Dilemma: Artur Campos, Marketing Director, and Vitória Brave, Head of Communications for the Ludonia Football Federation (FFL), faces a strategic game involving activism and institutional pragmatism. Faced with FIFA’s ban on the use of the “One Love” armband at the Qatar World Cup (2022) and the threat of sporting sanctions, they need to recommend action to the FFL presidency. The managers must arbitrate a critical trade-off: sustain the offensive in favor of brand values, accepting the risk of technical punishments and political isolation; or retreat to the defensive line, preserving sporting viability at the cost of a crisis of inauthenticity (wokewashing) among athletes and fans. In this case, maintaining the offensive, in defense of the campaign values and the FFL, risks punishments and conflict with FIFA; on the other hand, retreating to the defensive line to avoid sanctions could generate accusations of inauthenticity, a reputation crisis, and the discontent of athletes, fans, and sponsors. What’s the best tactic for this high-pressure game - playing by the rules of the governing body or by the values of your own fans?
Educational Objective: The case aims to lead student to: (1) Analyze the risks and benefits of brand activism in global sporting events; (2) Develop strategies to manage conflicts between brand values, sports regulations, and the expectations of multiple stakeholders; (3) Evaluate the
importance of authenticity and strategic alignment to avoid missteps in brand activism.
Context: The case unfolds during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, a country with laws that criminalize homosexuality. European federations, including the LFF, planned a symbolic offensive: their captains would wear the “One Love” armband to promote inclusion. FIFA, however, drew a hard line, threatening sporting sanctions.
Main Subject: Brand Activism in Sports; Reputation Crisis Management; Decision Making; Sports Marketing.
Audience: Undergraduate and Graduate students in Business Administration, Marketing, Social Communication, Sports Management, and Physical Education.
Originality/Value: The case uses a real, high-profile event to explore the complex rules of the game of brand activism in the international sports context, offering a space to discuss ethical, strategic, and communication dilemmas that can lead organizations to either win or lose the reputation
game.
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