As the frequent matches of the Mexican National Team in the U.S. and the recent Leagues Cup show, the soccer marketing business is increasingly conceived as a North American play by Liga MX and MLS. In addition, Liga MX is the most famous soccer league in the U.S. That is one of the reasons why it is essential to pay close attention to soccer marketing and sponsorship developments south of the border. That is why Portada recently talked to Alejandro Mayer,  Director of Marketing Capabilities at BBVA Mexico, a key executive behind the institution’s La LigaMx soccer sponsorships. The financial institution invested US $157 million in the Liga MX and related properties between 2013 and 2024, according to the “Naming Rights Leagues”report. In addition to BBVA’s sponsorships with la Liga MX, Liga de Expansión, and la Liga Femenil, BBVA is also a key sponsor of the Pumas of UNAM and Chivas of Guadalajara.

Mexico Soccer Sponsors: BBVA’s Unwavering Commitment

Mayer, a digital marketing expert with experience in companies such as Amazon, Scotiabank, and the Mexican department store chain Liverpool, tells Portada that BBVA will continue to invest in Mexican soccer. “The visibility and impact of these sponsorships are not easily replaceable,” he notes.

Mayer also shares that BBVA intends to harness generative artificial intelligence for its commercial campaigns, opening the door to a new era of creative and impactful advertising strategies. With soccer as its playing field and generative AI as its ally, BBVA is poised to make an indelible mark on the industry. Let’s discover how this combination of forces will pave the way for 2024.

The visibility and impact of these sponsorships are not easily replaceable.

One of the country’s most modern stadiums bears the bank’s name; the home of the Monterrey soccer club is called Estadio BBVA. For nearly a decade, BBVA Mexico has been a strategic partner of the Federación Mexicana de Fútbol, serving as the primary sponsor of the top league, or more precisely, the Liga BBVA MX.

But the alliance doesn’t stop there; BBVA also plays a fundamental role in supporting a significant portion of the national soccer industry. It sponsors the women’s professional league, the second division league, and youth tournaments.

 

Mayer acknowledges that the form and shape of Mexican soccer sponsorships may change in the future: “Experiences will transform activations and purchase experiences, but our investments will remain intact. The visibility and impact of these sponsorships are not easily replaceable. An important consideration is the fragmented television rights. Today, streaming platforms have extensive sports coverage, and we’ll see a growing trend toward these types of platforms.”

While he can’t reveal their plans, Alejandro hints at significant “transformations” for users, with BBVA remaining dedicated to supporting the sport as a Mexican soccer sponsor.

Experiences will transform, both in activations and purchase experiences, but our investments will remain intact.

Changes in how BBVA approaches Mexican sponsorships will impact the overall North American soccer marketing system, which is undergoing a consolidation trend; Three  Canadian teams play in the MLS.  In the next few years there are several national team competitions, for both men and women, relevant to North American audiences, including Copa America 2024 to be played in the U.S. and, most importantly,the 2026 Soccer World Cup in Mexico, U.S., and Canada.

BBVA Ventures into the Future: Generative AI, It’s Upcoming Challenge in 2024

For Mayer, generative artificial intelligence will be pivotal in his company’s operations in 2024. While integrating AI into business processes is inevitable, he doesn’t want to leave things to chance. He knows that mastering the technology is essential to strike a balance in efficient advertising campaigns.

“Generative AI will be a fundamental part of our processes. We can’t avoid it, but we can harness it. Personalization will be key to a company’s success but with the significant challenge of not losing differentiation against competitors by diluting their message.”

The new digital technology opens up various opportunities, such as “leveraging AI to create better campaigns, utilizing scale in content production to provide personalized experiences, and making the most of the demise of cookies to develop better customer knowledge strategies. New technologies are emerging, while others will fall by the wayside (e.g., Ad Servers, DMPs).”

Personalization will be key to a company’s success, but with the significant challenge of not losing differentiation against competitors

Other Challenges for BBVA Marketing in 2024

From a marketing perspective, Alejandro Mayer shares two additional challenges that 2024 and the subsequent years will bring. One of them is privacy, which is a central issue in the sense that it becomes a prominent aspect of the way brands engage with their customers. Concerns about the collection of personal data, the use of consumer information, the protection of private data, and other issues related to data security and confidentiality are not overlooked by a company the size of BBVA: “Privacy becomes a central issue for the connection between brands and consumers.”

Finally, Alejandro points out the concern that guides, in a certain way, the plans of this and all companies, which is the constant challenge that prompts major brands to recruit marketing experts: “Finding the right balance between investments in branding campaigns versus performance will be a significant issue.”