Ever give much thought to all the different company logos that you see on conference websites, program brochures and event flyers? Ever really look at them? You may recognize a brand or two, but their job mainly seems to clutter and create noise around the key message, without much purpose. It couldn’t be further from the truth.
Ever give much thought to all the different company logos that you see on conference websites, program brochures and event flyers? Ever really look at them? You may recognize a brand or two, but their job mainly seems to clutter and create noise around the key message, without much purpose. It couldn’t be further from the truth. All those logos represent sponsors, and sponsors play a very important role for organizations’ marketing, both for those sponsoring and those being sponsored. In fact, spending on sponsorships both globally and in the US is growing at a faster rate than spending on advertising and marketing/promotions (GroupM).
At AMADC, the importance of sponsorships cannot be understated. Sponsors provide the resources that our chapter needs to operate and to deliver exceptional programming for our members and guests. However, there is a flip-side of sponsorships… the value that we deliver in return for our generous sponsors’ contributions.
Recent sponsorship research conducted jointly by the VPs of AMADC’s Market Research and Insights Committee, Joy Levin, President at Allium Research and Wendy Price, President at WHP Research, revealed valuable insights regarding AMADC sponsorships. AMADC sponsors are benefitting from the partnership in multiple ways, including generating business and/or referrals; giving sponsors’ organizations more credibility and “brand shine,” and strengthening sponsors’ networks and connections.
Wendy Zajack, Faculty Director & Assistant Professor at Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies, summed up the unique appeal of AMADC perfectly:
“AMADC is one of the few places that brings people in different industries together, and there is so much value in that. When you are in your own industry, you tend to get lost in whatever your daily needs are and whatever the CEO has thrown on your plate, and marketers really benefit when they are engaged as a full community. This can bring everyone to another level of creativity.”
While the motivation for sponsorship varies from company to company, most sponsors expect a return on investment (ROI). Many companies are seeking similar types of returns that they would reap from the traditional advertising channels, such as raising awareness of their brand and generating sales leads. AMADC offers a notably extensive and diverse audience and reach that covers multiple industries and roles. A sponsorship relationship also provides fantastic opportunities to network and forge relationships in the community that can (and has!) lead to unforeseen projects and new business. Beyond advertising and networking, speaking opportunities can also position sponsors as subject matter experts. The value of these experiences may be difficult to measure, but they are tangible and enrich the experience for members and guests.
The AMADC research informed that most sponsors received the benefits that they had expected to receive and, in addition, they reported intangible benefits such as a sense of pride in brand and satisfaction in “giving back” to the community. Overall, the study found that there was a high level of satisfaction and return on being a sponsor of AMADC.
As we continue to focus on strengthening our partnerships with our current sponsors, we seek to expand our sponsor portfolio by building relationships with new organizations. Sponsorship is accessible at many levels and range from single event sponsorships where an organization’s logo will be included in all event promotions and branded materials can be distributed at the event, to annual chapter sponsorships that include being a title sponsor for an entire series of programming. We welcome all kinds of organizations as sponsor.
Our sponsors are vital to the continued operation of our chapter and to the delivery of our events. Help support the local marketing community while giving your business a boost in exposure by investing in AMADC!