23 January 2015

The Brussels summit on FIFA reform which was held at the European Parliament on Wednesday, January 21st has prompted international sports brand SKINS to announce the first ever ‘official’ non-sponsorship of football’s governing body. 

The non-multi-million pound, announcement allows the company to highlight unshared brand values and confirms SKINS’ contempt for an organisation which has been constantly shrouded in allegations of corruption and controversy, yet is potentially preparing to re-elect its President Sepp Blatter for an unprecedented fifth term in office.

Announcing the rolling non-sponsorship agreement, SKINS Chairman Jaimie Fuller said: “I’m delighted this ongoing non-deal highlights all the values we don’t share with FIFA. It is an exciting non-association which will shine a light on the organisation’s un-progressive stance, dis-credited values and all round non-integrity.”

Central to the core activity is a social activation ‘demanding football back’, which encourages supporters from across the world to show their desire for change.

Fans can lodge their own FIFA protest by logging on to www.officialnonsponsor.com where they are offered a series of non-sponsor opportunities including the chance to not win   tickets to the next World Cup.

SKINS is providing a non-sponsor style-guide for other brands to adopt as well as an eBay listing which ‘invites’ bids for ‘FIFA silence’. There is also offers a full selection of limited-edition, (non-available) transparent SKINS products.”

To support the series of  launch activities, SKINS has also arranged to post a full page ad-vertisement in Sepp Blatter’s local Swiss newspaper tomorrow (Saturday) to confirm its ‘Official Non-Sponsor’ status and announce the company’s delight at; ‘this exciting global anti-association of FIFA.’

In the campaign’s launch video Jaimie Fuller said: 

“After a board discussion on the usual payments allegedly accepted by FIFA: $5million, an opulent banquet or…a Picasso painting, we decided to not pay FIFA anything. But the main thing here isn’t not giving them money; it’s about making football better. Making it a game free of corruption, lies and backhanders.”

The serious objective of the campaign is to galvanise support for institutional change within FIFA, following the Brussels summit. The intention is for all activity to direct fans from around the world to newfifanow.org – the recently launched global movement headed by the Conservative MP Damian Collins. 

The Summit called upon all confirmed candidates for FIFA”s forthcoming Presidential election to establish full reform including the creation of a FIFA Reform Commission to be overseen by an independent international authority such as UNESCO. newfifanow.org also announced its intention to meet with FIFA’s current (real) sponsors and broadcasters and conduct briefings with major international agencies and governments to progress the creation a FIFA Reform Commission.

The campaign is timed to coincide with FIFA’s presidential nominations process which concludes this week.

Jaimie Fuller said:

“This anti-FIFA stance is intended to be fun and engaging but it carries a very serious message in support of newfifanow.org .We’re subverting traditional sponsorship activities to make a very clear statement – ‘Sepp, we just want football back’.”