As Nike pours millions of dollars into its new-found favored sport, industry experts note the expenditure may not necessarily translate into sales. Soccer boots are not as appealing as other sports footwear such as basketball which spawned the sneaker craze.
Some industry experts go so far as to say that soccer is incompatible with advertising. With only one 15-minute break packed with commentary, advertisers get little airplay.
But at least advertisers get viewers' undivided attention during that break. The problem this time is that many broadcasters in Europe and the Americas will rely on highlights to draw viewers given the time difference -- and viewers do not pay as much attention to highlights as live games.
As a result, many advertisers are pulling their campaigns forward to May to avoid the June rush.
"A prominent strategy has been to get in early to build momentum, especially sports-related advertisers who can use the end of other soccer events such as the European Champions League to springboard their World Cup campaign," said Forsyth.
Advertisers wanting to avoid the World Cup altogether are also pulling their spending forward -- a strategy already reflected in initial May spending figures. Others will be targeting soccer widows seeking to escape the tournament.
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