Karen Morris
Founder / MD
In brief, what does Reg & Partners do and what is your approach to sponsorship and partnerships?
Reg & Partners is an entrepreneurial sponsorship and brand partnership agency with a simple but powerful mission: ‘bringing organisations together to make great things happen’. Over 23 years we’ve worked with an impressive range of clients from Harlequins Rugby Club and the Rugby League World Cup, to Hyde Park Winter Wonderland and RHS Chelsea Flower Show, BBC Earth Experience, CRUK, Transport for London, Tough Mudder, the World Gymnastics Championships and Hasbro, helping each one define and realise the commercial potential of their partnerships.
Our approach is both creative and rigorous. We start by deeply understanding a client’s proposition, then we benchmark it against comparable opportunities to establish a clear, evidence-based valuation. That means building a detailed asset register covering everything from branding, media exposure, tickets and ambassadors to social and digital content and assigning each element at a realistic market rate. But we go beyond the tangible.
Our proprietary valuation model, developed over two decades, also captures the intangible elements: audience quality, brand alignment and the halo effect of the association. The result is a credible, realistic valuation backed by a compelling narrative, not just a number. We have real point of difference in the fact that our primary focus is sales and we are constantly talking to brands about different opportunities. We have a depth of genuine, first-hand knowledge of what brands are spending, what they are spending on and why. We pride ourselves on providing realistic strategies and valuations and delivering against these.
What approach differentiates Reg & Partners and makes your sponsorship strategy unique?
At heart, we’re salespeople, and that distinction matters. Everything we do connects back to clear, measurable deliverables.
We work exclusively with rights holders; we don’t represent brands or delivery sponsor activation and PR. That focus keeps us sharp and genuinely expert in our lane. Our team of 14 sponsorship sales specialists brings a wide network, real market intelligence and, crucially, insight into what brands are actually looking for right now.
Some of our campaigns have seen us reach out to more than 500 organisations, each approached with a carefully crafted, tailored hook. Combine that with our access to Pearlfinders data and the MAD//FEST network through the Ingenuity Group, and we have a genuinely unique market position.
We’re proud that many of the relationships we’ve forged on both the rights holder and sponsor side have been with us since the beginning in 2003. That longevity speaks for itself.
What do you see as current trends within sponsorship, and how are they affecting how you work and how you deliver on strategy?
Trends vary considerably across sectors, but a few current themes stand out. In sport, the retreat of gambling sponsors is creating space for new categories to step in. It will be fascinating to see which sectors fill that gap.
F1 continues to raise the bar for innovation; campaigns like those from Duracell and Lego are excellent examples of how creative use of rights and technology can generate real impact.
Women’s sport is enjoying a well-deserved moment. Mercedes’ investment in the Women’s Tennis Association is groundbreaking, and the global success of the Lionesses and Red Roses has opened doors for organisations that might have previously overlooked this space.
Purpose-led partnerships are increasingly mainstream. Environmental, Social & Governance alignment is no longer a nice to have, it’s a genuine driver of investment decisions. We actively encourage rights holders to articulate how their platform can deliver environmental, community or social impact.
Our three-year partnership with Barclays, supporting grassroots girls’ football to complement their Women’s Super League sponsorship, is a strong example of this in practice. Data and insight are also more critical than ever. Robust case studies and measurable outcomes give sponsors the confidence to commit, and we push our rights holders hard to provide us with the evidence to make that case.
One challenge that has grown significantly is simply getting through. With no switchboards, less face-to-face contact and every-busier decision makers, the ability to cut through and start a meaningful conversation has become harder and more valuable. Also, it is common now for the CFO to sign off sponsorship and longer-term partnerships, and we find we can be working with marketing and sponsorship directors who have to pitch internally. I would say we are increasingly writing business cases for partners rather than sales proposals.
How has sponsorship changed for Reg & Partners over the past five years, and what predictions can you make about how it’s going to change in the next five years?
The biggest change for us has been becoming part of a wider group. The additional resource, network and investment in our team has enabled real growth and opened up exciting new areas like licensing and brand promotions, working with clients such as Hasbro, Mind Candy and HelloFresh on UK and global campaigns.
The market itself has become more competitive. Rights holders need a sharper strategy, a clearer narrative and better evidence than ever before. But in some ways, the fundamentals have not changed at all; it is still about great ideas, strong relationships, tailored proposals and integrity, creativity and tenacity.
We are proud of every campaign we have delivered and are genuinely excited about what is coming next.
