Marketing Communications

356 CHAPTER 11 SPONSORSHIP

Obviously, arts and cultural sponsorship is fundamentally diff erent from sports sponsor-

ship. First of all, arts audiences are diff erent from sports audiences. Th e former are typically

older and more affl uent, and generally less numerous. Th e arts attract less media coverage

and publicity, and are more suited to niche market segments than sports. However, some

argue that the arts are increasingly attractive as sponsorship objects because of the increasing

costs and saturation of sport sponsorship. Furthermore, a Toshiba study reveals that four

times as many people visit museums and galleries as attend league football matches. Never-

theless, arts sponsors are believed to pursue corporate image and relationship and hospitality

objectives rather than marketing goals. Th at makes arts sponsorship more of a PR tool than

a marketing communications instrument.^40

Due to recent technological developments, the TV advertising landscape is changing rapidly. The introduction of

the personal video recorder and the ongoing convergence of TV and the Internet are causing consumers to gain

more and more control over which content they want to see and when they want to see it. Viewers are also becoming

increasingly cynical about advertising and pay less and less attention to it.^41 Marketers increasingly consider brand

placement (sometimes also called ‘product placement’) as an innovative new way to reach and connect with con-

sumers. Brand placement is ‘the paid inclusion of branded products or brand identifiers through audio and/or visual

means within mass media programs’.^42 Brand placement is sometimes called hybrid advertising, communication

in camouflage and hidden but paid for marketing communication.^43 They are paid messages that do not overly

identify their commercial origins.^44 Paid brand placement spending grew 33.7% to $2.90 billion in 2007 and at a

compound annual growth rate of 40.8% from 2002 to 2007, thereby significantly outpacing that of traditional

advertising.^45 The European Commission has recently updated the ‘ Television Without Frontiers Directive’, relaxing the

rules of advertising to allow for brand placements. Consequently, the phenomenon is expected to grow even more.

Brand placement is a flexible tool. Brands can be placed in TV programmes, movies, books and music. Different

types of programmes offer different placement opportunities. In scripted programmes, the brand can be integrated

into the plot in a natural way. It can be placed prominently or subtly, and it can be shown, mentioned or both. In

non-scripted programmes such as reality shows, lifestyle programmes and quizzes, brands can be used as prizes,

tools or ingredients. Also non-profit issues, such as anti-smoking and anti-alcohol messages, can be placed.^46

There are many reasons why brand placement may be an extremely effective marketing communications tool.

Many TV programmes have a long shelf life, and also movies have a second life after initial release and find a new

audience through DVD sales and rental.

Viewers also have a willingness to be highly involved and connected with their favourite programmes, and often

have a positive affective response towards them. They are carried away in the programme. This is also referred to

as narrative transportation, telepresence or flow. Consequently, they pay attention to programmes and movies and,

due to meaning and affective transfer and assimilation effects, also build connections, activate positive emotions and

develop favourite attitudes towards brands used in them.^47 Due to the supportive context and cognitive and affective

priming, brand characteristics and attributes are better remembered and liked.^48 Later exposure to advertising will

benefit from the ‘truth effect’ (an increased belief in a claim on account of previous exposure) and the ‘mere exposure

effect’ (positive effect from exposure to a brief stimulus).^49 The Balance Model and the Match-up Principle imply

that brand placement is most effective when there is a fit between products, characters and viewers.^50

In brand placement, there is also an implied endorsement effect from (famous) actors, and it can therefore be at

least as powerful as celebrity endorsement in advertising or sponsorship.^51 Viewers identify and build a relationship

with spokespeople and learn from them (‘social learning’) what a brand means and how, when and by whom it is

used. Actors are also trustworthy and likeable spokespeople. According to the Attribution Theory, people develop

RESEARCH INSIGHT

Brand placement as effective marketing communications tool

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