How Nike, Pepsi, MillerCoors Are Ambushing the World Cup

Adidas
With much fanfare, the athletic brand has begun rolling out the
Brazuca, the official match ball of the 2014 World Cup. Adidas
allowed fans to name the ball via a public vote last year. They
picked "Brazuca," a colloquialism used to describe something
intrinsically Brazilian. Pushes for the ball include several films
and a promo that promises free Brazucas to newborns.

Budweiser
A-B InBev's global campaign by Anomaly, called "Rise As One,"
captures the "moments that unite football fans worldwide." A
black-and-white TV ad shows dramatic scenes of fans getting ready
for the event. The brand has also partnered with Vice on a series
of digital shorts that document soccer cultures from around the
world, including Darfur, Thailand and Texas.

Coca-Cola
The beverage brand is launching its biggest campaign -- "The
World's Cup" -- in more than175 markets. At the centerpiece is the
film "One World, One Game," which invites young
people to attend the tournament. Coke has also unveiled short films
featuring unique groups of soccer lovers, including a team of
grannies and an an Argentine football player who has no arms.
AMBUSH WORLD CUP SPONSORS

Nike
Though it's not an official sponsor, Nike's efforts around the
World Cup are already picking up steam. One spot focuses on the
pressure faced by star players in the run-up to a big match. The
brand has also unveiled the Magista soccer shoe, which, like the
neon shoes that garnered attention during the London Olympics, is
brightly colored and sure to be noticed.

MillerCoors
Although A-B InBev is the official World Cup sponsor, MillerCoors
will get in on the action by aggressively advertising on Univision, which has the U.S.
Spanish-language rights to the event. A Hispanic ad for Coors Light
will feature Luis Amaranto Perea, who plays for Cruz Azul in
Mexico.

PepsiCo
Pepsi may not be an official
sponsor of the World Cup, but it's going big with its first global
campaign for soccer. "Now Is What You Make It" marks the largest
global effort yet for both the brand and the company; about 100
markets will implement some aspect of the campaign. It's a play on
the brand's "Live For Now" push.