"Woodruff" would be Sean Woodruff of WoodruffDirect, who frequently provides good comments to whatever we're talking about here at LandingTheDeal. "Dan" would be me.
I made some observations about how sideline advertising, at least the way it is done at the World Cup, doesn't make sense to me. Sean, who is a soccer fan (which probably means he is a drunken, British hooligan...because isn't that what all soccer fans are?), weighs in with his comments on the subject, with my comments in bold:
I am one of the 5 or 6% of Americans who actually has watched and followed the World Cup. I was actually looking forward to it for a few months prior to it starting.
I've watched at least 10 matches and not been aware of the advertising until you mentioned it here. Now that you mention it, I realize it is there but have no idea who the advertisers are or what messages they are attempting to get across to me. Dumb advertising if you ask me.
The fact that you hadn't noticed or thought about it until now is a telling statement, to me. I agree...dumb advertising.
As far as branding goes, Nike and Adidas are the only two doing anything in my mind. They are linking the playing with the stars of the game... a well established strategy in other sports. It's also interesting that Nike has crossed Kobe Bryant over to a soccer ad.
In sports, linking your brand with the actual action is smart. Tough to do, but smart. I think that's why Nike has done so well...they don't have big billboards at golf tournaments and basketball games, but the players are wearing their branded stuff.
As for soccer becoming a big sport in the U.S., it won't happen within our culture. We are a culture of final outcomes and scoring, scoring, scoring to get to the final outcome. Americans play sports to score, just ask my youth football and basketball teams, and the win comes from scoring. The maturity level of youth when playing "American" sports is much the same as the maturity level of our culture when watching soccer.
Maybe the WWF execs could get a hold of soccer and tweak it a little...they could do for soccer in the U.S. what the XFL did for pro football. (Oh, wait...they didn't do much with that, did they? Never mind.)
On a separate note, I am opposed to anything that the French are a) good at, and b) enjoy. Therefore, I don't drink wine, wear berets, surrender easily and watch a lot of soccer.
Soccer is a game of process and a journey throughout 90+ minutes of play. To enjoy it, you have to enjoy the journey and the anticipation of the outcome. It builds throughout the match. An effective offense builds up to an eventual shot. The scoring is only a climax to the journey. That is why you see an erruption of emotion when a goal is scored.
I like there to be an eruption of emotion every few minutes, like in a football game (American football, that is). Although, I will admit that Tuesday's match between Italy and Germany was great...especially at the end. Actually, only at the end. I intentionally skipped the first two hours or so just so that I wouldn't have to sit through the scoreless "journey" and, instead, just get right to the good stuff in overtime.
Americans don't "get" the journey. Probably the same way I don't "get" advertising on the sidelines.
Thanks for the comments, Sean. For everyone else, visit Sean at www.woodruffdirect.com. He's an OK guy (even if he is a rabid soccer fan).
I'm a former college linebacker so the eruption of emotion in American football really, how should I say it, pisses me off!
As far as the soccer goes, I'm Polish (Great Grandparents changed our surname from Drzewiecki in the 20's), and have been known to be a bit of a drunkard back in the day. My son plays on the top 13 year old soccer team in the midwest so that may have something to do with my interest.
Seriously, on Sunday watch the movement within the game and the athleticism of the players attacking the ball (ignore the fact that they whine and can't take a hit like a good ol' American football player). Watch how they can make the ball act like it is attached to a string and wrapped around their foot. Watch as a 60 yard pass of the ball finds its target almost every time and the receiver settles it with a feather touch and drops it at his feet. Or, if you like the hits, watch as one of these guys sticks his mellon in front of a 70 mph shot and it ricochets 50 yards in the opposite direction. You think that would make a few bells ring? It really is a great game if you enjoy the journey.
Thanks for the kind words and keep up the great posts.
Posted by: Sean Woodruff | July 6, 2006 7:48 AM | Permalink to Comment