Sao Paulo: There is a contest off the field at the World Cup that is as fierce as the one involving Argentina, Brazil, Germany and Spain on it. Sports apparel giants Adidas and Nike have pumped in millions of dollars to catch eyeballs during the quadrennial event. In the game of bottom lines, the two big companies are pulling out no stops to come up trumps.
Adidas has the advantage of being a Fifa partner from 1970. From the match ball to referee’s jersey, a whole lot of official materials will bear the name of the German giant. Football has always been the territory of Adidas as it also sponsors some of the top clubs in the world such as Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
Nike, on the other hand, is a relative new entrant to the football business. The American company, known for its innovative advertisements, fell for the charm of the beautiful game after the USA hosted the World Cup in 1994.
Nike has, however, made rapid strides in recent times. Barcelona and Manchester United are among its star clients as the American behemoth moves in to storm the citadel of Adidas.
The World Cup with its record TV viewership offers an unmatched opportunity to pitch their products. Of the 32 teams in the fray in Brazil, Nike has 10 in its fold including big guns Brazil, France, the Netherlands, England and Portugal.
Nine countries including defending champions Spain, Argentina and Germany will be using the Adidas kit. Puma, which has eight on its rolls, will be pinning its hopes on Italy and Uruguay to pull it off.
In an act similar to ambush marketing, the shoes of some players will be supplied by a company that is different from the national team sponsor. For instance, Ivory Coast use Puma kit but their star player Didier Drogba will be wearing Nike shoes.
