Free Marketing Communication: Sponsorship At Get Fit Now Essay Example

Introduction

First and foremost, sponsorship refers to a two way equally beneficial strategic alliance between the organisation being sponsored and the sponsor. As such sponsorship works on the primary objective that association extensively impacts on the image and the sponsor may undertake an exchange of goods and services towards a reasonable return for the evident sponsorship. Thus, within the dynamic business environment the partners that may be sponsored may include charities, TV programs, events and teams. Furthermore, sponsorship has become an investment in which an organisation can exploit towards ensuring a heightened public awareness. Organisations are constantly exploiting the idea of sponsorship towards value addition to the investment undertaken. Accordingly, the sustenance of rational outcomes from the sponsorship approach, it has become essential that organisations cultivate effective approaches towards sponsorship deals and events. Thus, from the evaluation of the various issues that denote sponsorship, it is necessary to evaluate the diverse aspects that circumvent sponsorship as per the case questions. Hence, as the marketing director at Get Fit Now, this paper will examine sponsorship and how it is becoming a plausible tool as compared to advertising as a tool towards ensuring public awareness.

Industry brief: analysis of sponsorship in marketing communications

First and foremost, many businesses are becoming concerned about the evident value emanating from the traditional forms of marketing. Furthermore, the technological advancement has resulted into an explosion of marketing possibilities with the imperative use of the marketing approach has been advisable towards ensuring commercial gain and public awareness. Sponsorship is being viewed as a likely alternative and often cheaper tool towards gaining exposure and avoiding disorders (Tosh, 1998, p22). Also, allowing a sufficiently distinctive message and communication within the consumer market. Thus sponsorship is increasingly becoming a cost effective approach towards ensuring effective customer awareness. Thus, as an effective tool towards proper marketing, there are diverse forms of sponsorship that an organization can incorporate. In regards to the diverse analysis the main types of sponsorship include:

Sports sponsorship

Sports sponsorship entails the distribution of resources by a business within a direct mandate to a sponsee towards enabling the sponsee to undertake some activity. Participation of the sponsee within a given activity, thus, during the participation in the given activity an individual has to meet the contractual obligations set forth. As such, the expressions within the contract indicate a clear description of the details pertaining to the contract and the representation of the organization (Allen 2010 p1). As a clear example, sports kits within giant organizations such as Adidas present sports equipment’s that are highly expensive to the diverse sponsees to the MTN academy soccer. Through the sponsorship, the individuals within the academy have to wear their products and ensure that a more advertising mandate is evident.

Program sponsorship

Television program sponsorship denotes or is normally used in delivering engaging content within a collaborative mandate with the brands and organizations. With the evident concept of outdoor TV, programmer sponsorship can be inculcated in diverse ways towards associating the brand or organization with a given programme towards delivering a given programme or TV version. Program sponsorship as per the diverse pundits entails putting organizations within an immediate aspect on the side of the viewer due to the other organizations that provide similar viewership (Schmitz et al., 2009, p256). As such, the notion of loyalty and support are the fundamental aspects within the sponsorship mandate.

Educational sponsorship

Educational sponsorship can take several forms. As such, the fundamental basis of the educational sponsorship denotes provision of funding towards helping of individuals to further or pay for their education. The evident aspects that avoid the educational sponsorship denote a more emphasis on provision of support as opposed to generation of public awareness or as a marketing approach (Amis, 2009, p256). Thus, as a clear example, an institution such as MIT can provide the best performing institute towards the payment of fees. Through the approach towards payment of fees, a plausible approach towards the maximization of individual potential is evident. Thus, from the above evaluation of the types of sponsorship, the diverse levels and forms of sponsorships that companies such as Get Fit Now can inculcate include:

Sponsorship of individuals

Sponsorship of individuals denotes the use of particular sports personalities has become a highly popular form of arrangement among the diverse large organizations. As such, within the individual sponsorship approach, the performer is paid a given fee to endorse a given product or service (Allen 2010 p1). As a clear example, individuals such as Tiger Woods’ are paid to endorse Rolex. Individuals such as tiger woods should wear the watch and appear in the diverse advertisements by the organizations.

