So, in this case, we need to look again. Let’s move to the midfield, team!
Posted: Sat Jan 18, 2025 5:05 am
World Cup 2022 and Human Rights Controversies: Time To Talk About Brand Purpose?
Luana Dias
Luana Dias
Nov 24, 22 | 5 min read
✓ Human crafted content
Updated: November 24, 2022
world cup controversies
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I’m writing this article while I watch the match between France and Australia in the groups phase at World Cup 2022. I felt that I needed some inspiration, since I’m not a big fan of soccer — but I’m definitely a fan of big events that bring together all communities and cultures.
These global events are huge opportunities to talk about Canada whatsapp Material something really important for brands: purpose.
The announcement of Qatar as host of World Cup 2022 happened in 2010. Since then, the discussion about the country has started and it reflects the controversies of today.
Three main topics are highlighted by critics about the first country from the Middle East to host the most important sporting event: women restrictions, discrimination against LGBTQIAP+ community and rights of immigrant workers.
You may not like it, but soccer and the World Cup have a social purpose: this kind of event shares cultures, moves the economy and entertains the audience. With this huge impact it is obvious that brands cannot be left out of the party.
However, more than ever consumers have the desire to feel represented through causes your brand supports — we highlighted this topic with a lot of data in this article, and we highly recommend you also read it.
And it’s here that things get complex: how to join your brand purpose with that of the World Cup’s if it seems that they are going different ways?
Do the brands have a real purpose in a World Cup hosted in Qatar?
When consumers and important social organizations started questioning the brands who are sponsoring (or not) the World Cup, all the answers demonstrate that any choice has a purpose.
For some, being a sponsor of this event, at this societal moment, in this country is a great combination to promote positive changes from within. For others, the decision to not sponsor is a way to also promote positive changes, making it clear that there are no investments for places that do not respect human rights.
All brands, even if they are small or that will indirectly use the event in some special action to leverage their sales, have a purpose with the World Cup in Qatar.
Purpose is not enough
The scenario with so many opinions and points of view shows me one thing: most brands didn’t prepare for reality. Among the sponsors are big companies, such as Coca Cola, Adidas, Visa, and others.
In my personal perception, most of them are running the ball back and forth without scoring goals (pardon the pun). Why?
For example, recently Budweiser was surprised with the decision to restrict beers around the stadiums — and here we are not talking about a social or human rights point, just alignment between organization of events and sponsors. In the worst cases, huge sponsors don’t take just any action to cause real impact.
According to Reuters’ Agency, some human rights organizations stated in July that they wrote to partners and sponsors of the World Cup and just four of them (Budweiser, Adidas, Coca-Cola, and McDonald’s) indicated their support for the situation of workers that were constructing buildings for the event.
Luana Dias
Luana Dias
Nov 24, 22 | 5 min read
✓ Human crafted content
Updated: November 24, 2022
world cup controversies
Need content for your business? Find top writers on WriterAccess!
Try for free
I’m writing this article while I watch the match between France and Australia in the groups phase at World Cup 2022. I felt that I needed some inspiration, since I’m not a big fan of soccer — but I’m definitely a fan of big events that bring together all communities and cultures.
These global events are huge opportunities to talk about Canada whatsapp Material something really important for brands: purpose.
The announcement of Qatar as host of World Cup 2022 happened in 2010. Since then, the discussion about the country has started and it reflects the controversies of today.
Three main topics are highlighted by critics about the first country from the Middle East to host the most important sporting event: women restrictions, discrimination against LGBTQIAP+ community and rights of immigrant workers.
You may not like it, but soccer and the World Cup have a social purpose: this kind of event shares cultures, moves the economy and entertains the audience. With this huge impact it is obvious that brands cannot be left out of the party.
However, more than ever consumers have the desire to feel represented through causes your brand supports — we highlighted this topic with a lot of data in this article, and we highly recommend you also read it.
And it’s here that things get complex: how to join your brand purpose with that of the World Cup’s if it seems that they are going different ways?
Do the brands have a real purpose in a World Cup hosted in Qatar?
When consumers and important social organizations started questioning the brands who are sponsoring (or not) the World Cup, all the answers demonstrate that any choice has a purpose.
For some, being a sponsor of this event, at this societal moment, in this country is a great combination to promote positive changes from within. For others, the decision to not sponsor is a way to also promote positive changes, making it clear that there are no investments for places that do not respect human rights.
All brands, even if they are small or that will indirectly use the event in some special action to leverage their sales, have a purpose with the World Cup in Qatar.
Purpose is not enough
The scenario with so many opinions and points of view shows me one thing: most brands didn’t prepare for reality. Among the sponsors are big companies, such as Coca Cola, Adidas, Visa, and others.
In my personal perception, most of them are running the ball back and forth without scoring goals (pardon the pun). Why?
For example, recently Budweiser was surprised with the decision to restrict beers around the stadiums — and here we are not talking about a social or human rights point, just alignment between organization of events and sponsors. In the worst cases, huge sponsors don’t take just any action to cause real impact.
According to Reuters’ Agency, some human rights organizations stated in July that they wrote to partners and sponsors of the World Cup and just four of them (Budweiser, Adidas, Coca-Cola, and McDonald’s) indicated their support for the situation of workers that were constructing buildings for the event.