SMCC Toronto - Breakfast Forum - April 4th, 2018

  • April 04, 2018

Approaches to Sponsorship - Targeted versus Mass Reach Sponsorships

We explored the unique approaches brands and properties employ to achieve their desired marketing and partnership objectives while staying on-target, on-time and on-budget. A brand’s approach to sponsorship is as unique as the properties they sponsor. Whether generating mass brand awareness in a highly-charged sports arena or pursuing a highly-targeted VIK deal, each approach offers compelling reasons for sponsorship depending on the brand. 

We heard from two groups of panelists representing targeted sponsorships and mass reach sponsorships. Below, you will find the key takeaways from the April Breakfast Forum presentations and panel discussions: 

  • VIK is as good as cash as long as it relieves a property’s predetermined budgeted line item.
  • When VIK is an integral part of the deal it should add value to the event/program and/or enhance the experience for participants/attendees; achieving this can deliver additional impact for the sponsor.
  • Targeted Properties can provide brands with a higher concentration of the desired demographic, and have less sponsor clutter thus potentially offering better value. 
  • Brand activation is a key sponsorship success factor: minimum activation ratio should be 1 to 1 and ideally higher 2+:1 (Canadian industry average is .48:1 and the U.S. is over 2:1)
  • Ensure to leverage all of your internal departments to maximize activation of your sponsorship and make effective use of all assets in a partnership; total organizational buy-in is key for success.
  • CSR based sponsorship not only is good for the society, if done well, it can drive business and positive brand association/equity. It can also be a tool for employee motivation; a sense of purpose.
  • Sponsorships can be used as a platform to help communicate marketing messages. E.g. using sport sponsorship to help deliver and amplify a relevant CSR community/health message creates added brand impact for the sponsor.