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A Blueprint for Strategic Sponsorship
By Janus Kodadek
Blueprint	
  for	
  Strategic	
  Sponsorship	
   2	
  
Executive Summary
Given	
  the	
  authentic	
  passion	
  and	
  loyalty	
  that	
  many	
  consumers	
  possess	
  for	
  sport,	
  music,	
  art,	
  and	
  
entertainment,	
  marketers	
  have	
  long	
  embraced	
  sponsorship	
  as	
  a	
  means	
  to	
  develop	
  brand	
  equity.	
  	
  	
  
Most	
  early	
  sponsorships	
  were	
  driven	
  by	
  ‘Chairman’s	
  whim,’	
  and	
  focused	
  on	
  gaining	
  exposure	
  and	
  awareness,	
  
often	
  through	
  logo	
  displays	
  and	
  branded	
  signage.	
  For	
  many	
  organisations,	
  this	
  is	
  still	
  the	
  dominant	
  approach,	
  
but	
  more	
  commonly,	
  contemporary	
  sponsorships	
  attempt	
  a	
  more	
  integrated	
  approach,	
  with	
  a	
  focus	
  on	
  
consumer	
  engagement	
  and	
  the	
  achievement	
  of	
  multiple	
  objectives,	
  short	
  and	
  longer	
  term.	
  
Sponsorship	
  remains	
  an	
  important	
  option	
  in	
  a	
  marketer’s	
  toolkit,	
  with	
  new	
  approaches	
  that	
  address	
  and	
  
capitalize	
  on	
  the	
  changing	
  market	
  context.	
  Moreover,	
  used	
  strategically,	
  sponsorship	
  can	
  offer	
  a	
  competitive	
  
advantage	
  in	
  the	
  current	
  market	
  environment.	
  
This	
  report	
  outlines	
  a	
  five-­‐step	
  blueprint	
  to	
  guide	
  marketers	
  in	
  creating	
  effective	
  strategic	
  sponsorship	
  
platforms.	
  Drawing	
  on	
  diverse	
  perspectives,	
  this	
  methodology	
  offers	
  a	
  holistic	
  approach	
  that	
  incorporates	
  
best	
  practice	
  principles	
  from	
  integrated	
  marketing	
  communications;	
  experiential	
  and	
  digital	
  marketing;	
  service	
  
dominant	
  logic;	
  brand	
  and	
  sponsorship	
  strategy;	
  and	
  real	
  world	
  insights	
  from	
  a	
  range	
  of	
  senior-­‐level	
  brand	
  
marketing	
  and	
  sponsorship	
  professionals,	
  coupled	
  with	
  illustrative	
  case	
  studies	
  of	
  innovative	
  sponsorship	
  
activations.	
  
• Authenticate:	
  Clearly	
  define	
  goals	
  and	
  objectives	
  for	
  the	
  sponsorship,	
  leading	
  with	
  strategic	
  
business	
  objectives.	
  	
  Anchor	
  the	
  sponsorship	
  in	
  consumer	
  insight	
  to	
  ensure	
  that	
  the	
  sponsorship	
  
platform	
  is	
  relevant	
  and	
  authentic	
  to	
  the	
  target	
  consumer	
  base.	
  	
  	
  
	
  
• Correlate:	
  A	
  strategic	
  sponsorship	
  platform	
  requires	
  “fit	
  for	
  purpose,”	
  that	
  is,	
  congruence	
  
between	
  the	
  strategic	
  objectives	
  set	
  forth	
  in	
  the	
  first	
  step	
  and	
  choice	
  of	
  partner.	
  Such	
  “fit”	
  will	
  
ensure	
  the	
  relationship	
  will	
  deliver	
  the	
  raw	
  materials	
  needed	
  to	
  achieve	
  success.	
  Foster	
  a	
  true	
  
partnership,	
  ensuring	
  that	
  the	
  strategic	
  goals	
  of	
  both	
  parties	
  are	
  viewed	
  as	
  equally	
  important.	
  
Based	
  on	
  reciprocity,	
  the	
  sponsor-­‐rights	
  holder	
  relationship	
  becomes	
  a	
  marketing	
  alliance	
  rather	
  
than	
  a	
  transactional	
  arrangement.	
  	
  
	
  
• Collaborate:	
  Assets	
  and	
  activations	
  that	
  are	
  created	
  collaboratively	
  between	
  sponsor	
  and	
  rights-­‐
holder	
  enable	
  the	
  brand	
  to	
  use	
  the	
  property	
  as	
  a	
  conduit	
  through	
  which	
  it	
  connects	
  with	
  the	
  
target	
  audience.	
  This	
  allows	
  the	
  brand	
  to	
  create	
  a	
  bond	
  with	
  the	
  audience,	
  rather	
  than	
  simply	
  an	
  
association	
  with	
  the	
  property.	
  	
  	
  
	
  
• Activate:	
  Having	
  completed	
  the	
  planning	
  process,	
  activation	
  is	
  where	
  the	
  sponsorship	
  comes	
  to	
  
life	
  for	
  the	
  consumer,	
  offering	
  the	
  opportunity	
  to	
  innovate	
  products	
  and	
  services,	
  foster	
  
differentiation,	
  communicate	
  a	
  brand’s	
  proposition,	
  stimulate	
  consumer	
  engagement	
  and	
  co-­‐
creation.	
  
	
  
• Evaluate:	
  In	
  a	
  strategic	
  approach,	
  evaluation	
  should	
  focus	
  on	
  determining	
  if	
  pre-­‐existing	
  
objectives	
  have	
  been	
  achieved.	
  	
  
	
  
Blueprint	
  for	
  Strategic	
  Sponsorship	
   3	
  
Introduction
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
Given	
  the	
  authentic	
  passion	
  and	
  loyalty	
  that	
  many	
  consumers	
  possess	
  for	
  sport,	
  music,	
  art,	
  and	
  
entertainment,	
  marketers	
  have	
  long	
  embraced	
  sponsorship	
  as	
  a	
  means	
  to	
  develop	
  brand	
  equity.	
  	
  	
  
Most	
  early	
  sponsorships	
  were	
  driven	
  by	
  ‘Chairman’s	
  whim,’	
  and	
  focused	
  on	
  gaining	
  exposure	
  and	
  awareness,	
  
often	
  through	
  logo	
  displays	
  and	
  branded	
  signage.	
  For	
  many	
  organisations,	
  this	
  is	
  still	
  the	
  dominant	
  approach,	
  
but	
  more	
  commonly,	
  contemporary	
  sponsorships	
  attempt	
  a	
  more	
  integrated	
  approach,	
  with	
  a	
  focus	
  on	
  
consumer	
  engagement	
  and	
  the	
  achievement	
  of	
  multiple	
  objectives,	
  short	
  and	
  longer	
  term.	
  
Sponsorship	
  remains	
  an	
  important	
  option	
  in	
  a	
  marketer’s	
  toolkit,	
  with	
  new	
  approaches	
  that	
  address	
  and	
  
capitalize	
  on	
  the	
  changing	
  market	
  context.	
  	
  Moreover,	
  used	
  strategically,	
  sponsorship	
  can	
  offer	
  a	
  competitive	
  
advantage	
  in	
  the	
  current	
  market	
  environment.	
  
Since	
  the	
  mid-­‐1990s,	
  rapid	
  innovations	
  in	
  technology	
  and	
  widespread	
  access	
  to	
  the	
  Internet	
  have	
  profoundly	
  
altered	
  marketing	
  communications,	
  shifting	
  power	
  from	
  the	
  marketer	
  and	
  channel	
  to	
  consumers.	
  This	
  change	
  
has	
  given	
  consumers	
  unprecedented	
  control	
  over	
  the	
  messages	
  they	
  receive	
  and	
  the	
  ability	
  to	
  avoid	
  those	
  
messages	
  that	
  are	
  unwelcome.	
  Traditional	
  marketing	
  communications	
  tactics,	
  where	
  messages	
  are	
  simply	
  
pushed	
  at	
  consumers,	
  have	
  become	
  increasingly	
  less	
  effective	
  as	
  consumers	
  embrace	
  the	
  opportunity	
  to	
  be	
  
active	
  participants	
  in	
  defining	
  their	
  relationship	
  with	
  brands.	
  	
  As	
  access	
  to	
  information	
  has	
  democratized,	
  
media	
  has	
  become	
  fragmented.	
  
Many	
  brands	
  have	
  embraced	
  the	
  concept1
	
  that	
  the	
  perception	
  (or	
  value)	
  of	
  a	
  brand	
  is	
  jointly	
  created	
  –	
  based	
  
on	
  both	
  what	
  the	
  brand	
  communicates	
  about	
  itself,	
  as	
  well	
  as	
  the	
  consumer’s	
  own	
  experience	
  of	
  the	
  brand.	
  
Also	
  called	
  “co-­‐creation,”	
  this	
  occurs	
  whenever	
  consumers	
  interact	
  with	
  a	
  company’s	
  touch	
  points	
  or	
  
products.	
  Sponsorships	
  can	
  provide	
  experiences	
  and	
  messages	
  that	
  can	
  be	
  used	
  to	
  enrich	
  consumer‘s	
  own	
  
interpretation	
  (co-­‐creation)	
  of	
  the	
  brand.	
  	
  
Experiences	
  are	
  inherently	
  personal	
  and	
  unique	
  to	
  each	
  individual,	
  subject	
  to	
  interpretation	
  and	
  affect	
  based	
  
on	
  that	
  person’s	
  collective	
  knowledge	
  and	
  past	
  experiences.	
  If	
  a	
  consumer	
  experiences	
  a	
  brand	
  in	
  a	
  
memorable	
  way	
  (positive	
  or	
  negative),	
  he	
  or	
  she	
  is	
  more	
  likely	
  to	
  share	
  the	
  experience	
  and	
  take	
  action.	
  	
  An	
  
experience	
  cannot	
  be	
  skipped	
  over	
  like	
  a	
  television	
  commercial.	
  The	
  ultimate	
  goal	
  is	
  to	
  create	
  marketing	
  that	
  
does	
  not	
  feel	
  like	
  marketing,	
  where	
  the	
  brand	
  resonates	
  as	
  a	
  relevant	
  and	
  authentic	
  part	
  of	
  a	
  consumer’s	
  life.	
  
Today’s	
  sponsorship	
  is	
  both	
  strategic	
  and	
  versatile;	
  it	
  can	
  drive	
  a	
  brand’s	
  entire	
  marketing	
  program,	
  propel	
  
strategic	
  value	
  for	
  an	
  organisation,	
  be	
  centred	
  at	
  the	
  heart	
  of	
  employee	
  engagement	
  programs	
  and	
  reduce	
  
costs	
  through	
  partner	
  synergies.	
  	
  
The	
  whole	
  reason	
  you	
  go	
  into	
  a	
  partnership	
  is	
  to	
  do	
  something	
  different	
  from	
  the	
  normal	
  channels.	
  
The	
  modern	
  consumer	
  has	
  so	
  much	
  grasping	
  his/her	
  attention	
  that	
  you	
  have	
  to	
  have	
  added	
  value,	
  
and	
  partnerships	
  are	
  a	
  great	
  way	
  of	
  finding	
  that	
  added	
  value.	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
Managing	
  Director,	
  Sponsorship	
  Agency	
  
1
	
  Service	
  Dominant	
  Logic:	
  Customers	
  are	
  no	
  longer	
  seen	
  as	
  buying	
  goods	
  or	
  services,	
  but	
  rather	
  products	
  that	
  provide	
  a	
  service.	
  
The	
  value	
  of	
  that	
  service	
  is	
  determined	
  by	
  and	
  dependent	
  on	
  need	
  and	
  consumer	
  experience.	
  For	
  example,	
  a	
  customer	
  would	
  
buy	
  a	
  pen,	
  however	
  according	
  to	
  service	
  dominant	
  logic,	
  the	
  customer	
  is	
  actually	
  purchasing	
  an	
  instrument	
  to	
  enable	
  him	
  or	
  her	
  	
  
(or	
  another	
  consumer)	
  to	
  write.	
  The	
  value	
  of	
  that	
  instrument	
  is	
  dictated	
  by	
  both	
  need	
  (real	
  or	
  perceived)	
  and	
  the	
  unique	
  
experience	
  of	
  using	
  that	
  instrument.	
  This	
  redefines	
  ‘value’	
  as	
  ‘co-­‐created’	
  between	
  the	
  brand,	
  product	
  and	
  consumer.	
  
Blueprint	
  for	
  Strategic	
  Sponsorship	
   4	
  
	
  
Brands	
  first	
  tried	
  to	
  talk	
  to	
  consumers	
  while	
  they	
  were	
  walking	
  down	
  the	
  road.	
  Then	
  the	
  savvier	
  brands	
  
thought	
  ‘we	
  need	
  to	
  interact	
  with	
  these	
  people.’	
  Now,	
  it’s	
  moved	
  beyond	
  that,	
  where	
  consumers	
  are	
  
deciding	
  what	
  brands	
  do	
  and	
  how	
  they	
  operate.	
  So,	
  the	
  savviest	
  brands	
  are	
  looking	
  first	
  and	
  foremost	
  to	
  
their	
  consumers	
  and	
  trying	
  to	
  understand	
  their	
  consumers	
  through	
  the	
  medium	
  of	
  social	
  media	
  –	
  which	
  is	
  
even	
  easier	
  to	
  do	
  now.	
  	
  Then	
  they	
  can	
  twist	
  their	
  own	
  activities	
  to	
  that,	
  to	
  function	
  to	
  that,	
  to	
  co-­‐create.	
  
That’s	
  why	
  sponsorship	
  is	
  great	
  –	
  it’s	
  great	
  for	
  co-­‐creation.	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
Managing	
  Director,	
  Marketing	
  Agency	
  
A Blueprint for Strategic Sponsorship
	
  
The	
  following	
  outlines	
  a	
  five-­‐step	
  blueprint	
  to	
  guide	
  marketers	
  in	
  creating	
  effective	
  strategic	
  sponsorship	
  
platforms	
  (Figure	
  1).	
  Drawing	
  on	
  diverse	
  perspectives,	
  this	
  methodology	
  offers	
  a	
  holistic	
  approach	
  that	
  
incorporates	
  best	
  practice	
  principles	
  from	
  integrated	
  marketing	
  communications;	
  experiential	
  marketing;	
  
service	
  dominant	
  logic;	
  brand	
  and	
  sponsorship	
  strategy;	
  and	
  insights	
  from	
  a	
  range	
  of	
  senior-­‐level	
  brand	
  
marketing	
  and	
  sponsorship	
  professionals.	
  
The	
  steps	
  that	
  follow	
  should	
  be	
  considered	
  fluid	
  and	
  not	
  necessarily	
  linear.	
  	
  As	
  an	
  organization	
  goes	
  through	
  
the	
  strategic	
  process,	
  new	
  ideas	
  will	
  likely	
  arise,	
  requiring	
  that	
  the	
  organisation	
  reiterate	
  the	
  relevant	
  steps	
  as	
  
needed.	
  
Figure	
  1:	
  Blueprint	
  for	
  Strategic	
  Sponsorship	
  
Blueprint	
  for	
  Strategic	
  Sponsorship	
   5	
  
AUTHENTICATE
Lead with Business Objectives
	
  
The	
  organisation	
  must	
  clearly	
  define	
  goals	
  and	
  objectives	
  for	
  the	
  sponsorship	
  –	
  a	
  seemingly	
  obvious	
  step	
  that	
  
is	
  sometimes	
  overlooked.	
  	
  A	
  starting	
  point	
  would	
  be	
  analysing	
  overall	
  organizational	
  goals,	
  strengths,	
  and	
  
needs	
  in	
  light	
  of	
  what	
  outcomes	
  the	
  sponsorship	
  could	
  deliver	
  (Figure	
  2).	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
Figure	
  2:	
  Some	
  potential	
  outcomes	
  of	
  strategic	
  sponsorship	
  
By	
  linking	
  sponsorship	
  objectives	
  to	
  delivering	
  on	
  overall	
  organisational	
  objectives,	
  the	
  sponsorship	
  will	
  
directly	
  support	
  (and	
  become	
  a	
  driver	
  of)	
  the	
  organisation’s	
  value	
  creation	
  strategy.	
  	
