Memorization of sport sponsorship activities: the case of the German Bundesliga

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact on consumers' memory for sponsor brands while watching sport broadcasts as a function of TV exposure and brand preconditions.Design/methodology/approachA quasi‐experimental lab study was conducted to detect the drivers of sponsor memorization during German Bundesliga TV broadcasts.FindingsThe accurate memorization depends on both exposure variables and sponsor brand preconditions. While the quantity of exposure produces additional recall the amount of on screen clutter significantly affects memory in a negative direction. Brand familiarity and previous brand purchase behavior also influence recall probability.Research limitations/implicationsIn order to develop the research further, the sample size should be extended to represent various customer segments. Moreover, this research has a focus on football, therefore it would be interesting to investigate if the same effects hold true for other sports.Practical implicationsCounting seconds of logo exposure and combining these with audience reach too narrowly considers the complexity of sponsorship evaluation. Marketing managers also need to take into account the amount of clutter on screen, i.e. the number of competing sponsors, as well as their brand preconditions.Originality/valueMost research on sponsor memorization has been conducted in the field, lacking control for the independent exposure measures. Within this study, the impact of refined exposure variables was tested in a controlled lab setting.