Sponsorship Works Differently from Advertising

Commercial sponsorship has become increasingly common in recent years. This paper discusses the nature of sponsorship and, in particular, compares it with mainstream advertising. It argues that, despite superficial similarities between the two, crucial differences also exist. The implications of these differences are discussed both in general terms and in relation to the specific problems of evaluating the effectiveness of sponsorship. In doing this, original case history material is used to illustrate the points made.