  	
  
For	
  example,	
  if	
  expansion	
  of	
  the	
  brand’s	
  global	
  
footprint	
  is	
  identified	
  as	
  an	
  organisational	
  goal,	
  
corresponding	
  sponsorship	
  goals	
  might	
  be	
  gaining	
  
access	
  to	
  new	
  markets	
  or	
  channels,	
  and/or	
  
inspiring	
  new	
  product	
  and	
  service	
  lines	
  relevant	
  to	
  
those	
  markets.	
  Partnering	
  with	
  another	
  entity	
  that	
  
has	
  established	
  equity	
  within	
  a	
  desired	
  target	
  
market	
  may	
  shorten	
  or	
  circumvent	
  the	
  process	
  of	
  developing	
  brand	
  awareness.	
  Alternatively,	
  having	
  
developed	
  equity	
  and	
  expertise	
  in	
  those	
  markets,	
  the	
  partnered	
  entity	
  could	
  provide	
  critical	
  market	
  
intelligence.	
  These	
  advantages,	
  in	
  turn,	
  may	
  allow	
  the	
  organisation	
  to	
  expand	
  more	
  rapidly	
  into	
  this	
  new	
  	
  
Through	
  partnerships	
  you	
  can	
  reach	
  more	
  customers	
  
than	
  you	
  would’ve	
  done	
  on	
  your	
  own.	
  You	
  can	
  get	
  into	
  
categories	
  and	
  pick	
  up	
  attributes	
  that	
  will	
  allow	
  you	
  to	
  
create	
  future	
  platforms.	
  	
  You	
  can	
  migrate	
  to	
  future	
  
areas	
  and	
  share	
  knowledge,	
  R&D,	
  etc.	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
Director,	
  Strategy	
  Agency	
  
Blueprint	
  for	
  Strategic	
  Sponsorship	
   6	
  
	
  
market,	
  providing	
  inroads,	
  incremental	
  marketing	
  exposure	
  and	
  ultimately	
  gaining	
  new	
  customers.	
  
The	
  most	
  cost-­‐effective	
  sponsorships	
  platforms	
  will	
  
achieve	
  multiple	
  goals	
  for	
  the	
  organisation	
  externally	
  
and	
  internally.	
  For	
  example,	
  Marketing	
  might	
  focus	
  
on	
  building	
  relationships	
  with	
  customers	
  through	
  the	
  
sponsorship,	
  while	
  Human	
  Resources	
  could	
  use	
  it	
  to	
  
encourage	
  employee	
  loyalty,	
  thereby	
  improving	
  
workforce	
  retention.	
  	
  	
  
In	
  order	
  to	
  achieve	
  multiple	
  goals,	
  it	
  is	
  necessary	
  to	
  
secure	
  buy-­‐in	
  from	
  a	
  range	
  of	
  internal	
  stakeholders	
  (Board,	
  management	
  and	
  employees),	
  and	
  commitment	
  to	
  
use	
  the	
  sponsorship	
  within	
  their	
  own	
  functional	
  area.	
  Their	
  departmental	
  needs	
  and	
  concerns	
  must	
  be	
  
understood	
  and	
  addressed	
  and,	
  whenever	
  possible,	
  their	
  requests	
  represented	
  in	
  negotiations	
  of	
  rights	
  and	
  
assets.	
  By	
  considering	
  these	
  opportunities	
  from	
  the	
  very	
  beginning,	
  internal	
  stakeholders	
  can	
  become	
  key	
  
ambassadors	
  for	
  the	
  sponsorship,	
  thereby	
  reducing	
  friction,	
  fostering	
  support	
  and	
  encouraging	
  ideas	
  and	
  
utilisation	
  from	
  across	
  the	
  business.	
  
Rights	
  holders	
  who	
  have	
  a	
  strategic	
  vision	
  and	
  want	
  to	
  
achieve	
  success	
  in	
  different	
  parts	
  of	
  the	
  world	
  will	
  look	
  
beyond	
  the	
  cash	
  to	
  certain	
  brands,	
  understanding	
  the	
  
value	
  they	
  bring	
  over	
  and	
  beyond	
  the	
  cash.	
  We	
  have	
  no	
  
representation	
  in	
  a	
  lot	
  of	
  the	
  markets	
  in	
  which	
  we	
  want	
  
to	
  grow.	
  	
  Partners	
  are	
  key	
  to	
  gaining	
  access,	
  fully	
  
aligned	
  with	
  our	
  global	
  marketing	
  plan.	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
Marketing	
  Director,	
  Sport	
  Rights	
  Holder	
  
Ground the Sponsorship in Consumer Insight
	
  
Anchoring	
  the	
  sponsorship	
  in	
  consumer	
  insight	
  at	
  the	
  onset	
  will	
  ensure	
  that	
  the	
  sponsorship	
  platform	
  is	
  
authentic	
  and	
  relevant	
  to	
  the	
  target	
  consumer	
  base.	
  	
  Using	
  deep	
  knowledge	
  about	
  the	
  target	
  consumer	
  as	
  a	
  
foundation	
  to	
  guide	
  sponsorship	
  choices	
  should	
  inspire	
  potential	
  sponsorship	
  properties	
  and	
  activation	
  
programmes	
  to	
  consider.	
  	
  	
  
If	
  a	
  sponsoring	
  organisation	
  has	
  truly	
  intimate	
  insights	
  into	
  the	
  target	
  market,	
  it	
  can	
  develop	
  initiatives	
  that	
  
deeply	
  engage	
  consumers,	
  fostering	
  brand	
  connection	
  and	
  loyalty.	
  To	
  get	
  the	
  needed	
  depth	
  of	
  insight,	
  brands	
  
will	
  need	
  to	
  look	
  beyond	
  demographic	
  surveys	
  and	
  syndicated	
  research.	
  	
  Such	
  insights	
  include	
  psychographics,	
  
an	
  understanding	
  of	
  customer	
  motivations,	
  self-­‐definitions,	
  group	
  norms,	
  and	
  peer	
  influences;	
  as	
  well	
  as	
  an	
  
honest	
  appraisal	
  of	
  the	
  customer’s	
  psychological	
  relationship	
  and	
  experience	
  with	
  the	
  brand,	
  property	
  and	
  
competitor	
  brands.	
  	
  	
  
Property Creation
	
  
Property	
  creation	
  is	
  an	
  increasingly	
  attractive	
  and	
  innovative	
  alternative	
  to	
  a	
  traditional	
  sponsorship	
  platform	
  
especially	
  in	
  crowded	
  markets	
  and	
  with	
  brands	
  
seeking	
  to	
  utilize	
  their	
  consumer	
  insight	
  to	
  build	
  
customer	
  intimacy	
  or	
  show	
  that	
  they	
  are	
  
authentically	
  entrenched	
  in	
  a	
  subculture.	
  
	
  
Creating	
  a	
  proprietary	
  brand	
  property,	
  such	
  as	
  a	
  
grassroots	
  sport	
  competition	
  or	
  ‘insider’	
  content	
  
series	
  can	
  be	
  very	
  resource	
  intensive	
  and	
  may	
  not	
  
be	
  an	
  appropriate	
  or	
  feasible	
  solution	
  for	
  every	
  
brand.	
  
	
  
However,	
  property	
  creation	
  offers	
  a	
  brand	
  many	
  benefits:	
  total	
  ownership	
  over	
  implementation;	
  control	
  over	
  
every	
  element	
  of	
  the	
  experience;	
  potential	
  to	
  offset	
  some	
  of	
  the	
  financial	
  liability	
  by	
  selling	
  sponsorships	
  to	
  
non-­‐competitive	
  brands;	
  and	
  reducing	
  risk	
  by	
  allowing	
  the	
  brand	
  to	
  fully	
  control	
  the	
  choice	
  of	
  other	
  brands	
  
affiliated	
  with	
  the	
  property,	
  reducing	
  access	
  to	
  non-­‐compatible	
  partners.	
  	
  
The	
  most	
  innovative	
  ideas	
  come,	
  not	
  from	
  sponsorship,	
  
but	
  rather	
  property	
  creation.	
  Tapping	
  into	
  the	
  
personality	
  of	
  the	
  audience	
  and	
  creating	
  a	
  [property]	
  
that	
  reflects	
  that	
  personality…	
  Brands	
  are	
  moving	
  more	
  
into	
  ownership,	
  event	
  creation	
  and	
  experiential.	
  
Creation,	
  full	
  stop.	
  Not	
  feeling	
  the	
  need	
  for	
  a	
  traditional	
  
partnership	
  to	
  secure	
  what	
  they	
  think	
  they	
  want	
  to	
  do.	
  
Entertainment	
  Director,	
  Integrated	
  Agency	
  
Blueprint	
  for	
  Strategic	
  Sponsorship	
   7	
  
Case Study | Gatorade REPLAY
Utilising Consumer Insight to Create Passion-driven
Marketing Programs
	
  
In	
  January	
  2009,	
  Gatorade	
  created	
  an	
  event	
  reuniting	
  the	
  original	
  players	
  of	
  
two	
  rival	
  American	
  high	
  school	
  teams	
  (now	
  in	
  their	
  mid-­‐30s)	
  to	
  replay	
  the	
  tied	
  final	
  game	
  from	
  their	
  senior	
  
year,	
  breaking	
  a	
  sixteen-­‐year	
  deadlock	
  in	
  a	
  full-­‐contact,	
  regulation	
  football	
  game.	
  	
  The	
  company’s	
  aim	
  was	
  to	
  
reignite	
  athletic	
  excitement	
  and	
  rekindle	
  product	
  sales	
  in	
  men	
  over	
  thirty,	
  70%	
  of	
  whom	
  do	
  not	
  exercise	
  
regularly.	
  	
  	
  
They	
  called	
  the	
  event	
  REPLAY.	
  	
  	
  
Bringing	
  together	
  the	
  Easton	
  Area	
  Red	
  Rovers	
  (Easton,	
  
Pennsylvania)	
  and	
  the	
  Philipsburg	
  Stateliners	
  
(Philipsburg,	
  New	
  Jersey),	
  Gatorade	
  used	
  the	
  re-­‐
training	
  of	
  the	
  amateur	
  athletes	
  as	
  a	
  visceral	
  backdrop	
  to	
  seamlessly	
  demonstrate	
  the	
  product’s	
  functional	
  
benefit	
  (fuelling	
  athletic	
  performance)	
  and	
  showcase	
  its	
  value	
  proposition.	
  	
  The	
  experience	
  became	
  a	
  catalyst	
  
for	
  athletic	
  achievement	
  through	
  multiple,	
  coordinated	
  mediums.	
  
Originally	
  broadcast	
  through	
  a	
  series	
  of	
  web	
  episodes,	
  fans	
  all	
  over	
  the	
  world	
  watched	
  as	
  the	
  teams	
  
experienced	
  the	
  opportunity	
  of	
  every	
  athlete’s	
  dreams:	
  a	
  second	
  chance	
  at	
  victory.	
  Capturing	
  the	
  personal	
  
struggles	
  and	
  achievements	
  of	
  various	
  players,	
  viewers	
  were	
  introduced	
  to	
  the	
  Gatorade	
  Sports	
  Science	
  
Institute	
  (GSSI)	
  through	
  a	
  series	
  of	
  training	
  camps	
  and	
  programs	
  developed	
  to	
  get	
  the	
  players	
  back	
  into	
  game	
  
shape.	
  The	
  GSSI	
  included	
  coaching	
  from	
  Eagles	
  head	
  coach	
  Andy	
  Reid	
  and	
  all-­‐pro	
  running	
  back,	
  Brian	
  
Westbrook,	
  at	
  the	
  Eagles	
  training	
  facility.	
  The	
  training	
  program,	
  entitled	
  ‘Eight	
  Weeks	
  to	
  Glory,’	
  was	
  available	
  
online,	
  along	
  with	
  a	
  Facebook	
  application	
  that	
  helped	
  followers	
  reunite	
  their	
  own	
  former	
  teams.	
  	
  	
  	
  
As	
  Game	
  Day	
  grew	
  near,	
  the	
  culture	
  of	
  the	
  two	
  rival	
  towns	
  was	
  further	
  highlighted,	
  with	
  some	
  of	
  the	
  original	
  
cheerleaders	
  and	
  marching	
  band	
  members	
  joining	
  to	
  support	
  their	
  respective	
  teams.	
  	
  
Tickets	
  for	
  the	
  rematch	
  sold	
  out	
  in	
  90	
  
minutes,	
  as	
  15,000	
  enthusiastic	
  fans	
  came	
  
out	
  in	
  unseasonably	
  warm	
  32°C	
  (90°F)	
  
weather	
  to	
  watch.	
  The	
  104th
	
  meeting	
  of	
  the	
  
two	
  teams	
  was	
  led	
  by	
  honorary	
  coaches,	
  
Gatorade	
  athletes	
  and	
  NFL	
  quarterbacks	
  
Peyton	
  and	
  Eli	
  Manning.	
  The	
  Phillipsburg	
  
Stateliners	
  broke	
  the	
  16-­‐year	
  tie,	
  winning	
  27-­‐12.	
  
Based	
  on	
  a	
  $225,000	
  paid	
  media	
  spend,	
  the	
  campaign	
  reportedly	
  generated	
  over	
  $3	
  million	
  in	
  media	
  
coverage,	
  partially	
  driven	
  by	
  frequent	
  coverage	
  in	
  sports	
  news	
  roundups.	
  Regional	
  product	
  sales	
  grew	
  by	
  63%.	
  
The	
  original	
  online	
  web	
  episode	
  series	
  was	
  made	
  into	
  a	
  documentary	
  TV	
  series	
  broadcast	
  to	
  90	
  million	
  
households	
  on	
  Fox	
  Sports	
  Net.	
  	
  
Winning	
  two	
  Cannes	
  Lions,	
  a	
  Brand	
  Experience	
  and	
  an	
  Effie	
  Award,	
  the	
  campaign	
  inspired	
  thousands	
  of	
  
athletes	
  to	
  petition	
  to	
  be	
  selected	
  for	
  future	
  seasons.	
  Two	
  subsequent	
  seasons	
  pitted	
  rival	
  hockey	
  and	
  
basketball	
  teams	
  for	
  epic	
  rematches.	
  All	
  told,	
  the	
  REPLAY	
  series	
  continued	
  to	
  affirm	
  Gatorade’s	
  significance	
  to	
  
both	
  professional	
  and	
  amateur	
  athletes.	
  
Blueprint	
  for	
  Strategic	
  Sponsorship	
   8	
  
	
  
Brands	
  will	
  need	
  to	
  understand	
  and	
  capitalise	
  on	
  
new	
  channels	
  of	
  communication,	
  methods	
  of	
  
consumption,	
  and	
  expectations	
  around	
  when,	
  where	
  
and	
  how	
  consumers	
  buy	
  and	
  use	
  products	
  and	
  
services.	
  	
  Age,	
  gender	
  and	
  location	
  no	
  longer	
  offer	
  
reliable	
  indicators	
  of	
  what	
  a	
  consumer	
  may	
  desire	
  or	
  
purchase,	
  nor	
  of	
  skill	
  with	
  digital	
  technology.	
  
Any	
  success	
  in	
  a	
  sponsorship	
  campaign	
  comes	
  from	
  
simplicity.	
  We	
  can	
  sit	
  in	
  ivory	
  towers	
  in	
  West	
  London	
  
dreaming	
  up	
  wonderful	
  plans,	
  forgetting	
  that	
  our	
  target	
  
audience	
  is	
  going	
  to	
  have	
  three	
  seconds	
  of	
  interaction	
  
with	
  our	
  brand	
  on	
  a	
  poster	
  as	
  they	
  whip	
  past	
  in	
  a	
  car	
  or	
  
a	
  train.	
  They’re	
  not	
  going	
  to	
  be	
  privy	
  to	
  our	
  brand	
  
onions	
  and	
  things	
  like	
  that.	
  I	
  think	
  that	
  whatever	
  you	
  do	
  
needs	
  to	
  boil	
  down	
  to	
  consumer	
  insight	
  so	
  they	
  just	
  get	
  
it	
  and	
  not	
  be	
  too	
  complicated.	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
Managing	
  Director,	
  Marketing	
  Agency	
  
CORRELATE
Ensure “Fit for Purpose”
Historically,	
  the	
  term	
  “fit”	
  referred	
  to	
  congruence	
  of	
  brand	
  elements	
  between	
  property	
  and	
  sponsor	
  or	
  
celebrity	
  endorser	
  and	
  sponsor.	
  However,	
  a	
  strategic	
  sponsorship	
  platform	
  requires	
  “fit	
  for	
  purpose,”	
  that	
  is,	
  
congruence	
  between	
  the	
  strategic	
  objectives	
  set	
  forth	
  in	
  Step	
  1,	
  and	
  choice	
  of	
  partner.	
  Such	
  “fit”	
  will	
  ensure	
  
the	
  relationship	
  will	
  deliver	
  the	
  raw	
  materials	
  needed	
  to	
  achieve	
  success.	
  	
  
A	
  successful	
  partnership	
  will	
  rest	
  on	
  a	
  foundation	
  of	
  clarity	
  around	
  the	
  brand’s	
  and	
  rights	
  holder’s	
  DNA,	
  brand	
  
proposition	
  and	
  clear	
  insight	
  into	
  the	
  target	
  audience.	
  	
  	
  
The	
  brand	
  should	
  make	
  an	
  honest	
  appraisal	
  of	
  the	
  target	
  market’s	
  present	
  relationship	
  and	
  experience	
  
(positive	
  or	
  negative)	
  with	
  the	
  brand,	
  as	
  well	
  as	
  the	
  physical	
  and	
  digital	
  assets	
  needed	
  to	
  create	
  engaging	
  
activations.	
  These	
  insights	
  will	
  help	
  the	
  brand	
  assess	
  the	
  fit	
  of	
  potential	
  partners.	
  	
