An Orange Ambush: DutchyDress

Ambush Marketing is when companies that are not the official sponsors of an event try and get attention in another way. They organise some sort of marketing event that makes it seems as though they may be an official sponsor. The thing about marketing is once there's a buzz, there's a buzz. As a company you want people to know about your product or service. Ambushing is not the best way but to some degree it is effective and this is why companies do it.

So where better to Ambush than where people all over the globe can see you. The World Cup. In Holland v Denmark's match a marketing campaign was organised whereby a group of women showed up in a specific short orange dress dubbed 'The DutchyDress'. They had been supplied by a Dutch brewing company and the (mainly) blonde hotties danced around in the tight clothing.

The alleged organisers were arrested and were said to be in direct violation of South Africa's Merchandise Marks Act, however they were released on bail. I do believe that this is because you should be allowed to wear what you want to a football match, ambush or no ambush. In addition it was only about 30 women AND orange is the official colour for the Dutch team.

FIFA however does not take the same opinion and is looking through £-sterling-shaped spectacles at the companies that pay about $1.2 million to be official sponsors. They say:

"The matter is now under criminal investigation"

The sight of 100 girls wearing the same short fluorescent orange dress can be seen at ones leisure by visiting Peckham (outside RISKY), Lewisham (outside RISKY) or Harlesden. Yes just everywhere in Harlesden I'm afraid.


 As for the actual official sponsors, it must all be subliminal because I couldn't think of a single one based on the games I've watched!