FIFA have temporarily ‘debranded’ the iconic stadiums across the United States for the World Cup – but some have found some smart ways to get around the restrictions.
The tournament organizers have changed the names of host venues, calling stadiums by the city they are in so that their own global sponsors get to enjoy their moment in the spotlight.
It means that, for example, SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles is officially called ‘Los Angeles Stadium’ for the competition, even if every American fan knows it by the original name.
For some of the original sponsors, though, the ruling has given them an opportunity to get inventive and promote themselves in another creative way.
At the Gillette Stadium near Boston, Gillette caught the eye of fans lucky enough to have a ticket to a game by blocking out their own logo with shaving foam.
A huge bubble of foam was visible from far and wide, arguably drawing more attention than the standard logo that is usually in place.
Sponsor Levi’s have been forced to block out their name during the World Cup in San Francisco
Gillette blocked out their logo with a huge block of foam at the newly-named Boston Stadium
Across the United States on the west coast in Santa Clara, Levi’s got creative too.
They blocked out their name with their famous ‘batwing’ logo at the stadium that hosted the Super Bowl earlier this year – a design that most people immediately associate with the clothing brand.
Levi’s Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers, has been renamed the ‘San Francisco Bay Area Stadium’ for the World Cup.
The two companies had a laugh at their respective moves on social media, too.
Gillette shared a picture of their massive block of foam with the caption: ‘At least we got to choose how we cover it.’
Levi’s, meanwhile, shared a video of their stadium with their name blocked out, saying: ‘Welcoming the world to the beautiful [redacted] stadium!’
