Ambush marketing facts for kids

Ambush marketing is a clever way some companies try to get attention for their products or services during big events, like sports tournaments or concerts. Imagine a huge sports event, like the Olympics. Many companies pay a lot of money to be an "official sponsor." This means they get special rights to use the event's name and logos, and their ads are shown everywhere. They pay this money to help the event happen and to get lots of publicity.

But then, another company that isn't an official sponsor tries to promote itself around the same event. They do this without paying any sponsorship fees. It's like they're "ambushing" the event to get noticed! They don't break any laws, but they still manage to connect their brand to the excitement of the event. This can be annoying for the official sponsors who paid a lot of money for their exclusive rights.

Famous Examples of Ambush Marketing

• Kodak vs. Fujifilm: At the 1984 Summer Olympics, Fujifilm was the official sponsor. But Kodak found a way to get noticed too! They sponsored the TV broadcasts of the games and even the US track team.
• Nike vs. Reebok: During the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Reebok was the official sponsor for the US basketball team. But Nike sponsored press conferences with the team. Some players even covered up the Reebok logos on their uniforms during ceremonies!
• Puma's Contact Lenses: At the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, the official sponsor was Reebok. But a famous sprinter, Linford Christie, wore contact lenses with the Puma logo on them during a press conference. This got Puma a lot of unexpected attention!
• Pepsi vs. Coca-Cola: During the 1996 Cricket World Cup, Coca-Cola was the official sponsor. But Pepsi ran a series of ads with the slogan "Nothing official about it." This was a direct jab at Coca-Cola and a very famous example of ambush marketing.
• Bavaria Beer and the World Cup: At the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Budweiser was the official beer sponsor. Some fans of the Netherlands team wore special orange pants, called "leeuwenhosen," from Bavaria Brewery. Event organizers made them take off these pants because it was seen as ambush marketing!

What's Next for Ambush Marketing?

Because ambush marketing can be a big problem for official sponsors, some countries are trying to stop it. For example, New Zealand planned to create new laws to fight ambush marketing before big events like the 2011 Rugby World Cup and the 2015 Cricket World Cup. This shows how important it is for event organizers to protect their official sponsors.

Images for kids

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  A billboard for Sanford Health placed on the exterior of the Target Center, next to Target Field. It's visible from inside, competing with a sponsor.

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  Li Ning carrying the torch at the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics.

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  The organizers of the 2012 Summer Olympics (stadium pictured) faced criticism for their strict rules against ambush marketing.