Author: Ed Semple


Understanding Sponsorship’s Evolution Will Help You Capitalise 28th July, 2015

Sponsorship is not a new concept.  It originally dates back to 776 BC to the first Olympic Games held in Greece with wealthy citizens and local governments providing financial support to build awareness of their cities.  Sponsorship continued in this way until 1984, when the Los Angeles Olympics redefined sponsorship to the world by selling the Olympic symbols to brands.  With 43 major sponsors stepping forward, the Olympic Games made a profit of $225million and a new wave of sponsorship profitability ensued based on logo and brand recall.

Since then, sponsorship has undergone many shifts with partnerships becoming less about the logo and more about engagement.  Without engagement, brand sponsorship fails to resonate with consumers who are constantly bombarded with messages in our digital revolution.

The three key shifts of evolution with sponsorship:

1.  Sponsorship should be used by every organisation

When sponsorship is used with both creative and commercial objectives at the core, opportunities for this type of partnership benefit all organisations – no matter how big or small you are.  Small businesses particularly benefit for sponsorship as the impact on maximising commercial revenue tends to be greater.  However, the one challenge for small businesses undertaking or integrating sponsorship is not understanding their value beyond a logo.  When identifying the partnership USP is so vital, it is crucial to understand what assets they have and are prepared to offer for their partners.

2.  Sponsorship should not be seen as a monitory transaction in exchange for a logo

By uncovering your business assets correctly, you will be able to show potential sponsors what you can provide allowing you to approach sponsors by creating a business proposition rather than just awareness. Furthermore, looking at sponsorship benefits outside of logos can create partnerships with organisations you may not have approached before.

3.  Sponsorship provides brands personality

Sponsorship gives life to a brand providing brand character and differentiating it from its competitors. By partnering with sponsors who share the same values as your brand you will expose your brand to a broader audience and leave a lasting impression with that audience.

David Verklin, CEO of Carat USA once said, “Sponsorship shows respect to a viewer by not taking advantage of something that they involuntary give up – their time and attention.”

Sponsorship continues to evolve and by keeping ahead of these shifting concepts ensures you will continue to add value to your sponsors and continue to secure sponsorship funding for your organisation.  However, much of the information you can gather online is not as practically implementable or easily understood as it may seem.

By getting expert advice in this area, you can ensure you are not wasting time by trial and error.  As such, Slingshot Sponsorship has recently launched a monthly sponsorship training event which provides organisations with the tools to approach sponsorship from a forward-thinking and creative standpoint. If you would like to become part of the evolution of sponsorship attend a Sessions at our Slingshot’s London head office. One of our senior consultants will provide you with all the tools necessary to capitalise on your commercial potential.

To find out more about our sponsorship sessions please click here or call the Slingshot Head Office:  +44 (0) 20 226 5052.


Are Live Broadcast Apps a Threat To Official Broadcast Rights? 17th June, 2015

The advance of technology has been incredible in terms of driving the sponsorship model, broadening audiences, and supporting more creative sponsorship campaigns that truly engage the audience.  On the whole, rights holders have an unquenchable thirst for understanding how new technologies can help them deliver better sponsorship.

However, most recently, this has shifted due to a number of apps that have been launched that turn your mobile into a web-cam enabling consumers, attendees and fans the ability to broadcast whatever content they are consuming live to the rest of the world.

Even in light of content being shared and distributed in a multitude of forms now, broadcasters still harness and ultimately own the live experience – understanding that the real experience is enriched by people en mass experiencing it all together.  This has been capitalised and then monetised to support a significant portion of the commercial revenue with more widespread sports.

However, with live broadcasting apps such as Meerkat and Periscope now sharing this experience for free (albeit without the production value), rights holders are becoming increasingly wary of their core revenue stream being cannibalised. And it’s not just sports rights holders that need to be concerned, many of the top viewing figures through these apps also feature the latest episode of Game of Thrones.

In light of the threats, there are also a significant amount of benefits from the development of live broadcasting apps and include:

  1. Fan engagement: Fans should be encouraged to take videos, before during and after sporting events tagging the team in the post. Giving fans around the world a real account of what it is like to be in the stadium/arena watching their favourite team. This content can support the wider broadcasting content by featuring behind-the-scenes exclusives and tailored content that wouldn’t necessarily be broadcast to the general public.
  2. Increased marketing opportunities: Brands can use live broadcasting apps to connect with consumers in real-time, enhancing their experience.
  3. New rights: Artist and player rights differ between archived footage and live streaming footage – often offering much more flexibility for live-streaming content.  This provides great opportunities to deliver unique and sought-after content for consumers than previously possible.
  4. Increased exposure: Smaller teams/events/charities now have the opportunity to broadcast their team’s performance to the world much more easily than ever before.
  5. Cost effective: Live streaming can be a significant drain on an event’s budget; however, by utilising apps in clever ways, you can reap the benefits without the significant risk and financial investment.

Regardless of your take on whether live broadcasting apps are a threat or an opportunity, they clearly represent a shift in the way consumers engage with content – which is critical in an industry that is all about the audience.