Other kinds of sponsorships

Other opportunities have been evident towards embracing the corporate sponsors denote the art and entertainment sponsorship which include award ceremonies and so forth. As a clear example, coca cola can be the official sponsor of the VMA awards. The inculcation of the sponsorship approach is highly advisable since it generates a wider scale of public awareness in regards to the give organization (Amis, 2009, p272). The inculcation of the arts and entertainment sponsorship approach generates more awareness due to the level of public reach.

Thus, from the above evaluation the main levels of sponsorship are:

Official sponsorship
In events such as Olympic events, the evident individuals can be termed as the official sponsors. Official sponsorship denotes the sole right towards the contractual obligations. The contractual obligation pertaining to the official sponsorship entails making financial funding to the diverse activities within the event (Slack & Anselmi 2009 p92).

Use case studies and practitioners on how the topic is being used by other companies

The concept of sponsorship has become an effective aspect towards sustainable and profitable outcome within the organizational performance and profitability. Accordingly, from the evaluation of coca cola and Ford, the investment into sponsorship programs has become a tool towards sustenance of profitability and public awareness. As the first organization of evaluation, coca cola has been embarking on an in-depth investment into sponsorship programs. One of the most famous competitive rivalries in the sponsorship avenue has been between Pepsi and coca cola (Amis, 2009, p261). As such, the two companies have been involved in competitive bidding towards being the official sponsor in the super bowl game in US. The financial investment between coca cola and Pepsi has been within a heightened mandate to ensure profitable outcomes and capture of new customers within the environment of operation (Stalk & Schulman, 2012, p113). Thus, from the evaluation of coca cola, financial investment into sponsorship programs within the super bowl games has been humongous. From the evaluation of the 2008 super bowl game, in which coca cola was among the official sponsors, the company made a more than $5million financial investment. As such, the organization, as per the various analysts, acknowledges the significant impact that the super bowl game presents (Brat, 2010, p299). Through the evident plausible impact, the marketing managers within the organization have been undertaking a more head on approach towards gaining the contractual advantage over Pepsi and ensure gaining of the contract as the official sponsor. The super bowl game is watched by numerous individuals across US and globally, thus, landing the contract is an added advantage within the organization since it necessitates public awareness and sales volumes for the organization.
On the other hand, ford has been undertaking a more sports sponsorship approach within their operational strategies, the sports sponsorship contractual approach as per the diverse pundits denotes undertaking sponsorship of games such as Nazca (Sleight, 2008, p57). The approach by ford denotes the inculcation of a more direct funding approach of the games and playing a financial role in ensuring that the games are a plausible success (Brat, 2010, p299). Admittedly, the investment into sports sponsorship necessitates a wider scale of awareness within the organization. From the evaluation of Ford, the inculcation of the sponsorship approach is a conceivable mandate towards sustenance of a heightened awareness and generation of sales.

Discussion of key issues

Sponsorship provides a novel environment for organizations towards capitalizing on the ever growing market for sales and revenue yield. As such, from the evaluation of the above sponsorship approaches by coca cola and Ford, the key issues pertaining to sponsorship include:
The evident significant as a marketing tool: within the dynamic business environment, sponsorship has become a plausible tool towards capturing and accessing a wider audience. As such, the diver’s large companies are appreciating the critical and beneficial role that marketing plays towards generation of customer awareness (Brat, 2010, p301). The range of awareness that comes from sponsorship campaigns such as coca cola’s investment into the super bowllaid forth the critical role of sponsorship that Get Fit Now should nurture to generate customer awareness pertaining to their marketing approaches (Steight 2008 p574).
Highlighting visibility: the use of sponsorship is highly advisable for small, medium and equally large organizations towards generating public visibility. As such, the positive visibility pertaining to the organization emanates from the evident use of Medias such as photos and sponsor names towards generating awareness (Brat, 2010, p301). The use of the sponsorship approach is plausible and effective since it results into the use of diverse tools for marketing and enabling an effective public awareness of the products.

