Sponsorship Activation – Technology Firms Use Their Products AS The Activation

B2B marketers have found that their products can be the central idea of a sponsorship activation program. Rather than investing incremental funds into creating a promotion or free standing program, they look back to the brand or product strategy. Rather than just logos in ads or a designation "Official Widget of ..." use of their product within the property or event, provides the brand an authentic association. Smart marketers then have to extract the value from the relationship.

Here are four ideas that can help organize a program of integrating your product as the activation.


1. Appropriate Fit – There must be a clear and logical reason for that product to be associated with that property. IBM’s role with tennis results and the event websites highlights their capabilities in a meaningful way. Atos Origin supports the IOC with logistics, accreditation and distribution of competition results among other IT and software services.

2. Get the Timing Right – Sponsorship properties and events can be a great platform for launching a new product, but that release cycle must coincide with the event calendar. This approach may argue for a shorter term relationship as long term deals may feel stagnant, unless there is product news of interest on a regular basis.

3. Leverage, Leverage, Leverage – Make sure the audiences you care about know what you are doing. Communicate with customers, analysts, investors, sales and distribution channels, employees so they understand and can evangelize. A technology sponsorship is a great platform to create lots of rich content and affords a continuing story. Take advantage of it!

4. Fair Value Exchange – When the property has a genuine need for your product, the opportunity is high to reduce the overall cash component of the deal. This means where budget relief can be achieved through the relationship, value in kind can be swapped in lieu of cash. One word of caution, this doesn’t mean you can throw in all the bells and whistles you want to showcase and the property doesn’t need!