Sponsor Activism
3/10/23
Blog
In the 'bio' of my Twitter account (now 'X'), it states that I come from Rotterdam, have a strong affinity for sports, and endeavour to make the world of sponsorship more measurable with Blauw Sponsorship Impact. Such an ultra-short summary provides an idea of the topics that occupy my mind. On a brand's account like Nike, you would thus expect to find something in the bio about their products, the athletes they sponsor, or perhaps a motivational quote. But nothing could be further from the truth. Nike's description on X consists of only two hashtags: #BlackLivesMatter and #StopAsianHate.
Nike pretty much invented the term brand activism. However, it's becoming increasingly common to see brands boldly speak out and actively engage with societal issues. In this regard, Nike's bio on X is quite revealing. Above all, Nike shows what their position is in the societal debate. Everything else comes afterwards.
What consumers have grown accustomed to with Nike, they now expect from other brands in different industries as well. Taking societal responsibility is becoming increasingly important for sponsors. In the past, sponsors often opted for ostrich politics when controversy surrounded their sponsorship, but most brands now realize that burying their heads in the sand in 2023 is no longer the best option. Recently, the sponsors of the Spanish Football Federation were quick to condemn the misconduct of their narcissistic and testosterone-driven federation president.
Over the past two years, we've tracked what consumers expect from sponsors. Should sponsors get involved in societal issues, or do people not expect that from a sponsor at all? In line with the increasing activism we see from brands, consumers also increasingly think sponsors should speak up. The number of people who expect sponsors to express their opinions on societal issues and take action has increased by 10 percent over the past two years.
And as their expectations continue to rise, consumers are also becoming more critical of the extent to which sponsors successfully fulfil that societal role. It's not enough to react to an already heated public debate (as in the case of Spain). Brands need to spark that public debate themselves. They shouldn't just proclaim their commitment to equality after the damage has been done, but they should demonstrate their values without waiting for an incident to occur.
If all the sponsors of the Spanish women's team had shown themselves as true brand activists in recent years, genuinely caring about equality and inclusivity, they might never have become sponsors in the first place. Or Mr. Rubiales would have departed long ago because it would have been noticed much earlier that his views were at odds with those of his key stakeholders.
Most brands won't become as activist as Nike, but if sponsors don't take the growing expectations of consumers seriously, they will suffer the negative consequences. For sponsors looking to tackle this, it's worth knowing that one issue consistently ranks at the top of the list of important societal themes, and that's climate change. A good first step for all sponsors seeking their societal role is therefore to consider what they can do to make this world a bit cleaner, greener, and more sustainable. The winning formula is a sincere and credible point of view, combined with real action. Those who dare to be sponsor activists will be future winners in our industry.
About Sponsorship Impact
We have been helping international brands optimise their sponsorship strategies for over 20 years. We not only prove the brand growth that sponsoring provides, but also identify opportunities to improve sponsorship strategies.
