Coca Cola reportedly spent US$31 million to sponsor FIFA
The importance of understanding the difference between the three was expressed in our last Sport Marketing class. Sponsorship is never patronage or charity. It must be a mutually beneficial agreement in which both parties achieve objectives through developing the relationship. It seems common for many organisations and/or individuals who are looking to be ‘sponsored’ to fail to recognise the difference between the three different forms of aid, and in doing so overlook the provision of benefits to the sponsoring organisation. Just to be precisely clear, the definitions for each are below;
Sponsorship; the provision of resources (e.g. money, people, equipment) by an organisation directly to an event, cause or activity in exchange for a direct association (link) to the event, cause or activity. The providing organisation can then engage in sponsorship-linked marketing to achieve either their corporate, marketing or media objectives.
Patronage; the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows to another.
Charity; the voluntary giving of help, typically in the form of money, to those in need.
Sarah Francis 