A recent article by LBBOnline exploring the missteps of FIFA’s new Club World Cup offered an insightful view into how even the biggest brands can get it wrong when they forget their audience. The event may have been billed as the next global spectacle, but the reality has been empty stadiums, mismatched fixtures and disenchanted players. Behind the headlines lies a deeper issue: a failure to invest in customer understanding.

This isn’t just a sporting problem. It’s an important lesson for anyone trying to build a product, service or campaign at scale without doing the foundational work of research.

Fans aren’t just an audience, they’re the customer

Fan engagement isn’t something you create through last-minute influencer campaigns or discounted tickets. It’s something you earn through relevance, consistency and a deep understanding of what matters to your audience.

In this market, football fans are the customer. And like any customer, they come with expectations, emotional drivers, behaviours and non-negotiables. Without insight into these, you’re flying blind.

The signs were all there, they just weren’t heard

It’s easy to assume that scale will equal success, but if you aren’t designing around the needs and expectations of your audience, even the most ambitious concept can fall flat.

In this case, what fans wanted was clear: affordability, a sense of competitiveness and sporting integrity, and respect for the rhythm of the sporting calendar. These are all things that customer research can uncover – through qualitative deep dives, segmentation studies or even social listening. The red flags were there, yet the issue was that no one was paying attention.

Designing experiences with the customer in mind

We’ve seen that when you get the research right, the results can be transformative. Look at the growth of new sporting formats designed around emerging fan behaviours – whether that’s shorter matches, digital-first content or broader family appeal. These ideas didn’t appear out of thin air; they were grounded in a clear understanding of what different audience segments wanted, and what was missing from their current experience.

The same holds true for brands across sectors. Research allows you to de-risk innovation, sharpen your message, and ensure that you’re delivering something people actually want – not something you hope they’ll eventually warm to.

Customer research isn’t just a formality, it’s the foundation

When done well, research doesn’t slow things down. It gives you clarity, direction and confidence. It helps you:

• Uncover what people really value: Move beyond assumptions to discover the underlying motivations and unmet needs
• Segment your audience meaningfully: Tailor your strategy to the behaviours and priorities of distinct customer groups, rather than defaulting to catch-all solutions
• Test before you invest: From messaging and pricing to delivery formats, validate before rollout
• Build in continuous feedback: Engagement shouldn’t end at launch. Ongoing research helps you refine, respond and stay relevant

A lesson for any business

The Club World Cup may be the most visible example of what happens when customer research is treated as optional. But this principle applies across every category. Whether you’re launching a new proposition, entering a new market or refreshing your brand, understanding your audience isn’t just a box to tick – it’s the key to success.

Interesting in learning more? Book in a call with us to discuss how we can help you to understand your target audience better.