Liberty Flames Activation Plan Essay: Leveraging Sponsorships
Liberty Flames Activation Plan Part Two
An activation plan transforms business insights and objectives into realities (Nuseir, 2020). This activation plan will focus on how the Liberty Flames team can leverage The Coca-Cola Company to attract more people to the team’s events. Organizations advertise their brands by financially “sponsoring” or supporting events in exchange for their brand’s exposure (Nuseir, 2020). How can Liberty Flames leverage or use Coca-Cola to get more people to attend its events? In addition to this, what activities can the team implement to fulfill the sponsorship agreement?
To increase attendance at the games of Liberty Flames, the team will leverage Coca-Cola by asking them to run their independent promotion of the events. Sponsors are usually people or brands that are well known and hence have a considerable number of loyal customers and a big following on various social media platforms (Nuseir, 2020). The mere association of Liberty Flames with the sponsor, say, Pepsi, is enough to get Pepsi customers and followers interested in attending its events. In this regard, the team will ask the sponsor (Coca-Cola) to tag the team on their social media pages and mention it in their promotional campaigns. Notably, sponsorship allows for the transmission of a less rectilinear message at a slower than usual but very effective rate of spread. That is why working with other businesses is a novel marketing strategy. Including sponsorship in the marketing strategy might help the organization reach a wider audience (Armstrong et al., 2016). If outcomes and incentives are well communicated, this might be an asset. Brand credibility is boosted, and the company’s reputation and stature are enhanced.
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Customers are more inclined to share their positive social media experiences if they have a good one. HubSpot found that approximately 71% of consumers interacting positively with a business through social media are more likely to suggest that brand to others. For this reason, sports clubs, leagues, and federations strive to maximize their use (Ewing, 2019). An athlete’s social media presence is a crucial aspect of their overall brand strategy since it helps them reach followers in far-flung corners of the world, grow their fan base, and attract more sponsors. In addition, the sponsor will be allowed access to the team’s social media pages, influencers, ticketing agencies, and other parties involved in the team’s marketing process.
The team will also leverage financial support from the sponsorship. The additional funds from the backing can be instrumental in financing activities that drive more event attendance (Gunawardane, 2020). Such activities include exciting the fans before the games by creating and posting bold event posters on social media and other strategic spots such as different schools, gyms, and sports halls. Research shows that posters boost attendance by showing the teams playing, ticket prices, and the event venue, encouraging more people to attend as they know where the event will occur (Gunawardane, 2020). This can be seen in teams such as Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks creating posters for all their events, increasing attendance. Such funds can also avail free consumables such as beer to attract more people to the events, boosting attendance. For instance, in 2014, the St. Louis Cardinals and Memphis Redbirds offered Beer Steins to the first 25,000 fans over 21 years (Titlebaum & Hill, 2009). By 11 pm, there were no more beer steins, evidence that this offer attracted many people to the game. In addition, Liberty Flames will leverage the sponsorship by working with sponsors to have branded merchandise, e.g., free water bottles during the event, attracting more people. In 2014, the Los Angeles Dodgers had a giveaway of branded Dodgers sweatshirts which attracted many people to the game against the Detroit Tigers.
When it comes to fulfilling the sponsorship agreement, the sponsor will be the only vendor for drinks during any Liberty Flames Events, enabling the company to generate sales. In addition, the company will sell branded merchandise during the events, enhancing the connection with its customers. The team will also tag the sponsor on all social media posts and include the sponsor’s logo in event posters and the game’s venue, creating a positive image as people enjoy supporting brands that invest in their communities (Titlebaum & Hill, 2009).
In conclusion, effective promotion of sporting events requires the collaboration of the team and the sponsor, creating a win-win situation. By associating with the sponsor, the team gets exposure and financial benefits from the sponsor, enabling it to carry out activities that attract more people to its events, such as free branded merchandise for fans, catchy posters, and free consumables for the event (Titlebaum & Hill, 2009). On the other hand, the sponsor positively enhances his image as a supporter of local teams, gains an opportunity to sell his merchandise during the events, and free advertising by having his markings at the team’s events.
References
Armstrong, C. G., Delia, E. B., & Giardina, M. D. (2016). Embracing the social in social media: An analysis of the social media marketing strategies of the Los Angeles Kings. Communication & Sport, 4(2), 145-165.
Ewing, M. (2019, June 28). 71% more likely to purchase based on social media referrals [infographic]. HubSpot Blog. Retrieved September 30, 2022, from https://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/30239/71-More-Likely-to-Purchase-Based-on-Social-Media-Referrals-Infographic.aspx.
Gunawardane, N. (May 31, 2020). Brand Activation in Driving Customer Engagement: Theoretical and Practice Review. The International Journal of Business & Management, 8(5).
Nuseir, M. T. (January 01, 2020). The effects of sponsorship on the promotion of sports events. International Journal of Business Innovation and Research, 22(2), 191-207.
Titlebaum, P., & Hill, C. (2009). Sponsorship activation: Turning money spent into money earned. Journal of Sponsorship, 3(1), 43-53.