The effects of sponsorship activation on the sales of a major soft drink brand

Abstract

Establishing a link between sponsorship efforts and product sales has been a pressing concern in the sponsorship industry, though achieving this has until now proven to be elusive. This paper examines the relationship between sponsorship activation efforts and soft drink sales. Drawing on an online survey of National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) fans, the study measures the effects of sponsorship-linked public relations, advertising, and sales promotions on the weekly consumption levels of a major soft drink brand. The results of this study successfully confirm soft drink consumption based on sponsorship activation efforts. The authors conclude that it is possible to link sponsorship programmes directly to product sales; that measurement efforts should include measures of sponsorship-linked marketing communications; and that sponsorship-linked marketing communications work synergistically to predict product sales.