Amul's 2022 FIFA World Cup team sponsorship strategy decoded

The brand is the regional sponsor for the Portugal and Argentina football teams till end of 2023.

76-year-old Indian dairy brand Amul is renowned for its branding activities that have often centered on new developments across the world. It, therefore, comes as no surprise then that the brand has come out with creatives that feature new developments in the world of sports.

The brand’s signature mascot, ‘The Amul Girl’, featured prominently during and following the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup has just kicked off in Qatar. And even though the Indian Men's Football team failed to qualify, the brand will still be able to make its presence felt at the event. It has taken on the role of regional sponsor for the national teams of Argentina and Portugal.

#AMUL, the leading dairy company in India, is now the new Regional Sponsor of the Portugal National Football team

The Portuguese Football Federation and AMUL, have signed a Regional Sponsorship Agreement until the end of 2023. @selecaoportugal pic.twitter.com/HDFfV2JI3Z

— Amul.coop (@Amul_Coop) November 12, 2022

Jayen Mehta, COO, Amul (GCMMF), tells afaqs! that the association with both the national football teams isn’t restricted to the ongoing FIFA World Cup.

"Amul will have access to their complete match archives. We will be able to use the footballers' images on our product lines, as well as creatives, till the end of 2023," he shares.

Regarding the company's decision to invest in the football worldcup, Mehta says, "The thought behind these associations was that if we are able to get the marquee names of the big teams which have a decent following in India, it will be a good way to connect with the game as well as the Indian audience. It will also help us proposition our energy drink better in the market also."

Elaborating on how Amul decided on backing the national teams of Argentina and Portugal, Mehta says, "India is not playing in the event. So, we wanted to reach out to the top teams and be a part of this event. We have sponsored an event’s broadcast in the past and will continue to do so.”

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Mehta mentions that Amul, being a part of the dairy business and associating with global sports tournaments is a good way to promote the message to the youth because a large chunk of that demographic follows such events. 

"Now, with two leading teams, as well as international faces of the sports, Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) and Lionel Messi (Argentina), onboard, we can better leverage this World Cup opportunity.Almost everyone in India is familiar with Messi and Ronaldo. The two icons of football appeal to non-football watching audiences as well," Mehta asserts.

Amul will also be present on the ground when these two countries play their matches. Recently, Portugal played Nigeria in a friendly match, before the World Cup, and Amul's brand name was on the football field.

Promotional engagements with the images of players have already begun. Amul Masti Spiced Buttermilk, Kool Cafe, ice cream, etc., already have images of players on their packaging.

Mehta shares that the association will pan out in multiple marketing initiatives and creatives, which will be released throughout the association.

"As of now, we have released two creatives. We want to put forth the fact that 'Everything begins with milk'. We will have more digital and television campaigns to promote this association. We will promote the goodness of milk and our range of dairy products throughout the duration of this association."

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For Shivaji Dasgupta, founder and managing director, INEXGRO Brand Advisory, this is a big step, as far as Amul’s global aspirations go. "Suddenly, from a Gujarat-based brand, Amul has become a global entity. This is a mammoth investment in perception. Amul is now a part of the global stage that will possibly give it an edge over its domestic competitors."

Sandeep Goyal, managing director at Rediffusion and founder of the Indian Institute of Human Brands, asserts that the move reflects Amul's confidence in its image.

"Football has its fair share of loyal fans. The World Cup (which takes place once every four years) is the most leverageable occasion for brands." Unfortunately, India is not even among the top 100 countries, in terms of football rankings.

"It is, therefore, not surprising that Amul has gone ahead and sponsored two of the most visible teams in the tournament. It is a bold, sensible move, and a sign of a confident brand. Indians will throng to see the World Cup on TV, despite the country not participating in the event. Amul will surely get the desired bang for its buck," Goyal adds.

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