Enhancing brand image via sponsorship: strength of association effects
Srdan Zdravkovic
Bryant University
Brian D. Till
Saint Louis University
Introduction
Sponsorship has grown rapidly in the past ten years, with expenditures increasing from $13 billion worldwide in 1996 to $44 billion in 2009 (IEG 2010). Formally, sponsorship is defined as an investment, in cash or kind, in an activity, in return for access to the exploitable commercial potential associated with that activity (Meenaghan 1991; IEG 2006). Areas of sponsorship are broad; they range from supporting sports, outdoor activities, concerts and academic gatherings to sponsoring buildings, social causes and research. According...