FIFA and it's long list of rules have been in the spotlight in the lead up to the World Cup, and now more so that the tournament is underway. They are known to be iron-fisted in their enforcement of their 'rights' and will sue anyone in their way. This behavior is predictable and provides an easy opportunity for brands with enough courage (and broad-shouldered lawyers) to execute simple and effective guerilla marketing campaigns.
Bavaria, a Dutch beer ambushed one of the World Cup fixtures where the Dutch were playing. The ambush wasn't all that extravagant, 36 women in orange mini skirts in a crowd of 90,000 is cheeky and daring but definitely not devastating.
What made the campaign, and provided Bavaria with all the marketing returns it could have hoped for, was FIFA's predictably litigious behavior. The campaign would have received a mention or two in the media and would have quickly buried itself under a heap of exciting football news, but FIFA just couldn't help itself. FIFA announced it would sue Bavaria for the stunt, presumably to deter future guerillas. Instead, it gifted Bavaria a string of high-profile stories in the media and thrust a relatively small stunt into the global limelight.
Bavaria must have their feet up, sipping a refreshing beer and patting themselves on the backs for a job well done. Sure their lawyers will have to work a few late nights but just write it off as a marketing expense. The lesson: if you're looking to get the most out of a guerilla campaign, pick a fight with the biggest, baddest and most litigious kid on the block.