The Annual Sponsorship Business Survey 2012 - Sporsora

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1.1 A Brief Overview
IFM Sports Marketing Surveys’ annual research among key players in the global sponsorship business
illustrates that the sponsorship market remains buoyant even in these difficult economic times. It
shows a growing confidence in sponsorship’s ability to deliver excellent returns for all concerned
when the right mix of brand and platform is achieved.
It also, however, identifies some challenges ahead for the profession. Chief among these is the need
to make effective use of social media; the growing importance of community and social
responsibility projects; and the growing need to demonstrate the impact and effectiveness of
sponsorship campaigns.
1.2 The State of the Industry
There is evidence that the sponsorship industry continues to grow.
� 44% of respondents from sponsoring brands say their sponsorship spend in 2011 increased
when compared to 2010; 22% reported a decrease.
� 59% of all respondents reported a real terms increase in sponsorship or no change in real
terms investment in their industry sector in 2011; only 30% reported a real terms reduction.
This splits 61% to 18% among respondents from North America.
� 67% either predict a real terms increase or no change in sponsorship investment in their
industry sector in 2012; only 28% predict a real terms decrease. This sentiment is felt most
strongly in North America where the corresponding figures are 92% and 4%.
� 72% of respondents from our survey believed that community projects are becoming
increasingly important to a brand’s corporate value; only 4% recorded active disagreement.
� 60% saw the importance of researching return on investment as likely to increase within
their organisation; only 3% considered it likely to decrease.
As a result, sponsorship is becoming more integral than ever before to the marketing strategy of
businesses.
� 63% report a growing acknowledgement among businesses that sponsorship needs to sit
centrally within the marketing strategy; only 8% don’t agree that such an acknowledgement
exists.