  	
  
In	
  evaluating	
  properties,	
  the	
  sponsoring	
  organisation	
  should	
  consider	
  all	
  factors	
  relevant	
  to	
  the	
  successful	
  
outcome	
  of	
  the	
  strategy.	
  These	
  include	
  the	
  property’s	
  own	
  brand,	
  objectives,	
  timeline	
  and	
  target	
  audience.	
  
Most	
  importantly,	
  however,	
  is	
  whether	
  the	
  
partnership	
  will	
  be	
  able	
  to	
  communicate	
  and	
  
activate	
  the	
  brand’s	
  proposition,	
  as	
  the	
  sponsored	
  
property	
  becomes	
  the	
  vehicle	
  for	
  connecting	
  with	
  
the	
  target	
  consumer.	
  	
  	
  
Sometimes	
  a	
  brand,	
  like	
  RedBull,	
  is	
  already	
  
embedded	
  in	
  a	
  subculture	
  and	
  the	
  appropriate	
  partner	
  is	
  obvious,	
  while	
  other	
  times	
  the	
  organisation	
  wants	
  
to	
  develop	
  new	
  or	
  deepen	
  existing	
  associations.	
  	
  	
  
At	
  this	
  early	
  stage,	
  it	
  is	
  useful	
  to	
  consider	
  activation	
  plans	
  and	
  how	
  to	
  evaluate	
  the	
  success	
  of	
  the	
  platform,	
  
that	
  is,	
  which	
  metrics	
  will	
  be	
  used;	
  both	
  activation	
  plans	
  and	
  evaluation	
  metrics	
  will	
  help	
  ensure	
  that	
  the	
  
brand	
  negotiates	
  the	
  required	
  rights	
  and	
  assets.	
  	
  	
  
	
  
	
  
Ultimately,	
  whilst	
  a	
  partnership	
  needs	
  to	
  sit	
  very	
  well	
  
alongside	
  a	
  brand	
  strategy	
  and	
  be	
  integrated	
  into	
  an	
  
overall	
  marketing	
  strategy,	
  if	
  your	
  consumers	
  don’t	
  
care	
  about	
  jazz	
  music	
  and	
  you’re	
  going	
  into	
  a	
  jazz	
  
partnership,	
  you’re	
  not	
  going	
  to	
  achieve	
  anything.	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
Entertainment	
  Director,	
  Marketing	
  Agency	
  
Blueprint	
  for	
  Strategic	
  Sponsorship	
   9	
  
	
  	
  
Questions to help guide leveraging and activation
In	
  her	
  paper	
  Last	
  Generation	
  Sponsorship,	
  leading	
  sponsorship	
  expert	
  Kim	
  Skildum-­‐Reid	
  suggests	
  that	
  
selection	
  and	
  negotiation	
  of	
  a	
  strategic	
  sponsorship	
  is	
  likely	
  to	
  be	
  guided	
  by	
  answers	
  to	
  questions	
  like:	
  
• What	
  do	
  my	
  target	
  markets	
  care	
  about?	
  Are	
  there	
  any	
  events,	
  sports,	
  program,	
  causes	
  that	
  they	
  really	
  
care	
  about	
  or	
  which	
  form	
  part	
  of	
  their	
  self-­‐definition?	
  (e.g.	
  snowboarding,	
  volunteerism,	
  the	
  high	
  arts,	
  
child	
  safety)	
  
• What	
  are	
  the	
  ways	
  that	
  my	
  target	
  market	
  consumes	
  that	
  event	
  (stadium,	
  at	
  home	
  with	
  friends,	
  reading	
  
about	
  it	
  in	
  the	
  paper?)	
  	
  	
  
• What	
  are	
  the	
  best	
  things	
  about	
  this	
  event	
  experience	
  to	
  my	
  target	
  audience?	
  What	
  are	
  the	
  worst	
  things	
  
about	
  this	
  event	
  experience	
  to	
  my	
  target	
  audience?	
  
• Is	
  my	
  brand	
  part	
  of	
  the	
  experience?	
  Could	
  it	
  be?	
  How	
  can	
  we	
  improve	
  that	
  experience?	
  
• What	
  are	
  the	
  ways	
  that	
  my	
  target	
  market	
  consumes	
  my	
  brand	
  and	
  competitor	
  brands?	
  What	
  is	
  their	
  
“brand	
  experience?”	
  
• Could	
  that	
  experience	
  be	
  improved	
  using	
  the	
  unique	
  benefits	
  of	
  sponsorship?	
  
http://www.powersponsorship.com/free-­‐stuff.html?re=1/LastGenerationSponsorship.pdf	
  
Ÿ Activation	
  Plan	
  
Activation	
  is	
  the	
  execution	
  or	
  implementation	
  phase	
  of	
  a	
  sponsorship,	
  in	
  which	
  consumers	
  interact	
  
with	
  the	
  brand’s	
  touch-­‐points	
  and	
  the	
  sponsorship	
  comes	
  to	
  life.	
  	
  Every	
  aspect	
  of	
  activation	
  –	
  from	
  
initial	
  concept,	
  to	
  production	
  value,	
  to	
  integration	
  with	
  the	
  sponsored	
  property	
  -­‐-­‐	
  communicates	
  a	
  
message	
  about	
  the	
  brand	
  and	
  its	
  commitment	
  to	
  the	
  audience.	
  	
  Considering	
  activation	
  along	
  with	
  
sponsorship	
  goals	
  at	
  the	
  very	
  beginning	
  of	
  the	
  planning	
  process	
  ensures	
  that	
  the	
  proposed	
  activities	
  
directly	
  support	
  the	
  identified	
  business	
  objectives.	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
In	
  crafting	
  an	
  activation	
  plan,	
  an	
  integrated	
  approach	
  (360°	
  activation)	
  offers	
  the	
  opportunity	
  to	
  
communicate	
  through	
  individual	
  and	
  coordinated	
  touch-­‐points	
  over	
  an	
  extended	
  period	
  of	
  time,	
  
addressing	
  a	
  degree	
  of	
  media	
  fragmentation	
  from	
  inception.	
  
While	
  promoting	
  awareness	
  of	
  the	
  partnership	
  may	
  be	
  an	
  important	
  component	
  to	
  the	
  brand’s	
  goals,	
  
‘badging,’	
  or	
  sponsorship	
  leveraging	
  that	
  simply	
  displays	
  the	
  brand’s	
  logo	
  on	
  a	
  club	
  jersey,	
  event	
  
collateral	
  or	
  on	
  banners	
  around	
  the	
  venue,	
  should	
  not	
  be	
  considered	
  activation.	
  
All	
  too	
  often,	
  the	
  environment	
  and	
  experience	
  
of	
  a	
  sponsored	
  property	
  is	
  too	
  frenetic	
  for	
  
passive	
  logo	
  displays	
  to	
  make	
  a	
  significant	
  
impact	
  on	
  the	
  audience,	
  especially	
  considering	
  
that	
  the	
  brand’s	
  presence	
  is	
  only	
  one	
  amongst	
  
several.	
  Badging	
  is	
  a	
  disruption	
  that	
  diminishes	
  
the	
  audience’s	
  experience	
  with	
  the	
  event.	
  	
  
The	
  best	
  partnerships	
  are	
  when	
  both	
  parties	
  sign	
  the	
  
contract	
  and	
  then	
  put	
  it	
  away	
  in	
  a	
  drawer	
  and	
  get	
  on	
  
with	
  activating	
  it,	
  remembering	
  what	
  the	
  reasons	
  for	
  
the	
  deal	
  were	
  in	
  the	
  first	
  place.	
  	
  	
  
Marketing	
  Director,	
  Sport	
  Rights	
  Holder	
  
Youth	
  is	
  so	
  much	
  about	
  doing	
  it	
  in	
  a	
  credible	
  way	
  –	
  not	
  being	
  in	
  their	
  face	
  or	
  too	
  
commercial.	
  Young	
  people	
  look	
  at	
  our	
  partners	
  who	
  have	
  been	
  around	
  since	
  the	
  
beginning	
  as	
  brands	
  that	
  “get”	
  them	
  and	
  understand	
  their	
  lifestyle,	
  music,	
  
sports.	
  We	
  work	
  with	
  our	
  partners	
  to	
  come	
  across	
  in	
  the	
  most	
  credible	
  way	
  
possible,	
  as	
  brands	
  that	
  are	
  helping	
  support	
  the	
  sports	
  that	
  [youth]	
  are	
  into.	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
Head	
  of	
  Partnerships,	
  Sports	
  Rights	
  Holder	
  
Blueprint	
  for	
  Strategic	
  Sponsorship	
   10	
  
Case Study | Carling Beer
Improving the festival guest experience through creative brand
activation
	
  
A	
  long-­‐standing	
  presence	
  at	
  live	
  music	
  events,	
  Carling	
  created	
  a	
  unique	
  way	
  to	
  weave	
  
the	
  brand	
  into	
  the	
  summer	
  festival	
  tradition	
  beginning	
  in	
  2003.	
  	
  Noting	
  that	
  an	
  inevitable,	
  but	
  unpleasant	
  
aspect	
  of	
  the	
  festival	
  goers'	
  experience	
  was	
  the	
  warming	
  of	
  one's	
  beer	
  in	
  the	
  sun,	
  Carling	
  created	
  a	
  
memorable	
  integration	
  called	
  'Beer	
  Amnesty.'	
  
The	
  goal	
  was	
  simple:	
  encourage	
  product	
  trial	
  and	
  conversion	
  by	
  getting	
  as	
  many	
  ice-­‐cold	
  Carlings	
  as	
  possible	
  
into	
  the	
  hands	
  of	
  as	
  many	
  people	
  as	
  possible	
  who	
  are	
  loyal	
  to	
  other	
  brands,	
  at	
  a	
  time	
  and	
  a	
  place	
  when	
  they	
  
would	
  consider	
  a	
  change.	
  The	
  concept	
  focused	
  on	
  a	
  beer	
  swap	
  at	
  various	
  summer	
  festivals	
  where	
  Carling	
  
replaced	
  attendees’	
  warm,	
  unopened	
  cans	
  of	
  beer	
  (regardless	
  of	
  brand)	
  with	
  an	
  ice-­‐cold	
  can	
  of	
  Carling	
  –	
  free	
  
of	
  charge.	
  	
  
The	
  campaign	
  resulted	
  in	
  the	
  distribution	
  of	
  
nearly	
  4000	
  cases	
  of	
  beer	
  per	
  weekend,	
  and	
  
reached	
  over	
  250,000	
  people	
  across	
  a	
  festival	
  
season.	
  The	
  campaign	
  was	
  so	
  successful	
  that	
  
it	
  was	
  repeated	
  annually	
  for	
  years.	
  
Building	
  on	
  the	
  original	
  concept,	
  Carling	
  
continued	
  to	
  imagine	
  unique	
  ways	
  to	
  indulge	
  
fans.	
  	
  Starting	
  in	
  2007,	
  the	
  company	
  organized	
  extremely	
  intimate	
  performances	
  for	
  a	
  handful	
  of	
  lucky	
  music	
  
lovers	
  (approximately	
  seven	
  each	
  session)	
  from	
  the	
  back	
  of	
  a	
  chilled	
  Carling	
  fridge	
  truck	
  prior	
  to	
  a	
  band's	
  
festival	
  performance.	
  	
  	
  That	
  year,	
  The	
  Maccabees	
  performed	
  a	
  “Strike	
  Cold	
  Session”	
  at	
  Reading	
  Festival.	
  	
  At	
  
the	
  2008	
  Rock	
  Ness	
  Festival,	
  Carling	
  staged	
  a	
  surprise	
  live	
  acoustic	
  set	
  by	
  Andy	
  Burrows	
  of	
  the	
  band	
  
Razorlight.	
  	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
After	
  years	
  of	
  success	
  at	
  festivals,	
  in	
  2008,	
  Carling	
  took	
  the	
  concept	
  mobile	
  for	
  a	
  tie-­‐in	
  at	
  retail.	
  Over	
  the	
  warm	
  
summer	
  months,	
  the	
  Carling	
  Beer	
  Amnesty	
  truck	
  visited	
  Asda	
  stores,	
  offering	
  shoppers	
  the	
  opportunity	
  to	
  
swap	
  packs	
  of	
  just-­‐purchased	
  beer	
  for	
  chilled	
  Carling	
  as	
  they	
  left	
  the	
  store.	
  	
  
Blueprint	
  for	
  Strategic	
  Sponsorship	
   11	
  
Furthermore,	
  awareness	
  of	
  the	
  brand	
  name	
  or	
  logo	
  has	
  little	
  value	
  if	
  the	
  consumer	
  is	
  unfamiliar	
  with	
  
the	
  product	
  or	
  service,	
  brand	
  ethos	
  or	
  value	
  proposition.	
  The	
  best	
  activations	
  weave	
  the	
  brand’s	
  
presence	
  into	
  the	
  property	
  in	
  a	
  way	
  that	
  showcases	
  its	
  value	
  proposition,	
  seamlessly	
  engaging	
  with	
  
consumers	
  and	
  making	
  the	
  best	
  aspects	
  of	
  the	
  experience	
  better	
  or	
  reducing	
  the	
  negative	
  aspects	
  of	
  
the	
  experience.	
  For	
  example,	
  Carling	
  recognised	
  that	
  one	
  of	
  the	
  undesirable	
  results	
  of	
  a	
  beautiful	
  
sunny	
  day	
  at	
  a	
  music	
  festival	
  is	
  the	
  inevitable	
  warming	
  of	
  one’s	
  beer	
  and	
  used	
  their	
  sponsorship	
  of	
  
various	
  music	
  festivals	
  as	
  an	
  opportunity	
  to	
  ensure	
  that	
  guests	
  always	
  had	
  a	
  cold	
  Carling	
  to	
  hand.	
  	
  
By	
  considering	
  the	
  various	
  means	
  through	
  which	
  the	
  target	
  audience	
  consumes	
  the	
  property	
  (i.e.	
  on	
  
site,	
  at	
  home,	
  in	
  print	
  or	
  online,	
  broadcast	
  or	
  internet	
  videos),	
  a	
  seamless	
  narrative	
  or	
  experience	
  can	
  
be	
  created.	
  	
  
However,	
  as	
  with	
  any	
  campaign,	
  not	
  all	
  marketing	
  tactics	
  will	
  be	
  appropriate	
  and	
  brands	
  must	
  choose	
  
those	
  that	
  best	
  integrate	
  with	
  the	
  property,	
  meet	
  the	
  goals,	
  budget	
  and	
  timeline.	
  
Ÿ Establish	
  Evaluation	
  Metrics	
  
At	
  this	
  early	
  stage	
  in	
  planning	
  the	
  
strategy,	
  the	
  organisation	
  should	
  also	
  
create	
  evaluation	
  metrics	
  against	
  the	
  
defined	
  strategic	
  objectives.	
  	
  	
  From	
  these	
  
metrics,	
  the	
  organisation	
  can	
  sketch	
  out	
  a	
  
rough	
  roadmap	
  for	
  the	
  sponsorship	
  by	
  
clearly	
  defining	
  standards	
  for	
  success.	
  
These	
  standards	
  can	
  be	
  communicated	
  to	
  all	
  involved	
  in	
  the	
  sponsorship,	
  encouraging	
  shared	
  
momentum	
  towards	
  achieving	
  goals.	
  It	
  will	
  also	
  be	
  helpful	
  to	
  embed	
  regular	
  evaluation	
  points,	
  so	
  that	
  
misguided	
  or	
  faltering	
  efforts	
  can	
  be	
  detected	
  early,	
  thereby	
  allowing	
  for	
  responsiveness	
  to	
  changes	
  
in	
  the	
  strategy	
  or	
  market	
  environment.	
  	
  	
  
Ÿ Rights	
  and	
  Assets	
  Negotiation	
  
Rights	
  and	
  assets	
  should	
  be	
  negotiated	
  specifically	
  to	
  support	
  the	
  needs	
  of	
  the	
  activation	
  plan.	
  This	
  
will	
  guarantee	
  the	
  brand	
  has	
  access	
  to	
  the	
  required	
  raw	
  materials	
  to	
  execute	
  the	
  plan;	
  it	
  will	
  also	
  
allow	
  the	
  rights	
  holder	
  to	
  sell	
  unused	
  rights	
  and	
  assets	
  to	
  other	
  partners,	
  rather	
  than	
  going	
  unused	
  
entirely.	
  As	
  addressed	
  in	
  the	
  next	
  section,	
  the	
  most	
  impactful	
  assets	
  will	
  likely	
  be	
  those	
  that	
  are	
  
collaboratively	
  designed.	
  
Fit	
  with	
  a	
  property’s	
  other	
  partners	
  is	
  important	
  as	
  well.	
  	
