Beyond the Sponsor Recall and Recognition: The Role of Sponsorship-Linked Communications on Creating Brand Attitude and Purchase Intention

Considerable research on sponsorship effectiveness has treated sponsor recall and recognition as main indicators of successful sponsorship. However, relatively little research has been conducted to examine if high brand recognition at a cognitive level translates into more desirable brand-related outcomes such as brand preference and purchase behavior. Instead of treating cognitive, affective, and behavioral sponsorship outcomes simultaneously, we examine the hierarchical relationship between these outcomes involving fans of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) fans. In particular, we focus on the mediating effects of sponsorship-linked communication efforts (i.e., driver-sponsor articulation, sponsorship-themed advertising and promotion) between cognitive and affective sponsor evaluations.

Utilizing a structural equation model (SEM), we hypothesize that driver-sponsor articulation and sponsorship-themed advertising and promotion mediate the influence of sponsor awareness on sponsor attitude. Results from the NASCAR fans (N = 249) showed that perceived sponsor awareness alone does not have a direct effect on brand attitudes but the effect is fully mediated by sponsorship-linked marketing communications (i.e., driver-sponsor articulation, sponsorship-themed advertising and promotion).

Our results provide empirical evidence on building brand preference through sponsorship, amplifying the effect of sponsor brand awareness. Both indirect (articulation) and direct (event-themed promotions and advertising) sponsorship-linked communications were shown to significantly increase affective sponsor brand evaluations. A full mediation model suggests that sponsor awareness alone does not directly affect brand attitude but through other leveraging efforts. This finding has implications for sponsors with relatively high recall and recognition that they should still invest additional resources to translate high awareness level to affective sponsor evaluation, which increases purchase intent.