Quick Tip: Leverage Existing Sponsors to Sell New Ones

Use your existing sponsors to help you sell new ones. Ask for their referrals, build case studies with them and advise prospective sponsors to talk with existing ones about their personal experience. If they've got a great story (which they should, right?), talk it up! Like any other business, word of mouth can be one of your most powerful sales tools.

Redemption Marketing Anyone?

'There's no such thing as bad publicity,' right? For has long as there have been sponsors, there have been embarrassing situations for the properties they sponsor. However, when it comes to sponsors where do you draw the line between publicity and bad publicity. What role do/should official sponsors play in "redemption?" As sponsorship pros, we're engrained with the idea that to properly lev...

NFL Creates New Category for P&G Sponsorship

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that a long-rumored deal, three years in the making in fact, will finally come to fruition today when the NFL and Procter and Gamble announce a multi-year exclusive sponsorship for the newly created "locker room products category" covering 13 separate P&G brands. Back in January, SBD reported that the two parties were close to a five year deal that wou...

Activation Tactic of the Week: Retail Sweeps

Are you looking for creative ways to leverage partnerships at retail? Are you looking for new ways to sway consumer buying behaviors? The Carolina Panthers have teamed up with Harris Teeter in 2009 to create a "Total Tailgate Sweepstakes" that will reward one (1) customer with an ultimate tailgate party for 20 people at the Panthers-Redskins game on October 11, 2009 at Bank of America Stadium....

Deal Flow 8-13-2009

Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation announced today that it has entered into a sponsorship agreement with the NFL Carolina Panthers, which includes the Company's signature products being available during all home games for the next three seasons. Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. will sponsor a three-person team that will compete in the Professional Bull Riders 2009 Built Ford Tough Series. Cooper ha...

Is Your Brand Invited to the Party?

No one likes it when someone comes to a party empty-handed. Despite lots of talk about activation, it seems there's still sponsors that are crashing the party. Sure they'll bring their logo, and in many cases, pay a lot of money to do so, but that's about it. They won't fit in. And even worse, some won't even try. What happens next? You guessed it. People start crying that sponsorship is...

Lakers to Celebrate Responsibly with 1800 Tequila

Proximo Spirits, Inc. and 1800 Tequila today became the first spirits company to sponsor the Los Angeles Lakers, allowed under a recent NBA ruling that now permits courtside spirits ads. "Our goal is to ensure that Lakers games are the most enjoyable and exciting games to watch," said Los Angeles Lakers Chief Marketing Officer Tim Harris. "Through this groundbreaking partnership, 1800 will pr...

The Deal's Not Done Until...

I want to share with you a short story about the importance of getting the paperwork completed after you land your sponsors… I ran into a good sponsor friend of mine a few years ago who shared with me a story that still has me shaking my head. Her employer, a well-known bank, had agreed to sponsor a professional ball club and went into the new season with high expectations for success. The neg...

Deal Flow 8-12-2009

Activision has signed a six-figure deal for Guitar Hero to sponsor Absolute Radio's on air and online coverage of the Virgin Media-sponsored V Festival. The Patriots have announced a partnership with the Massachusetts State Lottery that allows the state to sell a scratch ticket with the Patriots logo. Sony is now sponsoring the Caribbean’s best team, The Soca Warriors of Trinidad and Tobago.

Be What You Are: Buying & Selling True Value

The most important factor in any sponsorship is how much the audience the property attracts likes it and supports its sponsors. If the property doesn’t resonate and harness the audience for the benefit of sponsors, who cares how it is packaged, or how cool it seems? Trying to create a new name or putting excessive resources into selling, as seems to be all the rage in marketing these days wit...