How Brands Can Show Up Authentically During Cultural Moments
If your brand isn't involved in culture, you're living in the past.
Just think of all the cultural moments that have taken over the popular zeitgeist in the first half of the year. From Bad Bunny's epic performance at the Super Bowl to Alysa Liu's gold medal-winning skate at the Winter Olympics, cultural events have dominated conversations and created connections far beyond the event itself.
The FIFA World Cup is yet another cultural moment with wide-reaching implications. With more than 100 games to occur across 11 cities, it's positioned to be one of the biggest sporting events in history.
Big moments like the World Cup have implications in culture beyond just sports. The World Cup will bring visitors to big cities, get people excited about soccer and bring new fans to the sport. But it's not just about the soccer games. The World Cup matters for sports fans, yes, but also for brands, for shoppers, for music, for people.
These kinds of cultural events matter to shoppers — so they need to matter to your brand as well. While some lucky brands have a sponsorship directly tied to the games, most brands aren't in that position.
The big question when it comes to cultural moments: How can your brand show up in a way that feels both authentic and meaningful?
Small But Mighty Moments
One way is to take advantage of the micro-moments that occur throughout a major event. Everyone plans for the gold medals or the championship match. What about all the little moments in between?
The little moments are often the ones with the highest potential to reach everyday shoppers or even to go viral — and they're usually things that weren't planned for. Think about the dog who crossed the women's cross-country skiing team sprint or the collective investment in curling during the Winter Olympics.
There are so many little moments surrounding a soccer match when the potential for activations is ripe. The watch parties, the betting pools, the rivalries, the last-minute snack run … these are all places where your brand can show up and be the one who scores.
Let's not forget all the unplanned moments sure to occur throughout the games themselves that no one can predict yet. It could the long-time soccer fan who makes it to a game for the first time, or the last-second goal no one saw coming. If your brand is ready to engage with these micro-moments, you'll reach shoppers when it matters most.
All About the Feeling
A big event like the World Cup isn't only about a soccer game. It's also about all the big feelings that come along with such an exciting event. The joy after a victory, the devastation after a loss, the collective effervescence of sharing in such a huge, emotional moment with a crowd. These are what people are going to remember even after the championship is over. If your brand can connect with fans around those feelings, you'll win shoppers for life.
Even if you don't have a big FIFA sponsorship, that shouldn't stop you from connecting. There are countless ways to leverage adjacent relationships and spaces to the big event. Can you get connected to any watch parties? To local fan events? There are entire communities you may be able to reach by thinking outside the box when it comes to both moments and spaces. (Reminder: Be careful of the language you use about your event if you aren't an official FIFA sponsor to avoid legal issues.)
When massive cultural moments are happening, your brand needs to find a way to get involved. A great place to start is by thinking about how you can build for the moments inside the moment. That's how you win — no matter the outcome of the game itself.
About the Author
Brad Godwin is the EVP of CPG and retail partnerships at Breaktime Media. With more than 17 years of industry experience, Godwin has honed his craft in marketing and sales, developing a passion for creating brand stories and fostering lasting connections with people.
