Whether you are a brand sponsoring a team…or a team selling inventory, we can’t let our sponsors become J.A.S.
Just. Another. Sign.
We see this too much in sponsorship. Logo slap. Logo placement on every nook and cranny in the stadium.
We have absolutely maxed out every piece of real estate in our stadiums without thinking of the ramifications of our sponsorship product.
To understand the consequences, we must understand the ultimate goal of advertising; to move forward a business goal for an organization.
That sign in the corner as fans walk by…less than likely it moves that brand forward.
The main reason it is ineffective is that fans will see over 3,000 sponsorship ads PER GAME at a stadium or arena.
Our brains are programmed to categorize things to see what is most important. It is an instinctual thing to help us find danger in our early days as a species. Anything not important, our brain doesn’t notice or process it.
So what happens to 90% of those signs…fan’s brains will automatically ignore them.
The worst advertising in the world is one that isn’t seen. Even worse if it doesn’t cause the viewer to have an emotional reaction.
83%+ of the sponsorship assets sold to sponsors are signage and entitlements…
So why do we sell it?
Revenue Maximization.
And look, I get it. I once sold sponsorship. I used to get really excited when we got a new wall. More inventory, more revenue opportunity.
But if we only think about it from the lens of our sponsorship revenue goal, we sell a product that doesn’t over-deliver for our sponsors.
When that happens, it becomes normal. Mediocre. Like any other out-of-home advertisement out there.
It becomes a Commodity.
When a product becomes a commodity, we can’t price it where we want. We then become at the mercy of the market price.
So how do you avoid being commoditized? A reimagination of what a sponsorship package is and achieves for each sponsor.
There are 3 things you can think about to make sure that your sponsor doesn’t become J.A.S.
1. Intentionality
This comes with intimately understanding the sponsor’s business goals. What is the Home Run outcome for them? Once we understand that, we can understand which of our inventory real estate can become most effective in helping that sponsor reach that goal
2. Creativity
Now that we know which pieces of real estate are most effective, how are we going to creatively snap that fan’s attention into focusing on that real estate? Again, that brand is competing with dozens of your other sponsors for fan attention in between the whistles. How can you uniquely and creatively help them stand out?
3. Full Funnel Packages
We can’t just stop at the upper marketing funnel with our sponsorship packages. We HAVE to push the fan down the whole marketing funnel. From awareness to engagement to consideration to conversion to brand loyalty. Our packages MUST take all of those items into account to have any chance of driving real value for those sponsors.
This is what we do at SQWAD, we help turn signage into an immersive, unique experience from the signage you already have. Experiences that not only capture fan attention but also prove results towards the brand’s business goals.
The results are night and day.
From a sponsor’s perspective, our clients are seeing tangible ROI toward their business goals that they haven’t seen in years, if ever.
It makes them feel confident about the money they are investing.
For the sports teams we work with, we are giving the sponsorship inventory they sell a refresh while maximizing the value it brings to their sponsors. It’s new inventory that drives new revenue from new sponsors as well as current ones looking to spend more.
In an era of performance marketing, where you can see direct outcomes from your spending like never before from most advertising products…sponsorship can’t afford to stand still.
Whatever you use, make sure you aren’t the team that is making sponsors J.A.S in your stadium. The results will dwindle, the revenue will churn, and your product will become commoditized.
Look through your offerings. Look through all your deals current and new. And make an assessment. It can be the biggest thing to skyrocket your revenue for your sponsorship department.
If you are a brand that sponsors a team, look through your package. If you are mostly Just Another Sign…find a new, creative way to turn that signage into direct connections with fans.
