Sport Sponsorship: Evaluating the Sport and Brand Image Match

* Keywords: Sponsorship, Brand Image, Personality Matching, Brand Management Executive Summary This paper demonstrates that the process of creating a favorable brand image can be aided using image-sensitive sponsorship. Firms have traditionally analyzed demographic to determine the appropriate sport/brand match. When utilizing sponsorship to build brand awareness and reach a specific target market, this methodology is sufficient. However, if one of the prime objectives of pursuing sport sponsorship is to reinforce or modify a brand's image, an accurate assessment of consumer perceptions of brands and sports should be added to the analytical process. This paper presents a methodology to assess the perceived image between a sport and a brand and empirically validates this approach in an applied research setting. In building this new methodology, two studies were conducted. The first study utilized a student sample to assess the validity of the personality image method. The follow-up study examined the viability of using this approach to measure consumer perceptions of image and sponsorship at a major US sport event. Additionally, perceptions of a brand's overall fit with a particular sport were examined in both studies to explore the relative impact of image matching relative to demographic fit. Study 1 results support the validity of the methodology. To assess the data structure and the reliability of the personality scale, a common factor analysis was performed on the 20 personality items. Four distinct factors emerged (Exciting, alpha = .89; Wholesome, alpha = .70; Rugged, alpha = .90; Sophisticated, alpha = .91), explaining 68% of the variance. To test the predictive validity of the method, both a personality and demographic congruency coefficient for each brand/sport combination was derived. Simmons Market Research data was utilized to create a demographic index. Regression analysis was performed to test the statistical relationship between personality fit, demographic and perceived sponsorship fit. Results indicate that perceptions of a brand's fit with a particular sport increase as the personalities between the brand and sport become more congruent. While personality was found to be a significant predictor of sponsorship fit, demographic was not. This supports the need to explore personality congruency when utilizing sponsorship for image association benefits. In study 2, 153 respondents attending the National Basketball Association (NBA) Jam Session as part of the NBA all-star weekend activities assessed perceptions of sponsorship between actual sponsors of the event and the sport. The survey required subjects to assess one sport (professional basketball) and ten brands on the four personality factors. The brands with the best personality with the NBA were functionally related to the sport of basketball, athletic footwear/apparel and isotonic beverages. The NBA was rated as being more exciting than the ten brands listed. Thus, managers desiring a more exciting image for their brands might choose to align with the NBA. Study 2 also revealed a strong correlation between personality and perceived sponsorship fit. Our results also indicate that a good demographic between a target market and a sport audience does not necessarily imply it will also be an appropriate image match for the firm/brand. For firms seeking image association benefits from sponsorship, we propose that testing the congruency of sport and brand images should be added to the research methodology. If a company's goal is to reinforce a brand's existing image, selecting a sport with a high-level of congruency is advised. However, when altering a brand's image is the objective, associating with a sport with the desired but currently incongruent image is recommended. Evaluating the Sport and Brand Image Match Firms engaging in sport sponsorship note a number of reasons for employing this increasing popular marketing vehicle (Kuzma, Shanklin & McCally 1993). …