Modelling Emotional and Attitudinal Evaluations of Major Sponsors

Abstract

The paper reports findings from a larger study of sponsors and their relationship to sponsored\nparties. In the present reporting, the focus is on sponsors. Rather than evaluating such\nsponsorships in traditional effect hierarchical terms, a conceptual Sponsor Value Model is\nspecified as a structural equation model where the drivers are attitudes towards the\nsponsorship and emotions towards the sponsorship. It is found that the two classes of\nvariables describe different aspects of the perception of sponsorships, and that they both\ncontribute significantly to the overall value of sponsoring for a particular company. In the\npresent paper, two cases are shown for two major sponsors. The specified Sponsor Value\nModel is estimated by a partial least squares (PLS) method. It is found that the two sponsors\nare perceived differently, both in terms of emotional and attitudinal responses. It is also found\nthat the emotional responses aroused by the sponsorships are at least as important as those\nascribable to attitudinal elements.\nKey words: Sponsorship, emotional response, attitudes towards sponsorship, structural\nequation model