media update’s Adam Wakefield spoke to Neil Jankelowitz, joint managing director of specialist agency Mscsports, about the ins and outs of sports sponsorship, and why it remains a powerful vehicle to reach consumers.

RAM Hand-to-Hand Couriers are an example of a company that sponsored an event, withdrew, then returned, with the competition being CSA’s T20 franchise competition. What would have been their motivation to return, based on the positive fundamentals of being a headline sponsor for a major sporting event?

When a brand or business becomes a sponsor of a credible team or event – In this case with the T20 franchises – they automatically draw credibility through that association.

For RAM, there were three key fundamentals that facilitated their decision to return:
  • There would be significant ROI from a media perspective. The media value of the sponsorship was strong;
  • The tournament is a national platform, which would allow them the opportunity to engage with current and prospective clients in their “sweet spot”. If a brand adds value to the consumers’ experience, in their “sweet spot”, consumers will immediately engage, and value you as a brand; and
  • The fact that it was a last minute sponsorship opportunity means they would have been able to negotiate a more favourable sponsorship rate;
For a party seeking to sell a sports sponsorship in both a non-broadcast and broadcast environment, what would potential sponsors be looking for?

Based on the shift toward analytical marketing – the ability to measure the direct return on every marketing Rand spent – any rights holder or media owner needs to be incredibly diligent at measuring and evaluating data related to their property in order to show potential sponsors the direct return for being involved with their property.

From a sports broadcast sponsorship point of view, what would the role of Mscsports be? What skills do the agency bring to the discussion?

Mscsports has played a role in the broadcast sponsorship landscape for 15 years. Based on this, we have a deep understanding of the landscape – of where value lies; and importantly, we know which properties deliver the best return for our clients. In addition, we manage the implementation of all campaigns for our clients, ensuring they receive the best ROI.

How has social media changed the sports sponsorship space and what do brands and rights sellers need to keep in mind when maximising sponsorship value over the medium?

Each and every campaign in the sponsorship arena now incorporates an element of digital marketing. The weighting of this element has and will continue to grow significantly in the foreseeable future.

In order to maximise sponsorship value and the success of campaign, both parties – the brand and rights sellers – need to consider and incorporate a digital strategy at the primary stage of negotiation and discussion. In other words, the digital opportunities need to be part and parcel of each and every campaign and not an after-thought.

OOH advertising is an important segment of the sports sponsorship market. Why is this medium effective for sports sponsorship and is it due to the visual nature of sport itself?

In many instances, sports sponsorships focus on the association of a brand with an athlete or the promotion of a campaign or event. OOH as a medium is able to achieve both of these objectives, on a large scale and in a tactical way; it’s for this reason that it’s a powerful tool in a sponsorship or sports campaign.

For more information, visit www.mscsports.co.za.

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