Tom Ward's Blog

Marketing managers around the world are constantly faced with the dilemma of what techniques to use in order to get their product or service out there. One of the most dominant techniques comes in the way of sponsorship. It has been suggested that sponsorship is the fastest growing form of marketing in the US today. The reason is that attracting the target market provides an opportunity to broaden  competitive advantage by increasing credibility, image and prestige in sponsoring events. Coca Cola have used sponsorship to create a positive influence of their products in the minds of their consumers and as such regularly support events they feel can influence consumer opinions. Visa used their sponsorship of the Olympics to drive sales by offering to make a donation to the US team every time consumers used their Visa card. Examples such as these show how sponsorship can be used to create positive publicity, differentiate from competitors and enhance business. If a company can successfully employ sponsorship then it is likely they will reap the benefits.