You may not have heard the name yet, but it’s one that could become the catalyst for changes in sponsorship industry…forever. Róisín Shortall is the Minister of State Health for the Republic of Ireland.  She’s hell bent on banning alcohol sponsorships in sports and large outdoor events in Ireland.

Alcohol abuse is running rampant among 12-25 year olds in that country (38%)  and that abuse is stemming directly from alcohol related sponsorship marketing (I write skeptically). Fortunately, the Minister of Sports in Ireland has weighed in with reason, explaining that a ban on sports sponsorships probably isn’t very practical. After all, banning alcohol sponsorships in Ireland alone is like banning alcohol sponsorships in New Jersey without including the rest of the U.S..  European television tends to cross borders – so a “friendly game” played in France and broadcast to Ireland wouldn’t be under the same restrictions.

But the fact that Ms. Shortall has raised the issue may ultimately effect the use of sponsorships among alcohol brands in other parts of Europe.  Could this become the catalyst for growing limitations in the U.S.?

As well, some of Australia’s leading sports leagues have already agreed to eliminate alcohol sponsorships altogether. The government is supplementing the lost revenue to those leagues with funds generated from an alcohol tax. Pressure on the three biggest Australian leagues, Cricket, Australian Football and Rugby, is mounting. This model, if successful, could gain traction across Europe and Asia.

The U.S. Congress’s recent focus on banning military motorsport sponsorships may not be directly related, but could set a precedent in targeting sponsorship marketing in general. We can all agree that sports sponsorships are a crowded field.  All the same, could banning alcohol from sports force these brands to seek other types of sponsorships?   Fairs, concert events and festivals would welcome the change

As an industry, we may be wise to consider a proactive approach in requiring alcohol brands to tout the need for fan responsibility - front and center.  We’ve all been to pro sporting events and cringed at the over-served fan three rows behind us.  Perhaps a self-imposed requirement that includes pro athletes promoting responsibility would swing the mood away from an all out ban.

What I don’t understand is why sponsorship is suddenly a target for governments. For most companies, sponsorship is an after thought in their marketing plans.  Why not ban alcohol, or the military for that matter, from TV ads or billboards? 

Are there studies that connect sports sponsorships with alcohol abuse in Ireland or ineffective connections between motorsports and the military?  Is sponsorship marketing an easy target or more effective in the eyes of government officials than among brand managers?

I welcome your thoughts…

As a way to draw increased awareness and attention to some of the standup sponsorship opportunities on our site, we’ve set apart one blog per month to put the “Spotlight on Sponsorship”! If you have a premium level listing on SponsorPark, and would like to have your event featured, please contact Stephanie.Lochmiller@SponsorPark.com to submit your event, as we are currently looking to fill our 2012 Spotlight calendar. This month our spotlight shines on the “The Young New York Foundation”.

What is The Young New York Foundation all about?

The Young New York Foundation was created in 2007 as a platform for young professionals and the New York City community. Operating as a non-profit organization, YNY raises funds and sources volunteers for a number of charities that focus exclusively on New Yorkers and the development of their communities.
YNY is committed to: 

 Building a philanthropic platform for all young New Yorkers
 Raising funds for beneficiaries
 Generating a pipeline of volunteering opportunities throughout all five boroughs 
 Brining visibility to worthy causes in education, community development and healthcare

What Makes this Opportunity Unique?
YNY holds multiple benefits throughout the year and this will allow you to keep your brand top of mind with their audience.  In addition to this, the YNY Foundation is a relatively young charity that has the ability to work with brands to create sponsorship packages that suite individual needs and wants.

 
Surviving Sponsorship in a Heated Economy
As all not for profits have noticed, the recent changes in the economy have made their sponsorship efforts slightly more challenging.  In addition to strengthening their networking and outreach efforts, The YNY Foundation has partnered with SponsorPark to broaden their reach and to effectively target the appropriate brands for their events

Preferred Partners?
Event organizers are interested in partnering with both local and national brands that desire to reach a young professional audience within the New York area.  To learn more about The YNY Foundation visit their SponsorPark listing.

An interesting article popped up in Inc. Magazine the other day by Issie Lapowsky about the world of sports sponsorships. CMO’s and marketers love sports sponsorships – and rightly so.  After all, what CMO wouldn’t want to impress their stakeholders with highly placed visibility on major sports fields across the U.S.? Sports sponsorships have a way of reaching a lot of eyeballs.

However, the Inc. article had a different twist in that using secondary sports for sponsorship offers a great platform to own a niche market for a fraction of the dollars.  As an example, the use of MMA events, which can be had for a fraction of the cost of major sports – with fewer sponsors and targeted demo’s – it makes great sense.  While it doesn’t reach millions, it reaches the right audience for certain brands.

But why stop at sports sponsorships when there are so many other options outside of niche sports?  While sports sponsorships have their place, there is something to be said for titling a major festival or leading a cause-marketing effort for that same fraction of cost.  If executed properly, engagement with these type of event stakeholders can prove to be as, or even more, successful than the passionate sports fan.

In 2011, over 60% of all sponsorship dollars were spent on sports sponsorships.  Yet, more people attend music festivals across the U.S. than they did college sports games.  While those festivals didn’t net nearly the amount of eyeballs that a televised sporting event would– the level of engagement among those in attendance at a college game is equal to the engagement opportunities that can be found at any festival and for potentially fewer dollars.  And, with a festival, you don’t have to worry about your competitors buying commercial slots that confuse the ‘at home’ viewer about who the “official” sponsor of their favorite college team really is.

Causes

The Great Global Recession did a lot to change the way consumers embrace brands. This shift has made the use of cause marketing more important today than it was just a couple of years ago.  People consume advertising differently than they use to; with more skepticism and armed with greater information about products and the companies that make them.  Cause marketing can provide brands with an immediate connection with consumers that no ad campaign could ever achieve.  Today, consumers are demanding that companies be proactive in their support of communities and causes that are meaningful to the consumer and are organic for the brand.  As a brand manager, do you know what your consumers and colleagues are passionate about?

Several years ago, Dannon was the leader in U.S. yogurt sales.  They were overtaken by Yoplait in short order when their lids began “saving lives” through a breast cancer cause initiative.  The cause tie-in resonated with both internaland external stakeholders, creating an unprecedented wave of change within the U.S. yogurt industry.  I’m not sure support for the Olympic Gymnastics team would have had the same effect.

These opportunities aren’t just for Fortune 500 companies either.  Rights fees for causes, associations and festivals and fairs in several of your targeted markets can be garnered for the cost of just one NFL team sponsorship.  Yes, it requires a little more work to locate these opportunities– but the results can be sustainable and far greater.  

So, what’s the best way to find these gems?  First, find out what is going to resonate with stakeholders that can be organically embraced, not forced by a slick ad campaign. 

A great resource for brand managers and CMO’s in finding those opportunities that are going to connect with your stakeholders is through SponsorPark.com.  The site has over 12,000 listed sponsorship opportunities that can be viewed using search parameters to help narrow down opportunities.  Saved search parameters will alert your email when new opportunities match your search criteria.  Best of all, the service is free.

So, finding the right opportunity to connect your brand with consumers doesn’t necessarily have to be like searching for a needle in the haystack. SponsorPark.com locates all the needles you need.