Turkish Airlines Sponsorship Article Sparks Debate 3rd September, 2010

After reading Mark Ritson’s article in Marketing Week “Sponsorship Should Not Be A Random Act” I was inspired to comment.  Mostly because I thought he was completely off the mark, but also because through the eloquent writing, there really seemed to be no point made.

Ritson argues that Turkish Airlines sponsorship platforms – Barcelona Football Club and Manchester United – caused confusion, whilst Kevin Costner was a badly chosen spokesperson. 

Ritson goes on to state:

Whatever the process by which Turkish Airlines chooses these sponsorship targets, these decisions are symptomatic of an industry that no longer understands or even respects brand equity. Costner, Barcelona or Manchester United certainly confer global brand awareness, but beyond this simple goal, what of the more complex challenge of building brand associations? Is there even a sliver of brand heritage or genuine patronage in any of this?

Although I definitely agree with the title of the article, I think the article itself misses the objective of sponsorship.  My comment sparked further debate amongst the sponsorship industry and I invite you to join in.  Click here to check out the article and join the debate!