5 PR lessons from FIFA World Cup 2018: Anup Sharma

Guest Column: From expecting the unexpected to the importance of team work, Sharma explains what PR professionals can learn from the football world cup

e4m by Anup Sharma
Published: Jul 18, 2018 2:17 PM  | 5 min read

As the French team crushed an underdog Croatian team 4-2 in an exciting final in Moscow to lift the FIFA World Cup 2018, it drew curtains to the 31-day festival of football --a festival that saw many firsts. The first VAR decision in a World Cup final, Croatia’s first appearance in a World Cup final, the first-ever self-goal in a World Cup final, and of-course, Kylian Mbappe, the first teenager to score in World Cup final since Pele in 1958.

Beyond being a monumental sporting event, the FIFA World Cup 2018 holds some critical lessons. What can communications professionals learn from all of this? Let’s have a look at five Public Relations (PR) lessons from the FIFA World Cup 2018.

1) Unexpectations: The 2018 World Cup was full of surprises as underdogs slayed their opponents. Giants of the game suffered early exits, goals flew in late at an astonishing rate as the football world was treated to one-month of suspense from Eastern Europe, where predictions were made to go wrong. While Germany took a bow in the first round, Spain followed in the second round and Italy/Netherlands failed to qualify. Post 1982, this was the first time that Africa-- represented by Nigeria, Senegal, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia-- crashed out at the group stages.

Lesson for PR: Not all PR campaigns will run as per a drafted script. Define your broad goals and plan your campaign with the resources and information available. Keep evaluating, be flexible and choose the right channels that will support the objectives that you are trying to achieve and revise based on feedback.

2) Technology: History was created at the 2018 World Cup, as for the first time Video Assistant Referee (VAR) was in place to assist referees award France a 38th-minute penalty which Antoine Griezmann scored to give them a 2-1 lead over Croatia in the finals. With 14 high-end cameras capturing up to 500 frames per second, 3D coordinates of the ball was monitored and signal were sent to the referee's watch/VA Screens, and observation was not left to just humans (referees). Everything is now observed and monitored in micro frames.

Lesson for PR: With the ever-changing media consumption habits, PR firms need to constantly build on their storytelling capabilities and apply them to new age media. As each movement is under the lens and captured digitally, organisations need to ‘walk the talk’.

3) Team Work: While this one is a no-brainer, having the best players doesn’t make the best football team and the 2018 World Cup proved it again where great teamwork beat great individual effort. Like the finalists France and Crotia or Brazil, Uruguay (defiant defence), Belgium (lethal counter attacks) and England (coordinated set-pieces), the 2018 World Cup was a tournament of collectives and almost all of those teams that had been built around the stars failed to perform.

While Kylian Mbappé, the first teenager to score in World Cup final since Pele in 1958, dazzled as a part of a group effort helping France pick the World Cup, teams Argentina and Portugal suffered because of their over-dependence on individual stars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Lesson for PR: Don’t let the campaign depend on one individual. Set the agenda, collaborate with multiple internal and external stakeholders and use their strengths for effective outcome. Work on the ‘WE’ in the story you want to tell and how it will make a collective difference.

4) Goal setting & game plan: The game changes with each kick and the strategy adapted plays a huge role in the success of football teams. In the 48 matches, teams played to win. In the knockouts, not losing becomes more important than winning. The semi-finals of France-Belgium and Croatia-England were won and lost because of the strategic brilliance and the tactical blunders of their coaches. France’s strategy was plain and simple -- defend deep and deny space and create attacks to keep the Belgian defence busy and honest. Croatia used its seasoned campaigners in their line-up where England lacked experience.

Lesson for PR: To run a successful PR campaign, have a long term vision, establish a set of objectives and key results to track, measure progress throughout your campaign’s journey and make adjustments to your plan as needed (without freaking out) to hit or exceed your company’s or client’s goals for a successful campaign.

5) Drama: While Brazil managed to secure a ticket in the quarter finals after defeating Mexico 2-0, the spotlight fell on the Neymar da Silva for his ‘rollovers and feigning injury’ raising eyebrows with his outrageous theatrics. Even the legendary Diego Maradona, known as one of the greatest players, became the centre of drama for making an obscene gesture while celebrating Argentina’s dramatic 2-1 win over Nigeria, eventually drawing plenty of criticism.

Lesson for PR: Drama may give a temporary photo-op and share of voice, but fails to create a positive image in the long run. Don’t do things the way you always do them. Aiming for something different may be more effective but avoid short term attention.

Anup Sharma is an independent communication consultant with more than two decades of experience in political campaign management, corporate communication and social media engagement.

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not in any way represent the views of exchange4media.com

Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)

For more updates, be socially connected with us on
Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp

E4M Our strategy is to target younger audiences through Sports: Rajiv Dubey, Dabur

The Head of Media at Dabur India spoke exclusively to exchange4media on the World Cup, associating with Indian Idol, the company’s digital spending and much more

e4m by e4m Staff
Published: Oct 27, 2023 6:15 PM  | 1 min read
Test

With quirky campaigns, memes and moment marketing, timed with the ongoing World Cup and particularly the India-Pakistan matches, Dabur India has got considerable consumer attention for its popular brands – Red Paste, Cool King Hair Oil, Chyawanprash, Dabur Vita and the recently launched Bae Fresh Gel toothpaste.

