Memory Effects of Different Relational Links between Brands and Sponsored Events

Sport sponsorship is an important marketing communication tool, and stakes in sponsorship deals are high. Therefore, sponsors strive to ensure that their investments are effective and protected from competitors—that is, ambusher marketers’ attacks. Still, little is known about how ambush marketing affects sponsor identification and misidentification of ambushers as sponsors. This study investigates levels of sponsor and ambusher identification in three experimental settings, controlling for the presence/absence of an ambusher, communication modality, and response formats. A field study in the context of a large sports event demonstrates the external validity of the findings. The results provide evidence of a nondestructive interference of ambush marketing, indicating that ambush marketing does not necessarily harm sponsor identification. Misidentification of nonsponsors as sponsors occurs because of the indirect link established between the event and the company through ambush marketing, but not as a consequence of other communication activities by a competitor with no link to the event. Finally, a combined sponsor–ambusher perspective indicates that sponsors do not necessarily have a consistent “official sponsor” advantage over ambushers. Findings are discussed with emphasis on implications for sponsors, ambushers, and marketing researchers.     

Ambush marketing: Is confusion to blame for the flickering of the flame?

Previous studies about the use of ambush marketing during major global sports events like the Olympics concentrated on the battle between ambush marketers versus official sponsors, and their success or failure to create a high level of recall or recognition. Almost no attention has been paid to the role event organizers are playing in this battle. This article presents the view that the Olympic event organizers are partially to blame for the growing use of ambush marketing, and the indifference that consumers exhibit to the use of ambush marketing. Data collected from a random sample of 1,500 consumers following the conclusion of the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games reveal that consumers exhibit a lack of knowledge and confusion about the rights of official sponsors, the different levels of sponsorship, and the commitment to the event that is associated with each sponsorship level. Furthermore, the results demonstrate consumers' apathy to the use of ambush marketing. Some implications and actions that event organizers should take to improve consumer knowledge about the role of sponsors and to increase consumer public opinion against ambushers are suggested. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

The legal and practical prevention of ambush marketing in sports

Ambush marketing has emerged in recent years as an effective, if controversial, weapon in the arsenal of marketing departments seeking to associate themselves with sports events without the official authorization or endorsement of the event organizer. This article highlights the dangers posed by ambush marketing to owners of commercial rights in these events and examines the legal mechanisms available to prevent and minimize the likelihood of suffering damage to marketing campaigns by third-party ambush tactics. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

A Cross-Cultural Investigation of the Ethical Dimensions of Alcohol and Tobacco Sports Sponsorships

While the sport industry has grown into a multi-billion dollar international business with unique ethical concerns, there is little empirical research examining the ethics involved in sport sponsorships, especially sponsorship of alcohol and tobacco brands. This study investigates the potential influence of culture and gender on future practitioners' willingness to work in the tobacco and alcohol sport sponsorship areas. The nature of the relationship between sports, alcohol and tobacco is reviewed, along with past research on variables noted to influence ethical decision making. Three hypotheses are investigated for differences between American and Australian students. A cultural difference in ethical perceptions is supported, while gender differences are not significant. The implications of these findings are discussed, along with the study's limitations and future directions for ethics research in sport marketing.     

The implications of recency and gender effects in consumer response to ambush marketing

So-called ambush marketers, are companies that use clever advertising imagery (and/or ad placement) to link their brand(s) with a major event, in the minds of its audience, without having to purchase the expensive rights fees that event properties often charge for official sponsorship status. This study uses an experimental design to explore certain effects of the ambush marketing strategy. Its focus is on the potential impact of recency (of ad exposure), as well as gender differences, on measures of memory, brand attitude, and behavioral intentions for brands perceived to be official sponsors. Respondents (n-215) were randomly assigned to groups viewing Olympics programming intercut with advertising for either official sponsors or ambush marketers. No statistically significant differences are observed between males and females in their pretest sponsor recall or recognition levels, whereas recency of ad exposure is found to be a significant influence on posttest sponsor awareness in the aggregate. Significant gender differences are detected, however, in attitude toward the brand and purchase intentions for two of three product categories investigated, as females have higher mean scores for those two measures. The implications of these results are discussed and followed by recommendations for event promoters seeking to preserve the value of event sponsorships, along with defensive advertising-strategies to protect the investments of their official sponsors. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Are sports sponsorship announcements good news for shareholders? A meta-analysis

