period for brands and advertisers, at a time when the recession is hitting hard. For better or worse, the World Cup will affect advertisers’ run-up to Christmas – whether they choose to specialise in online advertising or TV and linear addressable advertising.
World Cup overlaps Black Friday
Friday 25th November is Black Friday, the biggest shopping day of the year, and it’s also the day that England takes on the USA in the group stages.
From one angle, it might be a huge distraction for lots of customers, with the potential that people’s focus will be on football rather than the Black Friday sales. However, brands could capitalise on the massive interest surrounding the World Cup and use it as an opportunity to target an active audience of football fans who could be captivated by football and World Cup-themed promotions.
Two campaigns: spend big on advertising?
The widespread popularity surrounding both the World Cup and Christmas could see multiple brands running two separate marketing campaigns at the same time, which, in turn, could be very costly. The recession has already affected advertising spending for many companies, so the World Cup could certainly have an impact on numerous brands.
Celebration leads to spending
Customers are planning to reduce their Christmas spending this year as the worsening cost-of-living crisis continues to deepen over the winter. However, Christmas is always a time to be merry and care less about spending money, and if England happens to replicate their incredible form of recent tournaments, celebrations could lead to more spending from England fans. If England wins their first major trophy in 56 years, advertisers will need to go big or go home with their advertising up until Christmas.
