For Winning World Cup Ads, Brands Need Their Own Fans

Chatting and posting on social—especially on Facebook—has proven to be a common trend during this year’s FIFA World Cup, so it comes as no surprise that social platforms are helping brands extend their reach and get their ads in front of more followers.

In polling conducted earlier this month by Crowdtap, 74.2% of US internet users viewing the World Cup said they would be on social media while watching the games, and 42.1% planned to post a status update or tweet about their favorite ads. However, results indicated that brands producing bad ads risked being shamed on social, with 30.5% of respondents saying they would post a status update or tweet about their least favorite ads.

But brands also need a following to get their ads shared. More than half of those who said they may share ads on social during the World Cup would do so to support a brand they like. Of course, good ads could also help brands extend their reach, with the majority saying they would share great ads with their friends or family.

Brands may also benefit from World Cup ads even after the tournament is over. The majority of respondents (52.1%) said they were more likely to “like” or follow a brand after the World Cup, compared with 47.9% who said the same about teams. So, though certain players and teams may be the stars of the show during the World Cup, brands that see success on social as the tournament goes on stand to gain a greater following afterward.

eMarketer expects 172.6 million consumers in the US to use a social network this year, representing 68.6% of internet users and 54% of the population—and providing a large audience for brands to connect with during the tournament.

Courtesy of eMarketer