_{published July 2024}

Across the sponsorship landscape, brands and rights holders seek ways to create mutually beneficial partnerships. The goal for brands is not only to attach their name to an event or rights holder but also to leverage these opportunities for significant strategic gains. Sponsorship offers a platform to increase visibility, foster strong emotional connections, and ultimately drive business growth; however, to truly capitalize on these opportunities, brands must be clear about their desires and objectives. By understanding the desires below, brands can better navigate this landscape and forge partnerships that deliver real value.

• Increased brand visibility and awareness: Brands aspire to enhance their visibility and raise awareness among their target audience through strategic partnerships that provide significant exposure opportunities and unique sponsorship activation opportunities. 
• Positive brand association: Brands seek to establish positive associations with the rights holder and its audience, aiming to leverage the credibility and goodwill of the partnership to enhance brand reputation.
• Strong emotional connection with audience: Brands desire to forge emotional connections through sponsorship activations that resonate with the values, interests, and aspirations of the brand and these new audiences.
• High engagement levels: Brands aim to achieve high levels of audience engagement and interaction with sponsored content or events, fostering meaningful connections and driving brand affinity.
• Enhanced brand credibility: By aligning with reputable rights holders and delivering impactful sponsorship activations, brands aim to enhance credibility and trustworthiness in the eyes of consumers.
• Opportunities for unique brand experiences: Brands seek opportunities to create memorable and unique brand experiences for the audience through innovative sponsorship activations that differentiate them from competitors.
• Increased sales and revenue: Brands want access to sponsorship data (and other sponsorship intelligence) and to see a tangible impact on sales and revenue as a result of their sponsorship investments, driving business growth and return on investment.
• Long-term partnerships: Building long-term relationships with rights holders (and getting to know their corporate sponsorship packages) allows brands to establish consistency and continuity in their sponsorship efforts, maximizing the benefits of an ongoing collaboration. 
• Strong return on investment: Brands aspire to achieve a strong return on investment from their sponsorship activities, ensuring that resources allocated to sponsorships deliver measurable value.
• Creative freedom: Brands value the opportunity to exercise creative freedom in their sponsorship activations, allowing them to tailor messaging and experiences to effectively resonate with the target audience.

Final Thoughts

Understanding and articulating these desires is crucial for brands looking to maximize their sponsorship investments. By focusing on these key aspirations, brands can ensure their sponsorship strategies deliver tangible benefits and are aligned with the company's overall marketing goals. This list serves as a roadmap for brands to identify and pursue the outcomes that matter most, from enhanced visibility to stronger audience connections and increased revenue. Explore our related insights on brand frustrations and brand fears to gain a comprehensive understanding of the sponsorship landscape and craft a more effective and impactful sponsorship strategy. You can also visit our insights page to read about corporate sponsorship trends and other news.

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