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No brand other than Fifa will be allowed in the commercial restriction zones in and around stadiums countrywide.
Soccer fans will sip their cold drinks in "neutral, clear" glasses, will eat food served in "unbranded wraps" and will not read newspapers, since newspaper sales are not allowed inside stadiums.
"We plan to have teams
in each of the cities looking out... for brand hijackers," said Fifa
rights protection manager Mpumi Mazibuko. "We protect the brand
that is Fifa."
He was speaking at a media roundtable to explain the thinking behind Fifa's strong protection of its brand.
Businesses in the zones around World Cup stadiums will be allowed to trade, as long as there is no Fifa-related marketing activity or ambush marketing.
Fifa marketing director Thierry Weil said the world football body also allowed businesses to sell their products at the fan fests.
"The restriction is it must be unbranded but you will still make money, so this unbranded one is not harming anyone," said Weil.
Informal traders will also be allowed to do business outside stadiums, as long as their products are not branded.
But Fifa needed to protect its commercial affiliates, said Weil.
“When you buy a car, you buy it completely... you don't let everybody drive the car and it is the same for our partners -- they bought the car, they want the key and they want to be ensured they are the only ones driving the car," Weil added.
Several local businesses have felt the brunt of the Fifa brand police.
Fifa considers its trademarks to be "2010 Fifa World Cup South Africa", "2010 Fifa World Cup", "Fifa World Cup", "World Cup", "World Cup 2010", "Football World Cup", "SA 2010", "ZA 2010", "South Africa 2010", "Ke Nako -- Celebrate Africa's Humanity", "Soccer World Cup" and "Zakumi".
It took a Pretoria pub owner to court to make him remove banners and flags that said: "World Cup 2010" and "2010 South Africa, while it took Metcash to court for selling lollipops branded "2010 Pops".
The manufacturer of a keyring holder was taken to court because it bore the year "2010", a vuvuzela and the South African flag.
Low-cost airline Kulula was asked to withdraw an advert declaring that it was the "Unofficial National Carrier of the You-Know-What".
Quizzed about the reasons behind the Kulula complaint, Mazibuko said it was a "combination of elements" that led Fifa to believe the advert was irregular.
Asked if the strong action did not perhaps damage the brand, Weil replied: "We need to be strong, we need to protect our brand... I'm happy to sit down with you in the last week of the tournament and you tell me what the perception is."
Mazibuko said Fifa took action "as soon as somebody goes overboard".
If the Ponti building in Johannesburg, which carries a huge Vodacom billboard, had fallen into a commercial restrictive zone, it would have been covered up.
The city of Johannesburg was exploring the possibility of buying that space during the World Cup to cover up the brand.
But Weil said people wearing branded t-shirts would be allowed into stadiums - if they did not move together wearing the same t-shirts in big groups.
Also, vuvuzelas with small brands on would be allowed in, but not vuvuzelas bearing "huge words".
"We will most probably ask the person not to bring the vuvuzela in," said Weil, before launching again into his analogy of the new car that needs to be protected.
A journalist then remarked: "But it sounds like you parked your car in my garage."
To which Weil replied: "Yes, but we asked if we could borrow your garage."
