Call for papers: "Advances in Advertising and Sponsorship Effectiveness"

For a special issue of the International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing.

Advertising and sponsorship dollars are an important revenue stream for sport organisations at all levels, from youth sport to professional. In 2013, the projected global spending on sponsorships was $53.3 billion, of which $13.79 billion were sport sponsorships in North America alone (IEG Sponsorship Report, 2013). With the Super Bowl in the major New York market, the Winter Olympic Games and World Cup this year, sponsorship and advertising remains an important focus.

Corporations continue to explore means of advertising and sponsoring with sport organisations in an effort to grow, solidify or enhance their brand. As the sport climate becomes increasingly commercialised and cluttered, and corporations’ sponsorship budgets become tighter, there is a need for understanding the impacts of advertising and sponsorships and optimising the investments.

The costs of advertisements and sponsorships in traditional outlets, such as television, print or radio, and new opportunities, such as through online advertising or social media, has led to increased interest in the effectiveness of sport advertisements and sponsorships. Strategies to enhance or understand the effects of corporate sponsorships or sport advertising allow both organisations and sponsors to benefit. This research should have practical implications for sport industry executives, in addition to theoretical considerations.

This special issue focuses on advances in determining advertising or sponsorship effectiveness. The topics will provide insight for advertising and corporate sponsorships from the managerial, activation, consumer, legal, sales or technological vantage point. Quantitative (including experimental design), qualitative and conceptual approaches are all encouraged.

Submissions are welcome from a broad range of topics which explore the effectiveness of sport advertising or sponsorships, including, but not limited to:

• Consumer response
• Factors influencing effectiveness
• Advances in measuring impact through technology (e.g., eye tracking)
• Economic valuation of advertising or sponsorships
• Variable measures of return on investment
• Scale development
• Sponsorship sales
• Theoretical models describing ad or sponsorship effects
• Saturation levels with consumer responses
• Associated legal issues
• Effectiveness of advertising via different media platforms, including online content, social media, mobile devices, sport video games, virtual advertising, etc.
• Relationship marketing as it relates to sponsorship
• Variables impacting athlete endorsement effectiveness
• Naming rights or jersey sponsorship effects
• Impact of ambush marketing on sponsor effects

Important Dates

Deadlines for submission: 12 December, 2014