International soccer stars feature in Confeds Cup advert

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Johannesburg - A television advertisement carrying messages of excitement for the upcoming Confederations Cup from the likes of international soccer stars like Spain's Fernando Torres and Brazil's Kaka is currently being flighted in a bid to promote the football spectacle which kicks off in three months.

The television advert shows Liverpool striker Torres and AC Milan winger Kaka looking forward to coming to Mzansi for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup.

In the advert, the two superstars show off their soccer skills and express their excitement for the tournament. The advert ends with Torres saying "Ke Nako!", which is a Sotho word meaning "it's time!".

The advertisement - done to timeframes of 30 and 15 seconds, forms part of the second phase of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa's (LOC) promotion and marketing campaign to generate excitement for the FIFA Confederations Cup.

LOC Chief Marketing Officer Derek Carstens says the adverts are meant to encourage South Africans to take ownership of the tournament.

"The best way is to go out and fill the stadiums and welcome teams and visitors to our country.

"We know that South Africans will rise to this call and we are focusing on making it as easy as possible for them to purchase their tickets," he said.

Local sporting icons also feature in the promotional campaign, and South Africans will soon get to see and hear more radio and television advertisements featuring cricket superstars Graeme Smith and Makhaya Ntini.

According to Mr Carstens, the campaign encompass nationwide television and radio advertisements, an intensive broadcasting and print media campaign and outdoor media placement in the four FIFA Confederations Cup host cities.

Mr Carstens said the campaign will also target shopping malls, taxi ranks and the canteens of major South African companies, where fans will be assisted to purchase tickets for the matches.

The campaign will also focus on how South Africans can contribute to becoming good FIFA Confederations Cup and World Cup hosts.

This intense marketing offensive is a response to FIFA's call for more robust promotion of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup and the 2010 World Cup.

The reinvented marketing strategy is being rolled out in two phases - with the first phase of the campaign having focused on introducing the tournament to South African residents and on the initial ticketing sales phase.

The second phase of the campaign, which begun countrywide on Wednesday, will focus on generating excitement for the tournament and on maximising attendance at the 16 FIFA Confederations Cup games from 14-28 June 2009.