Summary of Key Points
After the Spanish team won the 2026 World Cup, a number of Chinese companies that had placed bets on them (such as Vatti, TCL, Luckin Coffee, and Midea) achieved significant marketing success. Compared to in the past, these companies' approaches to World Cup marketing have changed dramatically: they have shifted from a focus on “spending money to gain attention” to a more pragmatic approach that aims for real returns. They no longer simply seek brand exposure but use more targeted strategies (such as offering physical rewards, conducting promotions at retail outlets, and expanding overseas operations) to convert the event’s traffic into actual increases in market share, enhanced overseas influence, and sales performance.
Detailed Analysis
1. Vatti: Eight Years of Betting on Champions – From “Excessive Spending” to “Prudent Planning”
Vatti is a seasoned player in World Cup marketing. In 2018, it bet on the French team winning and launched a “full refund” campaign that cost nearly 80 million yuan but resulted in 1 billion yuan in retail sales and made it a classic case study. This time, it adopted a more cautious approach: instead of offering costly full refunds, it offered prizes like porcelain and lucky balls, which not only capitalized on the event’s popularity but also controlled costs.
The results were tangible: as of now, Vatti has received over 2.2 billion yuan in media exposure, and its market share for offline range hoods and gas stoves has increased by 1 percentage point each (to 7.89% and 10.31%), while its online kitchen appliance packages have seen a 1.68% increase. In the highly competitive kitchen appliance market, a 1% increase equates to gaining many new customers from competitors, representing real growth.
2. TCL: Partnering with the Spanish Team for “Doubled Success” Both Overseas and Domestically
TCL’s goal is clear: to strengthen its presence in overseas markets using the World Cup as a platform. It has been an official partner of the Spanish team since 2023 and invested in outdoor advertising and promotional activities in Spain, Germany, the United States, and other countries during the tournament. After the Spanish team won, TCL continued its efforts with additional promotions in Europe and placed congratulatory ads at domestic landmarks and airports, while also launching World Cup-themed campaigns on e-commerce platforms.
The data speaks for itself: from May to June this year, TCL’s market share in the Spanish television market increased from 8.5% and 9.3% last year to 10.6% and 11.2%, respectively. Its overseas TV shipments are expected to grow by 15.6% year-on-year (to 11.8 million units), and its domestic market share for color TVs has increased by 1.61% both online and offline. This means it has benefited from both expanding into new markets and maintaining its presence in the Chinese market.
3. Luckin Coffee and Midea: Proficient at “Instantly Turning Event Traffic into Profit”
Besides home appliance companies, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) brands also seized the opportunity:
- Luckin Coffee, as the official sponsor for the Spanish team in China, launched a promotion on the day of the victory, offering 100,000 free coupons and a 15% discount, and encouraged users to share the promotions. This low-cost strategy led to significant user engagement and brand exposure.
- Midea Group became the main partner of Barcelona FC in July this year, and since many Spanish players play for Barcelona, it used the victory as an opportunity to release promotional materials, effectively linking the popularity of Barcelona with that of the Spanish team.
4. A Major Shift in Marketing Strategies: From “Just Being Seen” to “Generating Real Revenue”
Experts from Yutang Sports note that while Chinese brands focused on who got the most media exposure during the previous World Cup, this year there was a general shift towards more targeted strategies, such as collaborating on products, conducting promotions at retail outlets, and engaging with users to directly drive sales.
The reason for this change is the slower growth in the domestic home appliance and FMCG markets and the increased competition. Companies no longer want to spend large amounts of money without seeing tangible results. The new metric for measuring marketing success is whether it leads to increased sales, higher market share, or expanded overseas brand influence.
5. The Real Winners: Those Who Convert Event Attention into Growth
Winning the World Cup is certainly a good opportunity, but the real winners are those who can effectively convert the event’s attention into long-term business benefits. Companies like Vatti and TCL turned the attention from the tournament into increased market share and sales. Luckin Coffee used immediate promotional activities to convert traffic into customer orders. In the future, Chinese companies will compete not on who predicts the winner correctly but on how well they can sustain the positive effects of the World Cup beyond the event itself. After all, the excitement around the tournament will fade, but market share and customer loyalty remain.
Conclusion
The changes in this year’s World Cup marketing reflect a more rational approach by Chinese companies. They are no longer blindly spending money for short-term exposure but are focusing on balancing investment with returns, converting event-related traffic into actual business benefits. This shift is both a result of market competition and a sign of maturing business practices, as marketing ultimately aims to drive growth.