DÜSSELDORF/HEILBRONN (dpa-AFX) - Anyone standing in a fan zone this summer will find them hard to miss: jerseys in the German national colors - but bearing the logo of a comparison portal, a discounter, or a supermarket. For the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, several companies are distributing such jerseys, most of them free of charge.
The Check24 shirt was already ubiquitous in fan zones during the 2024 European Championship in Germany. For the World Cup, the comparison portal is once again distributing jerseys - to everyone who downloads a betting game app, registers, and places a bet on at least the first matchday. According to a spokesperson, demand was so high that distribution had to be suspended for several days. Nearly one million orders were received within 24 hours. 'We were completely surprised by the rush for our jersey', the spokesperson said.
There are other examples as well: Edeka gave away a fan shirt with purchases of 50 euros or more. The discounter Tedi is issuing a jersey for purchases starting at five euros - provided customers also sign up for the newsletter. Coca-Cola ran a similar promotion. But what do companies gain from this - and does the effort pay off?
Expert: Visibility, Likability, Data
Marketing professor Peter Kenning sees several motives behind such campaigns. Firstly, it is about brand awareness and likability: 'With regard to the brand, such actions are intended to charge the brand with positive emotions and ensure it remains visible in public spaces for as long as possible', said the expert from Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf.
Research shows that the more frequently people perceive an object, the more likable it becomes to them. And likability, in turn, correlates strongly with trust. A jersey worn for weeks in fan zones, football pubs, and living rooms thus acts as a kind of permanent commercial.
Secondly, according to Kenning, it is about data. Those who want a free jersey usually have to disclose personal information. This is valuable for companies because it enables targeted, personalized advertising. Kenning points to research findings suggesting that certain forms of personalized online advertising can nearly triple the profit from an advertising campaign.
Costs difficult to quantify
According to Kenning's assessment, it is difficult to reliably state the cost of such a campaign. He uses the Check24 campaign for Euro 2024 as a rough guide: at the time, approximately five million jerseys are said to have been brought to market - at a total cost of potentially up to 100 million euros. However, the scientist emphasizes that he does not have access to resilient figures.
Whether the effort is worth it can be measured in two ways: on the one hand, through classic marketing KPIs. With the participants' data, a company can target customers better and more specifically. Whether someone subsequently clicks on an ad, buys something as a result, or signs a contract is measurable. On the other hand, surveys can show whether brand likability and trust have changed compared to before.
Sporting goods retailers bet on original jerseys
Specialist sporting goods retailers view the free promotions with mixed feelings. Intersport Germany CEO Alexander von Preen emphasizes that his group stands for quality and sells only original jerseys. 'Of course, sport thrives on competition, and competition stimulates business', von Preen said. 'However, free products with a corresponding look from non-sporting companies have nothing to do with the originals.'
During the 2024 home European Championship, Intersport retailers alone sold nearly 500,000 jerseys. Recently, the manager expected to be able to exceed this figure at the World Cup - provided the DFB team plays a successful tournament. According to him, the blue away jersey in particular is being very well received. Von Preen is convinced that the World Cup products from Adidas can once again achieve cult status - similar to the pink away jersey two years ago.
Calls for cheaper original jerseys
The originals, however, come at a price. Prices for adult jerseys start at 100 euros, while a child's jersey costs at least 75 euros. Union politicians called on Adidas over the weekend to offer at least the children's jerseys at a lower price. Stephan Mayer, sports policy spokesperson for the Union parliamentary group, told the 'Rheinische Post' that 75 euros for a child's jersey is 'an enormous financial challenge' for many families. 'In this case specifically, I would hope that Adidas finds a way to offer at least these jerseys significantly cheaper.'
Adidas defended its pricing. 'The price of the jerseys reflects the high development costs, the extensive testing procedures, the high-quality materials used, and also the licensing fees to the DFB', the company stated. 'We know that such a jersey represents a significant purchase and therefore offer a selection of fan versions at various price points.'
Sports Committee Vice-Chair: Do not alienate fans
The Vice-Chairman of the Sports Committee in the Bundestag, Jens Lehmann, pointed to the high demand for the jerseys. 'As long as that doesn't change, there will probably be no rethink among manufacturers', the CDU politician told the newspaper. Ultimately, 'the DFB and manufacturers must themselves ensure they do not alienate their fans through an excessive pricing policy', Lehmann said.
The World Cup jerseys are the last from Adidas for the national team for the time being. The outfitter contract between the German Football Association (DFB) and the manufacturer ends after more than 70 years. From 2027, the US sporting goods manufacturer Nike will take over outfitting the German team./cr/DP/he
