346 CHAPTER 11 SPONSORSHIPsuch as the sponsor.^6 Indeed, exposure to a sponsor’s name or logo is not the same as sponsor-
ship eff ectiveness. Furthermore, in some cases, the sponsor is closely associated with a popular
sponsored event or cause, which may turn out to have a strong positive eff ect on corporate and
brand image. Sponsorship is also easy for the consumer to understand: it essentially works on
the basis of association between sponsor and sponsee. Advertising, on the other hand, oft en
requires elaborate processing of the message.^7
Sponsorship is diff erent from event marketing, which, in turn, is a type of PR activity.^8 C e r t a i n l y ,
sponsorship can be integrated into a PR campaign. During the world championship cycling in
Valkenburg (1998), Rabobank was one of the structural sponsors. It invited about 5000 guests,
mainly employees and customers of Rabobank in the Netherlands and elsewhere. Invitations
to cultural events, for instance to see David Bowie at the Sea Beach festival in Ostend and the
musical Oliver in one of the 12 large theatres in the Netherlands, are examples of corporate
hospitality, integrating sponsorship into a PR campaign by Nashuatec.^9 Event marketing c a n b e
defi ned as using a number of elements of the promotion mix to create an event for the purpose
of reaching strategic marketing objectives. An example of event marketing is the Camel Trophy.
Finally, sponsorship should be distinguished from value marketing. Value marketing o r
societal marketing can be defi ned as a strategy in which a company links its activities to a
philosophy of general societal interest. Th e company positions itself on the basis of a value
system that is oft en not product-related. For instance, the international cosmetics company
Th e Body Shop (now part of L’Oréal) tries to combine fair business, social conscience and
profi tability. It produces environmentally-friendly products, based on natural ingredients,
that are not tested on animals and which are sold in recycled or recyclable packaging. Raw
materials are bought from Th ird World countries at fair prices. Sponsorship can be part of the
value marketing strategy, but it is by no means its only instrument.^10Companies set up corporate social responsibility (CSR) campaigns in which they sponsor cause-related projects that
improve the quality of life in society, and by means of which they can improve their own reputation. The following
examples are taken from the Dutch CSR network ‘Samenleving&Bedrijf ’ (Society and Company).
From October 2004, Microsoft Nederland co-operated with the city of Amsterdam and local non-profit organ-
isations to establish ‘Community-based Technology & Learning Centres (CTLCs)’. The project went by the name of
‘Computer neighbourhood’ and tried to provide computer training to people with a lack of digital skills. The purpose
of the project was to prevent people from becoming isolated, and to empower less privileged inhabitants to expand
their capabilities with respect to education, jobs, personal development and participation in society. The objective
was to establish 16 CTCLs in which 1100 people received training. Eleven locations were set up where people from
the neighbourhood could learn through short courses how to work with a computer, from chatting to e-mailing. By
2007, more than 700 inhabitants had been trained. The project was part of the global Unlimited Potential initiative
launched by Microsoft Community Affairs and, by 2007, worldwide almost 30 000 CTLCs had been established in
95 countries. In these projects, Microsoft co-operated with 475 non-profit organisations.
The Shell Young Art Award project was aimed at stimulating young talent and entrepreneurship, besides
acquainting youngsters with developments in modern art. Artists presented their work in three Shell locations in
Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague. A professional jury judged the work of the young artists and awarded prizes.
The initiative started in 2000 and dozens of young artists were able to develop expertise in organising exhibitions
of their works. The Shell Young Art Award was stimulating and enabled recognition and exposure with the prize-
winning artists allowed to show their work in museums. In this way, the public could also get acquainted with their
work. There was also an internal effect: many works of art stimulated intense discussions in the Shell offices.^11BUSINESS INSIGHT
Corporate social responsibility campaigns in the NetherlandsM11_PELS3221_05_SE_C11.indd 346M11_PELS3221_05_SE_C11.indd 346 3/6/13 4:07 PM3/6/13 4:07 PM