As the official smartphone sponsor, Vivo will be reaching out to local fans of the largest competition through a series of initiatives.
Vivo announced its agreement with International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) to sponsor the FIFA World Cup for six years in May 2017, covering two tournament cycles where Vivo will become the official sponsor of the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup, as well as FIFA Confederations Cup.
Sponsorship of the FIFA World Cup is in-line with Vivo's progressive expansion into the international marketplace.
“Football is a sport full of passion and excitement, and it is one of the few things that bring Malaysians together through the love for football.
“Through our line-up of online and on-ground activations, we are looking to amp up the excitement for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and bring football fans together to celebrate one of the largest sporting events in the world.
“Vivo’s presence at the FIFA World Cup is an opportunity for us to bring our personalized, energetic and youthful spirit into the sport of football, whilst enabling us to engage with more young people locally and globally,” said Vivo Malaysia chief executive officer, Mike Xu.
Vivo will be running a number of competition and activities for its users and their grand prize is sending a user on an all-expense paid trip to Russia to catch the 2018 FIFA World Cup with Janna Nick, Vivo’s brand ambassador.
The winning user will also be enjoying a ‘backstage’ experience where they can stand a chance to see their favourite footballer from a closer proximity, as well as relishing a trip around Moscow.
Additionally, with esports gaining grounds in Malaysia, Vivo is partnering with Astro through eGG Network to run a FIFA 18 video game tournament, bringing together both the football and esports craze on one exciting platform.
Covering key cities across Peninsular Malaysia, football games enthusiasts will battle it out for a chance to win two tickets to watch the semi-final match at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, along with other attractive prizes and official World Cup merchandises.
In addition to the tournament, there are other exciting activities on-ground which will surely delight both football fans and everyday customers alike.
Part of the brand’s efforts to bolster its customer engagement initiatives, Vivo has named Raden Ahmad Faizal Yaakob, or more popularly known as Raf Yaakob as the Vivo’s Football Icon, adding to its solid line-up of brand personalities.
The actor and TV host is no stranger to the local football scene, being the president of Manchester United Malaysian Fan Club and an avid footballer himself, Raf will participate in Vivo Malaysia’s FIFA World Cup-related marketing, communication and promotional programmes, along with the rest of Vivo Malaysia brand ambassadors.