Sponsorship

What is sponsorship?

According to modern views, sponsorship is financial or other support for social, charitable, and various non-profit initiatives. By drawing attention to their image, companies and individuals use sponsorship to strengthen their reputation and create positive public opinion. For example, an organization may sponsor a charitable foundation by participating in events to collect unwanted items or support a city marathon by providing runners with water.

Goals of sponsorship

Sponsorship in business serves as one of the PR tools and can achieve several goals:

Increasing recognition: Sponsors actively promote themselves at events by displaying logos and the name of the company.
Positioning as a good employer: By sponsoring events, companies demonstrate attractive working conditions.
Image formation: Supporting sports or charitable events helps create a positive image.
Establishing associations: Regular sponsorship of events allows the audience to create associations with the brand.

Sponsorship vs charity

Although both sponsorship and charity are related to supporting social projects, their goals and approaches differ. Charity is aimed at helping without expecting a reward, while sponsorship pursues marketing goals and often involves commitments from both parties. Sponsorship implies the existence of a contract, unlike charity, where such agreements are not mandatory.

Forms of sponsorship

There are many ways to implement sponsorship, including:

Financial support: Sponsors allocate funds to projects to achieve their goals.
Product integration: Companies provide their products for events.
Infrastructure integration: Providing venues or building facilities for events.
Organizational support: Assistance in organizing events, including various resources.
Professional services: Consulting and assistance in managing social projects.

Categories of sponsors

Sponsors can vary by level of contribution:

Title sponsor: Full funding of the event.
General sponsor: About 50% of expenses.
Official sponsor: Approximately 25% of expenses.
Participant: Less than 10% of the project's cost.
Product sponsor: Sponsorship with products.
Information sponsor: Support in disseminating information.

Businesses can consider sponsorship in various situations, such as:

Launching a new product, where sponsorship can replace traditional advertising.
Creating or strengthening the company's image.
Attracting a new audience through unconventional events.
Targeting niche markets.
Achieving high reach through mass events.

Rules for successful sponsorship

To achieve success in sponsorship, it is important to consider several key aspects: