ITV has today revealed the findings of its sponsorship research that have been carried out by Millward Brown. The research was the first ever on-going systematic assessment and evaluation of sponsorship deals within the UK, and was based on 21 UK sponsorship deals beginning in April 1995. The research was compiled using Computer Aided Telephone Interviews amongst a national representative adult sample – 300 interviews each week of the year.
Sponsored programmes highlighted in the study were; Vanessa, which was sponsored by Death By Chocolate; Moving Story which had Midland Bank as a sponsor and the Rugby World Cup which had Heineken as its television sponsor. These programmes were highlighted because of their broad range.
Awareness – Top awareness was Death By Chocolate’s sponsorship of Vanessa, with 73% of the programme’s viewers saying that they had seen Death By Chocolate sponsored of TV.
Programme Association – Long running sponsors, those with an intrinsic link to the programme are more likely to be retained. For example, 71% of those aware of Frosties sponsorship spontaneously mentioned Gladiators.
Appropriateness – A high score on perceived appropriateness of the sponsorship delivers a high score on better opinion of the sponsor. For example, those aware of sponsorship activity for Midland Bank are significantly more likely to consider the bank for a mortgage, to believe that Midland is part of the community, that it is efficient in helping people move and that it has credibility in the market in terms of understanding about mortgages.
Credits – There is a strong relationship between enjoyment of sponsorship credits and the extent to which an enhanced opinion of the sponsor is delivered, as is the case with spot advertising.
Efficiency – Heineken Export’s sponsorship of the television coverage of the Rugby World Cup has proved to be one of the most efficient sponsorship deals that has been monitored to date. Whilst a number of brands and organisations were involved as sponsor of the event, the broadcast sponsorship lifted Heineken out of the clutter of the other sponsors and it achieved the highest level (74%) of awareness of relationship with the contest – the next was South African Airways with 45%.
Yvette Kirk, Director of Millward Brown, commented, “As the first research of its kind, this project is very significant both for potential and existing TV sponsors.”
