8848 has a rich history of maximising the return on sports sponsorships for clients.
Our sports sponsorship experience dates back to 2001 with LDV Vans’ sponsorship of the Football League Trophy. This was swiftly followed by the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy. From the beginning, our team has always known how to engage fans and increase brand awareness to the target audience.
In the last month alone we have worked with leading builders merchant Selco to bring its darts, rugby league and football sponsorships to life and we also have extensive experience in motorsport, cricket and many other sports.
Properly activated, sports sponsorships are valuable for brands. They offer a number of benefits, including:
Increased brand awareness
Sports sponsorships can help brands to reach a large and engaged audience. When a brand sponsors a sporting event or team, it’s essential to not only ensure that logos and branding are displayed prominently but that additional activation is in place to maximise return and value.
Our aim is to associate the brand with the positive emotions that fans feel when watching or supporting their favourite team or event.
Cazoo, a UK-based online car retailer, is an example of a company that has increased its profile by investing in sports sponsorships in recent years. Since its launch in 2019, the business put sport at the heart of its brand-building marketing. The list of its sponsorships reads like a ‘who’s who’ of world sport, from Premier League clubs and the English Football League, Valencia CF to Real Sociedad and European Tour Golf to the Derby Festival.
Improved brand image
Sports sponsorships can help brands to create a positive brand image. By associating themselves with successful and popular sporting teams or events, brands can be seen as being more successful, popular and trustworthy. Like it or not, this is exactly what Saudi Arabia is currently attempting to do. Its Vision 2030 is a plan to diversify the Saudi economy and reduce its dependence on oil. Sport is seen as a key part of this plan, as it can help to attract tourists, create jobs and boost the economy.
Increased customer loyalty
Sports sponsorships can help brands to increase customer loyalty. When fans see their favourite stars, teams or events sponsored by brands that they like, they are more likely to choose those brands over their competitors.
It is difficult to say exactly how many more shoes Nike sold thanks to the Michael Jordan sponsorship. However, some estimates suggest that Nike’s sales increased by as much as 300% after it signed Jordan in 1984.
Corporate social responsibility
Sports sponsorships can also demonstrate a brand’s commitment to corporate social responsibility. By sponsoring sporting events or teams that support charitable causes, brands can show that they are socially responsible and that they care about the communities in which they operate.
One of the first football teams to put a charity on the front of their shirts was FC Barcelona in 2006. Barcelona partnered with UNICEF, and the charity’s logo replaced the club’s traditional sponsor on the front of the shirt. Barcelona was the first major football club to do this, and their move was widely acclaimed.
Sponsorship alone doesn’t automatically mean success
If all a brand wants to do is throw money at a sponsorship, the end result will be disappointing. Fan engagement programmes, media coverage and a social media strategy will all multiply the success of a sponsorship
8848 Agency
8848 Agency is a successful full-service agency. We provide marketing communications support to a wide range of blue-chip and successful businesses. Established in 1999, we provide a wide range of marketing support.
Today, 8848 has a team of experts in a variety of marketing disciplines including:
- Branding
- Content marketing
- Digital marketing
- Email marketing
- Public relations
- Search engine optimisation (SEO)
- Social media marketing
- Web design and development
- Dedicated B2B contact centre
About the author of this blog
James Garrison is the Managing Director of 8848 Agency. He has been with 8848 for more than a decade, joining the agency from Midlands News Association where he was a sports journalist for eleven years. James’ love of sport (although Wolves test that to the absolute limits on many occasions!), as well as the many years he spent working in the industry, has aligned with 8848’s work for clients and he’s the sports sponsorship and activation specialist at the agency. He has brokered sponsorship deals and delivered engaging activation campaigns for clients in a variety of sports including darts, cricket, rugby and football.