Event Sponsorship: Effects on Consumer Brand Loyalty and Consumption

The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not spectators' perceived image of a corporation and its products was enhanced due to the corporation's sponsorship of a large-scale international sport event. Spectators were asked to recall sponsors, cite their consumption levels of the sponsors' products, and indicate whether or not their perceptions of the title sponsor were more favorable as a result of their sponsorship. A secondary purpose of this study was to determine whether or not a spectator's perceived image of the sport event's title sponsor was enhanced depending upon the spectator's present consumption level of that sponsor's products. Chi-square analysis revealed a significant relationship between previous product consumption levels and corporate sponsor image enhancement as perceived by event spectators. In this case, whether or not a spectator's perceived image of a sport event's title sponsor is enhanced depends upon the spectator's current consumption level of that sponsor's products. Information on sponsor recall and image enhancement should be communicated to present and prospective corporate sponsors to further emphasize the importance of their affiliation with sport events.