IEG Convention: Your One Stop Shop for Partnership Knowledge

All who attended the IEG Properties conventions in Chicago had the opportunity to listen to international speakers sharing their experiences in managing sponsorship properties such as events, non-profits, or corporate social responsibility programs. Hundreds of corporate sponsors and beneficiaries participated in this convention to refine their investment strategies in properties and to be more assertive in promoting sponsorship properties. So I share an Extract (E) of the sessions I attended this year and complement them with a brief Analysis (A).

Round Table: Driving Loyalty through Sponsorships by Keisha Kelly Thompson, Director, Sponsorship Programs, Hilton

E. Hilton has the Hilton Honors program with the objective of creating loyalty among the clients, making use of the partnership benefits negotiated with Grammy's property owners and Spotify. Based on market studies, the corporation chose strategic sponsorships and created digital tools to make benefits accessible to Hilton’s clients. They developed a digital event auction system that works using the honors points. In addition, they created a series of exclusive concerts in hotel facilities throughout the world.

A. This sponsorship is known as a marketing partnership; it is not granted on the basis of a cause. Instead, its objective is to secure brand awareness and revenues. A key element of this partnership is that Hilton managed to identify a common interest that transcends regional barriers. In terms of measuring its results, it could be done through questionnaires applied to clients over a prolonged period and monitoring the loyalty program members' tendency to acquire more products and services.

Round Table: Sponsorship in a Digital Age: How to Stay Flexible and Relevant with Digital Content by Amy Potter, Senior Marketing Manager BMO Harris Bank and Megan Grabowski Senior Manager, Corporate Sponsorships, Chicago Bulls

E. BMO Harris Bank chose to strengthen the sponsorship relationship with the Chicago Bulls based on annual corporate objectives. Together they created a digital campaign and a series of activations in the season games. The objective was to increase the level of favorability towards the bank institution through the Chicago Bulls fan base. Among the challenges that the parties faced was modifying the traditional marketing approach of BMO Harris Bank to a more up-to-date one. Another detail was the development of a robust contract that obeyed bank institutions' regulations and was flexible enough to authorize the development of digital marketing efforts. The implementation involved integrating the key representatives of each bank’s department from the beginning and monitoring the behavior of the clients for a period of 3-4 months to measure cross-selling results.

A. In this case, the sponsorship impacts only one region, while BMO Harris Bank has a presence throughout the United States. In other cases, the corporate sponsors have the option to identify a property that impacts all of its markets. In the BMO Harris Bank and Chicago Bulls partnership, the approach will be choosing sports as their principal cause and identifying different properties related to that.

Keynote: Shared Experiences, Brand Relevance: The Keys to Audi’s Sponsorship Success by Loren Angelo, Vice President, Marketing, Audi of America

E. Loren Angelo began the session by explaining that every brand should be able to define itself with a single word and clearly state the corporation’s purpose. Audi has this statement very clear and decided to use it to differentiate their marketing approach based on experience. Their strategy required them to understand their target audience's lifestyle and project their product image based on that. They provoke experiences by hosting events in Hollywood, sponsoring a snow ski team, and establishing an agreement with Airbnb; all properties were strategically chosen keeping in mind the added value they would bring to the brand and its benefits for their customers. The result was an increase in the level of commitment their market had with the Audi brand.

A. In this case, there are different well-chosen types of sponsorships, based on the opportunity they represent to build a story with which their market could identify. Audi preferred not to be associated with a particular cause and requires a defined vision of the brand to maintain orchestrated efforts. This approach is a trend and challenges the traditional paradigm that the brand must choose a cause to strengthen the brand’s identity.

Presentations: Why Stakeholders and Partners Must Increase Their Digital/Content/Media IQ by Andy Wasef, Managing Director, Digital & Consulting Strategy, ESP Properties and Executive Vice President, Business Strategy & Development

E. This session presented an overview of consumer trends in the digital environment, focusing on consumers' consumption time in digital media outlets instead of traditional television programming. The seminar focused on understanding the people's time distribution between digital transmission providers like Netflix, video exchange through YouTube, or direct platforms. Basically, the consumer is inclined to group experiences according to their needs. The challenges rely mostly on measurement tools, advertising fraud, advertising blocking, and brand visibility.

A. The opportunity that a corporation has when sponsoring a property is very powerful when negotiating the implementation of any strategy, especially the digital one. In order to attain great results, the market’s sponsored property must match with the brand’s market. Data like this is very relevant to choose properties in a strategic manner.

The four seminars previously summarized and analyzed are addressed to the sponsors. However, the beneficiaries can study what their partner needs during the property identification process and expectations in a partnership. Also, these insights serve to customize benefits that help strengthen the relationship between the parties; sponsor and beneficiary.

About the author: Cristina Martínez, is a well-rounded Public Relations Professional, specialized in corporate social responsibility, lecturer and special events. Focused on strategies for brand identity through experiential marketing. To contact Cristina write to theprvenue@gmail.com