The pandemic is reinventing sponsorship as a performance marketing channel, with sponsors measuring success through business outcomes rather than brand-building metrics.

Key points

• The types of brands attracted to sponsorship are changing. Travel and automotive brands have pulled back and are being replaced by e-commerce businesses and fintech firms like Mercuryo.
• Newer entrants are pushing for shorter deals. Where traditional agreements tended to last years, recent deals such ASB Bank’s with New Zealand’s Eden Park stadium can be measured in months or even weeks.
• Digital brands are inclined to move away from-fixed price sponsorship to deals...