A National Brand Was in the Starting Lineup Instead of Sitting on the Sidelines.
For brands trying to reach Hispanic audiences, the World Cup is one of those rare cultural moments where attention, passion, and scale all collide, but access does not always come easily.
A national brand wanted to promote its product across targeted DMAs, including major Hispanic markets like Los Angeles and Miami. The goal was clear. Show up during World Cup programming in a meaningful way and connect with the right audience at the right moment.
Here’s the challenge: initial options were difficult to justify.
Traditional, national, and local World Cup packages come with major commitments requiring multimillion-dollar investments, large market commitments, and participation in later tournament rounds that were not essential to the campaign’s goals. Out-of-pocket costs were running into the multi-millions, but the brand had a budget of $1.0M+.
How do you show up in one of the biggest media events in the world when the standard entry fee doesn’t fit the budget?
That is where XACTV came in. Instead of forcing the brand into a standard national buy or expensive local market packages, we used an unwired broadcast TV strategy to create a more flexible path to premium World Cup inventory. The XACTV team identified an efficient way to reach Hispanic audiences across every priority market without requiring the client to commit to later-stage World Cup placements.
The result was a customized broadcast TV plan built around the Group Stage, where audience interest is high, and inventory is more accessible; something that was initially out of reach became achievable.
The campaign delivered:
- More than 500 total units
- Over 250 in-game spots during marquee matches
- Placements in World Cup Today, World Cup Now, and other surrounding programming
- Coverage across 10+ priority DMAs, including Los Angeles, Miami, San Antonio, and Sacramento.
With their budget, the brand was able to punch above its weight and gain meaningful World Cup visibility while keeping out-of-pocket costs lower than traditional package options. The plan also delivered competitive CPMs, and increased flexibility.
Just as important, the client did not have to sacrifice accountability. Flexible guarantees, pre-logs, and post-logs gave the brand market-level transparency and confidence in delivery.
The Takeaway
Premium sports inventory is often viewed as all-or-nothing. Either buy the national package or sit on the sidelines.
When planners look beyond standard buying structures, it is sometimes possible to access the audiences and moments that matter most without paying for inventory they do not need.
Sometimes the smartest media strategy is not about buying more. XACTV’s approach highlights that there can be better ways to find your people.