The number of studies on the marketing–finance interface has escalated in response to increased interest in the value of marketing investments, such as sports sponsorship. This study integrates current research findings and establishes empirical generalizations on how sports sponsorship announcements impact firm value. The empirical literature finds contradicting results on the value shareholders place on these marketing investments. This paper addresses this issue by undertaking a meta-analysis on stock reactions to sport sponsorship announcements, using 3192 of these announcements taken from 36 studies (41 samples). On aggregate, these announcements drew the attention of shareholders since there was a positive and significant cumulative abnormal return (CAR). However, this positive effect was mostly observed in the 1990s and became negative in the 2000s. Overall, shareholders viewed sports sponsorship investments favorably when there was a functional and geographical congruence between sponsors and sponsees. This paper also shows that the differences in the CAR can be explained by controlling for confounding events and host country. The paper concludes by providing potential avenues for further research in sports sponsorship, using the event study method.     

Event sponsorship and ambush marketing: Lessons from the Beijing Olympics

Sponsorship of large sporting and cultural events has become a major marketing communication tool, particularly when firms obtain exclusive rights and garner the hype associated with this honor. Concomitantly, ambush marketing—defined as attempts by competitors to exploit the event—has also increased in prominence. This article outlines what is known as the Li Ning affair, whereby major Olympic sponsor Adidas was ambushed by lesser-known Chinese sportswear company Li Ning, whose namesake founder was the most decorated Chinese Olympian and who lit the Olympic flame at the 2008 Beijing Olympiad. Data collected immediately following the closing of the Beijing Games isolates what we call the Li Ning effect—or, being incorrectly identified as an official sponsor—and the positive effects this has on measures of brand attitude and recommendation likelihood. As presented herein, seven lessons about ambush marketing can be derived from the Li Ning affair, which sponsors and those considering sponsorship opportunity might wish to learn.     

Ambush Marketing Revisited

Corporate sponso~ship of events has become a multi-bil- lion War promotional enteqnise. Some companies have sought methods of gaining the benefits of official spansorship while subvdng the esca- lating s m h i p fees charged by most major events. This approach has come to be known as ambush marketing. One event that is a traditional target for ambushers is the Olympic Games. Ambush marketers have found that by purchasing large amounts of advertising during these events they enjoy as much (or more) brand awareness as official sponsors incur- ring much greater costs. The results of this experimental study shed light on existing sponsorship questions, partic+rly ambush marketing in the Olympic context. Among the key finbgs are that coIlsumers seem unable to distinguish between official and ambush sponciors. This confu- sion has implications in terms of attibdinal measures, as study data indicate that sponsors rarely gain oompetitive advantage here, either. Measures of purchase intention also indicate that ambushers consistently do as well, or ktlw, than official sponsors.     

Consumer Attitudes toward Sponsors’ Counterambush Marketing Ads

Since the existing measures to prevent ambush marketing are widely ineffective, sponsors can use countercommunications, a public response to an ambushing attempt that aims to strengthen their own brand, relative to the ambusher. This research examines consumer responses to three types of counterambush marketing ads: humorous complaining, naming and shaming, and consumer education. Three experimental studies using both real and fictitious brands as well as different event settings indicate that a humorous counterad (vs. naming and shaming and consumer education counterads) results in more favorable consumer evaluations of the countermessage. The studies also show that perceptions of the advertising tactic's appropriateness mediate these effects and that a humorous counterad is only advantageous when consumers hold positive (vs. negative) attitudes toward the practice of ambush marketing. In addition, comparing the three types of counterads with a common sponsorship leveraging ad suggests that a humorous counterad and simply ignoring the ambusher produce equal perceptions of tactical appropriateness and similar positive indirect effects on consumer attitudes toward the ad. The studies thus provide implications for how sponsors can respond to ambushers.     

