Unilever's Strategic Move: Sponsoring Copa América to Target US Market

Unilever, a leading UK consumer products group, has made its inaugural sponsorship debut in the realm of football by backing the Conmebol Copa América, hosted in the US this year.

This sponsorship marks a strategic move by Unilever to capitalize on the potential of the North American market, which it considers its largest.

In this landmark deal, Unilever will leverage its sponsorship rights to the prestigious South American national team competition, focusing on its Personal Care brands – Axe, Degree (Sure/Rexona), Dove, and Dove Men+Care.

The decision to sponsor the tournament in the US was announced in January last year as part of a broader agreement between the two continental football federations for the Americas – Conmebol and Concacaf.

The US had previously hosted the tournament in 2016, marking the only other occasion it was held outside South America.

Unilever's sponsorship of Copa América complements its sponsorship commitments in the football world.

Last May, its Personal Care brands, including Rexona, Dove, LUX, and Lifebuoy, entered into a global agreement with FIFA that will extend through the 2023 Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, the 2026 World Cup in the USA and Mexico, and the 2027 Women's World Cup.

The potential sponsorship of three major football tournaments in the US aligns with Unilever's strategic objectives, particularly in its personal care division, where restoring competitiveness is a key focus, as outlined in Unilever's 2023 annual report.

Additionally, Unilever's personal care division has been active in the European market, securing a partnership with UEFA as an official sponsor of UEFA Euro 2024 in December.

While the sponsorship of Copa América does not grant Unilever the same level of intellectual property as the 13 Official Global Sponsors, it ensures significant visibility for its personal care products across the tournament.

Brands like Rexona, Dove Men+Care, Axe (known as Lynx in the UK), Radox, and Dusch Das will be prominently displayed, along with nutrition brands Hellmann's, Knorr, Colman's, Amora, and The Vegetarian Butcher.

This move underscores Unilever's strategic approach to brand visibility and market expansion through strategic sports sponsorships. Earlier this week, French football star Olivier Giroud agreed to promote Rexona as part of the association with Euro 2024.

Furthermore, in January, Unilever's football sponsorship portfolio expanded with an agreement to sponsor the Confederation of African Football's men's 2024 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Ivory Coast and its women's equivalent in Morocco in 2024.