  Once	
  a	
  partnership	
  is	
  established,	
  the	
  brand	
  should	
  
consider	
  the	
  ramifications	
  of	
  affiliation	
  with	
  brands	
  that	
  become	
  connected	
  to	
  it	
  through	
  that	
  partnership.	
  If	
  
there	
  is	
  a	
  collective	
  fit,	
  reframing	
  the	
  original	
  partnership	
  into	
  a	
  networked	
  relationship	
  may	
  offer	
  
opportunities	
  for	
  multi-­‐way	
  value	
  creation.	
  	
  	
  	
  
That’s	
  really	
  what	
  partnerships	
  are	
  all	
  about:	
  giving	
  
someone	
  the	
  experience	
  that	
  they	
  want,	
  rather	
  than	
  the	
  
one	
  we	
  think	
  they	
  might	
  want.	
  That’s	
  what	
  the	
  
partnership	
  enables.	
  There	
  is	
  a	
  role	
  to	
  be	
  played,	
  but	
  it’s	
  
one	
  that	
  enhances	
  viewers’	
  experience	
  and	
  enhances	
  
their	
  view	
  of	
  the	
  brand.	
  If	
  you	
  can’t	
  do	
  either	
  of	
  those,	
  
then	
  just	
  don’t	
  go	
  there.	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
Entertainment	
  Director,	
  Marketing	
  Agency	
  
Encourage Reciprocity
	
  
True	
  partnerships	
  are	
  based	
  in	
  reciprocity.	
  Reciprocity	
  acknowledges	
  that	
  brand	
  value	
  –	
  positive	
  and	
  negative	
  
-­‐-­‐	
  flows	
  both	
  ways	
  and	
  that	
  both	
  partners	
  are	
  responsible	
  for	
  and	
  judged	
  by	
  the	
  sponsorship’s	
  outcomes.	
  	
  	
  
A	
  true	
  partnership	
  relationship	
  ensures	
  that	
  the	
  strategic	
  goals	
  of	
  both	
  parties	
  are	
  viewed	
  as	
  equally	
  
important.	
  Partners	
  are	
  empowered	
  to	
  achieve	
  their	
  own	
  goals	
  by	
  utilising	
  the	
  assets	
  of	
  the	
  other	
  partner	
  or	
  	
  
Blueprint	
  for	
  Strategic	
  Sponsorship	
   12	
  
collaborate	
  to	
  create	
  new	
  assets	
  as	
  needed.	
  Based	
  on	
  reciprocity,	
  the	
  sponsor-­‐rights	
  holder	
  relationship	
  
becomes	
  a	
  marketing	
  alliance	
  rather	
  than	
  a	
  transactional	
  arrangement.	
  
Reciprocity	
  also	
  allows	
  for	
  flexibility.	
  In	
  the	
  fast-­‐paced	
  and	
  ever-­‐changing	
  market	
  environment,	
  the	
  
partnership	
  must	
  remain	
  flexible	
  enough	
  to	
  evolve	
  its	
  strategy	
  and	
  deliver	
  resources	
  as	
  needed.	
  	
  By	
  avoiding	
  a	
  
rigidly	
  defined	
  set	
  of	
  available	
  assets,	
  partners	
  can	
  take	
  advantage	
  of	
  appropriate	
  opportunities	
  swiftly	
  as	
  they	
  
arise.	
  	
  
Case Study | London 2012 Olympics
Lloyds TSB, Visa Europe and Samsung m-commerce three-way
partnership
	
  
The	
  London	
  2012	
  Olympic	
  Games	
  offers	
  an	
  excellent	
  example	
  of	
  a	
  three-­‐way	
  strategic	
  partnership	
  between	
  
Lloyds	
  TSB,	
  Visa	
  Europe	
  and	
  Samsung	
  to	
  pioneer	
  mobile	
  phone	
  commerce	
  (m-­‐commerce)	
  contact-­‐less	
  
payments.	
  	
  The	
  service	
  was	
  made	
  available	
  via	
  a	
  specific	
  Samsung	
  handset,	
  linked	
  to	
  a	
  Lloyds	
  TSB	
  bank	
  
account	
  with	
  transactions	
  processed	
  by	
  Visa.	
  Provided	
  complementary	
  to	
  Visa-­‐sponsored	
  athletes,	
  the	
  
handset	
  was	
  also	
  available	
  for	
  consumers	
  to	
  purchase	
  along	
  with	
  a	
  Visa-­‐enabled	
  SIM	
  card.	
  	
  The	
  service	
  was	
  
first	
  introduced	
  during	
  the	
  run-­‐up	
  to	
  the	
  games,	
  and	
  could	
  be	
  used	
  at	
  retailers	
  in	
  and	
  out	
  of	
  the	
  Olympic	
  
Village	
  for	
  speedy,	
  low-­‐value	
  payments.	
  In	
  the	
  ten	
  weeks	
  leading	
  up	
  to	
  and	
  including	
  the	
  Games,	
  the	
  number	
  
of	
  contactless	
  transactions	
  in	
  the	
  UK	
  doubled	
  according	
  to	
  Visa	
  Europe;	
  during	
  the	
  Games,	
  Olympic	
  venues	
  
accounted	
  for	
  15%	
  of	
  contactless	
  transactions	
  in	
  the	
  UK.
The	
  three	
  Olympic	
  sponsors	
  leveraged	
  the	
  2012	
  Games	
  as	
  a	
  globally	
  relevant	
  backdrop	
  to	
  showcase	
  the	
  
power	
  of	
  mobile	
  payments.	
  The	
  program	
  positioned	
  each	
  brand	
  as	
  an	
  innovator	
  and	
  key	
  player	
  in	
  the	
  
transformation	
  of	
  retail	
  purchasing	
  and	
  payments,	
  while	
  contributing	
  directly	
  to	
  the	
  divergent,	
  but	
  synergistic	
  
strategic	
  objectives	
  of	
  each	
  partner:	
  Lloyds	
  TSB	
  supported	
  the	
  commercial	
  launch	
  of	
  its	
  m-­‐payments	
  service;	
  
Samsung	
  continued	
  to	
  demonstrate	
  its	
  positioning	
  as	
  technological	
  leader,	
  while	
  also	
  supporting	
  demand	
  and	
  
sell-­‐through	
  of	
  Samsung	
  mobile	
  handsets;	
  and	
  Visa	
  Europe	
  was	
  confirmed	
  as	
  the	
  go-­‐to	
  choice	
  for	
  customers	
  
interested	
  in	
  accessing	
  pioneering	
  products	
  and	
  services,	
  while	
  executing	
  millions	
  of	
  transactions	
  during	
  the	
  
Olympic	
  Games.	
  By	
  2020,	
  Visa	
  expects	
  that	
  nearly	
  50%	
  of	
  all	
  network	
  transactions	
  will	
  be	
  conducted	
  via	
  
mobile.	
  
All	
  three	
  partners	
  centred	
  their	
  brand	
  in	
  the	
  discussions	
  regarding	
  
mobile	
  innovation	
  at	
  a	
  time	
  when	
  many	
  organisations	
  are	
  looking	
  to	
  
increase	
  their	
  brand	
  awareness	
  through	
  mobile	
  and	
  Smartphone	
  
applications	
  and	
  associated	
  products.	
  The	
  partnership	
  also	
  offered	
  a	
  
natural	
  launching	
  point	
  for	
  dialogue	
  in	
  the	
  media	
  as	
  each	
  step	
  of	
  the	
  
partnership	
  was	
  developed	
  and	
  publically	
  announced.	
  
	
  
Blueprint	
  for	
  Strategic	
  Sponsorship	
   13	
  
	
  
Sponsorship as a Marketing Alliance
	
  
A	
  marketing	
  alliance	
  yields	
  benefits	
  for	
  both	
  partners	
  through	
  collaboration	
  and	
  a	
  focus	
  on	
  creating	
  new	
  
value	
  together.	
  This	
  is	
  in	
  contrast	
  to	
  a	
  relationship	
  existing	
  solely	
  for	
  straight	
  exchange	
  of	
  value,	
  in	
  which	
  one	
  
or	
  both	
  organisations	
  get	
  back	
  something	
  in	
  exchange	
  for	
  what	
  they	
  put	
  in	
  (for	
  example,	
  revenue	
  exchanged	
  
for	
  rights	
  access).	
  
Elevating	
  a	
  sponsorship	
  relationship	
  to	
  a	
  marketing	
  
alliance	
  may	
  offer	
  a	
  sustainable	
  competitive	
  
advantage	
  by	
  providing:	
  
• Mutual	
  value	
  through	
  collaboration	
  and	
  
access	
  to	
  the	
  assets	
  and	
  capabilities	
  of	
  the	
  
other.	
  	
  Both	
  organisations	
  realize	
  a	
  
contribution	
  to	
  superior	
  customer	
  value,	
  
advancement	
  towards	
  strategic	
  goals,	
  
and/or	
  reduction	
  of	
  costs.	
  
	
  
• Durability	
  created	
  through	
  mutual	
  commitment,	
  that	
  is,	
  the	
  recognition	
  by	
  each	
  partner	
  that	
  the	
  
other	
  brings	
  unique	
  assets	
  and	
  capabilities	
  (and	
  those	
  gained	
  or	
  created	
  from	
  the	
  interplay	
  between	
  
partners)	
  that	
  will	
  enable	
  the	
  alliance	
  to	
  accomplish	
  objectives	
  neither	
  can	
  do	
  alone.	
  
	
  
• Barriers	
  to	
  imitation	
  preventing	
  competitors	
  from	
  duplicating	
  these	
  assets	
  and	
  capabilities	
  because	
  
they	
  are	
  created	
  by	
  collaboration	
  between	
  two	
  unique	
  entities.	
  	
  Contributions	
  from	
  different	
  entities	
  
would	
  arguably	
  create	
  different	
  assets/capabilities.	
  
	
  
• First	
  mover	
  advantage	
  created	
  because	
  alliance	
  partners	
  may	
  be	
  better	
  able	
  to	
  respond	
  to	
  the	
  
quickly	
  evolving	
  market	
  and	
  intense	
  competition,	
  and	
  can	
  generate	
  tailored	
  resources	
  to	
  deflect	
  
challenges	
  and	
  capitalize	
  on	
  opportunities.	
  
Marketing	
  alliances	
  can	
  be	
  particularly	
  advantageous	
  if	
  strategic	
  goals	
  align,	
  while	
  competitive	
  goals	
  remain	
  
divergent.	
  For	
  example,	
  a	
  beverage	
  company	
  and	
  a	
  football	
  club	
  may	
  have	
  similar	
  strategic	
  goals	
  (such	
  as	
  
adding	
  value	
  to	
  the	
  consumer	
  offering	
  to	
  drive	
  sales)	
  and	
  can	
  work	
  collaboratively	
  to	
  achieve	
  this;	
  however,	
  a	
  
beverage	
  company’s	
  market	
  offering	
  does	
  not	
  compete	
  with	
  that	
  of	
  a	
  football	
  club.	
  Additionally,	
  partners	
  are	
  
able	
  to	
  learn	
  from	
  each	
  other	
  and	
  apply	
  learning	
  to	
  their	
  respective	
  businesses	
  without	
  jeopardizing	
  any	
  
proprietary	
  skills.	
  
In	
  order	
  to	
  develop	
  a	
  marketing	
  alliance,	
  the	
  parties	
  must	
  ensure	
  strategic	
  compatibility	
  (not	
  just	
  congruency	
  
between	
  intangible	
  brand	
  elements)	
  and	
  convergence	
  of	
  goals.	
  Further,	
  the	
  relationship	
  structure	
  must	
  foster	
  
commitment,	
  trust,	
  and	
  opportunities	
  for	
  both	
  parties	
  to	
  gain	
  value	
  from	
  synergies,	
  moving	
  away	
  from	
  a	
  
transactional,	
  fee-­‐and-­‐ROI-­‐driven	
  relationship.	
  
Equity	
  –	
  one	
  looks	
  to	
  be	
  more	
  scientific	
  about	
  it.	
  Is	
  
there	
  a	
  benefit	
  to	
  both	
  parties	
  in	
  the	
  partnership?	
  Is	
  
there	
  equity	
  in	
  Brand	
  X	
  that	
  Brand	
  Y	
  could	
  benefit	
  
from	
  and	
  vice	
  versa,	
  because	
  then	
  we	
  have	
  the	
  
foundation	
  of	
  a	
  partnership	
  that	
  works.	
  Is	
  there	
  an	
  
area	
  of	
  business	
  that	
  the	
  two	
  can	
  collaborate	
  on	
  that	
  
allows	
  them	
  to	
  reach	
  people	
  that	
  they	
  haven’t	
  
reached	
  before?	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
Head	
  of	
  Partnerships,	
  Financial	
  Industry	
  
Blueprint	
  for	
  Strategic	
  Sponsorship	
   14	
  
COLLABORATE
Collaboration	
  offers	
  partners	
  an	
  opportunity	
  to	
  create	
  shared	
  assets	
  and	
  activations	
  that	
  are	
  inherently	
  
unique	
  and	
  that	
  neither	
  could	
  produce	
  alone.	
  This	
  is	
  a	
  key	
  advantage,	
  because	
  such	
  assets	
  provide	
  a	
  
barrier	
  to	
  imitation.	
  	
  	
  
Assets	
  and	
  activations	
  that	
  are	
  created	
  collaboratively	
  between	
  sponsor	
  and	
  rights-­‐holder	
  enable	
  the	
  
brand	
  to	
  use	
  the	
  property	
  as	
  a	
  conduit	
  through	
  which	
  it	
  connects	
  with	
  the	
  target	
  audience.	
  This	
  allows	
  
the	
  brand	
  to	
  create	
  a	
  bond	
  with	
  the	
  audience,	
  rather	
  than	
  simply	
  an	
  association	
  with	
  the	
  property.	
  	
  It	
  
also	
  protects	
  the	
  integrity	
  of	
  the	
  property,	
  by	
  ensuring	
  that	
  activations	
  are	
  a	
  natural	
  and	
  seamless	
  fit,	
  
enhancing	
  the	
  audience’s	
  experience	
  of	
  the	
  
property	
  rather	
  than	
  being	
  disruptive.	
  
If	
  the	
  platform	
  is	
  intended	
  to	
  have	
  breadth,	
  the	
  
parties	
  should	
  consider	
  and	
  design	
  amplification	
  
methods	
  in	
  line	
  with	
  strategic	
  objectives.	
  Content	
  
creation	
  and	
  digital	
  technologies	
  (such	
  as	
  
applications	
  and	
  social	
  media)	
  all	
  offer	
  
opportunities	
  to	
  amplify	
  or	
  extend	
  the	
  consumer	
  
experience	
  before,	
  during,	
  and	
  after	
  activation.	
  
Consumers	
  have	
  become	
  a	
  marketing	
  channel	
  of	
  
their	
  own,	
  sharing	
  information,	
  experiences	
  and	
  
opinions	
  through	
  social	
  media,	
  blogging	
  and	
  other	
  
Internet	
  channels	
  -­‐-­‐	
  even	
  across	
  geographically	
  and	
  culturally	
  divergent	
  areas.	
  A	
  single	
  brand	
  interaction	
  
now	
  has	
  the	
  potential	
  to	
  multiply	
  into	
  thousands,	
  effectively	
  creating	
  reach	
  and	
  cost	
  efficiencies.	
  
Even	
  if	
  you’re	
  a	
  massive	
  organisation,	
  creating	
  a	
  brand	
  
that	
  people	
  are	
  going	
  to	
  talk	
  about	
  and	
  be	
  
ambassadors	
  for	
  in	
  the	
  real	
  world	
  is	
  key.	
  If	
  you	
  have	
  
people	
  talking	
  about	
  it,	
  saying	
  it’s	
  amazing,	
  and	
  you	
  
get	
  five	
  emails	
  from	
  people	
  who	
  don’t	
  know	
  each	
  other	
  
talking	
  about	
  it	
  in	
  the	
  same	
  day,	
  that’s	
  when	
  it	
  gets	
  
exciting.	
  There’s	
  just	
  so	
  much	
  out	
  there,	
  I	
  don’t	
  think	
  it	
  
can	
  just	
  be	
  about	
  media	
  spend.	
  It	
  can	
  be	
  a	
  small	
  
campaign,	
  but	
  if	
  it’s	
  really	
  clever,	
  there	
  you	
  go.	
  It’s	
  
harder,	
  but	
  it’s	
  putting	
  a	
  lot	
  more	
  pressure	
  on	
  
creativity	
  and	
  originality,	
  rather	
  than	
  money.	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
Director,	
  Marketing	
  Agency	
  
ACTIVATE
Having	
  completed	
  the	
  planning	
  phases,	
  it	
  is	
  time	
  to	
  put	
  the	
  sponsorship	
  into	
  action.	
  As	
  mentioned	
  
earlier,	
  activation	
  is	
  where	
  the	
  sponsorship	
  comes	
  to	
  life	
  for	
  the	
  consumer.	
  	
