Sponsorship is a financial or in-kind support aimed at achieving specific business goals, distinct from advertising as it fosters a qualitative association with the sponsee. The growth in sponsorships is driven by the need to avoid advertising clutter, enhance brand equity, and target niche markets effectively, with benefits including improved customer relations and image enhancement. Event marketing involves integrating various communication elements tied to an event theme, with careful planning needed to ensure alignment with marketing strategies and objectives.

1. Sponsorship & Event Marketing

2. Sponsorship & Event Marketing
• Sponsorship is the financial or in-kind support of an activity, used
primarily to reach specified business goals.
• "Sponsorship should not be confused with advertising. Advertising is
considered a quantitative medium, whereas sponsorship is
considered a qualitative medium. It promotes a company in
association with the sponsee.“
• A large number of events these days use sponsorship support to offer
more exciting programs and to help defray rising costs. Sponsorship
allows you to reach specifically ​targeted niche markets without any
waste. In addition, it is a powerful complement to other marketing
programs, in addition to having a dramatic influence on customer
relations.

3. Why Growth in Sponsorships
• Avoid the clutter inherent in advertising media
• Help companies respond to consumers’ changing media habits
• Help companies gain the approval of various constituencies
• Can enhance a brand’s equity
• Enables marketers to target their efforts to geographic regions
and/or to lifestyle groups
Event Marketing
Integrating a variety of communications elements behind an event theme.
Event Sponsorship
Financial support of an event in return for advertising privileges.

4. Sports Sponsorship Strategies
A company can invest a lot or a little. The benefits are the same but on a
different level.
• Global
• International
• National
• Regional
• Local
Some companies such as McDonald’s
and Coca-Cola provide support at all
levels. Events and sponsorships are
integral aspects of their marketing
strategies.
Sports marketing is extremely competitive so
companies look for advantage by any means.
1. Ambush Marketing
2. Venue Sponsorships and Marketing
3. Value-Added Sponsorships (Celebrity
Association)

5. Ambush Marketing

6. Entertainment Sponsorships
Entertainment opportunities are ideal for companies wanting to
reach youth and young adult targets.
• Rock Concerts and Tours
• Film Festivals
With entertainment the goal is to leverage the sponsorship in
order to to gain maximum benefit.

7. Culture and Arts Sponsorships
Culture and the arts reaches a more selective and upscale audience. It is
“class” reach instead of “mass” reach.
Dance
Theatre
Music
Literature
Stratford Festival
Shaw Festival
Just for Laughs Festival
The primary benefit is goodwill; it is part of a company’s
corporate citizenship program.

8. Cause Marketing Sponsorships
Association with a cause has a positive effect on consumer’s
perceptions of a brand or company.
CIBC Run for
the Cure
Ronald McDonald’s
Children’s Charities
A means of emotionally
connecting with consumers.
Some companies develop and
sponsor their own good causes.

10. Product Promotional Tours
Experiential
Marketing
Finding ways for a target
audience to interact directly
with a product.
A team arrives at pre-determined locations to actively promote and
distribute a product.
Mountain Dew implements themed skateboarding tours.

12. To Participate or Not?
The decision to participate in event marketing should be based on
predetermined criteria.
• Exclusivity
• Must compliment other IMC strategies
• Reach target effectively
• Appropriate image
• Media coverage opportunity.
The “fit” between event and sponsor is crucial.

13. Event Marketing Planning
IMC
Plan Event Marketing
Plan
Concept
Objectives
Strategies
Execution
Evaluation and
Measurement
Advertising
and PR
Strategy

14. Event Concept
Event Concept
and Design Theme
Venue
$ Resources
Timing
Rooms & Layout
Technical & A/V
Suppliers
Accomodations
Number of and extent of decisions
depends on size and scope of the
event.

15. Event Objectives
Objectives are essential in order to justify investment. Some possible
objectives include:
• Size of audience reached
• Ability to reach target
• Sponsor recognition levels
• Potential sales
• Economic Impact
Objectives are included in an event proposal along with
organizational details and a timeline.

16. Event Marketing Strategies
An event is much like a product so the marketing strategies are
similar.
• Define the product (the event)
• Establish price
• Distribution (of tickets)
• Marketing Communications

17. Benefits of Sponsorship
Although results are difficult to measure, certain rewards make an
investment in event marketing worthwhile.
1. Awareness and Association
2. Image Enhancement
3. New Clients and Increases in Sales
4. Target Reach
5. Media Coverage

18. Drawbacks of Sponsorships
Events can be sexy and glamorous, but there are some drawbacks.
1. Cost of associating with “big” events
2. Advertising clutter at events
3. Effectiveness difficult to measure

19. Selecting Sponsorship Event
• Consistent with brand image?
• Reach the desired target market?
• Has competition ever sponsored the event?
• Is the event cluttered?
• Compliment your existing sponsorships and fit other marcom programs?
• Economically viable?