Latin America’s World Cup Ads Have a Secret U.S. Brands Keep Missing

Another great local campaign from Mexico comes from Sabritas. 

The brand uses the widely-known Latin American concept of convivencia, best translated as “togetherness.” 

This concept evokes the idea of social warmth, in a shared room with people you care about. It goes beyond just “hanging out,” and is closer to something like “communion” or “fraternity.” It evokes the sounds of people together and food on the table being a major part of the vibe, not just a backdrop. The match is the occasion that enables this experience.

The main campaign line is “Sin Sabritas no hay partido” which means, “without Sabritas, there is no game.” 

The message is: the chips deserve a place at the center of the “botana,” the array of snacks offered to guests, and an important part of any Mexican gathering. Sabritas positions itself not as a bag of chips on a shelf, but as an important part of an experience that is central to enjoying the game.

Belonging should come before the brand

What these Latin American campaigns are showcasing is that you can treat the snack and the beer as something more valuable: cultural membership. The product becomes how you participate, not just what you consume. 

Local cultural belonging comes first. 

Brahma promotes a local collective belief with the brand as the vehicle. 

Corona links the brand to local pride and hospitality. 

Sabritas ties the brand directly into the cultural importance of gathering. 

More U.S. based marketers should emulate these tactics when targeting Hispanic fans: by focusing on the emotional connection and how people experience belonging to a culture first, with the brand embedded as part of it.

Hispanic viewers are an anchor segment for U.S. soccer fandom. What works well in Latin America often holds clues on how to create campaigns that will resonate with Latinos in the U.S. as well.