British public unsure about World Cup sponsors

A recent poll by auditors Global Research has shown the British public are unsure about which companies are sponsoring this summer’s FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

The research, which was conducted the day before the tournament began on 11 June, shows the 1,005 polled across Great Britain struggled to correctly identify eight sponsors and partners (Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Adidas, Sony, Visa, Budweiser, Emirates and Hyundai) of the event from a list of well known brands.

Coca-Cola was the only sponsor to be correctly identified by more than half of those polled (57 per cent), while Hyundai by recognised by the least (ten per cent).

Those polled were also sceptical over the companies’ motives, with 81 per cent believing the reason to be, “to get their company name or logo on TV”, while 50 per cent thought it was “to sell more of their products within South Africa”.

Echo’s Group CEO, Sandra Macleod, said: “These findings show that, as the tournament gets underway, sponsors have much work to do to raise awareness of their role in the World Cup, and to convince the British public that they are motivated by a genuine concern for the host nation and for football and its supporters, as much as by commercial gains.

“Should confusion in these areas continue as the World Cup unfolds, sponsors will not realise the brand and reputation benefits that sponsorship should bring.”