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Sponsorship

Sponsorship involves the provision of funds for sports teams, sporting or cultural events, or entertainment properties, in return for promotion of the brand to their audience. Sponsorship investment tends to be split between the rights fee (for the right to be a sponsor) and the ‘activation’ of a sponsorship (advertising and other messaging to support the sponsorship). Sponsorship tends to be most effective when there is a natural fit between the brand and the sponsored party.

Key Reading

Important papers from across the Warc database

What we know about sponsorship strategies
This guide summarises the key arguments on Warc around the topic of sponsorship, offering marketers practical advice from industry experts. It includes several case study examples, including the 'Thank You Mom' campaign from Procter & Gamble, which was based around the FMCG giant's Olympic Games sponsorship.
Activating your sports sponsorship
Six simple guidelines for activating sports sponsorship for brands and advertisers.
How sports sponsorship has become strategic brand marketing
Sponsorship partnerships are moving from a transactional relationship to being value-based.
Sponsorship's influence
Different types of brand sponsorship deals, and the impact of these sponsorships on consumers.
Bring the event to life
Four approaches to events sponsorship for brands, including the pros and cons for each.

In-depth

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National Institute for Blood Transfusions & Untold Festival: Pay With Blood Video

Case Study • Max Slonim, Warc Awards, Shortlisted, Best Use of Brand Purpose, 2017

This case study shows how The National Institute for Blood Transfusions, a blood donations organisation, harvested concert goers' love for free tickets to increase blood donations in Romania.
Virgin Money: 26.2% off or a 2.62% mortgage for running 26.2 miles

Case Study • Direct Marketing Association - UK, Bronze, Financial services and Best digital destination

This case study describes how Virgin Money, the loans company, strengthened its sponsorship of the London Marathon in the UK in order to turn runners into Virgin Money customers.
Sure: Sure deodorant owns music and motion with festival experiences

Case Study • Direct Marketing Association - UK, Bronze, Best use of experiential

This case study reveals how Sure, the deodorant brand, activated a new communications strategy at music festivals in the UK to target young audiences.
National Institute of Blood Transfusion and Untold Music Festival: Pay With Blood

Case Study • WARC Media Awards, Silver, Effective Channel Integration, 2016

This case study describes a campaign by the National Institute of Blood Transfusion in Romania which successfully increased blood donations among young people and first-time donors by partnering with a music festival.
Heineken Ireland: The Tiger Uncaged Video

Case Study • Integrated Marketing Communications Council Europe, Silver, 2016

This case study details how Tiger, a beer brand, integrated itself into the Dublin Fringe Festival in Ireland by commissioning sculptures that brought the brand to life and creating a memorable experience.
Target creates first ever live music video with Gwen Stefani

Case Study • Cannes Creative Lions, Entrant, Creative Effectiveness Lions, 2017

This case study explains how Target, the retailer, used a live-broadcast TV ad during the GRAMMYs and social media to engage millions of people at once.
View all case studies on this topic
What we know about sponsorship effectiveness Recommended

Article • WARC Best Practice, April 2017

This article examines how brands can build awareness and increase loyalty through effective sponsorship.
Putting the ‘Heart’ into Australian finance: NAB opts for authenticity and inclusion

Article • Anna Hamill, Event Reports, Mumbrella360, June 2017

This article covers how NAB, one of Australia’s leading banks, is repositioning its brand as one of inclusion with storytelling, on-site activations and sponsorship of an LGBT event.
Adstats: Global Sponsorship

Article • WARC Data, February 2017, pp. 48-49

This article looks at global sponsorship, which is forecast to rise 4.5% to $62.8 billion globally in 2017 - some 6% of global marketing spend.
Carat's top 10 trends for 2017

Article • Dan Calladine, WARC Exclusive, January 2017

This report looks at the trends and technologies that are set to become more important and relevant to marketers in 2017 including live video, VR and AR, web TV and chatbots.
Insight Intelligence Market Research Summit 2016, 9-10 May, London

Research Paper • Jillian Ney, International Journal of Market Research, Vol. 58, No. 5, 2016, pp. 754-760

This article considers social media intelligence in market research, including the tools needed to analyse conversations and the challenge of how to extract value from the millions of online conversations that happen daily.
What we know about marketing at major sporting events Recommended

Article • WARC Best Practice, August 2016

This article explores the current thinking and reading on the subject of sports marketing, aligning a brand or product with an event or team.
View all articles on this topic
  1. Carat's top 10 trends for 2017

    Article • Dan Calladine, WARC Exclusive, January 2017

    This report looks at the trends and technologies that are set to become more important and relevant to marketers in 2017 including live video, VR and AR, web TV and chatbots.
  2. What we know about marketing at major sporting events

    Article • WARC Best Practice, August 2016

    This article explores the current thinking and reading on the subject of sports marketing, aligning a brand or product with an event or team.
  3. Heineken embraces "moment marketing"

    Article • Stephen Whiteside, Event Reports, South by Southwest, March 2016

    This event report outlines how Heineken USA, the brewing group, is using proximity marketing to engage with consumers across different moments and touchpoints.
  4. 7 routes to more effective sports sponsorship

    Article • Misha Sher, Admap Magazine, February 2016, pp. 22-24

    This article outlines seven strategies by which brands can successfully leverage the power of sport sponsorship.
  5. What we know about sponsorship strategies

    Article • WARC Exclusive, February 2015

    This article provides marketers with information and guidance on sponsorship strategies.
  6. How sports sponsorship has become strategic brand marketing

    Article • Alan Pascoe, Market Leader, Quarter 2, 2014, pp. 28-30

    This article discusses the evolution of sports sponsorship in the UK, arguing that it has moved from a transactional relationship to one based on an authentic alignment of values.
View everything on this topic

Want to find out more? Contact us

Eva Kasten

Americas

Eva Kasten
+1 202 778 0680
americas@warc.com

Ed Pank

Asia Pacific

Ed Pank
+65 3157 6200
asiapacific@warc.com

Eva Kasten

EMEA

Eva Kasten
+1 202 778 0680
americas@warc.com