Sponsorship

Sponsorship can be defined as a company or organization giving money or resources to an event or cause that will be helpful to them in exchange for advertisement at the event and also publicity such as being mentioned as a sponsor of the event.

• Television and radio programme sponsorship: TV and radio sponsorship is a big part of todays world as there are more and more free TV and radio channels that depend on sponsors and advertising to survive.  

“• Sports sponsorship: major sporting events have the advantage of being attended and (more importantly) watched by large numbers of people. They also attract significant media coverage.

• Arts sponsorship: arts events or organisations are not as well attended as sports events but are often regarded as more “worthy” and more in keeping with the image of certain businesses and brands.”

(http://www.tutor2u.net/business/marketing/promotion_sponsorship.asp)

• Educational sponsorship: This can type of sponsorship can be very diverse ranging from companies providing funding and aid to developing countries or groups to build schools to companies sponsoring local schools or giving them discounts or equipment as sponsorship.

Advantages:

- It relates to your industry

- It provides an opportunity to network with the leading companies in the

industry

- It increases name recognition in the industry and allows you to show

interest in the path that the industry will be taking in the future

- It will position you to supply services and/or products to the participants

of the event and to the industry at large

- It establishes you as taking or maintaining leadership in the industry in

the future

Disadvantages:

- Cost of sponsorship is expensive

- It is a very time consuming process; the amount of time needed in

planning and execution is bigger since sponsorship should be very

detailed.

- There are many requirement and restrictions for sponsorship

Factors to consider when planning sponsorship:

Audit:

- Internal Audit: review resources, organization and skills. Evaluate and

optimize existing portfolio. Conduct feasibility study

- Competitive Analysis: Review competitors’ sponsorship activities,

global environment & challenges.

Strategy:

- Define sponsorship’s objectives, policy and territories, in line with

the organization’s activity, values and global objectives. Allocate and

organize required internal and/or external resources and skills.

Planning:

- Identify, select and assess the right partners. Negotiate agreements.

Activation:

- Create, integrate and communicate implementation programme.

Evaluation:

- Define methodology, KPIs (key performance indicators) and

benchmark. Measure Return On Objectives.