By Matthew Leopold, ESA Awards Committee Chair
I love sponsorship. It is such a fascinating and brilliant discipline.
Sponsorship can be the magic dust that transforms a customer’s perception and connection with a brand. It can help create stories that resonate and allow brands to access customers in new and imaginative ways. But, for every brilliant bit of sponsorship, there is a piece of work that is ill-considered, misunderstands how sponsorship works and, bluntly, wastes money.
I have had the honour of being Chair of Judges for the European Sponsorship Association (ESA) Awards over the past six years. We’ve slowly reshaped the Awards and ensured that the very best in sponsorship from across Europe is recognised, shared and celebrated.
The question I am most often asked is: “How can I win an ESA award?” The answer is deliciously simple. I will share some of the secrets with you now!
To win an award, just answer the question
That age-old exam advice passed from teacher to student holds its own in the ESA Awards. Please, please, read the question and answer it! It really is that simple. The most common way to lose marks is to happily talk about a campaign and its brilliance without ever covering the marking criteria.
With applications received from all over Europe, it is very important to ensure that language is not a barrier. For this reason, we ensure that our mark scheme is accessible to all. The notes that support each entry form show exactly what marks are available for each section and what judges will want to see.
Remember, the mark scheme is interconnected. This means, for example, that if you do not explain the business problem the sponsorship is trying to fix, you cannot score full marks across the other sections. Without an understanding of the business problem, how you can accurately set KPIs for the success of the sponsorship? Or implement an activation that matters?
Sponsorship strategy eats sponsorship execution for lunch
I’ve seen some truly brilliant sponsorship activations. The sort of activities that take your breath away with the sheer genius behind the work.
Sky-high budgets can create masterpieces of activation, but the ESA Awards does not celebrate the best activations. It does not reward magical delivery. It rewards brilliant sponsorships.
No matter how good your activation, if it is based on a flawed strategy (or no strategy) you will not win.
Winning requires a solid strategy to solve a real business issue. It needs a clear set of targets and, of course, a brilliant execution. A great idea without a rationale or a plan is not good sponsorship and will not get rewarded. Sponsorship that is an integral part of a marketing strategy can make a difference.
Ignorance is bliss; do not assume the world knows about your sponsorship
Yes, your campaign was massive. Yes, your brand is well-known. But, with judges sourced from all over Europe, don’t assume any level of knowledge. Talk as if your brand is new to the market and no one has seen your activation yet.
Explain why you are involved in sponsorship and what you hope it will achieve. Discuss why, of all the rights in the world, you reached your conclusion. Explain why you did what you did and why it is important. If you don’t explain, you will not get marks.
Vanity in sponsorship is a sin; remember the outcome
I’ve saved my favourite for the end! When evaluating the success of your campaign, really think about the outcome you wanted to achieve from the sponsorship. Remember that business problem? Yup – that’s the outcome judges will use to determine if your sponsorship was a success.
It is very unlikely that your sponsorship activation will have ‘solved’ the business problem. But hopefully you will have made a dent. Reporting on vanity metrics such as video views, event attendance, AVE and likes are contributing levers but are not the definition of sponsorship success.
Judges are harsh markers when they see these sorts of metrics being used to justify a sponsorship investment.
Final thoughts on how to win an ESA Award
The hardest part about winning an award is doing the actual work. You won’t even be reading this blog unless you think the work you have done is worthy of recognition.
You’ve done the hardest part. We really want you to win. That’s why we provide so much help and guidance on what makes a winning submission.
So, take a moment to read the accompanying materials, plan your structure and give it a go. I really look forward to hearing about the work you have done!