Key issues in sponsorships at Get Fit Now that the marketing director should evaluate

Sponsorship is an upcoming and profitable approach towards successful operations that an organization can incorporate. Accordingly, from the evaluation of Get Fit Now, it is evident that the use of the sponsorship approach is highly advisable due to the three main issues that pertain to the organization.
First and foremost, as a new organization within the fitness industry, with an innovative product it is highly advisable that it invests into a more customer centric or individual sponsorship approach (Brat, 2010, p311). The individual sponsorship approach should denote the use of known individuals within the fitness industry to communicate effectively of the benefits of their new payment options for the clients and the evident benefits that an individual is bound to increase through the use of their facilities (Allen 2010 p1).
As the second mandate, it is highly advisable that Get fit now invests into official sponsorship. The official sponsorship should entail leasing and partnering with diverse events and ensuring that they are the official sponsors. The inculcation of the official sponsorship approach will generate a wider avenue for customer awareness and relay of information pertaining to the organization. Through the investment into the official sponsorship, generation of a buzz pertaining to the innovative products and services within Get Fit Now is bound to prevail.
Thirdly, the organization should capitalize on a more programme sponsorship approach. The programme sponsorship approach should denote strategic alliance with the diverse fitness programs. Investing into programme sponsorship is bound to generate awareness within an in-depth mandate pertaining to the organizational facilities and services rendered (Steight 2008 p574).

Conclusions

Encompassing sponsorships is integral towards plausible outcomes within an organisation. Businesses that invest into sponsorship approach in communicating diverse pertinent aspects that impact on their operations both directly and indirectly perform plausibly. Thus, it is very important that organisations such as Get Fit Now maintain a sponsorship approach in marketing communications in ensuring public awareness and informational intelligence pertaining to the diverse products and services within the organisation.
Recommendations

Reference List

Allen S. 2010. How to become successful at sponsorship sales, Trafford, Victoria, p .1.
Amis J, Slack T, Beret T. 2009. Sport sponsorship as distinctive competence Eur. J. Mark., 33(3/4): 250-272.
Brat R, Clayton B, Pitt L. 2010. Corporate objective in sports sponsorship. Int. J. Advert., 6: 299-311.
Schmitz Whipple, R Frankel and K Anselmi (2009), “The effect of governance structures on performance: A case study on Efficient Consumer Response,” Journal of Business Logistics, Vol. 20, No 2, pp. 43–62.
Slack T, Bentz L. 2006. The involvement of small businesses in sport sponsorship, Managing Leisure, 1: 175-184.
Sleight S., Picton D & Broderick A.2008. Integrated marketing communication (2 ed) p. 574.
Stalk, P Evans and L Shulman (2012), “Competing on Capabilities: The new Rules of Corporate Strategy”, Harvard Business Review, Vol.70, No 2, pp. 57–69.
Tosh (1998), “What’s up with ECR?” Progressive Grocer, December, pp. 8–12; 21.
Appendix 1: evaluation of credibility of the sources
First and foremost, the online sources denote a plausible avenue in regards to obtaining information pertaining to diverse educational fields. Most fundamentally, from the evaluation of the social media sites, a more descriptive mandate in information access is availed. As a clear example, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook present a more practical avenue for information access. The diverse videos uploaded regarding to a pertaining issue present. Through the social site, descriptive, exhibitive and convincing description of the pertaining issue prevails. Thus, it is highly credible avenue towards understanding of educational aspects within a more descriptive mandate. However, the prospect of credibility of the sources is an aspect of concern. As such, individuals with diversity skill set upload their individual research or information. The diversity in skills set, majority of who do not reveal their education level leads to the view of credibility. However, the scenic and diverse presentations of information within an easier mandate are a probable preference for the online sources. On the other hand, the traditional sources provide a more credible avenue for sourcing information pertaining to a given field. The inculcation of the traditional sources such as journals and books provide a highly profound avenue for information access and recovery. The online sources are affected by diverse factors such as malicious software’s than may render accessibility or their recovery daunting. Thus, from the evaluation of the online and traditional sources of information, there is need to appreciate their relevancy. Firstly, the online sources are highly relevant when an individual wants a simpler or quicker approach to comprehending a given aspect of analysis. The presentations are short and effective towards effective comprehension. On the other hand, traditional sources are relevant towards ensuring more in-depth comprehension of the subject of analysis in a detailed manner.
Appendix 2: supporting case studies
The worth of sport event sponsorship academic and business www.aabri.com/manuscripts/09382/pdf
2.Top sponsorship report
http://www.sponsorship.com/IEG/files/ab/ab190f50-4475-4aa7-989b-06ff126c4973.pdf