I've invented a new word: "SponsTech"
Matthew Leopold
Brand marketer by day; volunteer by night. Delivering tech brand marketing, comms, PR, & sponsorship for global companies. Public speaker
FinTech, PropTech, MedTech, SomethingTech - you can't escape it. Innovative technology is booming. Challenger companies are building apps and software to transform traditional industries.
Dependence on traditional models and theories have long been the Achilles' heel of sponsorship. Sure, some of the old fashioned ways of measuring sponsorship have been digitised. But regardless how technologically advanced you are at measuring logo appearances on your TV screen - you can't escape that you are still counting logo appearances on a TV screen.
New Technologies
The tech that caught my eye was the concept of "virtual replacement" sponsorship at The Davis Cup. Sounds like a complex idea, but is actually very simple.
The Davis Cup has invested in technology that can digitally superimpose, in real-time, sponsors’ logos on court-side banners. This technology enables viewers in the USA to see different sponsors from viewers in Asia or Europe. With analytics, bespoke messages could be delivered for individual users.
From global to local. Previously, global sporting events chased sponsorship from global brands. With global budgets and awareness, they tended to be most interested in these events. However, with this technology, sponsorship can become more targeted and localised. It puts the customer at the centre.
Sponsorship needs relevance
I have written a few times on the vital importance of connection between the property, sponsor and customer. This technology has the ability to make the sponsorship of an event more relevant to more people. This can only be a good thing.
However, I do not think that pitch-side advertising alone can magic-up increased engagement or consideration. It can increase short term awareness of a brand. The real challenge will be for sponsoring brands to take advantage of this new segmentation and tell their story in a way that resonates and is relevant to the local audience.
The birth of an industry
What should we call this cunning technical innovation? If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. From henceforth, these technologies shall be known as "SponsTech". I'm sure you didn't see that coming.
If you want to conquer fear, don't just sit at home and think about it.
6yMatthew Leopold Lets add another Tech vertical.... 'Fantech' something that can drive 'real' metrics and KYC of the fans, providing sponsors the opportunity of 1 to 1 engagements with millions of sports fans. The digitization of traditional sponsor 'benefits' still relies on subjective numbers. Technology should provide sponsor engagement pathways direct to the fans as a 2 way exchange.
President & CEO at TriFoil Imaging, Chairman at Cased Dimensions Ltd. and Cycle Against Suicide, Consultant at Navera Group LLC.
6ybrilliant!
Chief Technology Officer - managing the business of technology at DP World Tour and Ryder Cup Europe
6yWe'll be trialling the new technique for this technology (augmented to virtual advertising) at the British Masters next month ... a sporting first. Watch this space. Hope to see you both there! (@marc and @matthew).
Global Head of Sales & Sports Presentation - ADI
6yA nice piece on adi.tv technology on show, it’s helping large agencies such as Lagardere Sports, commercialise deals globally
Founder/MD The Winning Tape Ltd. Board Director Team Scotland Commonwealth Games - supporting Glasgow 2026. Vice President Scottish Squash - Member World Squash Commercial Commission. VC British Athletics Supporters Club
6yI can see it could be attractive for a P and G or RB or a group that could then regionalise messages or upweight different brands / brand messaging at certain times / regions . From a Rights sales point of view good to try and maximise by doing one large deal with multiple ways of them utilising rather than lots of individual deals