In case you haven’t heard it already, the World Cup is upon us. And for those of you who may or may not be soccer aficionados, the World Cup--to the rest of the world--would be like if the Olympics and March Madness got together and had a kid--that kid would be the World Cup.
Also for those of you who may not already be fans of the beautiful game, the World Cup is a month-long tournament that takes two years to qualify. Starting with 198 nations seeking a ticket to the Big Dance, the field is whittled down to only 32 nations. It's a long and painful process (see USA below).
But what’s interesting about the World Cup is that it features many different styles of soccer, sported by the many different nations who brought those styles. Think of a soccer style as something that is as different as salsa is from the Vienna waltz.
And because I’m both a marketer and fan of soccer, what better way to describe the nation’s different styles of play by comparing them with brands that we're all familiar with.
First off, let’s start with the United States. Unfortunately, the United States failed to qualify for this World Cup. It’s rather quite painful, and I’m reminded of our absence with every World Cup game, but the US joins other soccer powerhouses such as Italy (the Ferrari of Europe) who also failed to make the Cup, and the Netherlands, like the Dutch brand Shell—world famous and powerful to boot--but also just couldn’t earn a ticket. In our example, the United States is more like GM, the storied American brand that has famously (infamously?) fallen onto hard times, hitting bankruptcy—and failing to qualify for the Cup. Sadly, the USA may only be watching the World Cup on tv, but look for the USA in the 2022 World Cup. We’ll be regrouped and ready to take on the world.
Next, let’s look at Germany. If German soccer were a brand, it would be, naturally, a BMW. Not just “the Ultimate Driving Machine,” the German style of soccer— like a BMW—you know what you’re getting with a German team. Based on a powerful and athletic brand of soccer, Germany is fast, strong, and certainly not lacking in confidence regarding their abilities. They won the last World Cup four years ago, and fully expect to win it again this time around. Like the BMW, Germany is geared for performance and speed. (UPDATE: Germany shocked the world and failed to advance out of their group. Consider Germany like the BMW owner--maybe just a little too cocky this time around.)
Moving on, let’s look at Argentina, the runner’s up in the last World Cup. Argentina is a perennial World Cup contender, with a soccer style that highlights a flair for creativity that few can equal. Argentina likes speed, freedom and individual creativity. If Argentina were a brand, they would be similar to Apple. Like Apple, Argentina is associated with status, quality, style and innovation. And with a tradition of creativity, Argentina’s brand of soccer makes them a perennial World Cup contender. Like Apple, Argentina has loads of creative talent and intends to make an impact—whether you’re a Apple/Argentina fanboy or not.
Next up is Spain, who also is a contender in every World Cup. Spain is famous for a style of soccer called “tiki-taka”, a style of play that includes short movements, quick passes, and a slow and steady build up to an eventual attack on goal. Spanish soccer players focus on technique and quality. The Spanish style is conservative and forsakes the risky long-ball for the short pass—a sure thing. In fact, with each consecutive pass, Spanish fans shout, Ole”—which is not uncommon to hear 10 or 15 ole’s in a row. If Spain were a brand, think Acura, which is well-crafted, reliable, a higher-end vehicle--at least more than a Honda--but not as high-end as a Mercedes. Is it as sexy as a Ferrari, heck no. But does it reliably get you from point A to point B, albeit more slowly than a Ferrari? Absolutely. Is it a style that everyone loves, nope. But to its loyal fans, Spain is a conservative, reliable and consistent contender in every World Cup.
Next up, let’s look at our cousins from across the pond, England. The Three Lions feature a style of soccer that is physical and direct. Long-balls up the field, hail mary crosses into the box, slide tackles and one-on-one / mano y mano types of matchups—like knights of old—best characterize England’s style. Also like the BP (British Petroleum) brand, you know exactly what you're going to get from an English team. Just like BP rarely (never) steers away from their bread and butter, the English soccer team does the same thing--preferring a direct and fast paced style. Like BP, England usually puts a quality product on the field--giving their fans the "fuel" (excuse the pun) they need to cheer the Three Lions on.
Lastly is Brazil, who brought the world Pele, and the most World Cup trophies. Brazil is usually a contender, if not the favorite, world cup team. Brazil favors creativity, individual flair, rhythm and tempo. Their style is called, ginga, which is rooted in capoeira (a style of martial art) that is as much a style of dance as it is a style of attack. Compare Brazil’s soccer style with American basketball—it’s not a layup, it’s Michael Jordan flying from the foul line, tongue hanging out, dunking over the world. To Brazil, a goal is almost as important as how that goal is created, with a focus on the individual, skill, and a buildup that leads to it. For a brand, think Tesla. Bold, creative, a frontrunner that cares more about the revolutionary style of the product than it does about short-term financial relevancy.