• Marketing Week, Thursday, April 3, 2014 10:54 AM

Coca-Cola and Pepsi are kicking off a global advertising and marketing war to win the hearts and minds of football fans ahead of the World Cup. Fifa sponsor Coke launched its largest ever campaign last night. The "One World One Game" advert aired yesterday, by Wieden+Kennedy, tracks the emotional progress of four teams overcoming difficulties thanks to their passion for football. The campaign is backed up a real-time marketing campaign, Where Will Happiness Strike Next, which will track the progress of Coke Trophy Tour. 

Pepsi is not an official World Cup sponsor but has brought on board the iconic Barcelona star, Lionel Messi, to front its #FutbolNow campaign which will feature a remix of David Bowie's Heroes track by brand ambassador Janelle Monae. The campaign has signed up other World Cup hopefuls, including Robin Van Persie, David Luiz, Sergio Ramos, Sergio Aguero and Jack Wilshere. The advert follows the progress of rappy Stony around the streets of Rio using everyday objects as instruments. Fans are able to interact with the advert by unlocking "original moments" at various points in the creative. 

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