When brands think about brand sponsorship marketing, it’s easy to focus on an event itself. But the most successful sponsorships don’t begin and end on the day. With the right planning, a single sponsorship can generate PR, social media content, photography and stories that continue long after the crowds have gone home.
At Hungry Communications, we believe great brand sponsorship marketing is about much more than putting your logo on a banner and getting a post up on social media. It’s about creating meaningful moments that connect with your audience and making sure every opportunity works as hard as possible for your brand.
A recent example is our work with JAZZ™ Apple, which returned for its fifth year as a sponsor of the Bournemouth Pier to Pier Swim in support of the British Heart Foundation. Thousands of swimmers took part in the event, with JAZZ™ Apples on hand to help participants refuel after crossing the finish line.
The event itself was a fantastic success, but also highlights what makes an effective sponsorship campaign.
Why brand sponsorship marketing starts with the right fit
JAZZ™ Apple champions healthy, active lifestyles and making movement part of your everyday. That meant the Bournemouth Pier to Pier Swim was the perfect partnership. Rather than simply giving out apples, JAZZ™ were supporting an event that reflects its values while offering something genuinely useful to participants at exactly the right moment.
People are far more likely to engage with a brand when it feels like a natural part of the experience, rather than an interruption.
Think beyond the event
A successful event should never be a one-day marketing opportunity.
With a little forward planning, one sponsorship can create content and stories that continue to support your marketing long after the event has finished.
That might include:
- PR coverage before and after the event
- Photography for future campaigns
- Social media content
- Website and blog content (hello!)
- Retailer and trade communications
- Email newsletters
So don’t view these as separate activities, they should all be part of the same campaign.
Every event has a story to tell
One of the biggest opportunities brands miss is storytelling and it’s the part we love most about PR and Marketing.
Before an event even begins, we ask questions like:
- What’s the story here?
- Why will people care?
- What images do we need?
- How can we keep talking about this after the event?
- What will make us stand out?
Planning these answers in advance means every event delivers far more than a few social media posts. It becomes an opportunity to build brand awareness, strengthen relationships with customers and generate content that can be used across multiple channels.
Making your sponsorship marketing work harder
Sponsorships require time, budget and commitment, so it’s important to maximise their value.
Rather than treating an event as a standalone activity, we look at how every element can contribute to a wider communications campaign. A single activation can support PR, social media, websites, email marketing and future campaigns, helping brands get more from the investment they’ve already made.
That’s exactly why integrated campaigns continue to deliver stronger results than isolated marketing activity.
Looking beyond the finish line
The Bournemouth Pier to Pier Swim is a great example of how the right partnership can become much more than event sponsorship.
By choosing an event that aligns with the brand, planning content around the experience and creating opportunities for ongoing storytelling, JAZZ™ Apple was able to support an important charity event while building positive engagement with thousands of participants.
At Hungry Communications, that’s how we approach sponsorship marketing. We don’t just think about the event itself. We think about everything that comes before it, everything that happens on the day, and all the opportunities that follow.
Because the best sponsorships don’t stop at the finish line.
Planning a sponsorship or brand activation? We’d love to help you turn it into a campaign that keeps delivering long after the event is over. Get in touch with the Hungry Communications team to find out more.
Hannah