Latest Thinking from IEG

What We Can Learn From UEFA Champions League Sponsorship
With the 2013 UEFA Champions League finals on tap for Saturday, I looked into how various sponsors are activating and why UCL remains such an appealing partnership opportunity for brands.

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Filed under: beer, financial services, international, social media, sponsorship strategy, sports, activation

In the Wake of Boston Tragedy, Sponsors and Properties Discuss What’s Next
Although the twin bombings at the Boston Marathon have already had a significant impact on marathons and other types of events—namely increased security—most sponsorship veterans expect the incident to have little impact on sponsorship spending in the endurance sports space

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Filed under: events, marathon, sports, venues, cause marketing

As Cities Turn Away Mega Events, What Will Sponsors Do?
Following news last week that residents of Vienna resoundingly rejected the city’s plan to bid for the 2028 Olympic Games, I had an interesting discussion with my colleague John Kristick, global CEO of GroupM ESP. John is well qualified to discuss this issue, having been the managing director of the U.S. bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

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Filed under: international, olympics, sports, events

Are Bowl Game Sponsorships Good Investments?
To answer the question of whether a brand should become a sponsor of a college bowl game, you have to first make the distinction between title sponsors and other levels of partnership.

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Filed under: sponsorship strategy, sports, valuation, bowl games

Musical Airline Sponsorships in Barcelona
Turkish Airlines, a “Premium Partner” of FC Barcelona since January 2010, is being displaced by a change in the club’s shirt sponsor.

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Filed under: contracts, endorsements, international, negotiating, pro sports, servicing, spending, sponsorship strategy, sports, backlash

Sponsors Can’t Afford To Be Bystanders When Controversy Strikes
My WPP colleague Rob Norman has written a timely piece entitled “Is NFL Brand Safe?” which you can read at MediaBizBloggers.com.

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Filed under: pro sports, sponsorship strategy, sports, trends, backlash

Missed Opportunity for McDonald’s
You would think the marketing team at McDonald’s USA would have learned something from the backlash the Golden Arches suffered from its sponsorship presence at last summer’s London Olympic Games.

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Filed under: backlash, pro sports, restaurant, sponsorship strategy, sports, activation

U.S. Congress Launches another Misguided Attack on Sponsorship
For the second year in a row, U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum (D.-Minn.) has added an amendment to the defense appropriations bill that would prohibit the U.S. armed forces from spending any money to sponsor sports. The entire bill, including the amendment, was approved by the House Appropriations Committee yesterday, as reported in USA Today.

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Filed under: government/municipal, legislation, NASCAR, sports, backlash

Kodak Sponsorships: What’s The Real Story?
After getting judicial permission to drop its Kodak Theatre partnership a few weeks ago, Eastman Kodak Co. filed court papers last Tuesday to also dump its PGA Tour sponsorship.

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Filed under: sponsorship ROI, sports, pro sports

Sponsorship Issues: Are Recent Government Moves Protection Or Interference?
Two developments within the last month raise some fascinating questions over the involvement of government in the affairs of private rightsholders and their partnerships.

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Filed under: Canada, government/municipal, IEG conference, legislation, pro sports, sports, telecommunications, trends, ambush marketing