The Importance of Getting a Sportswear Brand to Sponsor a Local Event
Sports sponsorship is everyone, from massive events like the football World Cup to smaller-scale tournaments that take place in local communities. It comes as no surprise that companies in the sports industry love to sponsor major and minor events. It is easy to see why multinational companies like Nike and Adidas allocate big budgets to their sponsorship departments. But what effect does it have on smaller companies?
Increase Brand Awareness – One of the main reasons why so many sportswear companies sponsor local events is to build brand awareness in the community. This is especially important if they are a new business or if the company is trying to enter a new market. If a company is bringing out a new line of running clothes, they’ll jump at the chance to become involved in a local charity 5k run. Everyone SME started somewhere; they didn’t just emerge as industry leaders. When a sportswear company shows commitment to local talent, they win fans all over the country. This builds the brand and helps it grow.
Brand Engagement – This strategy applies more to local events than global shows. Any sporting event, even local, gives a sportswear company the chance to engage with fans and attract new ones. It allows a company representative to strengthen brand to brand relations and provide incentives for people to try their product or service. Even a small or medium sized enterprise can promote their brand on a small budget by sponsoring and getting involved in local community events. If the company trades locally, there is no better way to build awareness than to target local fitness, wellness, sports, or health events. Sponsoring local events gives a company the opportunity to interact with customers and teach them more about their brand.
Visible Support Strengthens Brand Loyalty – When sportswear brands sponsor local events, it helps to build brand loyalty. Customers like to see companies that care about the local community and go out of their way to get involved in grassroots competitions and events. By being present, they get to strengthen brand loyalty through visible support and association. Local events benefit from being sponsored which helps them to lower their expenses, while sportswear brands get the chance to show off their products and support a chosen sport or local athlete.
CSR Programmes – CSR (corporate social responsibility) programmes are designed to give back to the community and you don’t have to be a global leader to get involved. There are many ways to get local supplier of sports clothing and other equipment to sponsor a local event. One way is to appeal to their CSR programme. Many sports clothing lines sponsor local events that are in aid of charity.
There are many good reasons to approach sportswear companies to sponsor a local event. Sports sponsorship tends to benefit both parties involved. The sportswear company gets to increase brand awareness, strengthen brand loyalty, increase brand engagement, and give back to the community. While the event gets recognition and sponsorship helps to lower their expense.
