Font Size: Increase | Decrease

Implementation Planning

• Identifying Appropriate Athlete Endorsers
• Expecting Proper Levels of Sponsorship Service
• Implementing Effective Hospitality Strategies
• Integrating Community Relations into Sponsorship
• Planning And Scheduling Around A Sponsorship
• Rethinking The Effectiveness Of Promotional Giveaways
• Using Intangible Assets
• Using Sponsorship to Market Luxury Brands
• Activating Sponsorship through the Web
• Falling For Price Escalators
• Generating Direct Revenue From Sponsorships
• Activating Golf Sponsorship Successfully

Home > Sponsorship Resources > Implementation Planning

Activating Sponsorship through the Web

The words "sponsorship" and "Internet" aren't frequently used in the same sentence these days. The reasons are many, but for the most part, many marketers now shy away from sponsorship-related activity on the web due to past ineffectiveness. They purchased web-specific sponsorships during the height of the Internet boom a few years ago, which provided little opportunity for leveraging and did little to bring their brands closer to customers. A poor experience with web sponsorships doesn't mean you should abandon the Internet as a platform for activation because it does provide a great medium for reaching consumers. Below are some important points to keep in mind:

Your Company Site as Destination: If you invested in a sponsorship, then you hopefully thought that the property was a valuable enough asset to exploit through marketing channels, including the Internet. The challenge though is that if you don't provide a reason for consumers to visit your website, they won't deviate from their pattern of visiting their favorite sites on a regular basis. Posting a few photos and describing your involvement in the property is a yawner, so don't expect the property's fans to develop any affinity for your company if you can't provide them with different and exclusive content.

Internet-Only Promotions: Consider developing an Internet-only promotion instead of running the same promotion on the Internet, in retail stores, and through print media buys. Running an exclusive promotion on the Internet gives consumers a reason to either click through your ads or visit your website.

Going Viral: Viral marketing is inexpensive and effective if done correctly. Remember that viral marketing relies on consumers to pass along your marketing message to their friends, who keep passing it along to more people. But consumers won't keep passing your marketing message along unless they feel it's fun, cool, interesting and provides some benefit. In other words, give consumers something associated with a sponsorship that they will use over and over again, which will remind them of your company and your products. We're talking about screensavers, behind-the-scenes films, or anything else that commands attention, holds interest and makes consumers want to share with their friends.

Utilizing Property Site: Don't settle on the typical freebie exposure provided by the property on its website, where your logo is listed with the property's other sponsors and a blurb about your business or involvement with the property might appear as well. If the property's fans are loyal, the site is likely a popular one and isn't treated as an afterthought by the property. Capitalize on that loyalty by sponsoring web-exclusive activities that can only be experienced via the web. Here's an example: You've got official sponsor status with the property. Follow the lead of the TV and film industries and push product placement, so have your products on the dais or in the background at the post-game press conference. Have the property make that press conference available to fans exclusively through the property website and through your sponsorship, provide the opportunity for one lucky fan to ask a question live via telephone to players or coaches sitting at the dais. You've got important elements in this type of activity, including the ability to showcase product, engage and involve consumers, and provide them with something they can't experience elsewhere.