I began following the World Cup since 1986 and have been a die-hard fan of soccer and the teams that compete ever since. Watching football series such as Road to Wembeley (via Bangladesh TV), reading comics like Roy of the Rovers in the 80s and kicking a ball around in the park with my friends further cemented my interest early in life. Even though India ranks low on the FIFA list of competing nations it hasn’t in any way dampened the passion for the sport in the country. As a global sport it unifies the world like no other. What strikes me however is the way the World Cup has evolved over the years and the lessons it offers communicators.
Taking the game to audiences: The more avenues for audiences to interact, the greater the chances that your messages will get accepted widely. On or off the field, the World Cup offers fans a chance to participate during a match, be team selectors, predict outcomes, share experiences using social media, promote brands and lots more. With Adidas putting a HD camera in the soccer ball what one can do to engage fans is unlimited!
Symbols of pride: The team jerseys, the national anthems and the celebrations – all fuel pride among fans, even if one doesn’t belong to the nations playing in the Cup. Organizations have tapped this fever to motivate employees. Costa Rica, took jibes about their status in their stride by proving the beautiful game can be a great leveler. When Brazil’s star player Neymar got injured fans around the world showed their solidarity by praying for his early recovery while his team members committed to winning the Cup for him – inspiring many around the globe. While communicating your internal campaigns look for hooks that your audiences can relate to and thereby feel closely connected to the messages.
When the game is bigger than the nation: To truly understand the influence of the sport over the masses one has to reflect on the request for support that the US soccer team’s coach Jurgen Klinsmann wrote urging bosses to let their employees take a day off to watch the game against Germany. A Gulf job site published a report that they expect productivity to be hit in the Middle East due to the World Cup, giving advance notice to organizations to prepare for exhausted employees. The summary is clear proof that any leader expecting employees to be giving their 100% after watching matches isn’t tuned to the times! The goals of communications can sometimes get larger than the core objectives and it is important for communicators to accept the effects that emerge.
The medium is the message: FIFA has always been about fair play and with a spike in recent episodes of discrimination they factored in newer messages such as anti-racism (#saynotoracism). However, when you are in the spotlight you can be vulnerable. The ‘vote for bribe’ scandal and the match-fixing episodes got FIFA undue attention. While FIFA banned players from showing messages that promoted brands there were a few who improvised to stay within the rules. A teenager at the opening ceremony smuggled in a protest banner and got global visibility for his tribe’s cause. Also, a few sponsors moved swiftly to disassociate from Luis Suarez who was banned for biting an Italian player during a World Cup match.
Sense and sensitivity in communication: Adapting and staying sensitive to the needs of audiences are crucial for any form of communications. By rightly investing in a ‘cooling break’ in this World Cup FIFA made a remarkable decision to make the game safer and relevant for players. Integrating social media in their coverage effort dramatically increased the reach and impact of the Cup. That apart, the introduction ofvanishing spray by referees to mark the spot for free kicks and sophisticated goal-line technology helped raise the bar and reduce controversies. The evolution of the ball is a great example to show how the world has moved forward to make the game interactive and inclusive.
Using analytics for success: Never before has analytics used to make predictions on penalties, which player to field and what format to use in a game. Like in soccer, data analytics make a huge difference to how communication is measured and managed. You can tweak your message based on the audience, improve headlines to suit the need and enhance the frequency to increase impact. With sensors in the boots worn by players, coaches know the distance covered, assists created, shots taken, passes made, tackles won and speed of the individuals vis-Ã -vis their colleagues and opponents.
Great performance stems from great preparation: To be consistently playing at the highest level you need to stay fit, be willing to unlearn and do more and pace your matches. The fact that Germany progressed and achieved successful campaigns over the years is also due to their ability to wrap up their Bundesliga a few months ahead of the Cup so that the team can train together. Unlike many other teams, who fielded injured or fatigued players right after their local leagues and exhibition matches. Getting to the site early to acclimatize and creating a comfortable zone for players and support staff alike the group made sure they had got their planning right. Another example is of Netherlands which analyzed Costa Rica’s penalty taking styles and made changes to their goalkeeper at a crucial juncture, helping them proceed to the next stage.
In summary, this World Cup teaches us is that a great story can even subdue the worst controversies.Brazil’s unrest and last minute preparations got limited attention as compared to the excellent matches that fans around the world got to witness.
What lessons did you spot?
