Ambev

Latin American World Cup Ads Offer Cultural Lessons

Adweek published an analysis (2026-06-10) of Latin American World Cup advertising that argues many U.S. brands miss culturally-rooted creative tactics. The piece highlights three campaigns: Brahma’s “It’s OK to Believe,” which converts a Brazilian promessa (ritual vow) into a national promotion promising free beer if Brazil wins; Corona’s “El Extra de México es Mundial,” which ties the brand to Mexican hospitality and national pride; and Sabritas’s “Sin Sabritas no hay partido,” which leverages convivencia (togetherness) to position chips as central to gatherings. The article recommends U.S. marketers targeting Hispanic audiences prioritize cultural belonging and emotional connection, embedding brands into cultural experiences rather than treating marketing as purely transactional.

Budweiser Leverages FIFA Sponsorship for First-Party Data Boost

Budweiser, owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev, is tying its FIFA World Cup sponsorship to a first-party data strategy to strengthen direct-to-consumer data collection. The campaign, launched in mid-September ahead of the World Cup, features a 45-second spot with Lionel Messi, Neymar Jr., and Raheem Sterling and utilizes QR codes to promote limited-edition beer and ticket sweepstakes. Budweiser aims to sell one billion bottles and cans while building a first-party data funnel for retargeting across channels, supported by signals from QR scans, site account creation, sweeps, purchases, and brand engagement. The program includes on-site activations in Qatar, NFTs (Budverse), and a hotel takeover, plus delivery partnerships with Gorillas (UK), Zé (Brazil), and TaDa (Colombia/Argentina) offering 30-minute beer delivery for limited-edition products.

Top CPG Brands Rush To Take Advantage Of DTC Businesses

Major consumer packaged goods brands are accelerating direct-to-consumer and ecommerce initiatives. PepsiCo says it will reallocate funds from other media to ecommerce over the long term to retain customers who permanently shift to online grocery delivery and store pick-ups. AB InBev cites its head start in ecommerce and is shifting marketing budgets from traditional retail trade to digital media, with ZX Ventures investing in DTC and delivery services; Zé Delivery in Brazil reportedly had more orders last month than all of last year. Kraft Heinz plans to grow paid media by about 30% this year while reorienting its B2B activities toward direct-to-consumer marketing. Heinz is expanding DTC activity, including the creation of its first-ever DTC line in the United Kingdom. Taken together, the moves illustrate a broader industry shift toward direct consumer channels powered by online commerce and digital advertising.