ABSTRACT
Sponsoring was for a long time a tactical decision at the bottom of the strategic planning process similar to product trials and coupons. One challenge in learning if objectives for the sponsorship have been met is that the direct relationship between exposure to sponsorship information and brand-related behaviors such as purchase or recommendation is hard to trace. In addition to basic communication objectives, brand managers may set more extensive and comprehensive objectives for sponsorship. Strategies describe how to achieve goals and objectives through executing a plan and employing particular tactics. Lastly, at the tactical level, what happens at the event may be for some sponsorships the beginning and the end of reaching important audiences, but for many brands, the attending or participating audience is only a springboard for media audiences and online or mobile activations.
