If you're a football lover like me, you're probably starting to look forward to the World Cup, now just over five weeks away. Unsurprising then that a flood of World Cup related advertising is starting to appear!
The latest copy of Negotiator magazine included a free World Cup 2010 wallchart from The Cream, a marketing and printing company geared towards the estate agency industry. The idea being that you have some branded wallcharts or leaflets printed up. Not a bad idea, but no mention of any right to use FIFA's protected terms, so be careful that it's an authorised association.
But what else could you do?
- Have a sweepstake - offer every new instruction the chance to draw a name out of the hat and offer them a discount on their agency fees if their team wins.
- Use a similar sweepstake idea with the names of leading goal scorers, with a discount off their agency fees for each goal scored.
- Give a guarantee not to suggest holding viewings during the big games!
- Use "football stressing you out? Let us ..." style leaflets
- Or, for the miserable amongst you, perhaps some anti-football marketing ;o)
Do be sure to abide by FIFA's ambush marketing rules though:
- No ticket giveaways
- No branded public viewing events
- No use of FIFA's trademarks, including "South Africa 2010", "World Cup 2010", "World Cup", etc.
- No use of official emblems such as the event logo, official mascot or trophy.
FIFA has published these guidelines for more information.
To avoid coming under the Gambling Commission's watchful eye, your sweepstake must be entirely free. If you give away teams to the first 32 customers who sign up before the start of the World Cup and charge only your normal price, it is regarded as a product promotion and remains unregulated.
All of which, done properly, could help you generate a bit of PR in the local press and win over an army of football lovers!
Martin