Why using sports marketing should become part of every marketers skill set

And it goes way beyond raising brand awareness !

I’ve been involved in sports marketing for nearly most of my marketing career - and that’s over 35 years !

Sports marketing always had the brand awareness element attached to it and there are many examples of where organisations/brands have used sports marketing very effectively to raise brand awareness from a low base up to a level where most people have at least heard of the organisation/brand.

Converting this new brand awareness into paying clients/customers is then another part of the sales & marketing funnel.

But, in 2024, and probably for the past ten years or more, raising brand awareness by having an advertising board at the sports event, or your brand on a F1 racing car or on the front of a football shirt etc is rarely the only part of the partnership.

For everyone of the sports partnerships I have negotiated and currently working on, have a complex list of possible rights/assets that can be tailored to meet the potential new partner’s business objectives.

Brand advertising/awareness, use of IP/designation, VIP hospitality, money can’t buy experiences, content for social media platforms, business back, business networking, integration of the sponsor’s product(s)/service(s) into the rights holders operation….. can all become part of the mix of rights/assets.

The skill is identifying the business objectives and then the role that sports marketing can play in helping the sponsor achieve their business targets. For some b2b organisations, the business networking is a key part but brand advertising/awreness is less critical.

Knowing the overall business objectives, the audience profile and key geographies are all important elements that must be understood before a rights/assets package can be created for the potential new sponsor.

And then budget, terms etc are also important parts of the mix to get right.

When I am working on a new project, my focus is always on delivering the most positive ROI for both the sponsor and the rights holder - I’m looking to create and deliver a true partnership - that will be long lasting.

So, if you’re in marketing and responsible for how your marketing strategy and marketing communications should be used to help deliver the overall business objectives, please always explore your options within sports marketing.

Thank you. Please reach out if you would value more information or a chat about this topic in more detail.