Well the extravaganza is over, and we are all feeling a little soccer hangover. What great fun! Clearly the big winner of World Cup 2014 was Germany; a source of great pride for the fans and the country. Congratulations. But there were a few other winners from the event that have earned more than a little recognition as well.
Brazil. Even though they didn't get a Gold, Silver, or Bronze, brand Brazil still came out a clear winner. I have a lot of colleagues in Brazil and a lot of my students come from Brazil, so I am very proud for them. The country pulled off quite the feat hosting the games, and proved that they will indeed be ready for the upcoming Olympics. Bravo!
Social Media. We proved the value in social media this time around, just like we have for other pop culture moments like the Olympics, Grammys, and Oscars. Social media made the experience so much more engaging, so much more exciting. The World Cup 2014 has become the biggest social media event ever, and the Germany vs. Brazil game was the single biggest tweeted event ever.
Hair. These guys have amazing hair. Amazing, no matter the team. I've never seen such a buffet of men's hair all in one place. I'm predicting big, long, bushy hair on men for years to come ... it'll replace facial hair as the men's fashion trend. Where are the haircare sponsors when you need them? Helllloooo.
Soccer. While the jury is still out, the sport of soccer has to have advanced here in the U.S. We were all watching with such enthusiasm, I can't believe that it will just fade away after the World Cup is over. Perhaps, finally, soccer will take hold in the U.S. as a spectator sport?
Addidas. No it doesn't stand for, "all day I dream about soccer," but it sure feels like it. The brand had a hand in almost all of the teams, making it the single most promoted brand during the event. You couldn't miss it, and quite honestly it almost feels synonymous with soccer. Now that's brand equity.
I have to be honest: I'm going to miss World Cup 2014 now that it's over. It's been fun participating in water cooler talk, posting all of the tweets, watching games at home, and also watching games in the conference room at work while we all sit with our laptops open. Doing work, and yes, tweeting.
Congratulations to all the winners.