Fifa has proved time and again that it’s very strict about enforcing rules that only allow its official partners to use the World Cup for advertising campaigns.
In addition, only photographs can be taken by spectators and journalists at stadiums and no filming is allowed, as this infringes on the rights of broadcasters such as rights holders SuperSport and the South African Broadcasting Corporation.
Fifa has earned about R14-billion in television rights deals and at least R9,2-billion in commercial deals in the four years leading up to the Soccer World Cup in South Africa.
Ambush marketing
On Monday afternoon during The Netherlands versus Denmark game at Soccer City, 36 women wearing orange “Dutchy” dresses said they were questioned for several hours by Fifa officials for staging an ambush marketing campaign.
The dresses were sold with Bavaria beer packs in The Netherlands ahead of the Soccer World Cup.
The women said they were taken to a Fifa office where they were quizzed about the dresses and asked if they worked for Bavaria.
Fifa believed the women were being used by the Dutch brewery as an instrument for an ambush marketing campaign.
Fifa has since admitted that officials at the stadium asked the women about ambush marketing.
“This Dutch company has a long history of trying ambush marketing tactics at sports events. The latest target had been the Dutch national team itself, and the Dutch FA had already objected to the strategy employed by this brewery for ambush activities around the national team matches using the exact same promotional objects,” said Fifa media spokesperson Delia Fischer.
According to Fifa, the brewery hired a South African events company to select about 30 South African young women who looked like they were Dutch. Unknowingly, these young women were then used for this marketing stunt performed at a World Cup Match.
“Ambush marketing is a criminal offence in South Africa and is also prohibited at Fifa World Cup matches by the Stadium Code of Conduct and the Ticketing Terms and Conditions,” said Fischer.
In line with the local legislation, the local authorities are investigating this case.
Fifa also removed flags covered with company logos during Sunday’s Group D match between Ghana and Serbia at the Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.
“In fact there were mass ambush activities by one company from Ghana during the match and as per the regulations, the Fifa rights protection team had to collect a few flags carrying heavy commercial branding,” said Fifa spokesperson Nicolas Maingot.
At the last Soccer World Cup in Germany in 2006, there were 485 cases of copyright infringement. By June 4, Fifa had registered 451 cases of copyright infringement in South Africa.
How are cases settled?
According to Fischer, the majority of cases are settled in dialogue with the alleged infringers. However, if this is not successful a court case will be initiated.
Out of the 2 069 international cases outside of South Africa, Fifa has settled everything out of court. Almost all cases are settled in a dialogue with the infringer, except two court cases in South Africa.
This is not the first time Fifa has scuffled with the Dutch brewery. In 2006, Dutch fans wearing Bavaria Brewery orange lederhosen were forced to disrobe ahead of a match.
Striker gets into trouble
Striker, a summer ale made by Oxfordshire brewer Hook Norton, has also landed in trouble with Fifa for mentioning the World Cup. Promotional material of Striker showed a picture of a footballer and the words “Hook Norton — where progress is measured in pints”, and the words “Striker — brewed to celebrate the Fifa World Cup 2010, supporting England,” underneath.
The second sentence has now disappeared from the brewery’s website and the bars of its pubs.
Kulula feels Fifa’s wrath
South African budget airline kulula.com also felt Fifa’s wrath earlier this year when Fifa blocked its advertisement in which it said that it was the “Unofficial National Carrier of the You-Know-What.”
Fifa said it felt that the ads — framed by soccer balls, soccer players, vuvuzelas and the green and blue kulula.com colours — pressed the limits of the copyright on the combined use of these symbols too far.
Kulula.com, in response, said Fifa’s reaction had been a “bit over the top”, and that it was extreme to claim association with the representation of everything that relates to the World Cup, including the South African flag and vuvuzelas.
Fifa states in its preamble to the terms and conditions that nothing in them “is intended to be, or shall be interpreted as restricting or undermining the editorial independence or freedom to report and comment of accredited parties”.
So spectators beware. If you don’t want to be thrown out of a soccer game, don’t bring a video camera, an audio recorder, or an internet-capable computer, and don’t dare to send any “image, description, or result of any event” on to Facebook.