Ricola and Brahma Use the FIFA World Cup to Build Cultural Relevance Beyond Traditional Sports Marketing

As brands compete for attention ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Ricola and Brahma are taking distinct approaches to engaging soccer fans.

Ricola is positioning its throat care products as an essential companion for supporters throughout the tournament, while Brazilian beer brand Brahma is focused on rebuilding national pride around Brazil’s men’s national team after years of declining optimism.

Despite serving different markets, both campaigns reflect a broader marketing trend. Rather than relying solely on sponsorships and media buys, the brands are investing in creator partnerships, experiential activations, and emotional storytelling designed to connect with fans whether they are inside the stadium or watching from home.

For both brands, the World Cup is less about visibility than participation. By embedding themselves in the rituals, emotions, and shared experiences that define the tournament, Ricola and Brahma are aiming to build lasting relevance that extends well beyond the final whistle.

For Ricola, the campaign begins with a simple insight. Soccer fans spend hours cheering, chanting, and singing, creating a natural connection between vocal health and the matchday experience.

The company’s “Keep Your Voice in the Game” campaign includes digital media, neighborhood activations, stadium area sampling, and influencer partnerships across North America. The goal is to expand consumer perception of Ricola beyond cough and cold season while making the brand relevant during everyday moments when people rely on their voices.

“Keep Your Voice in the Game is about bringing Ricola’s heritage of throat care into one of the biggest cultural moments in North America and creating a meaningful connection with fans,” said Denis Kwok, assistant brand manager at Ricola Canada. “Our goal is to build brand awareness, strengthen our relevance with new and existing consumers, and showcase Ricola as the go to companion for those moments when your voice matters most.”

Recognizing that only a small percentage of fans will attend matches in person, Ricola built its strategy around reaching consumers where they already engage with the tournament. The campaign includes real time placements on The Score, contextual advertising on The Weather Network, localized outdoor advertising in culturally significant neighborhoods, and product sampling around stadiums and viewing events.

Creators are central to that strategy as Ricola partnered with Canadian soccer player Ashley Lawrence and sports personality Emily Agard to establish credibility within soccer culture while encouraging authentic conversations among fans.

“Partnering with trusted voices like Ashley and Emily allows Ricola to show up in a way that feels credible within the soccer community rather than as an outsider,” said Karina Norris, account supervisor at FUSE Create. “Ultimately, success is about whether Ricola earns a place in the fan experience, not just visibility within it.”

Rather than focusing primarily on impressions, the brand is measuring engagement, content sharing, audience sentiment, and conversations within fan communities.

While Ricola is connecting with fan rituals, Brahma is pursuing a more emotional objective. The Brazilian beer brand launched its “Tá Liberado Acreditar,” or “It’s Okay to Believe,” campaign after finding that only three in ten Brazilians currently support the national team, marking what the company describes as a historic low in fan confidence.

“Soccer has always been the biggest passion point for Brazilians. It is part of our identity,” said Daniel Wakswaser, vice president of marketing at Ambev. “Since Brahma’s mission is to unite Brazilians through their passions and spread optimism and joy, we created a movement called Tá Liberado Acreditar. More than a campaign, our goal is to transform skepticism into passion.”

The campaign launched with a three minute and forty second film distributed first through WhatsApp without paid media, allowing the message to spread organically before expanding across television, digital platforms, outdoor advertising, public relations, and experiential marketing.

At the center of the effort is Arena Nº1, a nationwide fan experience spanning five Brazilian cities. The activation combines live match screenings with music performances and is expected to attract more than 600,000 attendees during the tournament.

Brahma also blends nostalgia with modern storytelling by pairing World Cup champion Ronaldo Nazário with current national team coach Carlo Ancelotti. The campaign speaks to a generation that has never experienced Brazil winning a World Cup, while reinforcing the emotional connection between soccer and Brazilian identity. To encourage participation, the company has pledged to give away free beer if Brazil wins its sixth World Cup title.

“We know that believing requires courage, and while the outcome on the pitch is unpredictable, our resilience, our togetherness, and our ability to celebrate who we are as Brazilians do not depend on the scoreboard,” Wakswaser said. “Our strategy is to ensure that the magic of the World Cup journey is experienced collectively and intensely.”