Good news. You are a brand or property with a great sponsorship relationship. The partnership makes sense on a lot of business levels. You have gone through our fit checklist and have a clear fit in several categories. You also have no “conflicting fit” partners and perfect match with your audience. What is the bad news part of this equation? Are you really telling anyone about your fit with your partner?

Fit is one of the most important sponsorship attributes between a sponsor and partner. The “fit”, the natural relationship between the sponsor and the sponsee, can positively affect the overall attitude of your audience and increase purchase intention. This is not just me saying it. This is a fact. There are several research studies that will back that statement up.  

However, even with all the positives, there are far too many occasions where it is wasted by not being promoted properly by the either or both entities to their audience.  

Sponsor and Property:

One of the best ways to properly promote fit is to co-market with your property. If you are entering a relationship with a clear and strong fit, you should agree to co-marketing campaigns that promote the fit to the audience. This should be part of your sponsorship agreement. This is especially important when we talk about fit sub-categories that are not as obvious such as Community Fit, being a part of the sponsorship because you align with the community’s values.  

If you are doing a legacy project how are you letting your audience know that you are doing the project and more importantly that you are doing for the right reason. A great example of this type of relationship is when a property partners with a local retail chain, especially in the grocery category. The chain who is a daily part of the community allows you to promote your partnership in a very real and direct way.  

Sponsor and Co-Sponsor: 

Co-marketing with the property is a great start, but it is not the only way to co-market. When we talk about fit, we also talk about the sponsorship fit between the sponsors and other sponsors. If a property has done their job, there should be an ample number of co-sponsors that you can look towards building marketing campaigns surrounding fit.  Whether both products are used during the event like tires and an engine in motorsports or both partners have a very similar reason for engaging in the partnership. Their “why.” We call that a motivational fit and it can be very powerful to promote to the audience as it makes your intentions clear, even if that intention is to sell product that fits their needs.  

An example of sponsor and co-sponsor fit can build off the grocery example mentioned above. Having a grocery chain as a partner allows you to approach other food and beverage products sold in that grocery store and create direct point-of-purchase campaigns leveraging both partners. It is a great way for a property to add value by opening the door for co-sponsors to work together.  

Co-Marketing sponsorship fit, when promoted effectively, can positively affect the overall attitude of your audience and increase purchase intention. And if we are being honest ourselves, aren’t those the reasons we are even doing sponsorship? 

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Check out our previous Blog Posts to learn more on topics surrounding co-marketing sponsorship fit. Contact Us for specific content questions.