ed Branding at the World Cup has been a much discussed topic of late. Its global audience is so great that any affiliation with the event is an enticing and much covetprospect. Past presidential involvement with the World Cup exemplifies the power of the association, cue a host of politicians lining up to exploit the event’s public appeal.
Take French President Nicolas Sarkozy, for example – he took it upon himself to exercise damage control following the French team’s disastrous campaign as he knew that the World Cup would be the perfect platform to show what a reliable and reasonable guy he really is. The French team’s 12 days in South Africa included a player being sent home, the team refusing to train and outbursts against the coach – lapped up by the media and the public alike.
Yesterday, Sarkozy met with recently returned Thierry Henry, ambassador of French football and Gillette razors, to instigate an investigation into the team’s meltdown – who knew ‘football management’ was a requirement of running the country.
France’s spectacular exit from the World Cup meant that players will now miss out on performance bonuses and sponsorship payments. Meanwhile, Sarkozy aligns himself with the French Football Federation to look for a way to rebuild a sporting reputation which has been destroyed by the team’s actions – and no doubt expose his own attributes in the process.
Sarkozy perhaps had further interests at heart. Following France’s 1998 World Cup win, the country’s president and prime minister experienced a double-digit rise in opinion ratings – safe to say it is undoubtedly in their best interests to exploit any chances of World Cup publicity – look! A man of the people!
Wednesday even saw former US president Bill Clinton in the stands supporting the USA in their final group match. Unsurprisingly this gained a whole hoard of coverage – Clinton’s public appearance and subsequent congratulations won him a spot in public consciousness once more.
Clinton was recently appointed head of the US bid to host the World Cup in 2018 or 2022. We saw him sat alongside FIFA president Sepp Blatter, an unlikely pair indeed.
Have Sarkozy and Clinton finally twigged how to play the media game after years of scandal? The lesson they appear to have learned: If your own ‘brand’ is one of adultery and alcohol abuse, simply align yourself with an alternative, internationally popular brand such as the World Cup, then bask in the limelight.
photo by Warrenski
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