Worldcup branding, 1990-2006

FIFA world cup is one of the most lucrative events for advertisers and creatives in the world. Every four years this important event boosts the advertising industry dramatically. What’s really done for the world cup creative itself? Let’s take a look at what kind of work is done for the worldcup every four years, starting from Italy 90 to Germany ‘06.

Traditionaly every worldcup has its own Mascot and Logo. Let’s take a look at every worldcup and see what’s in them.

Italia 1990

Simply an expressive logo using the Italian triocolor and the b/w football. Ciao is the name of the Moscat which is a Stick Figure formed by cubes of triocolor and a ball head. Very expressive and simple. It inidcates the level of creativity in simple use of symbols and colors alike–one of my favorites.

USA 1994

Turning the USA flag into a football tournoment logo. Very national to Americans and signifies the Amercanization of the worldcup in 1994. The use of the ball instead of the states stars is yet another concept that conveys, ballin’ everywhere in US. The moscat is a dog called Striker. A very US related animal. Fun, reminds us of Disney characters too. Goofie? Again a very expressive and simple branding; effective!

France 1998

While the American logo signified only America in the logo France shows it all; a world by using the map shape and using the French triocolor for the French part. The nice colored ball which looked so much like the ball used in the games is yet another unity that branding acheived in France 98 worldcup. The mascot, another phenomenon icon, very relevant to everyone who follows football, it’s the French team logo that has the cockerel. One of the most interactive and fun mascots ever; it’s called the Footix

Korea & Japan 2002

This worldcup was a dramatic change in the quad-yearly sequence. It was different in all the senses including branding. Fully techno and futuristic colorizing and symbolizing. One of the best logos ever for worldcup which eventually became the official FIFA worldcup logo. Firt time to witness continious color tones and shining logo for worldcup. The logo mixed many ideas but in a short and compact manner, using the worldcup trophie in the centre of the logo with abstract shapes. Nice typography as well as using the colors of both of the countrys in the title; Red and Blue. The mascot itself is yet another industry/techno symbolizer in which shows the world the face of technology and futuristic visions of two of the top technology countries in the world. Three characters: Ato, Nik and Kaz.

Germany 2006

One of the most disliked worldcup logos ever. Happy people, German flag, worldcup logo, heavy typography, and 2006–all in one logo. While worldcup logos do not need to be noticed given the amount of advertising that is done for them. This is not a simple-to-get logo. Looks good, it’s just too much. The mascot is cool, a new thing, but again what does it have to do with Germans? It’s already been used by Britishs before them. The lion mascot in Germany 2006 is called Goleo that is a mix of Spanish/Italian/Latin and English words Gol and Leo. It’s everything and nothing.

Which one’s your favorite? Have a nice tournoment logo you want to share?