New audiences
BY JESSIE SALE
W
hen it comes to sports teams, shirt sponsorships and LED signage are certainly the most obvious paybacks of any deal. But a growing number of companies are now looking elsewhere to expand their brand’s reach. Speaking to SBC Leaders, Panos Konstantopoulos, Vice President of Kaizen Gaming’s Stoiximan brand, explained that there are multiple ‘hidden’ opportunities to associate a brand with that of the sponsored team - many of which are not obvious at first sight. He stated: “One can take advantage of a number of BTL activities, CSR activations, dedicated productions for both TV and digital channels and a lot more.”
CREATIVITY IN ADVERTISING: THE ‘HIDDEN OPPORTUNITIES’ WITHIN SPORTS SPONSORSHIPS WITH SOCIAL MEDIA being such an influential marketing
tool in modern business, opportunities within brand sponsorship deals continue to emerge whilst digitalisation offers more sophisticated means for brands to better reach their target audiences 80 SBC LEADERS • MAY 2022
On the topic, ex-General Manager Parma Calcio Jaap Kalma explained that the visibility that shirt sponsorships and LED boarding provide is measurable and its value can therefore be compared, more or less, with other media investments. He argued, however, that nonvisibility sponsorship rights are less measurable but much more qualitative in nature. They enable companies to leverage the power of brand association, using the club as a testimonial of sorts, enable powerful access to a ‘wide and attentive audience’ and offer select customers unique experiences. Kalma said: “So what is required to move sponsorship beyond only visibility is, first, a sponsor that recognises the potential of other rights, has the competence - in-house or hired - to develop and execute a marketing program around these, and ideally is able to commit to a longer term partnership. “In betting and gaming, this is true for ever more companies. And second, a club that is able to ensure the availability of resources such as players or facilities and excellent service. Many clubs are getting there.” Carlo di Maio, CEO of FEG Romania, agreed that shirt sponsorships and LED signage dominate football, explaining that in certain cases this has led to ‘overcrowded brands exposure’ which could even confuse the customer.
