For business to be successful, we need to be global in our thinking and local in our actions so that we resonate with our target market. Often referred to as 'Glocalisation', it refers to the practise of thinking both globally and locally in business. Think of IBM's slogan 'Solutions for a Smaller Planet'. This is why sponsorship is a critical inclusion in any marketing plan – no matter how global the organisation. Done well, no other marketing channel comes near in terms of offering fans an up-close-and-personal brand experience. Even social media can't cut trump sponsorship when it comes to bringing a brand to life. Through shared passions and interests, brands are able to engage with consumers on a level that can create brand advocates for life.
So how do our leading brand names maintain their global rank but resonate in the hearts and minds of consumers? To better understand how to think global and act local, let's consider some home truths about what makes us tick. According to Hugh Mackay, there are a number of desires that drive us.
- 1.People want to know what the relevance is to them
- Make sure your brand resonates with the people you are trying to attract. Consumers ultimately want to purchase the best products and services from people they know and trust in their local community. The more relevant you can make your product or service the better. In the same way, news organisations are often berated for reporting on the death of one Australian while neglecting the death of 1000 others if they are not one of our own. Brands need to ensure relevance by building local roots. McDonald's Chicken Maharaja Mac is the Indian equivalent of the Big Mac. Since eating beef is very unusual in Indian culture, they replaced it with chicken.
- 2.Give people something to which they can attach
- Think about how you can create a vibe that feeds the souls and imagination of your fans. Brands allow people to identify with a particular set of values, preferences and way of life. When you drive a certain car, people assimilate it with saying something about themselves. It puts them in a certain category. It's exactly why fashion labels moved the brand names on their clothes to the outside. It gives people an identity to which they belong. When a brand becomes popular and the popularity is amplified through various communication channels, it breeds success. The popularity of the brand continues to drive an upward momentum. The brand is perceived by the market as being of superior quality because it's socially acceptable.
- 3.People want to believe in something bigger
- Give people a cause and a reason to believe in something bigger than themselves. When people believe in a cause they feel passionate about, it becomes hugely motivating. Many cause-related sponsorships offer a great opportunity for brand names to align with a purpose. It drives engagement and attracts deep engagement with the brand because it is perceived to be socially responsible. When we choose to believe in something, we relish hearing people reaffirm our beliefs. Even if our beliefs are being attacked, the experience of reinforcing our beliefs against attack becomes a reaffirming experience.
- 4.Give people a chance to connect
- The desire to connect with ourselves and with each other is one of the greatest needs in the human race. As a sponsor of events, we are not fulfilling our objectives if we think signage alone will enable us to connect with our target market. To be richly connected, we must intimately understand ourselves and our limitations before we try to understand others. When we know what we have to offer, we need to make sure the conversation is all about our target market. This is one of the fundamental rules of advertising. When we communicate the benefits of aligning with our brand; when we make the 'what's in it for me' clear, we are a step closer to building a connected community.
- 5.Give people the control
- We all want to be heard, to be taken seriously and to have control of our outcomes. Any forum you can create through your sponsorship to allow fans to express themselves will attract huge interest. Think of the photo booths at events that allow patrons to identify with the event and sponsor but in a way that they decide. There are dress up boxes, props and lots of different options allowing patrons to role play. Our desire to be heard varies from one individual to another but it's a universal need that sponsors have a golden opportunity to address.
- 6.Create a place of belonging
- A person's 'place' is the physical symbol of their comfort zone. While some may think it's got to be a place with lots of history that is rooted in the fabric of the community, it doesn't have to be. It can be temporary, small and mobile. In the same way at any training or conference you attend that spans more than one day, people generally find themselves in the same seat they were the previous day. Imagine creating a comfortable place that people can feel at home at your next sponsored event. Make it welcoming with lounge chairs, snacks and soft lighting and keep the branding to a minimum. See how far your sponsorship dollars have now stretched when you have people drawn to your corner because it's a place they feel comfortable.
- The desire to understand 'what's in it for me'; to attach to something; to believe in something bigger; to connect; have control and to belong drives our attachment to the groups we belong. No matter what the size or structure of our groups, they define who we are and how we fit in. Brands have a unique opportunity to drive this sense of belonging through identifiable characteristics that are repeated time and time again. Sponsorship provides the perfect platform to amplify a brand's key messaging and to build the fan experience.
- For more on how to think global and act local, like us on Facebook or register at www.eventsponsors where we provide all the latest in sponsorship tools, techniques and tips.
