The If Agency

Thank footie it's Friday

Alright. You've had the weekend to recover. so now I just about feel safe to mention the 2010 World Cup.
by Jo Whiteley

Now we would all like to say we’re not Chavs at if. But, if anyone stopped by last Friday they might have other ideas. That Friday (poor deluded fools we were) if’s team supported our England lads by holding our “Who’s the Chaviest footie fan” fancy-dress contest. From the turnout, even I’m having my doubts we’re not all closet Chavs.

True, like the other important event last Friday, there wasn’t much football involved (unless you count our table footie contest, where our players were much less wooden) but, unlike England, our team took to the task with passion.

The highlights:

Among the mess of football, shirts, trackie bottoms, hoodies, tattoos and face-paint:Janine – Chavtastic “You Scored” t-shirt and huge WAG earrings, with massive British Bulldog tattoo.

Laura – full-on velour WAG trackies.

Pete – football kit. And can of Stella. And the Sunday Sport.

Laura W – insisted she was too posh to have anything, but scared the locals at lunchtime. Car doors were double-checked.

Me – England flag bling. As much as humanly possible.

Penalty

Gemma – forgot... but made to make brews all day and wear a fetching footie wig.

Man of the Match

Paula – full footie kit, face-paint. The clincher? Chavalicious gelled down side-pony, complete with coloured hair extensions.

Paula’s prize? A keg to watch the footie with -- which I reckon might have come in useful to drown her sorrows.  I mean, was it because the Algerians were the same colour as the pitch so England couldn’t see them to mark them? Or did they think they were in the middle of a game of musical statues rather than footie? Or are they just too overpaid to even care anymore?

Okay, you’re right. Wednesday is another day...COME ON LADS.

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Our Chairman (who is Scottish!) reflects on SP excess and the Jules Rimet trophy.

It’s big but is it really worth all the marketing hype?
by Brian Rees

Having worked on World Cup tie-ups since World Cup Willie I marvel still at the level of energy passion and commitment consumers and we marketers blindly throw at this extra-ordinary event. Headline sponsors work for years to strategically and creatively maximise the enormous budgets they set aside for this unmissable opportunity. Brands are adapted, re-designed and promoted; sales teams are incentivised, retailers are merchandised as consumers are offered an incredible range of themed prizes, premiums and competitions to capitalise on this footie-fest. But does it do what it says on the cup?

What happens when our lads, as they will, go out early and the whistle blows prematurely for our gallant squad and our hopes and dreams? The flags and bunting limply twist in the wind, the replica shirts thrown in a drawer, the colourfully flashed cans and bbq gear left in a corner of the garage. Our adventure in South Africa over, our dreams dashed. Now all we have to look forward to is the hope there might be a player from our local club in the final. The vuvuzelas really starting to get on your nerves!

But hang on it’s got to be worth it. Hasn’t it? 88% of Consumers say that they have no change in attitude to the sponsoring brands. Only 8% feel that they will now opt to buy or use a sponsor’s product. 84% say their purchasing has not been affected by the World Cup activity. Most still think MasterCard is the key sponsor and Nike! ......they’re not!!* The evaluation and sales figures will be reviewed some time in...in ...the future?

It’s like a beautiful branded dream coming to an end. Billions of pounds worth of optimistic marketing hits the wall.....the English team can even watch their semi-final and finalist comrades from the comfort of their executive homes with their fellow teammates and wags. This time it really is over! 

Bring on 2014!

Brian Rees (born Kilmarnock!)

 * Lightspeed