Who Will Win Sponsorship 2019?
Sport for Business, 24 September 2019
It all started when…
The question of who has been the biggest winner in terms of Irish sponsorship this year will be answered on November 20th as Onside and the Marketing Institute of Ireland bring the industry together at the Aviva Stadium for ‘Who Won Sponsorship Series 2019’.
There will be an additional aspect to this year’s event looking back on some of the campaigns and the individuals who have shaped the sponsorship market over a decade of growth and development.
This year alone, sponsorship spend in ireland looks likely to hit €226 million and the event will look at the high points within that significant investment.
It will include panel discussions from industry experts, Irish based rightsholders and marketing professionals as well as the findings of a research-based assessment of Ireland’s top performing sport and non-sport sponsorships in 2019.
With new Onside research finding that more than half of Ireland’s adult population plan on tuning in to watch the Irish team compete in Japan, the Rugby World Cup, one of 2019’s marquee global sports events, will form one aspect of the content for the day.
IRFU Commercial & Marketing Director, Padraig Power and Vodafone’s Head of Sponsorship and Business Brand, Gerry Nixon will join a panel to discuss commercial and sponsorship activity around the tournament, the first opportunity there will be to do so after the tournament concludes on November 2nd.
An all-star panel of leading talent in Ireland including Irish Sevens International and Love Island winner, Greg O’Shea will discuss the prominent role that athlete and personality ambassadors play in the Irish sponsorship landscape.
Former Ireland and Munster legend, Paul O’Connell will also join Aldi Marketing Director Rita Kirwan in sharing the success of the retailers’ award winning sponsorship programme.
LGFA CEO Helen O’Rourke, will share her perspectives on the huge growth of Women’s sport in Ireland in recent times, while John Crumlish, CEO of the Galway International Arts Festival is set to provide a perspective on the power of arts and festivals in making a difference through sponsorship.
This year’s event will also take the end of decade opportunity to celebrate the best in class sponsorship initiatives of the last 10 years, a period that ONSIDE estimates saw investment in sponsorship increase by 70 percent.
Key influencers shaping how this growth has developed including Rory Sheridan, Head of Partnerships across Europe at Diageo, leading global brand marketing practitioner Damien Devaney, and Peter McKenna, GAA Stadium and Commercial Director will discuss the evolution of the sponsorship industry over the last decade.
ONSIDE and the Marketing Institute of Ireland will be announcing further speakers at the event in the coming weeks and we will be sharing them with you right here on Sport for Business.
“Given sponsorship’s ability to drive deepening loyalty it is no surprise that it continues to be one of the fastest growing tools in the marketing mix,” said John Trainor, Founder and CEO of Onside speaking at the launch this morning.
“The level of investment in sponsorship has grown significantly over the last 10 years. We are looking forward to bringing together many of the industry leaders to discuss the evolution as well as showcase Ireland’s most effective sponsorships not just for 2019 but also over the last 10 years.”
The “Who Won Sponsorship Series 2019” event takes place on Wednesday, November 20th in the Aviva Stadium. Tickets are priced at €75 for individual and corporate members of the Marketing Institute of Ireland or €100 for non-members.
