Time to learn the art of sponsorship

Remember to bookmark our Web site address: http://www.marketing-week.co.uk/mw0001

Your conclusion that Olympic sponsors “could do better” in exploiting their investments (The Rings of Desire, MW August 9) is a valid observation. Simply adding your logo to Atlanta’s corporate clutter is a naive marketing ploy. Sponsorship is a sophisticated communications medium which can associate your corporate values intimately with the event involved. With sport, the media attention can be enormous, but while there will always be winners, somebody has to lose in the sporting arena.

At the Association for Business Sponsorship of the Arts (ABSA), we are helping our business members exploit successful relationships with Britain’s booming arts world. If there were Olympics for arts, Britain would be at the top of the medals table.

In the wake of the Olympics and Euro 96, there will be much appraisal of sponsorship budgets, so it may be timely to reflect: audiences don’t chant “U-S-A” at the Nottingham Playhouse. And opera fans do not riot in Trafalgar Square.

Colin Tweedy

Director general

Association for Business Sponsorship for the Arts

London SE1