Sponsorship and Event Marketing

AbstractThe last three decades have witnessed an increased interest in sponsorship and event marketing as brand managers understood the unique potential of such activities in reaching consumer markets. In this article, we define sponsorship and event marketing and retrace their evolution over time. We then review the literature in relation to the impact of sponsorship on consumers and then examine the management aspects of both sponsorship and event marketing. We identify a threat common to both activities, namely, ambush marketing, when competitors of sponsors aim to derive similar benefits by suggesting an association with an event, and provide some indication for the sort of strategies that can best prevent such undesirable outcomes. Additional benefits that can be derived from sponsorship and event marketing are subsequently identified. Despite a lack of empirical research, there are many aspects of both activities that can be successfully leveraged by sponsors and event organizers. Finally, the future of sponsorship and event marketing is discussed in the conclusion section of this article.