  
As	
  discussed	
  earlier,	
  there	
  are	
  multiple	
  outcomes	
  that	
  can	
  be	
  achieved	
  through	
  strategic	
  sponsorships	
  
and	
  that	
  the	
  most	
  cost-­‐effective	
  sponsorships	
  will	
  be	
  focused	
  on	
  achieving	
  outcomes	
  in	
  more	
  than	
  one	
  
functional	
  area	
  or	
  channel.	
  Sponsorship	
  activation	
  can	
  offer	
  the	
  opportunity	
  to	
  innovate	
  products	
  and	
  
services,	
  differentiate	
  from	
  the	
  competition,	
  communicate	
  the	
  brand	
  proposition	
  and	
  invigorate	
  relevance	
  to	
  
a	
  particular	
  segment	
  of	
  consumers,	
  stimulate	
  engagement	
  with	
  the	
  brand	
  and	
  offer	
  opportunities	
  and	
  raw	
  
materials	
  for	
  consumers	
  to	
  co-­‐create	
  brand	
  meaning	
  and	
  value.	
  
Blueprint	
  for	
  Strategic	
  Sponsorship	
   15	
  
Case Study | LIVESTRONG (Nike)
Stimulating Consumer Engagement and Co-Creation at the Tour de
France
	
  
Using	
  Lance	
  Armstrong’s	
  2009	
  return	
  to	
  professional	
  cycling	
  as	
  a	
  platform,	
  LIVESTRONG	
  and	
  Nike	
  developed	
  a	
  
fully-­‐integrated	
  campaign	
  to	
  raise	
  awareness	
  of	
  cancer	
  and	
  spread	
  messages	
  of	
  hope	
  and	
  encouragement.	
  	
  	
  
The	
  partners	
  utilized	
  multiple	
  mediums	
  -­‐	
  bought,	
  owned	
  and	
  earned	
  -­‐	
  to	
  communicate	
  and	
  engage	
  with	
  
consumers.	
  	
  	
  
A	
  series	
  of	
  three	
  short	
  films	
  entitled	
  "It's	
  About	
  You"	
  shared	
  the	
  stories	
  of	
  pro	
  and	
  amateur	
  athletes	
  and	
  other	
  
inspirational	
  people	
  -­‐-­‐	
  all	
  cancer	
  survivors.	
  	
  The	
  films	
  aired	
  to	
  a	
  mass	
  audience,	
  and	
  culminated	
  in	
  a	
  dedicated	
  
primetime	
  episode	
  of	
  ESPN’s	
  Sportscenter.	
  Sixty-­‐four	
  million	
  households	
  tuned	
  in.	
  
Drawing	
  on	
  the	
  tradition	
  of	
  writing	
  inspirational	
  messages	
  with	
  chalk	
  along	
  the	
  course	
  of	
  the	
  Tour	
  de	
  France	
  
to	
  cheer	
  on	
  riders,	
  LIVESTRONG	
  and	
  Nike	
  encouraged	
  a	
  global	
  audience	
  to	
  participate	
  and	
  contribute	
  their	
  
own	
  messages	
  of	
  support	
  and	
  encouragement.	
  
At	
  Lance	
  Armstrong’s	
  first	
  USA	
  competition,	
  the	
  Amgen	
  Tour	
  of	
  California,	
  and	
  at	
  all	
  of	
  Armstrong’s	
  
subsequent	
  races	
  leading	
  up	
  to	
  the	
  Tour	
  de	
  France,	
  fans	
  received	
  packets	
  of	
  yellow	
  chalk	
  and	
  were	
  
encouraged	
  to	
  write	
  notes	
  of	
  support	
  on	
  the	
  pavement.	
  	
  	
  
Simultaneously,	
  social	
  media	
  networks	
  
collected	
  messages	
  of	
  courage,	
  hope	
  and	
  
action	
  from	
  an	
  international	
  audience.	
  
These	
  were	
  then	
  added	
  to	
  the	
  physical	
  
messages	
  at	
  the	
  Tour	
  via	
  a	
  chalk-­‐spraying	
  
hydraulic	
  robot	
  called	
  Chalkbot.	
  Using	
  the	
  
pavement	
  as	
  a	
  canvas,	
  Chalkbot	
  drove	
  in	
  
front	
  of	
  cyclists	
  and	
  printed	
  messages	
  on	
  
the	
  course.	
  	
  
The	
  vibrant	
  yellow	
  messages,	
  standing	
  out	
  against	
  the	
  dark	
  road,	
  were	
  integrated	
  into	
  the	
  Tour	
  de	
  France	
  
broadcast	
  coverage	
  as	
  the	
  riders	
  cycled	
  over	
  them.	
  Each	
  message	
  contributor	
  received	
  a	
  GPS-­‐tagged	
  image	
  
(with	
  LIVESTRONG	
  and	
  Nike	
  branding)	
  of	
  their	
  message	
  printed	
  on	
  the	
  course.	
  In	
  all,	
  36,000	
  messages	
  were	
  
submitted	
  digitally	
  with	
  thousands	
  printed	
  along	
  the	
  Tour	
  de	
  France	
  course.	
  After	
  the	
  tour,	
  the	
  New	
  York	
  
Times	
  printed	
  a	
  full-­‐page	
  advertisement	
  featuring	
  messages	
  printed	
  by	
  Chalkbot.	
  	
  	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
The	
  campaign	
  won	
  a	
  Cannes	
  Lion	
  award,	
  and	
  increased	
  LIVESTRONG	
  sales	
  by	
  46%	
  during	
  the	
  campaign	
  
period.	
  In	
  addition,	
  the	
  campaign	
  increased	
  the	
  LIVESTRONG	
  Facebook	
  community	
  by	
  95%	
  and	
  Youtube	
  
channel	
  subscribers	
  by	
  54%.	
  Nike	
  donated	
  $4	
  million	
  dollars	
  to	
  the	
  cause.	
  
Blueprint	
  for	
  Strategic	
  Sponsorship	
   16	
  
EVALUATE
Sponsorships	
  historically	
  have	
  focused	
  evaluation	
  efforts	
  on	
  tactics,	
  examining	
  how	
  well	
  a	
  campaign	
  was	
  
managed	
  rather	
  than	
  the	
  value	
  delivered	
  to	
  the	
  brand.	
  	
  	
  
In	
  a	
  strategic	
  approach,	
  evaluation	
  should	
  always	
  focus	
  on	
  determining	
  if	
  pre-­‐established	
  objectives	
  have	
  been	
  
met	
  –	
  that	
  is,	
  return	
  on	
  objectives	
  (ROO)	
  rather	
  than	
  return	
  on	
  investment	
  (ROI).	
  	
  Poorly	
  defined	
  objectives	
  
will	
  result	
  in	
  poor	
  evaluation	
  opportunities.	
  	
  
If	
  the	
  brand	
  has	
  established	
  actionable	
  evaluation	
  metrics	
  as	
  suggested	
  in	
  Step	
  1,	
  it	
  will	
  already	
  possess	
  a	
  
roadmap	
  with	
  clear	
  measures	
  of	
  success	
  at	
  various	
  points.	
  Regular,	
  unbiased	
  evaluation	
  offers	
  the	
  possibility	
  
of	
  honing,	
  re-­‐directing,	
  or	
  eliminating	
  efforts	
  that	
  are	
  not	
  on	
  track	
  to	
  achieve	
  the	
  desired	
  outcomes.	
  	
  In	
  
addition,	
  this	
  process	
  offers	
  the	
  flexibility	
  needed	
  to	
  respond	
  dynamically	
  to	
  new	
  information,	
  feedback,	
  
emerging	
  technologies	
  and	
  changing	
  strategic	
  or	
  market	
  conditions.	
  	
  Evaluation	
  also	
  helps	
  gauge	
  the	
  
effectiveness	
  of	
  a	
  particular	
  property	
  or	
  communication	
  touch-­‐point,	
  and	
  can	
  be	
  used	
  to	
  ensure	
  that	
  
investments	
  (rights	
  fees,	
  assets,	
  talent,	
  and	
  product)	
  remain	
  in	
  line	
  with	
  likely	
  returns.	
  
Conclusion
	
  
Sponsorship	
  in	
  today’s	
  market	
  environment	
  is	
  evolving	
  toward	
  a	
  more	
  integrated	
  approach	
  than	
  has	
  been	
  
used	
  in	
  the	
  past.	
  	
  Strategic	
  sponsorship	
  both	
  responds	
  to,	
  and	
  capitalizes	
  on,	
  the	
  dynamic	
  current	
  market	
  
context	
  and	
  offers	
  a	
  competitive	
  advantage	
  in	
  this	
  context.	
  	
  	
  
The	
  five-­‐step	
  methodology	
  outlined	
  above	
  is	
  designed	
  to	
  give	
  marketers	
  a	
  flexible,	
  integrative	
  and	
  responsive	
  
approach	
  to	
  designing	
  strategic	
  sponsorships.	
  	
  Based	
  in	
  solid	
  research	
  and	
  illustrated	
  with	
  exciting	
  real-­‐world	
  
examples,	
  this	
  methodology	
  is	
  a	
  practical	
  process	
  for	
  marketers	
  seeking	
  to	
  create	
  innovative	
  applications	
  of	
  a	
  
time-­‐honoured	
  marketing	
  instrument.	
  	
  	
  	
  
Blueprint	
  for	
  Strategic	
  Sponsorship	
   17	
  
Additional	
  Resources	
  and	
  Further	
  Reading	
  
	
  
	
  
Service-­‐Dominant	
  Logic	
  |	
  Robert	
  Lusch	
  and	
  Stephen	
  Vargo	
  |	
  http://sdlogic.net/index.html	
  
	
  
Last	
  Generation	
  Sponsorship	
  |	
  Kim	
  Skildum-­‐Reid,	
  Power	
  Sponsorship|	
  http://www.powersponsorship.com/free-­‐
stuff.html?re=1/LastGenerationSponsorship.pdf	
  
	
  
Co-­‐creation:	
  New	
  pathways	
  to	
  value	
  |Promise	
  Communispace	
  |	
  
http://www.promisecorp.com/documents/COCREATION_REPORT.pdf	
  
	
  
Defining	
  Sponsorship	
  |	
  Shaun	
  Whatling,	
  Richard	
  Gillis,	
  Red	
  Mandarin	
  |	
  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Defining-­‐Sponsorship-­‐Shaun-­‐
Whatling/dp/0956178405	
  
	
  
Brands	
  and	
  Music	
  Manifesto,	
  Frukt	
  Source	
  |	
  Frukt|	
  Report	
  available	
  by	
  request	
  from	
  Frukt,	
  http://www.wearefrukt.com/source	
  
	
  
Additional	
  resources	
  available	
  upon	
  request	
  from	
  the	
  author	
  and	
  listed	
  in	
  full	
  research	
  report.	
  
Acknowledgements	
  
	
  
The	
  research	
  outlined	
  in	
  this	
  report	
  is	
  a	
  summary	
  of	
  the	
  findings	
  reported	
  in	
  detail	
  in	
  “A	
   Strategic	
   Sponsorship	
   Approach	
  to	
  
Building	
  Brands	
  in	
  a	
  Service-­‐Dominant	
  Logic	
  World,”	
  Henley	
  Business	
  School,	
  MBA	
  Management	
  Challenge	
  (©2010),	
  the	
  result	
  
of	
   research	
   into	
   best	
   practice	
   strategic	
   sponsorship	
   approaches.	
   The	
   qualitative	
   research	
   involved	
   over	
   20	
   organisations,	
  
including	
  leading	
  brands,	
  agencies	
  and	
  rights	
  holders.	
  The	
  full	
  research	
  paper	
  is	
  available	
  upon	
  request	
  from	
  the	
  author	
  or	
  the	
  
Henley	
  Business	
  School	
  Academic	
  Research	
  Centre.	
  
The	
  author	
  would	
  like	
  to	
  acknowledge	
  the	
  contribution	
  of	
  the	
  director	
  and	
  board	
  level	
  professionals	
  who	
  participated	
  in	
  this	
  
research,	
  offering	
  diverse	
  perspectives	
  into	
  the	
  challenges	
  and	
  opportunities	
  of	
  the	
  industry	
  from	
  a	
  variety	
  of	
  leading	
  brands,	
  
agencies	
  and	
  rights	
  holders,	
  including:	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
Furthermore,	
  the	
  author	
  would	
  like	
  to	
  acknowledge	
  Dr.	
  Baskin	
  Yenicioglu	
  of	
  Henley	
  Business	
  School	
  for	
  his	
  support	
  and	
  guidance	
  
in	
  completing	
  this	
  research.	
  	
  
chelsafc.com	
  anomaly.com	
  allisports.com	
  aegworldwide.com	
  2cv.com	
  
iris-­‐worldwide.com	
  sponsorship.com	
  wearefrukt.com	
  fasttrack.com	
  essentiallygroup.com	
  
nba.com	
  mskmanagement.com	
  london-­‐irish.com	
  lloydstsb.com	
  jackmorton.com	
  
redmandarin.com	
  prismteam.com	
  performanceresearch.com	
  pepsico.com	
  octagon.com	
  
wolffolins.com	
  visa.com	
  unilever.com	
  synergysponsorship.com	
  
Blueprint	
  for	
  Strategic	
  Sponsorship	
   18	
  
	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
About	
  Janus	
  Kodadek	
  
	
  
Janus	
  Kodadek	
  is	
  a	
  senior	
  marketing	
  professional	
  with	
  12	
  years	
  of	
  experience	
  in	
  marketing	
  and	
  communications	
  strategy	
  in	
  the	
  
sport,	
  fashion	
  and	
  FMCG	
  (consumer	
  goods)	
  industries.	
  With	
  expertise	
  in	
  integrated	
  marketing,	
  orchestrating	
  offline/traditional	
  
and	
  digital	
  channels	
  to	
  build	
  brands	
  and	
  engage	
  consumers,	
  Janus	
  has	
  worked	
  with	
  high	
  profile	
  brands	
  including	
  Nike,	
  Glaceau	
  
Vitaminwater,	
  Pepsi,	
  Heineken	
  and	
  presently	
  works	
  as	
  an	
  Industry	
  Manager	
  for	
  Google,	
  where	
  she	
  develops	
  brand	
  and	
  
performance	
  strategies	
  for	
  EMEA	
  clients.	
  	
  
	
  
+44	
  7717	
  806	
  142	
  (mobile)	
  |	
  jkodadek@gmail.com	
  |	
  linkedin.com/in/jkodadek	
  
Case	
  study	
  sources|	
  Case	
  studies	
  included	
  were	
  developed	
  from	
  research	
  respondents	
  examples	
  of’	
  ‘best	
  in	
  class’	
  and	
  ‘innovative’	
  
sponsorship	
  campaigns	
  
	
  
All	
  creative	
  assets,	
  trademarks,	
  service	
  marks,	
  intellectual	
  property	
  and	
  copyrighted	
  materials	
  remain	
  the	
  property	
  of	
  the	
  copyright	
  owner	
  and	
  are	
  
provided	
  within	
  this	
  report	
  for	
  reference	
  purposes	
  only.	
  	
