Happy Wednesday, and welcome back to the 40th weekly edition of Broken Marketing by Anvara, where we discuss marketing that breaks.

For those of you who are new here, we’re Nick and Andrei, the co-founders of Anvara. We’ve included you here because one way or another, we’re connected. We’re happy to have you as a part of the Anvara family.

FIFA just named TikTok its first-ever “preferred platform” partner ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Which is wild, because for decades, the World Cup has been synonymous with broadcast TV. Big screens. Big networks. Big rights checks.

And now FIFA is basically saying:
“Yeah… that’s cute. The real action is on your phone.”

This deal gives TikTok access to official World Cup content, behind-the-scenes footage, creator programs, curated clips, and even a dedicated World Cup hub. Broadcasters can still exist, but now they’re monetizing through TikTok instead of pretending it’s just a marketing add-on.

That’s the shift.

Because let’s be honest - most fans don’t experience the World Cup through full matches anymore.

They experience it through reactions. The group chat clip. The creator screaming into their phone. The slow-mo replay with captions you absolutely can’t show your parents.

And the most important part here is that FIFA is officially acknowledging that creators are actually an inventory - implying that creators are how moments travel, and how culture scales.

This deal perfectly shows where sponsorships are headed: not toward eyeballs, but toward participation.

If the World Cup were invented today, it would’ve launched on TikTok first.

A lot has changed in the past four years. Short form content has dominated and shrunk everyone’s attention span. FIFA knows that and they’re adapting for that shift.

Yes, the Chicago Cubs swapped American Airlines for Southwest.

But the Cubs didn’t just sign Southwest Airlines as a sponsor.

They handed them a physical chunk of Wrigley Field.

So basically, Southwest Airlines is replacing American Airlines after a 10-year run, but this isn’t a simple swap of logos. For the first time in the stadium’s history, the Cubs sold upper deck naming rights - turning one of the most iconic seating sections in sports into branded real estate.

That’s a big deal. Wrigley isn’t some modern naming-rights free-for-all. It’s sacred, protected, and historically conservative when it comes to commercialization. If the Cubs are willing to carve up this building, it tells you exactly where the sponsorship market is heading.

And the deal doesn’t stop at signage.

Southwest gets category exclusivity as the official airline, in-stadium branding that fans physically sit under, player integrations, and community-facing activations that tie the airline to Chicago identity - not just Cubs fandom.

And this is inventory designed to be seen, experienced, and remembered.

This reflects the broader emphasis in sponsorships on moments fans can experience, tied to your brand.

RWJBarnabas Health locked down naming rights for Red Bull New York’s new training facility - an eight-figure deal in one of the most competitive healthcare markets in the country.

At first glance, this feels traditional.

But zoom OUT.

If you zoom out, you’ll realize that this isn’t just a logo play. RWJBarnabas secured naming rights to the entire performance facility, plus kit branding, academy integration, and youth soccer extensions - meaning their brand now lives inside the daily routine of Red Bull players, prospects, and staff.

For a healthcare system dominating New Jersey, they need credibility, trust, and repetition. A training facility delivers all three. Every rehab session, every injury recovery clip, every “behind-the-scenes” performance video now casually reinforces the idea that RWJBarnabas is part of elite athletic care in New Jersey.

And yes, the geography matters here. RWJBarnabas dominates healthcare in NJ. Red Bull New York is one of the few major pro teams that actually represents the state, not just New York City. This deal is actually about owning the region before 2026.

Because let’s be honest: this is also a World Cup setup play.

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup coming to the U.S. - and MetLife Stadium hosting the final - New Jersey is about to get flooded with international attention. Training facilities, performance centers, and medical infrastructure will suddenly be part of the global conversation.

And WJBarnabas just made sure its name is attached to that ecosystem early. And it’s probably a better bang for your buck that way, too.

🏓 Ares x Pickleball Slam - Ares Management became the first-ever exclusive title sponsor of the Pickleball Slam, marking both the event’s most significant commercial step yet and Ares’ first move into sports sponsorship.

🍺 Anheuser-Busch x Super Bowl LX - Anheuser-Busch will dominate Super Bowl LX with 2.5 minutes of ads spotlighting Budweiser, Bud Light, and Michelob Ultra, making it the game’s biggest advertiser across all categories.

👕 Unrivaled x Togethxr - Unrivaled and Togethxr teamed up to launch a co-branded apparel collection built around the message “Everyone Watches Women’s Sports,” blending merch with movement-building.

Quote of the Week

“The true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching.” - John Wooden