Effectiveness of Sponsorship at Sporting Events

Sponsorship, particularly in sports, is considered superior in delivering awareness and reach compared to other entertainment forms like music and lifestyle (73% in sports vs. 3% in others). Digital and video content are seen as the most effective assets for ROI, outperforming traditional methods like front-of-shirt branding and athlete-led activations. Consumers show a preference for in-person media channels and sponsored events, aligning with research by Kantar and Fuse, which found that fans favor sponsorship over traditional advertising. 

Additionally, as women's sports and e-sports gain popularity and digital technology continues to advance, sponsoring a major sporting event now has the potential to engage a wider audience, offering a more enriched consumer experience than ever before.

Women's sports present a significant growth opportunity, with both consumers and industry professionals advocating for greater brand investment. Over two-thirds of FIFA Women’s World Cup fans find brands more attractive when they sponsor sports. Emerging alternative sports also offer substantial opportunities for consumer engagement, highlighting the need for marketers to diversify their sponsorship portfolios. Major sporting events can be a key opportunity for experiential marketing. 

Despite the growth in sponsorship for sporting events, 72% of marketers said that sports marketing is becoming more difficult to navigate, and 59% agree that sports marketing lacks transparency.  

Marketers are observing a rising trend in entertainment sponsorships and partnerships. As the industry shifts its focus from impressions to attention, the prominence of creators is set to grow in 2024. Influencer marketing spend now surpasses traditional social ad spend, with eMarketer reporting a 14% growth in 2023 compared to just 4.1% for social ads. This trend continues despite economic challenges, with social media brand sponsorships expected to lead in 2024 as marketers prioritize quality audience connections. 

In 2023, Corona launched an ad in partnership with Sech (recording artist) to celebrate their second year as co-sponsor of the MLB. Nearly 30% of MLB players come from Hispanic descent, and over 20 million Americans identified as Hispanic and MLB fans. The objective of this advertisement was to genuinely create a connection to their Hispanic fans, and highlight the celebration of one of the most memorable moments of the season.  

“Take me out to the ball game”, a game that is known to play during the seventh inning of a baseball game, was re-recorded by Sech in Spanish. This song played in the background of the video advertisement, which offered a new perspective on a tradition nearly as old as baseball itself. The track even debuted in other stadiums within the MLB during the opening week of the 2023 season to promote the inclusivity of the Spanish culture, language, and spark further interest into this campaign. Corona also leveraged Instagram's collaboration feature to debut the song, disseminated an audio news release across broadcast radio stations and podcasts, and incorporated the song into an episode of a content series. 

As a result, this advertisement reached 1.74+ billion impressions, 13,457 PR placements, and generated a click through rate (CTR) of 7.6% on Spotify (294% higher than benchmarks). The campaign effectively met its core PR and social objectives, generating positive press and increasing Corona's social following. The original remix of "Take Me Out To The Ball Game," created with a Latin artist, highlighted the brand's creativity and heritage. The program exceeded expectations, achieving nearly 2 billion impressions and 14,000 placements across various media outlets. The agency successfully provided an engaging experience for millions of Hispanic baseball fans, with many Major and Minor League clubs requesting the song for Hispanic Heritage Month. 

The impact of sponsorship marketing at sporting events offers brands a unique chance to connect with audiences in innovative ways. Through OOH, social media, and digital platforms, brands can create enriched consumer experiences. As women's sports and e-sports rise and digital technology advances, the potential for deeper fan engagement grows. This shift towards dynamic sponsorship not only boosts brand visibility but also fosters authentic connections with fans, making it a key strategy for modern marketers.