World Cup Ambush Marketing Scorecard

World Cup marketing means ambush marketing, whereby (adjusts monocle) "one brand pays to become an official sponsor of an event (most often athletic) and another competing brand attempts to cleverly connect itself with the event, without paying the sponsorship fee and, more frustratingly, without breaking any laws."

While many brands have paid good money to be official FIFA 2010 partners and sponsors, many more have not. That, of course, isn't stopping them from releasing campaigns that cleverly connect their brands to the world's most popular event.

Brandchannel took a look at ten ambush marketing campaigns and graded them (from 1-10) based on overall brand positioning and "World Cup-ocity." (Click here for our scorecard of official 2010 World Cup sponsors' campaigns.)

Brand: Nationwide
Campaign: Nationwide highlights its sponsorship of England's World Cup team by recruiting some colorful characters from the hit TV series Little Britain to put a little laugh next to the brand. Funny, yes, but where's the brand message?
World Cup-ocity Grade: 7 (Actually mentions "World Cup")
Branding Grade: 2

Brand: IRN-BRU
Campaign: Brazen Scottish beverage brand brews a funny World Cup campaign dubbed "Bruzil." The lullaby theme (above) is complimented by a more energetic "Ya Beauty" pregnancy test version. The concept: Scotland hasn't been a World Cup contender in years, so let's get Brazil to breed the next team Scotland! Inexplicably compelling.
World Cup-ocity Grade: 6
Branding Grade: 4

Brand: SureMen
Campaign: Wow. SureMen goes a totally different direction by constructing a complex Rube Goldberg machine replete with World Cup thematic elements. It may not say a lot about SureMen but it sure (man) is cool.
World Cup-ocity Grade: 6
Branding Grade: 4

Brand: Carlsberg
Campaign: The lager brand goes for the heart with its 2010 "Team Talk" campaign, a stirring call to all England fans. Sprinkled with historical elements and paced to a rising finish, the spot moves one… hopefully to get a frosty Carlsberg.
World Cup-ocity Grade: 9
Branding Grade: 7

Brand: Kit Kat
Campaign: The Nestlé-owned chocolate finger brand is facing censure in the UK following a cry of "foul!" by rival Mars, an FA sponsor this World Cup season, for this campaign. Kit Kat goes the sincere route, asking England fans to "cross your fingers." Thematically less moving than Carlsberg's campaign, but does manage a better brand association.
World Cup-ocity Grade: 7
Branding Grade: 8

Brand: Louis Vuitton
Campaign: Soccer (sorry: football) legends Zidane, Maradona and Pelé, as captured by American photog Annie Leibovitz for the 2010 World Cup trophy-case maker. What else is there to say? Pelé! It's a header summit!
World Cup-ocity Grade: 5
Branding Grade: 9

Brand: MTV
Campaign: Leave it to MTV to submit the most bizarre yet compelling entry.
World Cup-ocity Grade: 5
Branding Grade: 8.5

Brand: Nandos
Campaign: "Take your tops off… for our visitors." We don't know a lot about this local South African restaurant brand but we bet this commercial is a hit.
World Cup-ocity Grade: 5
Branding Grade: 6

Brand: Wimpy
Campaign: Blah Blah Blah-Blah-Blah! British burger brand put some WTF in its campaign. Really, what's going on here!? Yet somehow unforgettable, you crazy kids.
World Cup-ocity Grade: 3
Branding Grade: 8

Brand: Nike
Campaign: Its FIFA 2010 Write the Future spot is already a record-setting viral video hit, and yes, this is ambush marketing at perhaps its finest. Nike, the god king of ambush marketing, has already gotten tons of attention for its non-World-Cup World-Cup spot. Bravo.
World Cup-ocity Grade: 9.5
Branding Grade: 9