Dear Media Friends (and random internet strangers),
Scroll down if you just want pitch opportunities and not my genius observations about the World Cup.
Several thousand years ago, I spent a summer in Europe when the World Cup was in Italy. Every. Single. Man I met swore he played for a national team. Some of them may even have been telling the truth. The point holds: when the World Cup comes around, everyone wants you to believe they’re part of it. The trick for men in Italian bars and brands in 2026 alike is to elevate your brand without violating any trademarks.
Kickoff is a week out. The official sponsors paid fortunes. Your client almost certainly didn’t. Here’s how to claim a piece anyway — convincingly, and without a cease-and-desist.
Adidas, Coca-Cola, Visa and friends bought exclusivity, and FIFA guards it fiercely. You can’t touch their marks, the trophy, the logos, or imply you’re “official” anything. Clean zones and takedown notices are real. I’m nervous, and I don’t have anything to do with any of it.
Which is why it’s nice to know that while they may hold certain trademarks and service marks, nobody owns the culture. The smartest play I’ve seen this week proves it: Australian men’s grooming brand Kings Domain Melbourne is crashing the tournament with a three-day NYC pop-up called “The World Cut” — soccer-inspired haircuts from celebrity barbers, free chairs reserved for media. One letter off, zero FIFA IP, all the borrowed energy. (Hat tip to Maggie Davis Skora, who is doing related PR…and another hat tip to S3 McMillan, who Maggie credits as the organizers of this three-day whirlwind).
That’s the art: newsjack the moment, not the trademark — and play right at the line without crossing it.
The cautionary flip side: Bavaria beer’s 2010 orange-dress stunt earned global coverage and two arrests. Bold done well gets noticed. In the internet age, reckless gets you on the wrong page of the trades and eternal marketing infamy.
Decide what you are. Sponsor, ambusher, or bystander. The worst spot is improvising on day 12 because a client suddenly “wants in.”
Build a tiny war room. The wins come from witty instant reactions to a goal, an upset, a notable WAG, a viral celebration. Prep your team on what you can or can’t say just in case. And stay tuned.
The tournament runs 40 days. Not one Super Bowl — roughly fourteen in a row. Plan for the marathon.
and gooooooooaaaaaalllllll
I’m sourcing products and experts for a batch of upcoming stories for Yahoo and for Hello Gorgeous!. If you’ve got a real fit (please don’t shoehorn your standard pitch to fit. We all know Dad doesn’t want CBD boxer shorts), email rcwprpitches@gmail.com — and the sooner the better, because some of these move fast:
Hello Gorgeous! turns two — I’d like to pull together a cotton anniversary gift guide. The grown-up cotton things are worth the splurge at this stage: the perfect white tee that doesn't go see-through, a proper bathrobe, high-thread-count sheets, luxe towels, organic cotton everything. Cotton scents or even undies. And just because, I’m also open to: china, garnet jewelry, anything cute and red, and the flower is cosmos.
Vacuum upgrades — the ones actually worth trading up for
Father’s Day gifts — beyond the tie and the grill tongs (this one’s on a deadline)
Graduation gifts — the ones you wish someone had given you
Summer crafts — projects worth genuinely trying
Chub rub shorts — the anti-chafe pairs that actually deliver
Summer beauty — nails, skin, and hair trends, plus the products and experts behind them
I read everything. I get overwhelmed easily. I respond to what fits.
Always overthinking every possible angle, Rachel
Need a creative strategy that won’t get you sued? Let’s connect at vineyard.agency. And look for my new agency name and branding in the coming weeks. Because only suckers slow down during the summer months!
Are you planning any FIFA activations or sneaky promos? Let’s discuss in the comments!
IYKYK ⬇️
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