What is the sponsoring pyramid?
Logos on jerseys, shirts, buses — it’s a well-known sight. Highlights like advertising banners with slogans are now the exception; that’s a lot of text.
When it comes to the placement of logos, people get creative. You can find them almost everywhere:
But how can you improve the presence of your sponsors to create a clear and outstanding USP for your event? Let’s have a closer look at sponsor logo placement in general.
Advantages and disadvantages of the “logo only” philosophy
If you present the logo of a sponsor, there’s one big advantage for the sponsor called “recognition value”. Because even if a person does not know the company or sponsor, you definitely consciously or subconsciously perceive the form and colors of the logo or lettering.
Excursion: the cocktail party phenomenon
At every party, we experience the subconscious perception and filtering of information: if you start concentrating on one specific conversation, you start to neglect and ignore the surrounding voices, conversations, and noises. But if suddenly somebody mentions your name in a distant chat, your focus changes immediately and you will actively start listening to this conversation instead. This means, that there is a switch in the content of consciousness which is controlled unconsciously. For this purpose, a preattentive searching process takes place which only lets certain information go through if they seem to be important.
Source: © Werner Stangls Psychologie News
Therefore, during your next shopping trip thoughts like “I’m sure I know this packaging?”, “Have I seen this somewhere before?” or “Maybe I should check XY’s portfolio while I’m searching for a new insurance company” come to your mind, although you might not know why.
At the same time, the subconscious percipience of information increases the trust factor of a company. When they have enough money to sponsor a famous event or team, their product or service can’t be bad, can it?
But, here’s the catch: only by seeing your logo, the consumer still doesn’t know about the sponsor’s product, services or latest promotional offers. And adding a slogan, like ŠKODAs “Simply clever” or Red Bull’s “Giving wings to people and ideas” usually doesn’t say more about the company’s core business.
Sponsoring of the future
The simple placement of logos isn’t new, and despite marketing agencies and companies becoming more creative with the place, like putting them on
- parking permissions
- mugs/glasses
- invitations
there is no measurable additional value in these new ideas in the long run.
But event professionals and event organizers, you can do better! More interactive technologies are coming which can be used to present sponsors and partners.
Live streaming
If people can follow your event via a live stream, you can offer your sponsors broadcasting time before the stream starts and ends. They can use the type of format to not only show their logo but also let a speaker talk about their services or show a short advertising clip about their new product. This adds much more value than a simple slogan.
In addition, you offer your sponsors an additional platform for their valuable content.
Augmented reality
Simple apps like Snapchat can level up the interactivity of your event — and also promote your sponsors. If you design a new filter, which i.e. depends on the location, you can add the design and details of a new promotional clip or their CI; additionally, you can change the filter to match a partner’s products or logos.
Because attendees or athletes also like to share cool photos via their private social media channels, your sponsors reach out to a bigger audience.
Be creative! And if you don’t know how to create a community or on-demand geo filter on Snapchat, click here to read the Snapchat blog article.
Interviews and reporting
Usually, employees of the sponsoring companies attend your event as well. Include them in your reporting, take pictures where they can be seen and post them on your social media or include them in the interviews you’re conducting.
These measures will create content which, depending on the format, you can also share prior to your event via your social media profiles or your newsletter. At the same time, your sponsors have the opportunity to share their ideas and comments.
Your attendees and participants see a face behind your sponsor’s company — a huge trust builder!
But, when you decide to include these formats in your marketing, make sure that the presence of sponsors does not gain the upper hand. Other attendees, companies, and the fun mustn’t go short. Nobody wants to listen to a promotional monolog for minutes.
Stories in your newsletter
Including sponsors in communication channels isn’t new. But you should waive the simple placement of logos in the footer and start presenting relevant stories and content! Offer them to present a small teaser of their content (which should be generated specifically for your event to be interesting for the target group), press releases, or a new, interesting product from their online shop.
Add a short introductory text and you will see a rise in click rates of your subscribers. Because now, you’re not offering unattractive logos, but interesting and valuable content!
Digital goodie bags
In a digital goodie bag, sponsors can not only show their logos but also event-specific offers, new videos, or promotional activities. Add a little bit of text, send it to your target group, and generate much more additional value than if you had placed a logo on a banner.
Conclusion
Placing logos at spots which are highly frequented by visitors, participants and attendees will not stop for now.
But event organizers have now the possibility to create digital, analyzable, and interactive opportunities to present their partners, sponsors, and supporters.
Use the new techniques as a springboard to enrich your event, stand out from your competitors, and surprise your partners and sponsors!
