Measuring Sponsorship – Module 6

As you can probably tell from my previous post, I am not the most ardent fan of sponsorship. However, when big names like GM or Aon sponsor an event like a globally broadcast Manchester United match, they’re essentially trying to accomplish two things in my mind that are called out in the KDP reading – those are:

   1.     Selling Products – Most sponsors are trying to sell you something. In the case of GM, it’s a car – in the case of Aon, it’s insurance. In either case, the companies could utilize basic measures like:

a.     Gross sales / time period (before and after event)

b.     Change in length of sales cycle.

c.      Change in intent to purchase

d.     Change in traffic to website(s), B&M locations, dealerships, etc.

The advantage to success here is obvious – the companies could potentially sell more products, leading to increased revenues and brand exposure.

Additionally, both companies are trying to drive affinity between their customers (existing and potential), as well as their brand. Both companies openly engage in this activity to ensure a steady stream of new customers exists, as well as to retain existing ones as long as possible.

2.     Driving Brand Affinity – To ensure that their brands are long lasting, memorable, and their marketing effective, both GM and Aon could measure:

a.     Increases in brand engagement

b.     Increases in awareness

c.      Increases in preference

d.     Increases in exposure / dissemination of the company name, brand(s), or materials.

e.     Increase in company or product knowledge among publics.

The advantages here are numerous, albeit a bit more subtle and drawn out. Measuring affinity for a brand can help convert customers from competition (Ford to GM or State Farm to Aon), can increase the value of the brand in the public psyche, and can even allow that brand to become synonymous with an entire product category – have you ever noticed how EVERY tablet computer has become an “iPad,” even if it's a Droid, or some other brand? That it true market saturation, and brand affinity.

The long-term effects of a healthy customer relationship can build the foundation for a business to last for decades (or even a century or two). Selling product is one thing – making people yearn for your product is the key to marketing success.