It has been mentioned a few times that rights holders should be creative when offering sponsorable assets to potential sponsors.
On Power Sponsorship website I have found a comprehensive list of ideas for sponsorship property that goes beyond just logo displays. Here are my favourite ones:
- Naming rights (ownership of the event)
- Major sponsorship
- Supporting sponsorship
- Official product status
- Preferred supplier status
- Exclusivity
- License to use event logo or images for the sponsor’s promotion
- Merchandising rights
- Product endorsement
- Dedicated space at the event for on-site sponsorship activities
- Sampling and/or demonstration opportunities
- Exhibition space
- Provision of content for sponsor activities
- Access to venue, athletes, celebrities, artists, etc.
- Access to background information, statistics, photos, video clips, autographs, Q&As, etc.
- Promotion of relevant sponsor leverage activities through sponsee’s social media and other online activities
- Ability for sponsor to add value to sponsee fans/followers via social media (via content, promotion or contest)
- Links to sponsor website from sponsee website or sponsor profile on sponsee website
- Access to event, parking, or merchandise discounts for sponsor’s customers
- Early access to tickets for sponsor’s customers
- Venue signage
- Press conference signage
- Vehicle signage
- Event participant and/or event staff uniforms
- VIP tickets to the event for sponsor’s customers
- Celebrity meet-and-greets
- Access to or creation of what-money-can’t-buy experiences
- Development of customised hospitality events to suit the interests of the target market (high-end, adventurous, behind-the-scenes, for their families or kids etc)
- Input in venue, route and/or timing
- Use of sponsor venue
- Access to event-generated database
- Opportunity to provide inserts in sponsee mailings
- Participation in the event by sponsor’s employees or shareholders
- Creation of an event, day or program specifically for employees
- Creation of an employee donation or volunteer program
- Opportunity to set up an employee recruitment station at your event
- Inclusion in all press releases and other media activities
- Public relations campaign designed for sponsor’s market
- Custom-design of a new event, program, award or other activity that meets the sponsor’s specific needs
- Opportunity to provide prizes for media or event promotions
- Advertising on ticket backs
- Inclusion in all print, outdoor and/or broadcast advertising and other event promotional pieces and/or event programme
- Access to pre- and/or post-event research
- Right for sponsor to on-sell sponsorship benefits to another organisation
- Contra
- Design and/or production of key sponsor events
- Hiring and/or administration of temporary or contract personnel, services and vendors for above
- Logistical assistance, including technical or creative expertise
- Opportunity to involve sponsor’s preferred charitable organisation or cause
- Donation of a percentage of ticket or product sales to charity.
Can’t think of any more sponsorable assets you could offer to your sponsors? Contact us!