Scott Hutchison

Don’t Sleep on the Opportunity with Dos a Cero

As sports marketers, we have a leg up on our colleagues across the discipline. We come to work each and every day fortunate to ply this trade with a built-in consumer connection. Moving fans to click, read, post, share, taste, test, try and buy is so much easier when you can associate the action to something they already care deeply about.

To truly take advantage of this leg up, we have to do much more than just slap a team logo on brand creative. It takes good consumer insights and a desire to capitalize on the moments that mean the most to fans. Long lead times (World Cup 2018), limited lead times (MLS Playoffs / Cup) and no lead time (Landon Donovan returns) are a reality, but the beauty of 2016 is that our mediums are nimble and flexible enough to support any speed we need.

This all leads to a bit of a ‘soapbox’ moment, so bear with me as I step up now.
In less than 1 month, soccer offers brand marketers a tremendous platform to speak with millennials and family audiences nationwide. I’m afraid it may be underutilized.
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The US Men’s National team blossomed in the 1990’s and gained global respect in the 2000’s. At the center of our ascendence is a well-documented competitive rivalry with Mexico.

No matter your fluency in Spanish, it’s pretty certain that if you are a soccer fan in America you understand these 3 words: ‘Dos a Cero’.

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2-0 VICTORIES BY USA v. MEXICO (since 2000):

8 out of the 23 matches US has played Mexico ended in a 2-0 win. Roughly 35% for a single (pretty impressive) scoreline.

Every time we’ve hosted Mexico in World Cup qualifying, it’s been in Columbus, Ohio. Home to our nation’s first-ever soccer-specific stadium. It’s easy to see why this nickname has taken on a life of its own. An opportunity to shoot for another ‘Dos a Cero’ comes up on November 11th.

This match offers so much rich territory for marketers to play. Official sponsors, brands connected authentically to soccer elsewhere or brands looking to pop into soccer and help celebrate this singular cultural happening.

With a variety of ways to attach to the narrative, there is certainly room for many brands to play and land their message. If you’re reading this post and have yet to put a strategy in place, I implore you to not sleep on this moment.

Okay, as I step back down off this soapbox, I’m really looking forward to seeing who wins on November 11th. On the field (go, go USA) and off it.

Categories: Featured, FIFA, Guerilla Marketing, Mexican National Team, Soccer Marketing, Supporters Groups, Thought Leadership, U.S. Soccer