Billions of people watch
’s World Cup every four years, a tantalizing opportunity for advertisers who want to capitalize on the feel-good fervor of the world’s biggest sporting event. But this year, it’s a reputational minefield for some of the world’s biggest brands. Controversies over Qatar’s human rights record have dominated early coverage of the event, requiring that advertisers tiptoe around criticism of the treatment of migrant workers and the country’s criminalization of homosexuality.
’s decision to punish players wearing “OneLove” armbands aimed at promoting inclusion and opposing discrimination has triggered backlash. On Tuesday, German supermarket chain Rewe ended its partnership with the German football association, calling the ban “scandalous” and “absolutely unacceptable.” Fears of a global recession are also pushing companies to curtail advertising budgets.
’s stance on the armbands, stressing that any restrictions on freedom of expression is “concerning.” Over the weekend, which was supposed to be celebratory, President Gianni Infantino instead delivered a tirade in defense of Qatar, emphasizing the “hypocrisy” of Western critiques. “Advertisers know the TV audiences will still be there, but will be mindful to focus on the teams, players and supporters back home rather than endorsing the event itself,” said Mohammed Hamza, a media analyst at S&P Global Market Intelligence.
why
budweiserusa cheers 🍻
They can wait for another four years for people to their brands. Simple. Let us talk about football and leave all this side talks for once.