Effectiveness research

Effectiveness research

At present, day-after recall as an ad hoc instrument and tracking studies/monitoring for long-term assessments are, together with target group comparisons, the most frequently used controls to check effectiveness in the world of sports sponsorship. 

Following consultation, SPORTFIVE supports its customers in terms of methodology when creating and conducting studies of this nature with external institutes.

Day-after recall

Event-related effectiveness checks are, for the most part, carried out by means of day-after recall, i.e. a telephone survey one day after the event. The aim is to establish awareness of the sponsor as well as data on the image and affinity to the sporting world. There is additionally the option of including specific questions on the brand/company, whereby general media usage should also be determined. The survey’s target group can either be visitors to the stadium or TV viewers.

Monitoring

Ongoing effectiveness measurements establish the success of sponsorship measures on a monthly or quarterly basis. In addition to purchasing preferences and brand use, unaided awareness, image and positive brand perception are the key indicators for effectiveness. To this end, it is important to note that the influence of the other communications measures should remain unchanged. Here, too, depending on the question, different target groups are to be defined. The following rule applies: the smaller the target group (e.g. entire population -> those interested in football -> those interested in football in the catchment area -> visitors to the stadium), the greater the effectiveness.

Target group comparison

Another approach is based on the mood at a specific point in time. It is often the case that only results of measurements taken during or after sponsorship are available. Here, effectiveness is ascertained by comparing the brand values in groups which have been influenced to differing degrees by the sponsorship measures (e.g. those interested in football vs. those not interested in football, visitors to stadiums vs. those who do not visit stadiums):

In the case of those persons who have a keen interest in football and who are thus more likely to have been exposed to the sponsorship measures, it can be expected that the values for brand awareness, positive perception and use are higher than in the opposing group.

In terms of the actual effects of sponsorship, the effects of the brands from the same industry used for comparison (non sponsors) should be measured as less or not at all effective.