News

Fifa's brand police go on patrol

May 07, 2010 Edition 2

Fienie Grobler Sapa

JOHANNESBURG: "Brand" police will patrol 2010 World Cup stadiums to make sure the Fifa brand is not "hijacked", the world football body said yesterday.

No brand but the Fifa brand will be allowed in the commercial restriction zones in and around stadiums.

Soccer fans will sip their cold drinks in "neutral, clear" glasses, will eat food served in "unbranded wraps" and will not read newspapers, since newspaper sales are not allowed inside stadiums.

"We plan to have teams in each of the cities looking out... for brand hijackers," Fifa rights protection manager, Mpumi Mazibuko, said.

"We protect the brand that is Fifa," he added.

He was speaking at a media roundtable to explain the thinking behind Fifa's strong protection of its brand.

Businesses situated in the zones around World Cup stadiums will be allowed to do business, as long as there is no Fifa-related marketing activity or ambush marketing.

Fifa marketing director Thierry Weil said the world football body also allowed businesses to sell their products at the fan fests.

"The restriction is, it must be unbranded, but you will still make money, so this unbranded one is not harming anyone," Weil said.

Informal traders will also be allowed to do business outside stadiums, as long as their products were not branded.

But Fifa needed to protect its commercial affiliates, Weil said.

"When you buy a car, you buy it completely ... you don't let everybody drive the car and it is the same for our partners - they bought the car, they want the key and they want to be ensured they are the only ones driving the car," Weil added.

Several local businesses have felt the brunt of the Fifa brand police.

Fifa considers its trademarks to be "2010 Fifa World Cup South Africa", "2010 Fifa World Cup", "Fifa World Cup", "World Cup", "World Cup 2010", "Football World Cup", "SA 2010", "ZA 2010", "South Africa 2010", "Ke Nako - Celebrate Africa's Humanity", "Soccer World Cup" and "Zakumi".

It took a Pretoria pub owner to court to get him to remove banners and flags that said, "World Cup 2010" and "2010 South Africa", while it took Metcash to court for selling lollipops branded "2010 Pops".

The manufacturer of a keyring holder was taken to court because it bore the year "2010", a vuvuzela and the South African flag.

Low-cost airline Kulula was asked to withdraw an advert declaring that it was the "Unofficial National Carrier of the You-Know-What".

Quizzed about the reasons behind complaining about Kulula, Mazibuko said it was a "combination of elements" that led Fifa to believe the advert was irregular.

Asked if the strong action did not perhaps damage the brand, Weil replied: "We need to be strong, we need to protect our brand... I'm happy to sit down with you in the last week of the tournament and you tell me what the perception is."

Mazibuko said Fifa took action "as soon as somebody goes overboard".

Also, vuvuzelas with small brands on would be allowed in - but not vuvuzelas bearing "huge words". "We will most probably ask the person not to bring the vuvuzela in," said Weil, before launching again into his analogy of the new car that needs to be protected.

A journalist then remarked to him: "But it sounds like you parked your car in my garage."

To which Weil replied: "Yes, but we asked if we could borrow your garage."