Ambush marketing: The undeserved advantage

The Olympic Games, as the world's largest and most prestigious sports event, has been a major target for ambush marketing activity. The position of the International Olympic Committee is that the practice of ambush marketing represents a deliberate attempt to mislead consumers into believing that the companies involved are supporters of the Olympic Games. The opposite is in fact the case. The activities of ambushers erode the integrity of major events and may potentially lessen the benefits to official sponsors, who are the real supporters of such events. Ambush marketing breaches one of the fundamental tenets of business activity, namely, truth in advertising and business communications. The IOC, as custodian of the Olympic Games, successfully adopts a twofold strategy of protection and prevention to counter the threat of ambush marketing. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Consumer Interests and the Ethical Implications of Marketing: A Contingency Framework

The increasing efforts by marketers to target diverse groups of consumers call for a closer examination of the ethical implications of market segmentation and differentiated marketing. Previous research suggests that marketers and consumers often differ in their perceptions of marketing ethics. Based on contingency theory, this research proposes an integrated framework—which includes the nature of the product, consumer characteristics, and market selection—to analyze the ethical complexities of the marketing exchange. Interactions among these factors lead to various contingencies with different ethical implications for marketing managers and public policy makers. Marketers should assess consumer interests and the ethics of marketing programs before their implementation     

A Code of Ethics for Social Marketing? Bridging Procedural Ethics and Ethics-in-Practice

We consider the role of codes of ethics in social marketing, distinguishing between “procedural ethics” and “ethics-in-practice” (after Guillemin & Gillam, 2004). We review foundations for “procedural ethics”—formal systems for ethical oversight—including moral and political philosophy, existing codes of ethics, and previous proposals for codes of ethics for social marketing. We then discuss “ethics-in-practice,” the ethical dimensions of the small moments that comprise everyday life. We connect this idea to Aristotle’s concept of phronesis, the practical wisdom to respond in just the right way to particular situations. Supporting the ethical practice of social marketing will require both procedural ethics and ethics-in-practice, iteratively related to one another. We conclude with three tasks for the profession: (1) develop and apply norms, standards, and sanctions; (2) develop formal, procedural ethics, in a just way (e.g., codes of ethics); and (3) support social marketers to develop ethics-in-practice, or phronesis.     

The Effect of Sport Sponsorship Programs of Various Sport Events on Stock Price Behavior During a Sport Event

This paper examines sporting event's spillover effect to investor's behavior through event study analysis using the GARCH (p,q) model, focusing on the stock price effects of a sport sponsorship program during and after a sporting event. Studying stock price behavior during a sporting event is attempted for the first time in the marketing and sponsorship literature. First, we provide some summary points from the review of 40 research works and interpretive claims, based on a conceptual and theoretical framework. Second, we consider daily stock returns of 28 listed companies that have sponsored 15 major sports events during the period 2000–2009, in order to examine the effect of major sporting events on sponsors’ stock returns and volatility. The three research hypotheses are supported. Research results show that stock returns and volatility changed significantly during and after the sporting event compared to pre-event period. Results show that stock price effects caused by sports events’ sponsorship programs are firm-specific, as well as sporting event-specific. The findings of this study are of high value for promotion managers as it allows them to become more critically aware of the practical wisdom of sporting events.     

Arts Sponsorship Versus Sports Sponsorship: Which Is Better for Marketing Strategy?

This paper identifies the distinctive features of nonprofit arts sponsorship relative to profit driven sports sponsorship and shows that although arts sponsorship has been little researched, it is a potentially important means of marketing. The methodology employed was a literature review on sponsorship that attempted to distinguish arts sponsorship from sports sponsorship. Then, we present the findings from 23 in-depth interviews with arts sponsee managers, to reveal how they see themselves (as sponsees) being differentiated from sports sponsees. The literature and interview findings are brought together in a discussion that highlights the differences between arts sponsorship and sports sponsorship in terms of target audience, the relationship cost/benefit, range of emotions elicited, awareness, marketing metrics, goodwill, and learning potential. Finally, suggestions are made for future research.     

