The Use of Brand Function in Sport Event Sponsorship

The focus for this MProf dissertation is in the field of sport sponsorship. There are four main sections, the first of which provides an introduction and a critical appraisal of the submission's demonstration of achievement of the stated MProf learning outcomes. The next three sections are re-presentations of work that have already been completed and passed at grade 8, as assessments for three of the programme taught modules. The first of these contains a literature review that looks at the development of sport sponsorship research that has produced findings on the importance of sponsorship fit and leveraging. The discussion in this section progresses through to a question as to whether brands that play a functional role within a sponsorship may be more successful than those that do not and might thereby achieve more positive perceptions of the sponsor's brand. The next section provides discussion on possible methodologies for research that look into this area and more specifically whether sponsor/brand function within a sponsorship is an effective approach by which to achieve a strong sponsorship fit. Using two hypotheses the discussion then progresses through to a possible methodology for research that is built in three stages with a mix of both quantitative and qualitative approaches, using surveys and focus groups. As required, the last section contains a practice and development portfolio that provides critical discussion on the author's career development and focus on his work in sport sponsorship.