What Do We Want to Be When We Grow Up?
Posted: 6/17/2009 4:27:41 PM by
Diane Knoepke | with 0 comments
I listen to so much discourse about the evolution of sponsorship and how it has—and has not—come into its own. From a [official] status symbol to an agent of [financial, societal, experiential] change, the medium continues to mature to reflect the thinking of a new day.
Yet, in years, sponsorship is a relatively immature medium, so what do we want sponsorship to be when it grows up? Should we worry that it will lose its youthful energy? Or do we look forward to the day when it puts away childish things, such as those elements that allow sponsor and property a moment of shared swagger but drive no value for the audience?
I am working with groups and companies in a number of sponsorship sectors right now that are actively, vocally trying to figure out what's next.
- Municipalities are figuring out how to be recognized as opportunities that reach beyond vending, while keeping the politics at bay long enough to make a deal that delivers for the people and the sponsor.
- Pharmaceutical companies and healthcare groups are trying to find a shared purpose that will allow them to have worthwhile exchange and leave behind the baggage of hyper-commercialism and “pay-to-play” stereotypes.
- Hospitals’ (non-children’s) marketing teams are deciding whether they want to continue to sponsor sports teams and community events. And in another area of the hospital, they are deciding whether they want to be sponsorable, and how to reconcile it if they plant their feet on both sides of the fence.
- I wrote about malls a few weeks back and my fellow blogger Dan Kowitz wrote about the future relevance of cause marketing. The malls are still trying to come into their own, while causes try to find approaches that keep their proven platform fresh.
Such a time of flux—my Pollyanna side is excited about the possibilities, while the Eeyore in me is concerned about the potential some of these kids might leave on the table.
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Filed under: government/municipal, hospitals and healthcare, malls/developments, medical societies, nonprofit, what is sponsorship, cause marketing