UK Sports Sponsorship: Fair Play or Foul?

Sport sponsorship is a growth area which is under-researched yet which displays opportunities and threats for both sponsor and sport, as well as having important ethical implications. If sponsorship funding is to be attracted, sports need to supply evidence of the opportunities for sponsors; yet "sport also needs to ensure that the negative aspects of sponsorship are reduced and the positive encouraged." Marylyn Carrigan has a background in banking and export marketing and is currently Lecturer in Marketing and International Marketing at the Business School, The University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, England, where she also researches the areas of Corporate Philanthropy and Sport and Leisure Marketing. Her husband worked in industry before graduating in Sports Studies and Business, and currently works as a Youth Worker for the City of Birmingham Department of Leisure and Community Services with research interests in Sport and the 50+ leisure market.     

The Links Between Objectives and Function in Organizational Sponsorship

This paper presents the results of a postal survey of 54 large companies who use some form of sponsorship in the UK. The main purpose was to examine the links between the objectives of sponsorship, and the main types of sponsored activity and to achieve an insight into which organizational functions are responsible. The results indicate that functional objectives for sponsorship generally differ, and that this is reflected in the choice of sponsorship activity. However, the primacy of the corporate image objective is manifest. The number of arts and sports events sponsored are about the same for all organizations, but arts sponsorship is mainly a public relations activity. The marketing function is most concerned with sports sponsorship. Community sponsorship is still commercially unimportant.     

奥运赞助商北京奥运会赞助营销效果实证研究

2008年北京奥运会带动了体育赞助营销在中国的迅速发展。奥运赞助对企业来说，是巨大的投入。奥运赞助的效果究竟如何，在现有的营销研究中鲜有涉及。本文介绍了笔者和益普索（Ipsos）公司的研究人员共同进行的企业奥运赞助营销实证研究。通过调查数据的采集和分析，我们发现，消费者并不能有效区分奥运赞助商和非奥运赞助商，但是奥运赞助有助于提高企业及其品牌的形象，增强消费者对其产品和服务的购买意愿。     

“排”不掉的“他”：企业赞助溢出效应研究

通过排他条款保护赞助权益是赞助商最为关注的问题,但是排他条款难以实现赞助商独占赞助权益却是无法回避的现实问题。文章在赞助研究领域引入溢出效应理论,研究企业赞助对竞争品牌溢出效应的形成机制。结果表明,品牌进行赞助时,可能产生溢出效应,改变消费者对竞争品牌的评价;同时,与事件质量较低时相比,事件质量较高时,赞助事件质量对竞争品牌的溢出效应更大;另外,与赞助企业代表性较高时相比,赞助企业代表性较低时,赞助事件质量对竞争品牌产生的溢出效应影响更大。文章从溢出效应的角度拓展了企业赞助理论,回答了排他条款难以“排他”的理论机理,对企业开展赞助营销实践具有理论借鉴。     

Personal Characteristics Underlying Ethical Decisions in Marketing Situations: A Survey of Small Business Managers*

This study analyzes the marketing ethics decision‐making process of small business managers. In particular, it examines the relative influences of ethical perceptions, personal moral philosophies, and gender on ethical intentions of small business managers. The sample of this study consists of professional members of the American Marketing Association working in companies with 500 employees or fewer. The results reveal that perceived ethical problem is a positive factor of a small business manager's ethical intention. The results generally support our hypothesis that female managers tend to be more ethical in their intention than their male counterparts. However, the results indicate that neither dimension of personal moral philosophy—idealism and relativism—is a significant predictor of a manager's ethical intention.     

Corporate codes of ethics and sales force behavior: A case study

A growing public concern regarding ethical business conduct has stimulated marketing research in the ethics area. This study is the first empirical research to investigate the relationship between a code of ethics and sales force behavior. The findings present preliminary evidence that a well communicated code of ethics may be related to ethical sales force behavior. Furthermore, it appears that a sales force that is employed in such an environment can be profiled as being relatively high in job performance and receiving equally high satisfaction from their positions. Suggestions are made for future research and recommendations are offered for marketing practitioners.