WF SEM I 1.07

Sponsorships

Define Sponsorship

• Sponsorship: underwriting an event for the purpose of gaining a positive association for a brand with the participants and/or attendees

• Often considered a partnership between event and sponsor – Sponsor wants affiliation with event, entity or individual

SponsorshipsBig Organizations

– Major Events

– Major Activation

– Major Ad Budgets

– Better organizational skills

– Sponsors are more confident in and give more $ to bigger events

Small Organizations

-Smaller Events

-Small/No Activation

-Small/No Ad Budgets

-Limited staff to communicate withsponsor

-

Tend to develop poor relationshipswith sponsors

- Events tend to draw less attention

Explain benefits of sponsorship• Increase sales and profits through affiliation and brand

awareness

• Introduce new good or service

• Be identified directly with an event in which target market is interested and watching

• Earn goodwill of audience by showing commitment to community

• Entertain clients, employees, potential customers

• Enhance company image through Public/Community Relations

• Enter new/niche markets

Explain Successful Sponsorships• The key to building successful sponsorship programs is to match

the correct products or services with the people who want to purchase them = TARGET MARKET!!!!!

Premium Sponsorships

• Entitlements: one major sponsor for an event (ex: Sprint for NASCAR)

• Facility Entitlements: company purchases promotional rights to entire stadium (ex: BB&T for the Dash)

• Product Exclusivity: only one product in a category is granted sponsorship (ex: Food Lion is the only grocery sponsor for the ACC)

How Sponsorships Are Formed Generate leads Contact potential sponsors Create sponsorship proposal

Information for Sponsorship ProposalsInformation about the eventAudience demographicsCost/cost per person reachedLength of contractMedia coverageMarketing opportunitiesSponsorship benefits**ENDS WITH FORMAL/

LEGAL CONTRACT

Risks of Sponsorships• Loosing streak or failed event• Too many sponsors at one event (clutter,

confusing)• Could create a bad image at event…and that

negative is forever tied to your brand• Ambush Marketing (next slide)

Why Sponsorships Fail• No budget for activation• Not long-term• No measurable objectives• Insufficient staffing• No local extensions• Not exploited (advertised/promoted)

Ambush Marketing

• Giving the appearance of being associated with an event without paying a sponsorship fee