A while back, I read a blog by Seth Godin. In it, he asked a question that has stuck in my head ever since: Do you measure it because it’s important, or is it important because it’s measured? Our industry is guiltier than most of the latter, and that is… Read More
How complicated can sponsorship proposal assessment be? I mean, you just look at the back page for the price, and if you don’t fall off your chair, maybe read the executive summary. If that blows you away, then maybe read the rest of it… right??? Wrong. Although a massive number… Read More
I speak at a lot of conferences, and one question that comes up in North America – and nowhere else – is whether sports uniforms should carry sponsor logos. The reason it comes up in North America is that most leagues there don’t allow branding on uniforms, besides a small… Read More
If I had to hazard a guess, I’d say almost all of us has at least one multi-tool. I’ve got a much-loved, 20-year old Gerber that lives in the house, and is pressed into duty anytime I can’t be arsed going outside and unlocking the tool shed… which is a… Read More
I recently worked with a sponsor that had a major sponsorship with a professional sporting body, but when the rightsholder failed to deliver many of the biggest benefits – the benefits the sponsorship was bought and sold on – the whole thing fell in a heap. Most of us who… Read More
The sophistication level of sponsors increased dramatically in the aftermath of the global recession of 2007-2008, as sponsors had to deal with a new level of accountability. The pandemic has led to another huge increase in sophistication, as sponsors clear the dead wood from their budgets, and increase their focus… Read More
Sponsorship is an amazingly creative medium. Unfortunately, most sponsors still lack the imagination to really harness it. Either that or they are so deep in a rut that they can’t even see they’re going in the wrong direction. They negotiate the same types of sponsorship, and for the same boring… Read More
I get emails all the time from people who read my blogs or watch my tutorials. Most have specific questions or just want to thank me for the information. But all too often, I get emails from someone who has read a couple of blogs – with all of the… Read More
A while back, I wrote a blog entitled “If the Answer is a Sponsorship Formula, You’re Asking the Wrong Question”. Ever since, I have had a steady stream of people requesting the questions sponsorship professionals should ask. So, I’ve now done a sponsorship SAQ (should-ask questions) for both sponsors and… Read More
I had a very typical situation today that took an almost surreal turn. I was on television being interviewed about sponsorship one night. By the time I got home, I had an email from somebody who had seen me. He asked me to review his proposal and show it to… Read More
You’re a sponsor. You sponsor a team that has just got into the finals/playoffs. The team enacts the contract clause that states you either have to pay additional money to extend your sponsorship benefits through the finals, or they will withdraw benefits (cover your signage, withdraw ticket and hospitality privileges,… Read More
“Social distance.” As COVID-19 takes hold around the world, this is our lives now. To mitigate the virus’ spread, we’re being instructed to stay home, to stop mingling, and if we need to go out for something essential, to stay two metres away from each other. People are telecommuting, trains… Read More