The contribution of sports sponsorship to consumer-based brand equity

Sponsorship has become a multi-billion dollar industry, with sport accounting for over 70% of expenditure. Despite the growth in the use of sponsorship as a communications tool, the development of academic understanding has been slow and dominated by descriptive studies. Therefore, this study contributes to the growing body of knowledge concerning how sponsorship works, through the application of the theoretical framework of consumer-basedb rand equity to the domain of sports sponsorship.

Following a comprehensive review of the varying conceptualisations put forward in the literature, a four-factor model of consumer-based brand equity was adopted, with the corresponding measurement tool modified, as a result of pilot studies, to fit the sponsorship context.

This study empirically tests the contribution of sports sponsorship to elements of consumer-based brand equity using six sponsored events across three sports. In line with much previous sponsorship research, a quantitative methodology was employed, using a self-administered questionnaire. Responses from spectators exposed to the sponsorship stimuli are contrasted with those from a comparison sample not present at the sporting events.

The results obtained indicate that sports sponsorship is a legitimate communications vehicle for building consumer-based brand equity. Differential results were found for the three sponsoring brands. The findings indicate that, in the case of newly launched brands, sponsorship alone is insufficient to go beyond brand awareness and build brand equity. Several reasons for the different levels of success between sponsors are explored in the thesis, however a dominant theme is the strength of association between the sponsor and the sponsored property.

This thesis has moved forward the level of knowledge concerning the ability of sponsorship to contribute to brand building objectives and, therefore, acts as a springboard for future studies, particularly examining the conditions under which the impact of sponsorship is optimised.