Sponsorship Strategist

A Farewell to Michael Jackson

What a surreal notion, that Michael Jackson's young life would come to an end yesterday. In London, a flash mob celebrates his life. The power of events. Embedded video from CNN Video Read more →

ANSA/NANASP Conference in Atlanta

If you're heading to the Association of Nutrition Services Agencies (ANSA)/National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs (NANASP) conference in Atlanta, don't miss my session tomorrow afternoon, entitled Partnering with Corporations: Five Strategies to Increase Sponsorship Income. Read more →

Bailouts & Politics: An Update

If you've been following the news in recent months or participated in my May teleseminar, Bailouts & Politics: The Effects on Sponsorship and What it Means for You, you know that TARP participant Northern Trust Bank's sponsorship of a PGA Golf Tournament in February (unfortunately timed in the middle of economic mayhem) set off a firestorm politically and in the media. As an update, you may want to take a look at this article about the effects on golf sponsorship. My forthcoming guidebook, How to Jump-start Your Sponsorship Strategy in Tough Times, provides an overview of the Northern Trust event... Read more →

The Vital Role of Sponsors

Here's a tender reminder of a vital role businesses play in our communities. Read more →

New Markets for Sponsorship Prospects

In my forthcoming monograph, entitled How to Jump-start Your Sponsorship Strategy in Tough Times, available next month, I recommend cultivating small and medium-sized businesses – among other ideas – as sponsorship prospects. Smaller businesses have just as much to gain from marketing-driven corporate sponsorship as Fortune 500 companies, and smarter sponsorship strategists will understand the benefit of educating and cultivating these potential partners. Take a look at which companies festivals in Milwaukee are working with. Does this give you any ideas? Read more →

Strive to integrate

Strive to integrate your two brands into your sponsorship opportunities. Here's a great example of what I mean. Lincoln Center has partnered with The Wall Street Journal to present Summer Scoops Live with The Wall Street Journal. It works extremely well because: The name of the series relates to both brands' strengths. The visual identity of this series incorporates The Wall Street Journal's trademark use of line drawings, rather than photos, to illustrate the text. Most importantly, the series enriches the audience members' experiences of either Lincoln Center's programming – several events preview upcoming events at Lincoln Center – or... Read more →

Preserve your sponsorship value

Whether you're on the buying or selling side of the sponsorship table, it is in your best interest to negotiate your sponsorship program based on value. Otherwise, this is how your discussion goes. Read more →

Imagine what you can

It worked for Radiohead. And apparently it's working for Ireland's Street Performance World Championship. That is the pay-what-you-can business model. Is this a recommended business model or strategy for your event or festival? I can't say. But, I will say that now is the time for more creativity, not less. To be more resourceful. To let your imagination run free to see what it comes up with. Look what this economy is doing for artists. Read more →