  
Gatorade	
  REPLAY	
  	
  
Agency:	
  TBWAChiatDay	
  
http://www.gatorade.com	
  
http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/analysis/1158391/	
  
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1125919467?bctid=76509638001	
  
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/jun/22/gatorade-­‐ad-­‐awards-­‐cannes-­‐lions	
  
Carling	
  Beer	
  Amnesty	
  
	
  Agency:	
  Cake	
  
http://www.carling.com	
  
http://www.cakegroup.com/music-­‐pr/case_Study/Carling-­‐Music.html	
  
http://www.linkcommunication.co.uk/case_studies_office_workers_carling.html	
  
http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/analysis/1127631/	
  
London	
  2012	
  Olympics	
   http://www.visaeurope.com	
  
http://www.lloydstsb.com	
  
http://www.samsung.com	
  
http://www.visaeurope.com/en/newsroom/news/articles/2012/contactless_payments_at_london.aspx	
  
http://www.mobiletoday.co.uk/News/14144/Samsung_and_Visa_unveil_London_2012_Olympics_mobile_payment_app.aspx	
  	
  
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2012/jan/19/contactless-­‐wave-­‐pay-­‐revolution	
  
http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/09/samsung-­‐and-­‐visa-­‐olympic-­‐payment-­‐announcement/	
  
Nike	
  LIVESTRONG	
  
“Chalkbot”	
  	
  
Agency:	
  Wieden	
  +	
  Kennedy	
  
http://www.nike.com	
  
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/jun/24/cannes-­‐lions-­‐cyber-­‐nike-­‐chalkbot	
  
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jb-­‐KT4r6NY	
  
	
  
http://www.deeplocal.com/projects/10	
  
	
  

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Blueprint for strategic sponsorship (whitepaper report PDF download)

