Are companies investing enough in activating their rights?

Choosing the right sponsorship is one thing. Using it to its full potential is another. For a sports marketing investment to be successful, several components need to align. The right sponsorship must reach the right target audience in the right context, based on what the company actually wants to achieve.

For a company looking to build awareness, exposure can be a central part of the investment. Being visible at the venue, in broadcasts, through digital channels, and in other relevant environments creates reach and the opportunity to build a presence over time.

But when the ambition is to get closer to the target audience, build relationships, or link the investment more clearly to business results, more elements need to be involved. The question then becomes not just where and how often the brand is seen, but also what is done with the position the sponsorship has created.

Sports marketing as a marketing channel

Sports marketing is a marketing channel and needs to be treated as one. The investment must be based on the company's overall goals, the people it wants to reach, and the role sports should play in its integrated marketing strategy.

What sets sports apart from many other channels is the context. It already possesses engagement, identity, and relationships. A sponsorship gives a company the opportunity to become part of that context and create visibility before target audiences who are already gathered around something they care about.

This gives exposure a clear value, especially for companies looking to build awareness and strengthen their brand. At the same time, the sponsorship opens up further possibilities when the company wants to take the next step. Content, experiences, events, and meetings can be used to deepen the relationship with the target audience and create more touchpoints between the brand and the people around the sport.

Therefore, one does not have to replace the other. Activation can instead build upon the position and visibility that the sponsorship already creates.

What should the sponsorship do for the company?

This is a question that needs to be asked early on. If the primary goal is to increase awareness, exposure will play a central role. If the company also wants to create new customer relationships, strengthen existing ones, engage employees, or generate business opportunities, the sponsorship needs to be used in more ways.

This could involve developing content relevant to the target audience, creating meeting places for customers and partners, or building activities that give people a clearer connection to the brand.

This is where activation becomes important, as does the planning behind it. Creating content, arranging meetings, and developing activities requires time, budget, and expertise. There also needs to be someone responsible for driving the work forward and ensuring the sponsorship is integrated with the company's other marketing efforts.

That is why the discussion about activation needs to be included as early as when the sponsorship is selected and goals are set.

Get more out of the entire investment

A sponsorship should not have to solve the same task for every company. The value depends on why the company is investing, which target audiences it wants to reach, and what effect it wants to create.

Two companies can therefore invest in similar sponsorships and use them in completely different ways. For one, broad and recurring exposure may be the most important factor. For the other, the sponsorship can also be a platform for content, customer relationships, events, or business. Both can be right, as long as the investment is based on a clear goal.

This is also why we believe in viewing sports marketing as part of an integrated marketing strategy. The sponsorship provides access to the target audience and the context. Exposure builds visibility and awareness. Activation can then build on that by creating more touchpoints and a stronger relationship with the brand.

It is therefore not about choosing between exposure and activation. It is about knowing what the company wants to achieve and building the right combination based on that.

When sponsorship, target audience, exposure, and activation are aligned, there are better conditions for getting more out of the entire investment.

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