Ambush marketing and digital media in the summer of sport

Research suggests that seven out of ten of the most shared 'World Cup' adverts were for brands with no official relationship with the competition. So is the campaign against ambush marketing lost, at least when it comes to digital media? And what might that mean for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games? Dan Smith investigates.

The opening ceremony of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games triggered plenty of social media buzz on Wednesday - from Rod Stewart tweeting a bare legged picture of himself backstage through to excited posts about Scottie dogs in tartan jackets.

If the Games go on to capture the public's imagination, then brands will no doubt be looking to get involved in the conversation on Twitter and Facebook over the next 10 days, inspired by their recent World Cup campaigns. Sponsors and non-sponsors alike may have in mind the research, from Unruly Media, which suggests that seven out of ten of the most shared 'World Cup' adverts were for brands with no official relationship with the competition.

So is the campaign against ambush marketing lost, at least when it comes to digital media? And what might that mean for the Friendly Games?

Dan Smith takes a look back at the World Cup, and ahead to the Commonwealth Games, in this piece on ambush marketing and digital media, which appears in the current edition of Trademarks & Brands Online.