  • 1.   A Blueprint for Strategic Sponsorship By Janus Kodadek
  • 2. Blueprint  for  Strategic  Sponsorship   2   Executive Summary Given  the  authentic  passion  and  loyalty  that  many  consumers  possess  for  sport,  music,  art,  and   entertainment,  marketers  have  long  embraced  sponsorship  as  a  means  to  develop  brand  equity.       Most  early  sponsorships  were  driven  by  ‘Chairman’s  whim,’  and  focused  on  gaining  exposure  and  awareness,   often  through  logo  displays  and  branded  signage.  For  many  organisations,  this  is  still  the  dominant  approach,   but  more  commonly,  contemporary  sponsorships  attempt  a  more  integrated  approach,  with  a  focus  on   consumer  engagement  and  the  achievement  of  multiple  objectives,  short  and  longer  term.   Sponsorship  remains  an  important  option  in  a  marketer’s  toolkit,  with  new  approaches  that  address  and   capitalize  on  the  changing  market  context.  Moreover,  used  strategically,  sponsorship  can  offer  a  competitive   advantage  in  the  current  market  environment.   This  report  outlines  a  five-­‐step  blueprint  to  guide  marketers  in  creating  effective  strategic  sponsorship   platforms.  Drawing  on  diverse  perspectives,  this  methodology  offers  a  holistic  approach  that  incorporates   best  practice  principles  from  integrated  marketing  communications;  experiential  and  digital  marketing;  service   dominant  logic;  brand  and  sponsorship  strategy;  and  real  world  insights  from  a  range  of  senior-­‐level  brand   marketing  and  sponsorship  professionals,  coupled  with  illustrative  case  studies  of  innovative  sponsorship   activations.   • Authenticate:  Clearly  define  goals  and  objectives  for  the  sponsorship,  leading  with  strategic   business  objectives.    Anchor  the  sponsorship  in  consumer  insight  to  ensure  that  the  sponsorship   platform  is  relevant  and  authentic  to  the  target  consumer  base.         • Correlate:  A  strategic  sponsorship  platform  requires  “fit  for  purpose,”  that  is,  congruence   between  the  strategic  objectives  set  forth  in  the  first  step  and  choice  of  partner.  Such  “fit”  will   ensure  the  relationship  will  deliver  the  raw  materials  needed  to  achieve  success.  Foster  a  true   partnership,  ensuring  that  the  strategic  goals  of  both  parties  are  viewed  as  equally  important.   Based  on  reciprocity,  the  sponsor-­‐rights  holder  relationship  becomes  a  marketing  alliance  rather   than  a  transactional  arrangement.       • Collaborate:  Assets  and  activations  that  are  created  collaboratively  between  sponsor  and  rights-­‐ holder  enable  the  brand  to  use  the  property  as  a  conduit  through  which  it  connects  with  the   target  audience.  This  allows  the  brand  to  create  a  bond  with  the  audience,  rather  than  simply  an   association  with  the  property.         • Activate:  Having  completed  the  planning  process,  activation  is  where  the  sponsorship  comes  to   life  for  the  consumer,  offering  the  opportunity  to  innovate  products  and  services,  foster   differentiation,  communicate  a  brand’s  proposition,  stimulate  consumer  engagement  and  co-­‐ creation.     • Evaluate:  In  a  strategic  approach,  evaluation  should  focus  on  determining  if  pre-­‐existing   objectives  have  been  achieved.      
  • 3. Blueprint  for  Strategic  Sponsorship   3   Introduction         Given  the  authentic  passion  and  loyalty  that  many  consumers  possess  for  sport,  music,  art,  and   entertainment,  marketers  have  long  embraced  sponsorship  as  a  means  to  develop  brand  equity.       Most  early  sponsorships  were  driven  by  ‘Chairman’s  whim,’  and  focused  on  gaining  exposure  and  awareness,   often  through  logo  displays  and  branded  signage.  For  many  organisations,  this  is  still  the  dominant  approach,   but  more  commonly,  contemporary  sponsorships  attempt  a  more  integrated  approach,  with  a  focus  on   consumer  engagement  and  the  achievement  of  multiple  objectives,  short  and  longer  term.   Sponsorship  remains  an  important  option  in  a  marketer’s  toolkit,  with  new  approaches  that  address  and   capitalize  on  the  changing  market  context.    Moreover,  used  strategically,  sponsorship  can  offer  a  competitive   advantage  in  the  current  market  environment.   Since  the  mid-­‐1990s,  rapid  innovations  in  technology  and  widespread  access  to  the  Internet  have  profoundly   altered  marketing  communications,  shifting  power  from  the  marketer  and  channel  to  consumers.  This  change   has  given  consumers  unprecedented  control  over  the  messages  they  receive  and  the  ability  to  avoid  those   messages  that  are  unwelcome.  Traditional  marketing  communications  tactics,  where  messages  are  simply   pushed  at  consumers,  have  become  increasingly  less  effective  as  consumers  embrace  the  opportunity  to  be   active  participants  in  defining  their  relationship  with  brands.    As  access  to  information  has  democratized,   media  has  become  fragmented.   Many  brands  have  embraced  the  concept1  that  the  perception  (or  value)  of  a  brand  is  jointly  created  –  based   on  both  what  the  brand  communicates  about  itself,  as  well  as  the  consumer’s  own  experience  of  the  brand.   Also  called  “co-­‐creation,”  this  occurs  whenever  consumers  interact  with  a  company’s  touch  points  or   products.  Sponsorships  can  provide  experiences  and  messages  that  can  be  used  to  enrich  consumer‘s  own   interpretation  (co-­‐creation)  of  the  brand.     Experiences  are  inherently  personal  and  unique  to  each  individual,  subject  to  interpretation  and  affect  based   on  that  person’s  collective  knowledge  and  past  experiences.  If  a  consumer  experiences  a  brand  in  a   memorable  way  (positive  or  negative),  he  or  she  is  more  likely  to  share  the  experience  and  take  action.    An   experience  cannot  be  skipped  over  like  a  television  commercial.  The  ultimate  goal  is  to  create  marketing  that   does  not  feel  like  marketing,  where  the  brand  resonates  as  a  relevant  and  authentic  part  of  a  consumer’s  life.   Today’s  sponsorship  is  both  strategic  and  versatile;  it  can  drive  a  brand’s  entire  marketing  program,  propel   strategic  value  for  an  organisation,  be  centred  at  the  heart  of  employee  engagement  programs  and  reduce   costs  through  partner  synergies.     The  whole  reason  you  go  into  a  partnership  is  to  do  something  different  from  the  normal  channels.   The  modern  consumer  has  so  much  grasping  his/her  attention  that  you  have  to  have  added  value,   and  partnerships  are  a  great  way  of  finding  that  added  value.                                                                                                                   Managing  Director,  Sponsorship  Agency   1  Service  Dominant  Logic:  Customers  are  no  longer  seen  as  buying  goods  or  services,  but  rather  products  that  provide  a  service.   The  value  of  that  service  is  determined  by  and  dependent  on  need  and  consumer  experience.  For  example,  a  customer  would   buy  a  pen,  however  according  to  service  dominant  logic,  the  customer  is  actually  purchasing  an  instrument  to  enable  him  or  her     (or  another  consumer)  to  write.  The  value  of  that  instrument  is  dictated  by  both  need  (real  or  perceived)  and  the  unique   experience  of  using  that  instrument.  This  redefines  ‘value’  as  ‘co-­‐created’  between  the  brand,  product  and  consumer.  
  • 4. Blueprint  for  Strategic  Sponsorship   4     Brands  first  tried  to  talk  to  consumers  while  they  were  walking  down  the  road.  Then  the  savvier  brands   thought  ‘we  need  to  interact  with  these  people.’  Now,  it’s  moved  beyond  that,  where  consumers  are   deciding  what  brands  do  and  how  they  operate.  So,  the  savviest  brands  are  looking  first  and  foremost  to   their  consumers  and  trying  to  understand  their  consumers  through  the  medium  of  social  media  –  which  is   even  easier  to  do  now.    Then  they  can  twist  their  own  activities  to  that,  to  function  to  that,  to  co-­‐create.   That’s  why  sponsorship  is  great  –  it’s  great  for  co-­‐creation.                                                                                                                                             Managing  Director,  Marketing  Agency   A Blueprint for Strategic Sponsorship   The  following  outlines  a  five-­‐step  blueprint  to  guide  marketers  in  creating  effective  strategic  sponsorship   platforms  (Figure  1).  Drawing  on  diverse  perspectives,  this  methodology  offers  a  holistic  approach  that   incorporates  best  practice  principles  from  integrated  marketing  communications;  experiential  marketing;   service  dominant  logic;  brand  and  sponsorship  strategy;  and  insights  from  a  range  of  senior-­‐level  brand   marketing  and  sponsorship  professionals.   The  steps  that  follow  should  be  considered  fluid  and  not  necessarily  linear.    As  an  organization  goes  through   the  strategic  process,  new  ideas  will  likely  arise,  requiring  that  the  organisation  reiterate  the  relevant  steps  as   needed.   Figure  1:  Blueprint  for  Strategic  Sponsorship  
  • 5. Blueprint  for  Strategic  Sponsorship   5   AUTHENTICATE Lead with Business Objectives   The  organisation  must  clearly  define  goals  and  objectives  for  the  sponsorship  –  a  seemingly  obvious  step  that   is  sometimes  overlooked.    A  starting  point  would  be  analysing  overall  organizational  goals,  strengths,  and   needs  in  light  of  what  outcomes  the  sponsorship  could  deliver  (Figure  2).                           Figure  2:  Some  potential  outcomes  of  strategic  sponsorship   By  linking  sponsorship  objectives  to  delivering  on  overall  organisational  objectives,  the  sponsorship  will   directly  support  (and  become  a  driver  of)  the  organisation’s  value  creation  strategy.       For  example,  if  expansion  of  the  brand’s  global   footprint  is  identified  as  an  organisational  goal,   corresponding  sponsorship  goals  might  be  gaining   access  to  new  markets  or  channels,  and/or   inspiring  new  product  and  service  lines  relevant  to   those  markets.  Partnering  with  another  entity  that   has  established  equity  within  a  desired  target   market  may  shorten  or  circumvent  the  process  of  developing  brand  awareness.  Alternatively,  having   developed  equity  and  expertise  in  those  markets,  the  partnered  entity  could  provide  critical  market   intelligence.  These  advantages,  in  turn,  may  allow  the  organisation  to  expand  more  rapidly  into  this  new     Through  partnerships  you  can  reach  more  customers   than  you  would’ve  done  on  your  own.  You  can  get  into   categories  and  pick  up  attributes  that  will  allow  you  to   create  future  platforms.    You  can  migrate  to  future   areas  and  share  knowledge,  R&D,  etc.                                                                 Director,  Strategy  Agency  
  • 6. Blueprint  for  Strategic  Sponsorship   6     market,  providing  inroads,  incremental  marketing  exposure  and  ultimately  gaining  new  customers.   The  most  cost-­‐effective  sponsorships  platforms  will   achieve  multiple  goals  for  the  organisation  externally   and  internally.  For  example,  Marketing  might  focus   on  building  relationships  with  customers  through  the   sponsorship,  while  Human  Resources  could  use  it  to   encourage  employee  loyalty,  thereby  improving   workforce  retention.       In  order  to  achieve  multiple  goals,  it  is  necessary  to   secure  buy-­‐in  from  a  range  of  internal  stakeholders  (Board,  management  and  employees),  and  commitment  to   use  the  sponsorship  within  their  own  functional  area.  Their  departmental  needs  and  concerns  must  be   understood  and  addressed  and,  whenever  possible,  their  requests  represented  in  negotiations  of  rights  and   assets.  By  considering  these  opportunities  from  the  very  beginning,  internal  stakeholders  can  become  key   ambassadors  for  the  sponsorship,  thereby  reducing  friction,  fostering  support  and  encouraging  ideas  and   utilisation  from  across  the  business.   Rights  holders  who  have  a  strategic  vision  and  want  to   achieve  success  in  different  parts  of  the  world  will  look   beyond  the  cash  to  certain  brands,  understanding  the   value  they  bring  over  and  beyond  the  cash.  We  have  no   representation  in  a  lot  of  the  markets  in  which  we  want   to  grow.    Partners  are  key  to  gaining  access,  fully   aligned  with  our  global  marketing  plan.                                                         Marketing  Director,  Sport  Rights  Holder   Ground the Sponsorship in Consumer Insight   Anchoring  the  sponsorship  in  consumer  insight  at  the  onset  will  ensure  that  the  sponsorship  platform  is   authentic  and  relevant  to  the  target  consumer  base.    Using  deep  knowledge  about  the  target  consumer  as  a   foundation  to  guide  sponsorship  choices  should  inspire  potential  sponsorship  properties  and  activation   programmes  to  consider.       If  a  sponsoring  organisation  has  truly  intimate  insights  into  the  target  market,  it  can  develop  initiatives  that   deeply  engage  consumers,  fostering  brand  connection  and  loyalty.  To  get  the  needed  depth  of  insight,  brands   will  need  to  look  beyond  demographic  surveys  and  syndicated  research.    Such  insights  include  psychographics,   an  understanding  of  customer  motivations,  self-­‐definitions,  group  norms,  and  peer  influences;  as  well  as  an   honest  appraisal  of  the  customer’s  psychological  relationship  and  experience  with  the  brand,  property  and   competitor  brands.       Property Creation   Property  creation  is  an  increasingly  attractive  and  innovative  alternative  to  a  traditional  sponsorship  platform   especially  in  crowded  markets  and  with  brands   seeking  to  utilize  their  consumer  insight  to  build   customer  intimacy  or  show  that  they  are   authentically  entrenched  in  a  subculture.     Creating  a  proprietary  brand  property,  such  as  a   grassroots  sport  competition  or  ‘insider’  content   series  can  be  very  resource  intensive  and  may  not   be  an  appropriate  or  feasible  solution  for  every   brand.     However,  property  creation  offers  a  brand  many  benefits:  total  ownership  over  implementation;  control  over   every  element  of  the  experience;  potential  to  offset  some  of  the  financial  liability  by  selling  sponsorships  to   non-­‐competitive  brands;  and  reducing  risk  by  allowing  the  brand  to  fully  control  the  choice  of  other  brands   affiliated  with  the  property,  reducing  access  to  non-­‐compatible  partners.     The  most  innovative  ideas  come,  not  from  sponsorship,   but  rather  property  creation.  Tapping  into  the   personality  of  the  audience  and  creating  a  [property]   that  reflects  that  personality…  Brands  are  moving  more   into  ownership,  event  creation  and  experiential.   Creation,  full  stop.  Not  feeling  the  need  for  a  traditional   partnership  to  secure  what  they  think  they  want  to  do.   Entertainment  Director,  Integrated  Agency  
  • 7. Blueprint  for  Strategic  Sponsorship   7   Case Study | Gatorade REPLAY Utilising Consumer Insight to Create Passion-driven Marketing Programs   In  January  2009,  Gatorade  created  an  event  reuniting  the  original  players  of   two  rival  American  high  school  teams  (now  in  their  mid-­‐30s)  to  replay  the  tied  final  game  from  their  senior   year,  breaking  a  sixteen-­‐year  deadlock  in  a  full-­‐contact,  regulation  football  game.    The  company’s  aim  was  to   reignite  athletic  excitement  and  rekindle  product  sales  in  men  over  thirty,  70%  of  whom  do  not  exercise   regularly.       They  called  the  event  REPLAY.       Bringing  together  the  Easton  Area  Red  Rovers  (Easton,   Pennsylvania)  and  the  Philipsburg  Stateliners   (Philipsburg,  New  Jersey),  Gatorade  used  the  re-­‐ training  of  the  amateur  athletes  as  a  visceral  backdrop  to  seamlessly  demonstrate  the  product’s  functional   benefit  (fuelling  athletic  performance)  and  showcase  its  value  proposition.    The  experience  became  a  catalyst   for  athletic  achievement  through  multiple,  coordinated  mediums.   Originally  broadcast  through  a  series  of  web  episodes,  fans  all  over  the  world  watched  as  the  teams   experienced  the  opportunity  of  every  athlete’s  dreams:  a  second  chance  at  victory.  Capturing  the  personal   struggles  and  achievements  of  various  players,  viewers  were  introduced  to  the  Gatorade  Sports  Science   Institute  (GSSI)  through  a  series  of  training  camps  and  programs  developed  to  get  the  players  back  into  game   shape.  The  GSSI  included  coaching  from  Eagles  head  coach  Andy  Reid  and  all-­‐pro  running  back,  Brian   Westbrook,  at  the  Eagles  training  facility.  The  training  program,  entitled  ‘Eight  Weeks  to  Glory,’  was  available   online,  along  with  a  Facebook  application  that  helped  followers  reunite  their  own  former  teams.         As  Game  Day  grew  near,  the  culture  of  the  two  rival  towns  was  further  highlighted,  with  some  of  the  original   cheerleaders  and  marching  band  members  joining  to  support  their  respective  teams.     Tickets  for  the  rematch  sold  out  in  90   minutes,  as  15,000  enthusiastic  fans  came   out  in  unseasonably  warm  32°C  (90°F)   weather  to  watch.  The  104th  meeting  of  the   two  teams  was  led  by  honorary  coaches,   Gatorade  athletes  and  NFL  quarterbacks   Peyton  and  Eli  Manning.  The  Phillipsburg   Stateliners  broke  the  16-­‐year  tie,  winning  27-­‐12.   Based  on  a  $225,000  paid  media  spend,  the  campaign  reportedly  generated  over  $3  million  in  media   coverage,  partially  driven  by  frequent  coverage  in  sports  news  roundups.  Regional  product  sales  grew  by  63%.   The  original  online  web  episode  series  was  made  into  a  documentary  TV  series  broadcast  to  90  million   households  on  Fox  Sports  Net.     Winning  two  Cannes  Lions,  a  Brand  Experience  and  an  Effie  Award,  the  campaign  inspired  thousands  of   athletes  to  petition  to  be  selected  for  future  seasons.  Two  subsequent  seasons  pitted  rival  hockey  and   basketball  teams  for  epic  rematches.  All  told,  the  REPLAY  series  continued  to  affirm  Gatorade’s  significance  to   both  professional  and  amateur  athletes.  
  • 8. Blueprint  for  Strategic  Sponsorship   8     Brands  will  need  to  understand  and  capitalise  on   new  channels  of  communication,  methods  of   consumption,  and  expectations  around  when,  where   and  how  consumers  buy  and  use  products  and   services.    Age,  gender  and  location  no  longer  offer   reliable  indicators  of  what  a  consumer  may  desire  or   purchase,  nor  of  skill  with  digital  technology.   Any  success  in  a  sponsorship  campaign  comes  from   simplicity.  We  can  sit  in  ivory  towers  in  West  London   dreaming  up  wonderful  plans,  forgetting  that  our  target   audience  is  going  to  have  three  seconds  of  interaction   with  our  brand  on  a  poster  as  they  whip  past  in  a  car  or   a  train.  They’re  not  going  to  be  privy  to  our  brand   onions  and  things  like  that.  I  think  that  whatever  you  do   needs  to  boil  down  to  consumer  insight  so  they  just  get   it  and  not  be  too  complicated.                                                         Managing  Director,  Marketing  Agency   CORRELATE Ensure “Fit for Purpose” Historically,  the  term  “fit”  referred  to  congruence  of  brand  elements  between  property  and  sponsor  or   celebrity  endorser  and  sponsor.  However,  a  strategic  sponsorship  platform  requires  “fit  for  purpose,”  that  is,   congruence  between  the  strategic  objectives  set  forth  in  Step  1,  and  choice  of  partner.  Such  “fit”  will  ensure   the  relationship  will  deliver  the  raw  materials  needed  to  achieve  success.     A  successful  partnership  will  rest  on  a  foundation  of  clarity  around  the  brand’s  and  rights  holder’s  DNA,  brand   proposition  and  clear  insight  into  the  target  audience.       The  brand  should  make  an  honest  appraisal  of  the  target  market’s  present  relationship  and  experience   (positive  or  negative)  with  the  brand,  as  well  as  the  physical  and  digital  assets  needed  to  create  engaging   activations.  These  insights  will  help  the  brand  assess  the  fit  of  potential  partners.       In  evaluating  properties,  the  sponsoring  organisation  should  consider  all  factors  relevant  to  the  successful   outcome  of  the  strategy.  These  include  the  property’s  own  brand,  objectives,  timeline  and  target  audience.   Most  importantly,  however,  is  whether  the   partnership  will  be  able  to  communicate  and   activate  the  brand’s  proposition,  as  the  sponsored   property  becomes  the  vehicle  for  connecting  with   the  target  consumer.       Sometimes  a  brand,  like  RedBull,  is  already   embedded  in  a  subculture  and  the  appropriate  partner  is  obvious,  while  other  times  the  organisation  wants   to  develop  new  or  deepen  existing  associations.       At  this  early  stage,  it  is  useful  to  consider  activation  plans  and  how  to  evaluate  the  success  of  the  platform,   that  is,  which  metrics  will  be  used;  both  activation  plans  and  evaluation  metrics  will  help  ensure  that  the   brand  negotiates  the  required  rights  and  assets.           Ultimately,  whilst  a  partnership  needs  to  sit  very  well   alongside  a  brand  strategy  and  be  integrated  into  an   overall  marketing  strategy,  if  your  consumers  don’t   care  about  jazz  music  and  you’re  going  into  a  jazz   partnership,  you’re  not  going  to  achieve  anything.                                               Entertainment  Director,  Marketing  Agency  
  • 9. Blueprint  for  Strategic  Sponsorship   9       Questions to help guide leveraging and activation In  her  paper  Last  Generation  Sponsorship,  leading  sponsorship  expert  Kim  Skildum-­‐Reid  suggests  that   selection  and  negotiation  of  a  strategic  sponsorship  is  likely  to  be  guided  by  answers  to  questions  like:   • What  do  my  target  markets  care  about?  Are  there  any  events,  sports,  program,  causes  that  they  really   care  about  or  which  form  part  of  their  self-­‐definition?  (e.g.  snowboarding,  volunteerism,  the  high  arts,   child  safety)   • What  are  the  ways  that  my  target  market  consumes  that  event  (stadium,  at  home  with  friends,  reading   about  it  in  the  paper?)       • What  are  the  best  things  about  this  event  experience  to  my  target  audience?  What  are  the  worst  things   about  this  event  experience  to  my  target  audience?   • Is  my  brand  part  of  the  experience?  Could  it  be?  How  can  we  improve  that  experience?   • What  are  the  ways  that  my  target  market  consumes  my  brand  and  competitor  brands?  What  is  their   “brand  experience?”   • Could  that  experience  be  improved  using  the  unique  benefits  of  sponsorship?   http://www.powersponsorship.com/free-­‐stuff.html?re=1/LastGenerationSponsorship.pdf   Ÿ Activation  Plan   Activation  is  the  execution  or  implementation  phase  of  a  sponsorship,  in  which  consumers  interact   with  the  brand’s  touch-­‐points  and  the  sponsorship  comes  to  life.    Every  aspect  of  activation  –  from   initial  concept,  to  production  value,  to  integration  with  the  sponsored  property  -­‐-­‐  communicates  a   message  about  the  brand  and  its  commitment  to  the  audience.    Considering  activation  along  with   sponsorship  goals  at  the  very  beginning  of  the  planning  process  ensures  that  the  proposed  activities   directly  support  the  identified  business  objectives.           In  crafting  an  activation  plan,  an  integrated  approach  (360°  activation)  offers  the  opportunity  to   communicate  through  individual  and  coordinated  touch-­‐points  over  an  extended  period  of  time,   addressing  a  degree  of  media  fragmentation  from  inception.   While  promoting  awareness  of  the  partnership  may  be  an  important  component  to  the  brand’s  goals,   ‘badging,’  or  sponsorship  leveraging  that  simply  displays  the  brand’s  logo  on  a  club  jersey,  event   collateral  or  on  banners  around  the  venue,  should  not  be  considered  activation.   All  too  often,  the  environment  and  experience   of  a  sponsored  property  is  too  frenetic  for   passive  logo  displays  to  make  a  significant   impact  on  the  audience,  especially  considering   that  the  brand’s  presence  is  only  one  amongst   several.  Badging  is  a  disruption  that  diminishes   the  audience’s  experience  with  the  event.     The  best  partnerships  are  when  both  parties  sign  the   contract  and  then  put  it  away  in  a  drawer  and  get  on   with  activating  it,  remembering  what  the  reasons  for   the  deal  were  in  the  first  place.       Marketing  Director,  Sport  Rights  Holder   Youth  is  so  much  about  doing  it  in  a  credible  way  –  not  being  in  their  face  or  too   commercial.  Young  people  look  at  our  partners  who  have  been  around  since  the   beginning  as  brands  that  “get”  them  and  understand  their  lifestyle,  music,   sports.  We  work  with  our  partners  to  come  across  in  the  most  credible  way   possible,  as  brands  that  are  helping  support  the  sports  that  [youth]  are  into.                                                                 Head  of  Partnerships,  Sports  Rights  Holder  
