There’s a very interesting opinion piece in Marketing Magazine on this very subject. Executives at four leading marketing agencies were asked: Is using the fanbase a good way for brands to associate with sport?
The answers were varied: Two maybes, one yes and one no.
Here are some good pull-quotes from the article that sum up the sentiment fairly well. First, from Paul Vaughan, business operations director, Rugby Football Union, who said “maybe”:
Brands that want to reach a fanbase have to find the right way of doing it and pass the fan-cynicism test. Fans are smart and can see through brands that are out to exploit. However, research also shows that fans have a greater propensity to buy a brand if that brand invests in their passion.
Coming in with a “yes” vote was Scott Garrett, Director at Synergy Sponsorship. His reasoning is that transparency is key to gaining the trust of “unofficial” organisations:
Any form of brand association must be sense-checked for brand fit. If there’s even the slightest sense of a brand trying to shoehorn its way into fans’ psyches or leverage legit imate passions, the informal networks that sponsors seek to exploit, will turn against them with alarming alacrity.
The lone “no” vote” came from Chris Townsend, Commercial Director at LOCOG (The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games), who argues that brand alliances is a legal grey area and runs the risk of cheapening exclusivity agreements:
[T]here is a thin line between innovative and illegal. Brands pay millions of pounds to be officially and exclusively linked to sporting events – without our sponsors, for example, Lon don 2012 simply would not happen. Choosing an unofficial route brings significant risks; while the marketing department sees a cheap and easy means of exposure, the legal department could be bracing itself for a busy time.
This is a tough subject because, as Paul Vaughan pointed out, sport fans are a fervent lot when it comes to their home squad. For marketing purposes, that’s a very desirable group to be aligned with. The “unofficial” group will seek out the validation of being aligned with an official sponsor, however they’re less likely to take on the marketing and advertising responsibilities.
As always, transparency is key. Scott Garrett nailed it when he pointed out that fans can turn the tides very quickly if they feel that they’re being taken advantage of. If there’s transparency in the agreement, brands are less likely to experience a harsh backlash.