2016 trends in a nutshell · 2016 will see more digital media and marketing partnerships,...

Openfield l Sponsorship Trends 2016

2016 TRENDS IN A NUTSHELL .

“This year we’ll see more people simply tuning out the noise and tuning in to what matters: their needs served up their way. It’s not just entertainment they’re after but rather relevance, value, intrigue, intellectual challenge and some good old fashioned fun.”

Jerome de Chaunac, Group Chief Operating Officer, HAVAS Sport & Entertainment


SECTION 1: GENERAL


BRAND OWNED CONTENT

Digitally-led activations are commonplace and sponsors are looking to branded content as a key means of engagement. (72% believe it’s more effective than advertising or PR). We should see an increase in sponsor paid programming in 2016, blending entertainment and advertising to engage consumers. It’s all about providing value (engaging content) rather than just content for the sake of content. e.g. Guinness short films on Ashwin Willemse and Gareth Thomas during the RWC 2015; Oude Meester Tour featuring Idris Elba.

Also relevant here is how to re-work and re-publish content across different devices so that you are part of your audience’s personalised browsing journey.


VIRTUAL REALITY TO BRING FANS CLOSER TO THE ACTION Digital first activations are now the norm and not the exception, but the big movement in this area in 2016 will be the use of virtual reality to bring fans closer to the action and allow them to experience things from an athlete’s perspective. Many sponsors led the way in 2015 activating via leading-edge VR experiences e.g. AIG enabled fans to experience the Haka as if they were on the field facing the All Blacks.


FROM BRAND AMBASSADOR TO DESIGNER More and more celebrities are transitioning from the face of a brand to a partner with considerable influence on products and campaigns.

Stars are playing a role, not only in the design of the sports equipment they use, but also in other areas, most significantly fashion and technology.

Integrating sports stars into sponsorship campaigns and using stars to front sponsorship programmes is expected to grow in 2016.

BUT: Beware the misconception of “influence” and the consumer’s response to influencer posts on social media.


FEMALE SPORTS AND FEMALE SPORTS STARS With female sports growing in popularity and becoming increasingly better organised, more brands are developing meaningful partnerships with women’s events and female sports organisations e.g. Investec & Women’s Hockey; Spar and Netball etc.


ENHANCED FAN AND PARTICIPANT EXPERIENCES

Participants and spectators at events want activities to do and sights to see that will create lasting memories.

COLLABORATIVE ACTIVATIONS

Rights holders are taking a more proactive role in activation and are starting to develop custom-made activation campaigns for sponsors and collaborating with them to co-market the activations. Likewise co-sponsors are creating combined activations that deliver on-brand messaging for both brands and connect with consumers in more engaging ways.


SECTION 2: RIGHTS HOLDERS / EVENT PROMOTERS / HOST CITIES


BIDDING FEES Host cities are becoming less willing to pay bidding fees and are instead looking a for financial partnership with event rights holders. The shared risk-reward model and an equity stake in events are becoming more prevalent every day.

LEGACY PROJECTS Legacy leave-behinds are becoming more important for host venues and rights holders. People are demanding to see a noticeable benefit from events hosted within their community and are pressurising rights holders to create opportunities to broaden the supporter and/or participant base.

A NEW GENERATION OF COMMERCIAL PARTNERS 2016 will see more digital media and marketing partnerships, particularly as social media and messaging platforms try to tie up content agreements with sports properties. Also watch out for increased activity in sponsorship from wearables and fantasy sports brands.


LESS FOCUS ON TRADITIONAL COMMERCIAL STRUCTURES

Tiered sponsorship models (i.e. Gold, Silver, Bronze etc.) are outdated. Sponsorship levels that give sponsors a meaningful choice of ways to achieve their goals will fare much better. The more rights holders help sponsors to interact with their intended audience, the greater will be the sponsorship’s appeal.

CUSTOMISED SPONSORSHIP PACKAGES

Corporate sponsors are less accepting of generic sponsorship packages and are demanding that rights holders understand their objectives and mould the sponsorship opportunity to deliver against these. A standard set of benefits can still serve as a foundation from which to work but there must be room to customise the rights on offer.


USE OF VOLUNTEERS

There is a pending lawsuit in the US filed by a volunteer demanding payment for her work at a sports event. A federal judge has ruled to allow the suit to continue. (The suit is against the owners of a major running series.) The outcome of this case could have a knock-on effect in other markets regarding event owners and their volunteer programmes.


SOCIAL MEDIA EVOLVES

Social media is no longer just for marketing an event in advance. It is an asset for ongoing real time updates. Phones are a fan’s immediate information source and apps have taken over as the printed event guide.

Rights holders are also researching what information its fans find engaging and seeing how best to collaborate with sponsors to improve this experience.

Crucial questions will arise as to who owns the content, where it’s used and how it is monetised.

Also worth noting, although 80% of consumers globally use mobile apps, only 25% are used frequently. Think twice before creating an App around your event unless you can make it compelling.


SECTION 3: CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY


2016 TRENDS IN A NUTSHELL .

2015 proved that responsibility, transparency and purpose are all expectations for the modern company.

In 2016, expect brands to grow even more creative, collaborative and inclusive as their corporate responsibility initiatives come of age.


COLLABORATION CONTINUES TO BE KEY

Most companies understand that a collaborate approach across departments, and even outside of the corporation, is necessary for success. e.g. in the USA, Unilever, Nike, Ikea and GM all joined together against climate change under the WeMeanBusiness coalition.

LONG TERM THINKING

Expect a shift from short-term, disjointed strategies to more comprehensive efforts like “Corporate Signature Programs”. That require a significant, sustained commitment to a certain cause or issue.


Stories have always been an important part of CSI and companies are being increasingly creative with content and platforms to deliver compelling storytelling with great characters, smart design and interactive components that educate and engage consumers and employees who help their companies drive CSR initiatives forward.


LARGER FOCUS ON SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT

With accountability becoming more of a driving force behind consumer behaviour, corporate compliance is expanding to responsibility expectations to 3rd party suppliers. Companies are increasingly choosing to source products and services from suppliers that practice sustainability and responsibility.

DATA

Data will play a big role in philanthropy going forward. Real-time benchmarking information will be used to monitor giving and to plan for further success.


MILLENIALS EMBRACING SOCIAL CAUSES

As millennials enter the workforce they are set on putting social good at the core of the for-profit companies at which they are working which is dismantling the boundaries between business, government and NGO’s and bringing together business and social impact. Millennials are united in wanting to do more than acquire material riches and measure success by their ability to transform the lives of others.


A RISE IN SMALL DONORS

More and more consumers are giving small donations directly to causes they care about via crowdfunding online, bypassing big charities and changing the culture of giving. It’s been termed a “democratisation of giving.”

Facebook recently unveiled a new fundraiser feature that allows users viewing non-profit pages to add these campaigns to their own timelines and promote the causes they care the most about.


With ever higher consumer expectations, how can sponsors continue to raise the bar?

How far can sponsors and rights holders afford to go to create bespoke opportunities for fans?

The real influence of influencers?

When does technology become too invasive?

When do fans and consumers have access to too much data – at what point is it information overload?

THINGS TO PONDER …

THANK YOU

2016 trends in a nutshell · 2016 will see more digital media and marketing partnerships,...

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