NAME ADITYA DHANDE
SPECIALIZATION&DIV MARKETING A
ROLL NO. 19MBAMM003
TRIMESTER 03
SUBJECT IMC
CASE NO. 05
DATE OF SUBMISSION 21 MARCH 2020
NAME OF FACULTY [Link] KADAM
Ambushing Adidas: Nike’s ‘Risk Everything’ Campaign
INTRODUCTION
This case is about the ‘Risk Everything’ campaign started by Nike. Inc. (Nike) for the FIFA
World Cup 2014. Similar to its earlier campaigns for the FIFA World Cup events, ‘Risk
Everything’ was an ambush marketing campaign that focused on improving Nike’s brand
image without the company being the tournament’s official sponsor. The campaign consisted
of three main videos and heavily relied on social media channels to reach its target customer
base. Featuring some of the top soccer players in the world, the campaign’s videos were
lengthy and were first released on YouTube. They were later telecast across the world. The
campaign was subsequently rolled out on the official social media profiles of Nike and the
players featured in the videos. Nike also offered some incentives to the customers like an
opportunity to win a featured spot on the campaign’s official website. The ‘Risk Everything’
campaign was a big success and got the highest viewership for any brand during the 2014
FIFA World Cup. Nike’s campaign got more visibility than the ‘All in or Nothing’ campaign
by Adidas, the tournament’s official sponsor. The campaign also had a positive impact on the
company’s sales and brand value. Long videos of the campaign turned advertising into
storytelling and made the target audience even forget that they were watching ads. However,
some analysts criticized the excessive focus given to social media in the campaign and opined
that it could result in Nike failing to effectively reach its entire target customer base.
FACTS
Nike is the world’s leading sportswear and equipment manufacturer
Nike is not a sponsor of the FIFA World Cup and these rights are held by rival
Adidas.
In 2014, ‘Risk Everything’ campaign helped Nike achieve a 13% increase in sales to
£4.34bn in the three months.
Nike did not use the services of an advertising agency till the year 1976
Nike also focused on sponsorships and celebrity endorsements of its products before
1982.
After partnering with Wieden, Nike started airing television ads of its products
For the first time in its history, Nike started to show interest in football during the
1994 FIFA World Cup in America
Nike ramped up its marketing and spent in the period, by releasing 3 animated videos
of the famous sports players.
On the eve of the World Cup semi-finals, Nike has shared some viewer and
engagement figures of the brand’s performance on the pitch and online during the
World Cup, claiming six billion impressions.
ANALYSIS
[Link] the pros and cons of ambush marketing compared to the conventional
sponsorship based promotional campaigns.
ANS-
PROS
For the company running the Ambush Marketing campaign, it is a much cheaper
option to get your brand noticed and in some cases with the same amount of impact if
not more.
Ambush Marketing is a great way to jump-start your business in the beginning
because most start-ups don’t have the financial capability to sponsor something as
large as the Olympics or Super Bowl.
Ambush Marketing creates more competition among companies jockeying for
marketshare which is good for consumers; more competition usually means lower
prices.
CONS
Successful Ambush Marketing diminishes the value of the actual sponsorships and
brands who invest.
Some say that Ambush Marketing is a sneaky and less honest way to market and
therefore, in a smaller, more local approach, it may not be a good solution. A smaller
local business may not be able to handle the negative media and brand impact
surrounding it.
The word “Ambush” itself carries a negative connotation with it.
The actual sponsors of events get certain advantages and privileges that the “Ambush”
company will never have.
[Link] what companies like Adidas can do to overcome the challenges posed by
companies like Nike that indulge in ambush marketing.
ANS-
They have to indulge Ambush Marketing Strategies like sponsor media coverage of the event,
sponsor sub categories, make sponsorship-related contribution to the player’s pool, purchase
advertising time during the rebroadcast of the event, engage in advertising to coincide with
the timing of the event, use other dilution strategies like purchase tickets to the event,
confusion technique, create your own event, sponsor other events at the same venue, wear
non-sponsor’s logo clothing at the event.
Also they have to indulge the effective Techniques for Social Media Management
1. building an audience
2. engaging fans
3. driving behavior
4. choosing the correct social media platform
5. avoiding pitfalls within social media organization
6. leveraging players and talent
to protect from ambushing they have to
1. leveraging
2. learn how to ambush
3. call out the ambusher
4. limit the number of sponsorships
5. prohibit pass-along strategy
6. incorporate sponsor’s name
7. engage in surveillance programs
