Simon Crompton, London
Companies that sponsored the World Cup are reporting strong sales as a result of their campaigns at an event that saw little ambush marketing.
Brewery company Anheuser-Busch InBev, whose brands include Budweiser, Antarctica, Skol and Harbin, said its total sales volumes in the second quarter of 2010 were up by 2.1%, in part thanks to publicity garnered from its deal to sponsor the football World Cup in South Africa this year. Pre-tax earnings were up by more than 5%.
The company says it launched a marketing campaign for Budweiser that it dubbed Bud United in more than 80 countries as part of its sponsorship, and used new digital events to publicise its brands.
Interest in the Budweiser brand generated by its association with the World Cup led to more fans engaging with the brand online, it added. In particular, Budweiser's Facebook fan base added 1 million...