The 140-year-old company is going big on key sporting events, World Television Premiere (WTP) movies and reality shows. It is now gearing up to become the title sponsor of popular talent show ‘Indian Idol’ on Sony TV for the first time, shared Rajiv Dubey, who leads the media strategy at Dabur.

Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)

For more updates, be socially connected with us on
Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp

Swapan Seth's new book 'COOL' is out

The book is a reflection of the author's 'eclectic taste across categories'

e4m by e4m Staff
Published: Oct 27, 2023 6:07 PM  | 1 min read
test

Advertising professional and art collector Swapan Seth has announced the launch of his new book COOL. The book is described as "a ready reckoner to the hip and the happening, of the known and the very unknown."

The book is a reflection of the author's "eclectic taste across categories: from boltholes to exotic hideaways."

COOL has been published by Simon & Schuster India and is available on Amazon.

Seth is an ad veteran with a long and illustrious career in the industry. He became the youngest-ever Creative Director at Clarion at age 24. He was VP at 26 at Trikaya Grey. Two years later, he started his agency Equus.

He writes for publications such as The Economic Times, Hindustan Times and India Today. This is his second book and he has previously published THIS IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)

For more updates, be socially connected with us on
Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp

Disney Star signs 9 sponsors for Asia Cup PAK

Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up come on board

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 26, 2023 11:48 AM  | 1 min read
Test

e4m Staff Disney Star has signed nine broadcast and digital streaming sponsors for the upcoming Asia Cup.

Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up have come on board for the upcoming tournament.
As reported earlier by exchange4media, Disney Star has sought Rs 26 crore for the co-presenting sponsorship on TV and Rs 30 crore for Disney+ Hotstar.

According to industry sources, the associate sponsorship on Star Sports has been priced at Rs 19.66 crore, whereas for the ‘powered by’ sponsorship on Disney+ Hotstar, the broadcaster is seeking Rs 18 crore.

As per the information available with exchange4media, Disney+ Hotstar has three sponsorship tiers-- co-presenting (Rs 30 crore), powered by (Rs 18 crore) and associate sponsorship (Rs 12 crore). The broadcaster is offering an estimated reach of 120-140 million for co-presenting sponsors, 90-100 million for powered by and 60-70 million for associate sponsorship.

A spot buy for 10 seconds has been priced at Rs 25 lakh for the India vs Pakistan matches, while for the non-India matches, the ad rate for 10 second is Rs 2.3 lakh. The India matches plus the final for ODIs has been priced at Rs 17 lakh per 10 seconds.

Asia Cup is scheduled to be held from 30 August, 2023, to September 17, 2023.

Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)

For more updates, be socially connected with us on
Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp

Sorted 360 wins creative & social media mandate of Reliance Mall

The agency will manage offline and online campaigns for Reliance Mall

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 26, 2023 10:54 AM  | 1 min read
test

Sorted 360, an integrated creative and social media agency, has won the mandate to providing brand solutions for Reliance Malls across India.

“Sorted 360 is set to enhance Reliance Malls' market presence with their unparalleled creative prowess and strategic thinking,” read a press release.

“Sorted 360's commitment to pushing the boundaries of creative communication aligns perfectly with Reliance Malls' ethos. With a pan-India presence spanning across 19 cities and growing, Reliance Malls has consistently captivated customers by offering an array of Reliance brands and third-party fashion & lifestyle brands. The mall has established an unparalleled connection with its patrons through superior quality, a remarkable value proposition, and an unmatched shopping experience,” it read further.

"We are thrilled to welcome Sorted 360 as our trusted partner in advancing our brand presence across the nation," said the Head of Marketing at Relaice Malls. "Their proven expertise in retail, shopping center management, and innovative creative strategies make them the perfect fit for our vision."

"Partnering with Reliance Malls is a testament to our commitment to shaping extraordinary brand experiences," remarked Prerana Anatharam, Co-founder of Sorted 360. "We are excited to leverage our strategic and creative acumen to further elevate Reliance Malls as the epitome of convenience, choice, and excellence."

Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)

For more updates, be socially connected with us on
Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp

KlugKlug onboards Hemang Mehta as Country Manager for Indias

Mehta was most recently Head of Agency Relationships at Network 18 Media & Investments

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 24, 2023 3:35 PM  | 1 min read
khugfu

KlugKlug has appointed Hemang Mehta as its Country Manager for India.

Mehta will play a pivotal role in driving KlugKlug's growth and expansion within the Indian market and be responsible for Sales & GTM Strategy

Prior to that, he has also represented organisations like Exponential (now VDX.tv), India Today Digital and Rediff.com. His expertise spans various domains including digital media sales, mobile marketing, media planning, and buying, social media marketing, and more.

Hemang Mehta expressed his enthusiasm about joining KlugKlug, saying, "I am thrilled to be a part of KlugKlug, a forward-thinking platform that is reshaping the influencer marketing landscape. As much as I look forward to collaborating with the exuberant team at KlugKlug, I am super excited to interact with the brands to deliver powerful data-backed Influencer solutions that will guarantee business outcomes."

Commenting on the appointment, Kalyan Kumar, Co-Founder and CEO of KlugKlug, stated, "We are excited to welcome Hemang Mehta to our team as the Country Manager for India. His extensive experience in digital media sales and marketing will be instrumental in driving our efforts to provide influencer marketing solutions to our clients. We believe Hemang's leadership will be key in scaling our operations and expanding our reach within the Indian market."

Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)

For more updates, be socially connected with us on
Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp