What is in a name... the impact of title sponsorship.

As autumn rolls around for many sponsorship sales teams, that means it’s time to roll out the prospectus updates and dust off the old ‘gold, silver, and bronze’ packages. Like an annual rite of passage similar to the birds flying south, the process of determining which break to sponsor and what its price will be at next year’s convention offers little in the way of analysis or thought leadership, but rather instinct.  

If you are not sure what I am talking about... read on. 

Your sponsors, I can assure you, are not operating on instinct; rather, on data. Their birds flying south move in the form of budget planning, marketing analysis, client acquisition targets, and determining how they might allocate percentages of their budgets to various lead generation activities that may include sponsoring events or other initiatives.  

If you do yourself a favour with the exercise you are about to go through, if nothing else, keep this little phrase in mind... what is in a name. 

Title sponsorship, or naming rights, is your greatest asset, not meal breaks or networking receptions. From sporting venues to buildings, festivals to business conventions, the brand associated with your brand is the most prized possession of all for sponsors.  

However, unlike meals or session room sponsorships, thinking through the value proposition of what that name means requires careful research and analysis. Naming rights/title sponsorship isn’t just about sticking a logo everywhere—though, yes, your event may look like it’s cosplaying as a NASCAR. It’s about crafting a legacy, embedding a brand so deeply in the story of your brand that even decades later, people still refer to it by the original sponsor’s name, much to the chagrin of every new VP of Marketing/Events down the road. 

And when you go out to sell that single, coveted naming rights slot, do it with the confidence of someone auctioning the naming rights to their childhood imaginary friend. Remember: while there are countless ways to sponsor a coffee break or a coat check, there’s only one title. It’s exclusive. It’s audacious. And if you do it right, it might just be the biggest calling card you—or your sponsor—ever hang around your event or building’s neck. It is a profound business builder for you, and for your sponsor who sees the alignment and vision fitting into their marketing plans long term. 

So polish up your pitch, unleash your best “Shakespearian” sales monologue, for all the world’s a stage, and let your next act be brought to you by… whoever’s about to become a household name for your audience coming through the doors. 

Walter Willett is Managing Director of WW Consulting