  • 10. Blueprint  for  Strategic  Sponsorship   10   Case Study | Carling Beer Improving the festival guest experience through creative brand activation   A  long-­‐standing  presence  at  live  music  events,  Carling  created  a  unique  way  to  weave   the  brand  into  the  summer  festival  tradition  beginning  in  2003.    Noting  that  an  inevitable,  but  unpleasant   aspect  of  the  festival  goers'  experience  was  the  warming  of  one's  beer  in  the  sun,  Carling  created  a   memorable  integration  called  'Beer  Amnesty.'   The  goal  was  simple:  encourage  product  trial  and  conversion  by  getting  as  many  ice-­‐cold  Carlings  as  possible   into  the  hands  of  as  many  people  as  possible  who  are  loyal  to  other  brands,  at  a  time  and  a  place  when  they   would  consider  a  change.  The  concept  focused  on  a  beer  swap  at  various  summer  festivals  where  Carling   replaced  attendees’  warm,  unopened  cans  of  beer  (regardless  of  brand)  with  an  ice-­‐cold  can  of  Carling  –  free   of  charge.     The  campaign  resulted  in  the  distribution  of   nearly  4000  cases  of  beer  per  weekend,  and   reached  over  250,000  people  across  a  festival   season.  The  campaign  was  so  successful  that   it  was  repeated  annually  for  years.   Building  on  the  original  concept,  Carling   continued  to  imagine  unique  ways  to  indulge   fans.    Starting  in  2007,  the  company  organized  extremely  intimate  performances  for  a  handful  of  lucky  music   lovers  (approximately  seven  each  session)  from  the  back  of  a  chilled  Carling  fridge  truck  prior  to  a  band's   festival  performance.      That  year,  The  Maccabees  performed  a  “Strike  Cold  Session”  at  Reading  Festival.    At   the  2008  Rock  Ness  Festival,  Carling  staged  a  surprise  live  acoustic  set  by  Andy  Burrows  of  the  band   Razorlight.                 After  years  of  success  at  festivals,  in  2008,  Carling  took  the  concept  mobile  for  a  tie-­‐in  at  retail.  Over  the  warm   summer  months,  the  Carling  Beer  Amnesty  truck  visited  Asda  stores,  offering  shoppers  the  opportunity  to   swap  packs  of  just-­‐purchased  beer  for  chilled  Carling  as  they  left  the  store.    
  • 11. Blueprint  for  Strategic  Sponsorship   11   Furthermore,  awareness  of  the  brand  name  or  logo  has  little  value  if  the  consumer  is  unfamiliar  with   the  product  or  service,  brand  ethos  or  value  proposition.  The  best  activations  weave  the  brand’s   presence  into  the  property  in  a  way  that  showcases  its  value  proposition,  seamlessly  engaging  with   consumers  and  making  the  best  aspects  of  the  experience  better  or  reducing  the  negative  aspects  of   the  experience.  For  example,  Carling  recognised  that  one  of  the  undesirable  results  of  a  beautiful   sunny  day  at  a  music  festival  is  the  inevitable  warming  of  one’s  beer  and  used  their  sponsorship  of   various  music  festivals  as  an  opportunity  to  ensure  that  guests  always  had  a  cold  Carling  to  hand.     By  considering  the  various  means  through  which  the  target  audience  consumes  the  property  (i.e.  on   site,  at  home,  in  print  or  online,  broadcast  or  internet  videos),  a  seamless  narrative  or  experience  can   be  created.     However,  as  with  any  campaign,  not  all  marketing  tactics  will  be  appropriate  and  brands  must  choose   those  that  best  integrate  with  the  property,  meet  the  goals,  budget  and  timeline.   Ÿ Establish  Evaluation  Metrics   At  this  early  stage  in  planning  the   strategy,  the  organisation  should  also   create  evaluation  metrics  against  the   defined  strategic  objectives.      From  these   metrics,  the  organisation  can  sketch  out  a   rough  roadmap  for  the  sponsorship  by   clearly  defining  standards  for  success.   These  standards  can  be  communicated  to  all  involved  in  the  sponsorship,  encouraging  shared   momentum  towards  achieving  goals.  It  will  also  be  helpful  to  embed  regular  evaluation  points,  so  that   misguided  or  faltering  efforts  can  be  detected  early,  thereby  allowing  for  responsiveness  to  changes   in  the  strategy  or  market  environment.       Ÿ Rights  and  Assets  Negotiation   Rights  and  assets  should  be  negotiated  specifically  to  support  the  needs  of  the  activation  plan.  This   will  guarantee  the  brand  has  access  to  the  required  raw  materials  to  execute  the  plan;  it  will  also   allow  the  rights  holder  to  sell  unused  rights  and  assets  to  other  partners,  rather  than  going  unused   entirely.  As  addressed  in  the  next  section,  the  most  impactful  assets  will  likely  be  those  that  are   collaboratively  designed.   Fit  with  a  property’s  other  partners  is  important  as  well.    Once  a  partnership  is  established,  the  brand  should   consider  the  ramifications  of  affiliation  with  brands  that  become  connected  to  it  through  that  partnership.  If   there  is  a  collective  fit,  reframing  the  original  partnership  into  a  networked  relationship  may  offer   opportunities  for  multi-­‐way  value  creation.         That’s  really  what  partnerships  are  all  about:  giving   someone  the  experience  that  they  want,  rather  than  the   one  we  think  they  might  want.  That’s  what  the   partnership  enables.  There  is  a  role  to  be  played,  but  it’s   one  that  enhances  viewers’  experience  and  enhances   their  view  of  the  brand.  If  you  can’t  do  either  of  those,   then  just  don’t  go  there.                                                                 Entertainment  Director,  Marketing  Agency   Encourage Reciprocity   True  partnerships  are  based  in  reciprocity.  Reciprocity  acknowledges  that  brand  value  –  positive  and  negative   -­‐-­‐  flows  both  ways  and  that  both  partners  are  responsible  for  and  judged  by  the  sponsorship’s  outcomes.       A  true  partnership  relationship  ensures  that  the  strategic  goals  of  both  parties  are  viewed  as  equally   important.  Partners  are  empowered  to  achieve  their  own  goals  by  utilising  the  assets  of  the  other  partner  or    
  • 12. Blueprint  for  Strategic  Sponsorship   12   collaborate  to  create  new  assets  as  needed.  Based  on  reciprocity,  the  sponsor-­‐rights  holder  relationship   becomes  a  marketing  alliance  rather  than  a  transactional  arrangement.   Reciprocity  also  allows  for  flexibility.  In  the  fast-­‐paced  and  ever-­‐changing  market  environment,  the   partnership  must  remain  flexible  enough  to  evolve  its  strategy  and  deliver  resources  as  needed.    By  avoiding  a   rigidly  defined  set  of  available  assets,  partners  can  take  advantage  of  appropriate  opportunities  swiftly  as  they   arise.     Case Study | London 2012 Olympics Lloyds TSB, Visa Europe and Samsung m-commerce three-way partnership   The  London  2012  Olympic  Games  offers  an  excellent  example  of  a  three-­‐way  strategic  partnership  between   Lloyds  TSB,  Visa  Europe  and  Samsung  to  pioneer  mobile  phone  commerce  (m-­‐commerce)  contact-­‐less   payments.    The  service  was  made  available  via  a  specific  Samsung  handset,  linked  to  a  Lloyds  TSB  bank   account  with  transactions  processed  by  Visa.  Provided  complementary  to  Visa-­‐sponsored  athletes,  the   handset  was  also  available  for  consumers  to  purchase  along  with  a  Visa-­‐enabled  SIM  card.    The  service  was   first  introduced  during  the  run-­‐up  to  the  games,  and  could  be  used  at  retailers  in  and  out  of  the  Olympic   Village  for  speedy,  low-­‐value  payments.  In  the  ten  weeks  leading  up  to  and  including  the  Games,  the  number   of  contactless  transactions  in  the  UK  doubled  according  to  Visa  Europe;  during  the  Games,  Olympic  venues   accounted  for  15%  of  contactless  transactions  in  the  UK. The  three  Olympic  sponsors  leveraged  the  2012  Games  as  a  globally  relevant  backdrop  to  showcase  the   power  of  mobile  payments.  The  program  positioned  each  brand  as  an  innovator  and  key  player  in  the   transformation  of  retail  purchasing  and  payments,  while  contributing  directly  to  the  divergent,  but  synergistic   strategic  objectives  of  each  partner:  Lloyds  TSB  supported  the  commercial  launch  of  its  m-­‐payments  service;   Samsung  continued  to  demonstrate  its  positioning  as  technological  leader,  while  also  supporting  demand  and   sell-­‐through  of  Samsung  mobile  handsets;  and  Visa  Europe  was  confirmed  as  the  go-­‐to  choice  for  customers   interested  in  accessing  pioneering  products  and  services,  while  executing  millions  of  transactions  during  the   Olympic  Games.  By  2020,  Visa  expects  that  nearly  50%  of  all  network  transactions  will  be  conducted  via   mobile.   All  three  partners  centred  their  brand  in  the  discussions  regarding   mobile  innovation  at  a  time  when  many  organisations  are  looking  to   increase  their  brand  awareness  through  mobile  and  Smartphone   applications  and  associated  products.  The  partnership  also  offered  a   natural  launching  point  for  dialogue  in  the  media  as  each  step  of  the   partnership  was  developed  and  publically  announced.    
  • 13. Blueprint  for  Strategic  Sponsorship   13     Sponsorship as a Marketing Alliance   A  marketing  alliance  yields  benefits  for  both  partners  through  collaboration  and  a  focus  on  creating  new   value  together.  This  is  in  contrast  to  a  relationship  existing  solely  for  straight  exchange  of  value,  in  which  one   or  both  organisations  get  back  something  in  exchange  for  what  they  put  in  (for  example,  revenue  exchanged   for  rights  access).   Elevating  a  sponsorship  relationship  to  a  marketing   alliance  may  offer  a  sustainable  competitive   advantage  by  providing:   • Mutual  value  through  collaboration  and   access  to  the  assets  and  capabilities  of  the   other.    Both  organisations  realize  a   contribution  to  superior  customer  value,   advancement  towards  strategic  goals,   and/or  reduction  of  costs.     • Durability  created  through  mutual  commitment,  that  is,  the  recognition  by  each  partner  that  the   other  brings  unique  assets  and  capabilities  (and  those  gained  or  created  from  the  interplay  between   partners)  that  will  enable  the  alliance  to  accomplish  objectives  neither  can  do  alone.     • Barriers  to  imitation  preventing  competitors  from  duplicating  these  assets  and  capabilities  because   they  are  created  by  collaboration  between  two  unique  entities.    Contributions  from  different  entities   would  arguably  create  different  assets/capabilities.     • First  mover  advantage  created  because  alliance  partners  may  be  better  able  to  respond  to  the   quickly  evolving  market  and  intense  competition,  and  can  generate  tailored  resources  to  deflect   challenges  and  capitalize  on  opportunities.   Marketing  alliances  can  be  particularly  advantageous  if  strategic  goals  align,  while  competitive  goals  remain   divergent.  For  example,  a  beverage  company  and  a  football  club  may  have  similar  strategic  goals  (such  as   adding  value  to  the  consumer  offering  to  drive  sales)  and  can  work  collaboratively  to  achieve  this;  however,  a   beverage  company’s  market  offering  does  not  compete  with  that  of  a  football  club.  Additionally,  partners  are   able  to  learn  from  each  other  and  apply  learning  to  their  respective  businesses  without  jeopardizing  any   proprietary  skills.   In  order  to  develop  a  marketing  alliance,  the  parties  must  ensure  strategic  compatibility  (not  just  congruency   between  intangible  brand  elements)  and  convergence  of  goals.  Further,  the  relationship  structure  must  foster   commitment,  trust,  and  opportunities  for  both  parties  to  gain  value  from  synergies,  moving  away  from  a   transactional,  fee-­‐and-­‐ROI-­‐driven  relationship.   Equity  –  one  looks  to  be  more  scientific  about  it.  Is   there  a  benefit  to  both  parties  in  the  partnership?  Is   there  equity  in  Brand  X  that  Brand  Y  could  benefit   from  and  vice  versa,  because  then  we  have  the   foundation  of  a  partnership  that  works.  Is  there  an   area  of  business  that  the  two  can  collaborate  on  that   allows  them  to  reach  people  that  they  haven’t   reached  before?                                                                 Head  of  Partnerships,  Financial  Industry  
  • 14. Blueprint  for  Strategic  Sponsorship   14   COLLABORATE Collaboration  offers  partners  an  opportunity  to  create  shared  assets  and  activations  that  are  inherently   unique  and  that  neither  could  produce  alone.  This  is  a  key  advantage,  because  such  assets  provide  a   barrier  to  imitation.       Assets  and  activations  that  are  created  collaboratively  between  sponsor  and  rights-­‐holder  enable  the   brand  to  use  the  property  as  a  conduit  through  which  it  connects  with  the  target  audience.  This  allows   the  brand  to  create  a  bond  with  the  audience,  rather  than  simply  an  association  with  the  property.    It   also  protects  the  integrity  of  the  property,  by  ensuring  that  activations  are  a  natural  and  seamless  fit,   enhancing  the  audience’s  experience  of  the   property  rather  than  being  disruptive.   If  the  platform  is  intended  to  have  breadth,  the   parties  should  consider  and  design  amplification   methods  in  line  with  strategic  objectives.  Content   creation  and  digital  technologies  (such  as   applications  and  social  media)  all  offer   opportunities  to  amplify  or  extend  the  consumer   experience  before,  during,  and  after  activation.   Consumers  have  become  a  marketing  channel  of   their  own,  sharing  information,  experiences  and   opinions  through  social  media,  blogging  and  other   Internet  channels  -­‐-­‐  even  across  geographically  and  culturally  divergent  areas.  A  single  brand  interaction   now  has  the  potential  to  multiply  into  thousands,  effectively  creating  reach  and  cost  efficiencies.   Even  if  you’re  a  massive  organisation,  creating  a  brand   that  people  are  going  to  talk  about  and  be   ambassadors  for  in  the  real  world  is  key.  If  you  have   people  talking  about  it,  saying  it’s  amazing,  and  you   get  five  emails  from  people  who  don’t  know  each  other   talking  about  it  in  the  same  day,  that’s  when  it  gets   exciting.  There’s  just  so  much  out  there,  I  don’t  think  it   can  just  be  about  media  spend.  It  can  be  a  small   campaign,  but  if  it’s  really  clever,  there  you  go.  It’s   harder,  but  it’s  putting  a  lot  more  pressure  on   creativity  and  originality,  rather  than  money.                                                             Director,  Marketing  Agency   ACTIVATE Having  completed  the  planning  phases,  it  is  time  to  put  the  sponsorship  into  action.  As  mentioned   earlier,  activation  is  where  the  sponsorship  comes  to  life  for  the  consumer.     As  discussed  earlier,  there  are  multiple  outcomes  that  can  be  achieved  through  strategic  sponsorships   and  that  the  most  cost-­‐effective  sponsorships  will  be  focused  on  achieving  outcomes  in  more  than  one   functional  area  or  channel.  Sponsorship  activation  can  offer  the  opportunity  to  innovate  products  and   services,  differentiate  from  the  competition,  communicate  the  brand  proposition  and  invigorate  relevance  to   a  particular  segment  of  consumers,  stimulate  engagement  with  the  brand  and  offer  opportunities  and  raw   materials  for  consumers  to  co-­‐create  brand  meaning  and  value.  
  • 15. Blueprint  for  Strategic  Sponsorship   15   Case Study | LIVESTRONG (Nike) Stimulating Consumer Engagement and Co-Creation at the Tour de France   Using  Lance  Armstrong’s  2009  return  to  professional  cycling  as  a  platform,  LIVESTRONG  and  Nike  developed  a   fully-­‐integrated  campaign  to  raise  awareness  of  cancer  and  spread  messages  of  hope  and  encouragement.       The  partners  utilized  multiple  mediums  -­‐  bought,  owned  and  earned  -­‐  to  communicate  and  engage  with   consumers.       A  series  of  three  short  films  entitled  "It's  About  You"  shared  the  stories  of  pro  and  amateur  athletes  and  other   inspirational  people  -­‐-­‐  all  cancer  survivors.    The  films  aired  to  a  mass  audience,  and  culminated  in  a  dedicated   primetime  episode  of  ESPN’s  Sportscenter.  Sixty-­‐four  million  households  tuned  in.   Drawing  on  the  tradition  of  writing  inspirational  messages  with  chalk  along  the  course  of  the  Tour  de  France   to  cheer  on  riders,  LIVESTRONG  and  Nike  encouraged  a  global  audience  to  participate  and  contribute  their   own  messages  of  support  and  encouragement.   At  Lance  Armstrong’s  first  USA  competition,  the  Amgen  Tour  of  California,  and  at  all  of  Armstrong’s   subsequent  races  leading  up  to  the  Tour  de  France,  fans  received  packets  of  yellow  chalk  and  were   encouraged  to  write  notes  of  support  on  the  pavement.       Simultaneously,  social  media  networks   collected  messages  of  courage,  hope  and   action  from  an  international  audience.   These  were  then  added  to  the  physical   messages  at  the  Tour  via  a  chalk-­‐spraying   hydraulic  robot  called  Chalkbot.  Using  the   pavement  as  a  canvas,  Chalkbot  drove  in   front  of  cyclists  and  printed  messages  on   the  course.     The  vibrant  yellow  messages,  standing  out  against  the  dark  road,  were  integrated  into  the  Tour  de  France   broadcast  coverage  as  the  riders  cycled  over  them.  Each  message  contributor  received  a  GPS-­‐tagged  image   (with  LIVESTRONG  and  Nike  branding)  of  their  message  printed  on  the  course.  In  all,  36,000  messages  were   submitted  digitally  with  thousands  printed  along  the  Tour  de  France  course.  After  the  tour,  the  New  York   Times  printed  a  full-­‐page  advertisement  featuring  messages  printed  by  Chalkbot.               The  campaign  won  a  Cannes  Lion  award,  and  increased  LIVESTRONG  sales  by  46%  during  the  campaign   period.  In  addition,  the  campaign  increased  the  LIVESTRONG  Facebook  community  by  95%  and  Youtube   channel  subscribers  by  54%.  Nike  donated  $4  million  dollars  to  the  cause.  
  • 16. Blueprint  for  Strategic  Sponsorship   16   EVALUATE Sponsorships  historically  have  focused  evaluation  efforts  on  tactics,  examining  how  well  a  campaign  was   managed  rather  than  the  value  delivered  to  the  brand.       In  a  strategic  approach,  evaluation  should  always  focus  on  determining  if  pre-­‐established  objectives  have  been   met  –  that  is,  return  on  objectives  (ROO)  rather  than  return  on  investment  (ROI).    Poorly  defined  objectives   will  result  in  poor  evaluation  opportunities.     If  the  brand  has  established  actionable  evaluation  metrics  as  suggested  in  Step  1,  it  will  already  possess  a   roadmap  with  clear  measures  of  success  at  various  points.  Regular,  unbiased  evaluation  offers  the  possibility   of  honing,  re-­‐directing,  or  eliminating  efforts  that  are  not  on  track  to  achieve  the  desired  outcomes.    In   addition,  this  process  offers  the  flexibility  needed  to  respond  dynamically  to  new  information,  feedback,   emerging  technologies  and  changing  strategic  or  market  conditions.    Evaluation  also  helps  gauge  the   effectiveness  of  a  particular  property  or  communication  touch-­‐point,  and  can  be  used  to  ensure  that   investments  (rights  fees,  assets,  talent,  and  product)  remain  in  line  with  likely  returns.   Conclusion   Sponsorship  in  today’s  market  environment  is  evolving  toward  a  more  integrated  approach  than  has  been   used  in  the  past.    Strategic  sponsorship  both  responds  to,  and  capitalizes  on,  the  dynamic  current  market   context  and  offers  a  competitive  advantage  in  this  context.       The  five-­‐step  methodology  outlined  above  is  designed  to  give  marketers  a  flexible,  integrative  and  responsive   approach  to  designing  strategic  sponsorships.    Based  in  solid  research  and  illustrated  with  exciting  real-­‐world   examples,  this  methodology  is  a  practical  process  for  marketers  seeking  to  create  innovative  applications  of  a   time-­‐honoured  marketing  instrument.        
  • 17. Blueprint  for  Strategic  Sponsorship   17   Additional  Resources  and  Further  Reading       Service-­‐Dominant  Logic  |  Robert  Lusch  and  Stephen  Vargo  |  http://sdlogic.net/index.html     Last  Generation  Sponsorship  |  Kim  Skildum-­‐Reid,  Power  Sponsorship|  http://www.powersponsorship.com/free-­‐ stuff.html?re=1/LastGenerationSponsorship.pdf     Co-­‐creation:  New  pathways  to  value  |Promise  Communispace  |   http://www.promisecorp.com/documents/COCREATION_REPORT.pdf     Defining  Sponsorship  |  Shaun  Whatling,  Richard  Gillis,  Red  Mandarin  |  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Defining-­‐Sponsorship-­‐Shaun-­‐ Whatling/dp/0956178405     Brands  and  Music  Manifesto,  Frukt  Source  |  Frukt|  Report  available  by  request  from  Frukt,  http://www.wearefrukt.com/source     Additional  resources  available  upon  request  from  the  author  and  listed  in  full  research  report.   Acknowledgements     The  research  outlined  in  this  report  is  a  summary  of  the  findings  reported  in  detail  in  “A   Strategic   Sponsorship   Approach  to   Building  Brands  in  a  Service-­‐Dominant  Logic  World,”  Henley  Business  School,  MBA  Management  Challenge  (©2010),  the  result   of   research   into   best   practice   strategic   sponsorship   approaches.   The   qualitative   research   involved   over   20   organisations,   including  leading  brands,  agencies  and  rights  holders.  The  full  research  paper  is  available  upon  request  from  the  author  or  the   Henley  Business  School  Academic  Research  Centre.   The  author  would  like  to  acknowledge  the  contribution  of  the  director  and  board  level  professionals  who  participated  in  this   research,  offering  diverse  perspectives  into  the  challenges  and  opportunities  of  the  industry  from  a  variety  of  leading  brands,   agencies  and  rights  holders,  including:                 Furthermore,  the  author  would  like  to  acknowledge  Dr.  Baskin  Yenicioglu  of  Henley  Business  School  for  his  support  and  guidance   in  completing  this  research.     chelsafc.com  anomaly.com  allisports.com  aegworldwide.com  2cv.com   iris-­‐worldwide.com  sponsorship.com  wearefrukt.com  fasttrack.com  essentiallygroup.com   nba.com  mskmanagement.com  london-­‐irish.com  lloydstsb.com  jackmorton.com   redmandarin.com  prismteam.com  performanceresearch.com  pepsico.com  octagon.com   wolffolins.com  visa.com  unilever.com  synergysponsorship.com  
  • 18. Blueprint  for  Strategic  Sponsorship   18             About  Janus  Kodadek     Janus  Kodadek  is  a  senior  marketing  professional  with  12  years  of  experience  in  marketing  and  communications  strategy  in  the   sport,  fashion  and  FMCG  (consumer  goods)  industries.  With  expertise  in  integrated  marketing,  orchestrating  offline/traditional   and  digital  channels  to  build  brands  and  engage  consumers,  Janus  has  worked  with  high  profile  brands  including  Nike,  Glaceau   Vitaminwater,  Pepsi,  Heineken  and  presently  works  as  an  Industry  Manager  for  Google,  where  she  develops  brand  and   performance  strategies  for  EMEA  clients.       +44  7717  806  142  (mobile)  |  jkodadek@gmail.com  |  linkedin.com/in/jkodadek   Case  study  sources|  Case  studies  included  were  developed  from  research  respondents  examples  of’  ‘best  in  class’  and  ‘innovative’   sponsorship  campaigns     All  creative  assets,  trademarks,  service  marks,  intellectual  property  and  copyrighted  materials  remain  the  property  of  the  copyright  owner  and  are   provided  within  this  report  for  reference  purposes  only.     Gatorade  REPLAY     Agency:  TBWAChiatDay   http://www.gatorade.com   http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/analysis/1158391/   http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1125919467?bctid=76509638001   http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/jun/22/gatorade-­‐ad-­‐awards-­‐cannes-­‐lions   Carling  Beer  Amnesty    Agency:  Cake   http://www.carling.com   http://www.cakegroup.com/music-­‐pr/case_Study/Carling-­‐Music.html   http://www.linkcommunication.co.uk/case_studies_office_workers_carling.html   http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/analysis/1127631/   London  2012  Olympics   http://www.visaeurope.com   http://www.lloydstsb.com   http://www.samsung.com   http://www.visaeurope.com/en/newsroom/news/articles/2012/contactless_payments_at_london.aspx   http://www.mobiletoday.co.uk/News/14144/Samsung_and_Visa_unveil_London_2012_Olympics_mobile_payment_app.aspx     http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2012/jan/19/contactless-­‐wave-­‐pay-­‐revolution   http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/09/samsung-­‐and-­‐visa-­‐olympic-­‐payment-­‐announcement/   Nike  LIVESTRONG   “Chalkbot”     Agency:  Wieden  +  Kennedy   http://www.nike.com   http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/jun/24/cannes-­‐lions-­‐cyber-­‐nike-­‐chalkbot   www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jb-­‐KT4r6NY     http://www.deeplocal.com/projects/10