B2B sports sponsorship facts

Out with the old, in with the new: B2B sponsorship facts

Over the last 12 months B2B sponsorship spend has increased in virtually every sector, yet the gulf in imagination and sophistication between those leading the way and the old guard has never been more evident. Mike Thorne, editor of Pearlfinders, investigates

Despite huge innovations in marketing technology, activation and the toughest anti-corruption legislation in the world, there are still many UK brands that are hesitant to invest in sponsorship outside hospitality. Some blame for this can be levelled at cautious old-school schmoozers happy to keep sponsoring the same events every year, but rights-holders with unimaginative packages limited to badging and out-of-the-box hospitality also need to up their game and match what’s being pitched with the overarching business goals of their sponsors.

From Pearlfinders’ interviews with thousands of budget-holders in key growth sectors for B2B sponsorship such as IT and professional services, it’s clear that certain sports including rugby, cricket and athletics are doing a better and better job of capitalising on the demand for these more tailored partnership opportunities. Each of these sports secured an extra two per cent slice of the B2B sponsorship pie compared to last year.

While football sponsorship revenues may still dwarf rugby, this year for the first time we’re seeing a higher number of B2B marketers identifying rugby as their sport of choice over football. A senior marketer at Siemens told us recently that a challenge football has to overcome here is that at smaller club level it’s too fragmented to reach their key prospects nationally, and too expensive to get ROI by sponsoring teams with a global following.

By providing granular audience metrics beyond sheer eyeballs on branding, several sports are effectively convincing B2B marketers that they can reach precisely the senior execs that invest in their services in a far more intelligent and engaging way than simply providing a free bar. The term B2P (business to people) is increasingly used by marketing budget-holders at B2B brands, acknowledging the fact that ultimately it’s still people, not corporations, who make decisions.

Platforms for storytelling are hugely appealing. While B2C sponsorship is heavily skewed towards mass awareness, sectors such as IT and professional services are far more interested in differentiation from their competitors via authentic partnerships that get across their brand and service proposition. Avaya, for instance, highlighted how kitting out stadiums with technology infrastructure as part of a partnership deal is the very best way of engaging with those Blue Chip CIOs who happen to also be season ticket holders.

B2B brands may be a year or two behind their B2C counterparts, but we’re witnessing a real sea change in blue chips’ demand for cutting-edge, business-centric sponsorship deals. Hospitality will always have its place as a blunt instrument for maintaining client relationships, but the really impressive big ticket sponsorships will be the ones that help brands to capture the imagination of their business customers – without giving them a hangover.

Related content

Access full article

Propolis logo white

B2B strategies. B2B skills.
B2B growth.

Propolis helps B2B marketers confidently build the right strategies and skills to drive growth and prove their impact.