Sorry guys I've done next weeks reading this week but please have a read and still comment!!
This weeks reading on sponsorship and even management really broadened my knowledge of both topics. Prior to reading this chapter of the textbook I had a very small understanding of the role of sponsorship. I understood that sponsorship is an important tool to use to communicate to publics (for the sponsor) and to gain monetary aid (for the event).
I feel my key learning with regards to sponsorship this week was about ‘ambush’ sponsorship. I had never heard of this before. This reading made me aware of the term and how it can affect an event:
-it can jeopardise relationships between official sponsors and event co-ordinators as sponsors pay big money to be involved in an event and it shows poor management from the organising party
-not only do the event/ sponsorship managers need to be aware of ambush sponsors and prevent it but official sponsors do too. They can do this by each taking control of its specific part of the sponsorship and working with other sponsors of an event e.g. Rugby World Cup 2003.
It is helpful to note that the most common avenues for ambushing are in:
Advertising in even publications: an add could be put in an event program so ensure all programs are free of this
Signage sales: major events often contract signage sales out and this results in that company trying to achieve sales. Ensure all signage is approved first.
Sponsorship of an individual or sporting team: an individual or team may be sponsored by one of the official sponsor’s competitors. To avoid this you can restrict signage or logo’s displayed on a uniform.
There were a number of key learning’s this week regarding event management. In planning an event there are a number of key characteristics/ recommendations to ensure it is a success:
-Leadership and the event committee needs to be strong, committed and have clearly defined responsibilities
-clearly define objectives and priorities
-ensure there is enough time to plan the event
-keep track of your budget
-ensure you use appropriate tactics to generate media buzz (media release, media functions staged within the event and event handbook given to media, free tickets for media)
-prepare a ‘critical path’ document
-ensure you’ve factored in the possibility of a crisis and developed a rick management plan
The main message I got from the reading this week was ensure you are highly organised, tactical and communicate effectively when dealing with an event and sponsorship. There’s a lot more work involved than I first imagined and it takes dedication and creativity to ensure you manage an event or sponsorship deals successfully!
Refernces:
Chapter 13 – Sponsorship an Event Managements in Public relations: theory and practice / edited by Jane Johnston and Clara Zawawi. Crows Nest, N.S.W. Allen & Unwin, 2004. 2nd ed
3 comments:
I really liked your interpretation of the readings this week and thought it was very interesting.
You seem to have a clear understanding of ambush marketing, which reinforces how strong your debate argument was. I think it was useful and important that you noted that successful sponsorship and management rely heavily on accurately organised an organsation is.
I think your blog would prove beneficial to anyone studying PR.
Well done.
I thought your interpretation of the reading was really heklpful to other students as it clearly outlines and defines what ambush marketing is with some really great examples.
Thanks for your comments guys and I'm glad my focus on ambush marketing has helped you understand it better and recognise it an important threat as I did. Part of being a PR practitioner is crisis management and more importantly crisis prevention. This is why i was particularly interested the points made about ambush marketing in this reading. I'm finding it interesting the different points we all sometimes focus on from the readings and think these comments show the importance of these blogs to our learning. Different points in these blogs offer an opportunity to understand a point that a fellow student has made that perhaps we skimmed over in our own readings.
I'm glad Maddie noted that success is about being organised. I think this is a great point that we all should understand before even taking on work experience. Organisation of an event is of course essential but we need to be organised in everything we do as practitioners. If we are able to into work experience proving that we can we organised we present ourselfs as serious practitoners in the making!
Post a Comment