Downloadable PDF whitepaper report with a five-step how-to blueprint for marketers to create effective strategic sponsorship platforms. Combing best practice principles and real world insights from a range of senior-level brand marketing and sponsorship professionals, coupled with illustrative case studies of innovative sponsorship activations. White paper based on Henley MBA management project.
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.
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