Yin and Yang.
Laurel and Hardy.
Tom and Jerry.
Some things are just better in pairs. Although maybe not as obvious as the above "marriages," sports and beverages have proven to be quite an enjoyable pair over the years.
Viewed by some fans as a prerogative for a satisfying sporting event experience, seen by others as merely a natural part of the fun, beer is the beverage of choice when it comes to viewing many traditional sports, such as professional basketball, American football, and of course regular football (or soccer to our American readers).
The beverage industry has definitely recognized the opportunity present in this relationship, and has done their fair share to stimulate the association between the two. Companies spend huge marketing budgets on commercials and ads, especially during major sports events such as the current FIFA World Cup.
Some beer companies are also maintaining long-term partnerships or sponsorships, which is a smart way to create brand exposure by associating a brand or product with a team or club, a tournament, or even the game of football as a whole.
Sponsorships can be found on any level — from the merely local club sponsorships, to national tournaments (e.g., Calsberg Cup in Portugal), or the larger international tournaments. See, for instance, the UEFA Champions League, sponsored by Dutch beer brewer Heineken.
But now that the World Cup has begun, our attention is turned to its sponsors. Do you know which company has been the the official FIFA World Cup beer since 1986? Hint: it's one of the big beer conglomerates. Take a guess:
A. Molson Coors
B. Anheuser-Busch InBev
C. SABMiller
Check back to our FIFA World Cup Blog Series to find out the answer next week!
Or you know, you could just Google it. But then you wouldn't find out the juicy details behind the sponsorship and the ad campaign, which may or may not include a reality show....
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