The concerns about advertiser involvement in the 2018 World Cup are "understandable," according to James Kirkham of CAMPAIGN LIVE. At first glance, "there appear to be plenty of barriers to entry." But brands wary of the event "should think again." Concerns "mask the bigger picture: the extent to which football media has been revolutionised by digital." The "biggest shift" is the extent to which sport is "breaking away from the long-established TV broadcast model." The removal of barriers and a shifting media landscape "present a golden opportunity for brands that embrace the new." Brands understand that this World Cup will not be won on perimeter hoardings and in stadium exposure alone. Football directly connects with 3.5 billion fans around the globe, so it is "the world's ultimate common denominator and unifying force." Sponsors must understand that timeline viewing will "provide greater control over which segments of a game audiences want to watch, when they want to watch it, and that providing opportunities for individuals to drop their own comedy nugget observations into every game will create a world of sporting moments." Brands will "undoubtedly play a growing role" -- not just in curating content but also "honing and owning the shape of the conversation." Those best able to develop their own moments, drop talent into the conversation and "conjure up surprising collaborations" will help drive a "must see" experience all fans will want to follow (CAMPAIGN LIVE, 12/27).
