and OTT: How brands are using them for the 2022 FIFA World Cup

Qatar is hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Brands are in line to reach 5 billion viewers worldwide. The tournament runs from December 18 to 18. Bridget Hall, M&C Saatchi Performance’s planning director Americas, stated that many advertisers integrate connected TV (CTV) and over-the top TV (OTT) into their omnichannel approach to reach younger viewers.

This is how the brands approach this year’s FIFA World Cup.

Streaming is more popular with younger viewers. Viewing habits and preferences have changed. CTV and OTT are essential parts of a mix to cover all bases in a fragmented media landscape.

“Younger people tend to stream sports on a variety of devices. OTT advertising is a smart approach to driving scale against this demographic,” Hall said.

OTT/CTV measurement. Hall stated that this is one of the most exciting developments for performance marketers looking to reach World Cup streamers. They can now use mobile measurement partners in order to assess cross-screen conversions as well as website traffic from OTT advertising.

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Cross-channel dominance. The best CTV practices include tie-ins and calls to action across all channels.

Hall stated that brands must create engaging CTV ads to direct users to apps or websites with strong end cards in order to cut through the noise.

She said, “Brands need to capitalize on the fact the industry is rapidly evolving away from linear broadcast dominance towards streaming and social.”

McDonald’s FIFA World Cup Campaign features Jason Sudeikis as Ted Lasso from an original TV series. The campaign also featured TikTok influencer Khaby La and Twitch streamer Edwin Castro.

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Staying true to your brand message. Brands are trying to minimize brand risk by not being involved in controversial World Cup events.

Hall stated that Hall predicted that advertisers would be more focused on cultural values and positive emotions. It’s more than just selling products or taglines. Hall said that it’s about using storylines to grab consumers’ hearts and associate the brand’s mission-driven messaging with them. It’s exciting to see brands that emphasize diversity and inclusion in the talent pool.

Why do we care? World Cups, Olympics and other global events are the result of years of planning. Millions of viewers are watching the events around the globe. Advertisers have more options for CTV and OTT because they can stream games on multiple channels. Short-form content is preferable on platforms like TikTok. However, the tournament’s month-long duration allows brands to tell stories through each round.

How brands use CTV and OTT to support the 2022 FIFA World Cup was originally published by MarTech.