CHICAGO, July 8, 2026 — Coffee company Café Bustelo is generating the most buzz from its World Cup marketing campaign out of more than 2,000 tracked companies, according to new data from market research firm YouGov.
The coffee company, which is owned by The J.M. Smucker Company, won attention from its Game Face campaign, a run of limited-edition coffee cans inspired by Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico, with temporary face tattoos inside each can, YouGov found.
The research firm looked at data collected from U.S. adults interested in the FIFA World Cup in the 18 days before the tournament began on June 11 as well as during the tournament, from June 11 to June 28. More than 2,000 brands from a variety of categories were ranked based on ad awareness, overall buzz and consumer intent to purchase to determine an overall Ad Impact Score.
Pepsi came in about seven points behind Café Bustelo thanks to its Pepsi Football Nation campaign that featured soccer stars like David Beckham, Mohamed Salah, Vini Jr., Lauren James, Alexia Putellas and Florian Wirtz, the research found. “Pepsi’s rise is especially notable because Coca-Cola is the official FIFA soft drink partner, yet Pepsi is still breaking through by speaking the language of fans,” YouGov noted.
Coca-Cola, meanwhile, came in at No. 5 on YouGov’s ranking, nearly 20 points behind Café Bustelo. Coca-Cola’s multi-pronged marketing strategy included limited-edition packaging, sticker tie-ins, on-the-ground fan activities and more. All of that gave the brand a major boost in buzz, as its efforts generated conversation and brand visibility, the firm found.
Other FAFH brands making YouGov’s rankings were McDonald’s McCafe (No. 3), Pringles (No. 6), Doritos (No. 7), Clamato (No. 9), Cheetos (No. 11) and Nutri-Grain (No. 12).
“The ranking shows that official sponsorship still matters, but it is not the only route to impact,” YouGov said. “Some of the strongest gains are coming from brands that make the tournament part of everyday fan behavior: what people drink, snack on, wear, collect, watch, plan and share during the FIFA World Cup.
Here’s a look at how some food-away-from-home industry brands observed the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Heather Lalley is the director of communications for IFMA The Food Away from Home Association. A lifelong journalist, Lalley has previously worked with industry publications including Restaurant Business, CSP Daily News, Supermarket News and Foodservice Director.