Q&A with Jim Biegalski, VP, consulting, The Marketing Arm, about the future of sponsorship
Q&A With...
JIM BIEGALSKI
Vice President, Consulting
The Marketing Arm
Q: As a sponsorship buyer, what do you see as the single biggest challenge in the sponsorship industry over the next few years?
A: Properties’ ability to deliver beyond traditional sponsorship inventory and a willingness to develop and engage in three-screen (web, phone, TV) leveraging strategies. That requires a great deal of creativity, from both the brands and the properties.
What used to be signage, tickets, and tabling is now exclusive content, unique experiences, and brand differentiation. It's a complex environment that requires brands and properties to take a tremendously different and creative approach to yield a strong return on investment.
Leveraging content that resonates with consumers is how sponsors get consumers engaged in their brand’s message. Content is critical to engagement. So it’s about creating content – in many cases in conjunction with the consumer – or creating an experience in a way that actively and emotionally engages the customer, instead of simply talking at them or hitting them over the head with signage.
For clients, this is no longer just a “sponsorship space” — it’s part of a larger engagement strategy.
Q: Among arts, causes, entertainment, sports and fairs and festivals, which will be the biggest growth area for your sponsorship dollars in the next few years?
A: With content and access playing such an important part of the overall acquisition and retention model today, I believe entertainment and sports will outpace the other emotional platforms in the near term. We’re also focusing more on cause opportunities.
As consumers, we’re interested in content that is relevant to us -- things that effect our lives, issues that effect the lives of the ones we love, the world in which we live, and the things that we like to do.
Q: Social networking web sites, youtube.com and other online technologies have gained a lot of attention of late. What kind of role, if any, do you see those technologies playing in sponsorship?
A: The web has transformed how we connect with our passions. As technology continues to evolve, I can see properties developing web-centric “engagement” platforms across the three screens on a standalone basis.
Technologies like these will be one piece of the enabling engine related to delivering the creativity discussed above.
Q: What is the next new way companies will measure sponsorship results?
A: Next way? I'm not sure anyone has truly found the first way, outside of media impressions. The "only" way to measure sponsorships will be a truly integrated approach complete with quantitative and qualitative research to determine overall performance. It will include detailed program scorecards based on sound statistical methodology which demonstrates definitive results. In short, ROI will address the complete set of elements that comprise an integrated sponsorship approach.
Q: What is your single-biggest gripe in working with properties?
A: The lack of due diligence to understand our clients’ business, strategies, and objectives prior to presenting a partnership proposal. Few properties really understand the new brand sponsorship world. The majority of properties continue to be stuck in the world of looking at their assets in the same way and selling their same packages -- most of the time without listening to what agencies and brands need.
This in the face of a world which requires a different analysis of property assets and a customized approach to integrated packages.
Q: What one piece of advice can you offer properties?
A: Understand your prospect’s business and adapt your proposal to their goals and objectives, not yours. It’s a simple four-step process: 1. Listen. 2. Listen. 3. Listen. 4. Present solutions based on what you hear, not what you want to hear. This approach will show up in a property’s bottom-line revenue.
Change your mind-set. Again, look beyond tickets and signage. Think in terms of customization, connection, and community. How can your property deliver content and an experience that’s relevant and authentic to our consumers?
JIM BIEGALSKI
Vice President, Consulting
The Marketing Arm
Q: As a sponsorship buyer, what do you see as the single biggest challenge in the sponsorship industry over the next few years?
A: Properties’ ability to deliver beyond traditional sponsorship inventory and a willingness to develop and engage in three-screen (web, phone, TV) leveraging strategies. That requires a great deal of creativity, from both the brands and the properties.
What used to be signage, tickets, and tabling is now exclusive content, unique experiences, and brand differentiation. It's a complex environment that requires brands and properties to take a tremendously different and creative approach to yield a strong return on investment.
Leveraging content that resonates with consumers is how sponsors get consumers engaged in their brand’s message. Content is critical to engagement. So it’s about creating content – in many cases in conjunction with the consumer – or creating an experience in a way that actively and emotionally engages the customer, instead of simply talking at them or hitting them over the head with signage.
For clients, this is no longer just a “sponsorship space” — it’s part of a larger engagement strategy.
Q: Among arts, causes, entertainment, sports and fairs and festivals, which will be the biggest growth area for your sponsorship dollars in the next few years?
A: With content and access playing such an important part of the overall acquisition and retention model today, I believe entertainment and sports will outpace the other emotional platforms in the near term. We’re also focusing more on cause opportunities.
As consumers, we’re interested in content that is relevant to us -- things that effect our lives, issues that effect the lives of the ones we love, the world in which we live, and the things that we like to do.
Q: Social networking web sites, youtube.com and other online technologies have gained a lot of attention of late. What kind of role, if any, do you see those technologies playing in sponsorship?
A: The web has transformed how we connect with our passions. As technology continues to evolve, I can see properties developing web-centric “engagement” platforms across the three screens on a standalone basis.
Technologies like these will be one piece of the enabling engine related to delivering the creativity discussed above.
Q: What is the next new way companies will measure sponsorship results?
A: Next way? I'm not sure anyone has truly found the first way, outside of media impressions. The "only" way to measure sponsorships will be a truly integrated approach complete with quantitative and qualitative research to determine overall performance. It will include detailed program scorecards based on sound statistical methodology which demonstrates definitive results. In short, ROI will address the complete set of elements that comprise an integrated sponsorship approach.
Q: What is your single-biggest gripe in working with properties?
A: The lack of due diligence to understand our clients’ business, strategies, and objectives prior to presenting a partnership proposal. Few properties really understand the new brand sponsorship world. The majority of properties continue to be stuck in the world of looking at their assets in the same way and selling their same packages -- most of the time without listening to what agencies and brands need.
This in the face of a world which requires a different analysis of property assets and a customized approach to integrated packages.
Q: What one piece of advice can you offer properties?
A: Understand your prospect’s business and adapt your proposal to their goals and objectives, not yours. It’s a simple four-step process: 1. Listen. 2. Listen. 3. Listen. 4. Present solutions based on what you hear, not what you want to hear. This approach will show up in a property’s bottom-line revenue.
Change your mind-set. Again, look beyond tickets and signage. Think in terms of customization, connection, and community. How can your property deliver content and an experience that’s relevant and authentic to our consumers?
posted by Eric Musselman @ 1:53 PM
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