ABSTRACT
Creative sponsorship is about forging an emotional and memorable connection with customers, clients, consumers, supporters, partners and employees where they work, live and play. In today's hyper-competitive global environment, it is not enough for a brand that is seen or heard. It creates experience where creativity is a massive role to play in bringing the sponsorship alive. Sponsorship is all about intelligent activation. Splashing the cash or throwing a massive advertising budget at a sponsorship programme does not work as well as understanding the attitudes, values, beliefs, perceptions and behaviours of the various audiences that both the sponsorship and rights holder want to reach and then precisely targeting messages and content for these audiences. This chapter demonstrates sponsorship is an important catalyst and component of the experience such as value and belief. Really creative sponsorship practice is about pursuing uncommon practices, being different and not following the pack, being a thought leader and ultimately it is about being bold.
