In our tough marketing environment, brand managers who intend using sponsorship to reveal their brand’s values and ideals yet neglect to include a media partner in their leveraging strategy drastically reduce the sponsorship’s reach and influence. A media partner is as critical an element in the three-legged stool of sponsorships as the concept (The Big Idea). The third element, the retail partner, is only really imperative if the sponsorship is to be used to convince consumers to trial the product or brand.
This is readily demonstrated by the successful sponsorships we are seeing today. The most effective sponsorships appear to utilise television as the media partner. These sponsorships either have a dedicated television programme, such as MTN Soccer Zone, or a programme around which other communication strategies can be implemented to support the brand, as is the case with Telkom’s Business Golf series.
That said, radio as a media partner be it national, regional or community can provide a sponsorship with exceptional exposure. In many instances, the ‘bang for the investment buck’ is much higher for radio than for television. This is because, particularly at the regional or community level, radio stations partnering a brand sponsoring event will tend to throw away the rate card and publicise the event across most of
their programming slots.
In many instances, the ‘bang for the investment buck’ is much higher for radio than for television. This is because, particularly at the regional or community level, radio stations partnering a brand sponsoring event will tend to throw away the rate card and publicise the event across most of their programming slots.
The key attraction of a media partner is that it drives up the value and makes the media buy so much more effective for the sponsoring brand manager. This is of vital consideration when you remember that the opening billboard for one of the sports programmes can cost the brand manager up to R400 000 a month. (The exception to the rule appears to be print media. Depending on the nature and size of the event, choosing to partner with one publishing house may discourage the others from covering the event as a news item).
Media’s other attraction is that it can be extremely focussed and niched. This is demonstrated by Toyota SA’s sponsorship of the farming programme ‘Wen Aker’, broadcast on DSTV, and Castle Milk Stout’s sponsorship of ‘Jazz Brew’, which is featured on several African language stations.
To maximise media’s clout in sponsorships, brand managers should remember that there’s no excuse for failing to think laterally and using the media in a truly smart combination. Here, ‘Castle Loud’ is a prime example. Castle sponsors the lifestyle section in The Sowetan, a Club Tour and a Coastal Tour, the television programme on SABC TV1 on Friday nights, and then the radio programmes on Metro FM on Saturdays and YFM during the week. This ensures a reach of 2.3 million in Castle’s target age group of 18-24 year olds.
It’s a lesson to include media partners they provide deep value in sponsorships.
Prior to joining FCB South Africa, Annie Williamson was managing director of an integrated marketing communications agency, Lemon & Lime. She has also run her own integrated marketing communications business and was the manager of the National Olympic Programme at Grinaker Sport Management for two and a half years. Annie has completed an MBA degree in Strategic Marketing through the University of Hull (UK). She has judged at Raptors for three years.