Hosting the World Cup gave Vladimir Putin the opportunity to re-brand Russia. GETTY IMAGES
When the last fan filed out of Moscow’s Luzhniki stadium on Sunday after the World Cup final, Vladimir Putin could "bask in the knowledge that his objective for the tournament has been met: Russia has, for now at least, been re-branded," according to Christian Lowe of REUTERS. After years when the "dominant themes" reaching global audiences about Russia have been associated with violence and diplomatic conflict, the tournament was a five-week "stream of positive images being beamed to billions of televisions and smartphone screens." That "does not neutralize the issues for which the Kremlin is widely criticized." But the upbeat images from the World Cup will, according to specialists in the branding power of sports events, "significantly improve Russia's global reputation and produce dividends in terms of investment and tourism." Jon Tibbs, whose consultancy helped Russia successfully bid for the Sochi 2014 Olympics, said, "It's exactly what President Putin would have wanted. Just on the whole breaking down the stereotypes of Russia ... it has done immeasurable good." Former IOC Head of Marketing Michael Payne, who now runs a consultancy that advises the sports and entertainment industry, said, "This is, as it currently stands, a poster child of a nation rebranding its international image through the hosting of a major event" (REUTERS, 7/13).
