The Influence of Sponsor-Event Congruence in Sponsorship of Music Festivals

Abstract

Sponsorship is the most essential element in integrated market- ing communication to any kind of enterprise and organization among the types of marketing communication (i.e. public relations, advertising, personal Selling, Sales promotions and Direct Marketing). currently Sponsor- ship is believed as "one of the most powerful media" which is used to con- nect between communication and rela- tion of stakeholders and target markets (Bowdin, allen & McDonnell, 2003 p. 442). Sponsorship is the most popular tool in marketing communication and being more used by many companies (Maxwell & lough, 2009, p.188). The development of event sponsorship as a marketing communication strategy, is more likely caused by the decreased number of audiences for conventional media such as newspaper, magazine, radio and television. In addition, now- adays audiences are more fragmanted so it is harder for marketers to interact effectively with their target markets as they want them to. (Blonde & roozen, 2007; Tseng & lee, 2001).Based on the previous research, spon- sorship has influence and effect on brand image, brand awareness, cor- porate image (Javalgi et.al. 1994; McDonald 1991; farrelly & Quester 1997; Turco 1995; Witcher et al. 1991) as well as adding financial value to brand (cornwell, pruit & ness 2001). Event sponsorship also has influence to an increase of brand equity, con- sumer attitudes towards brand spon- sor and has an effect to the sponsor profitability through the increasing of sales and loyalty (cornwell & Maig- nan, 1998). Sponsorhip effectivity, ac- cording to cornwell, prutt and ness (2001), tend to get more influence from congruency between sponsor and sponsored event. a consumer who per- ceives congruency between sponsor and event has a more positive response including sponsor recognition (Johan & pham, 1999; pham & Johar, 2001), image transfer resulted from an event to a sponsor (gwinner & eaton, 1999), favorability towards a sponsor (Speed & Thompson, 2000) and intention of buying the sponsor's product or ser- vice (rodgers, 2003; De Souza, owen & lings, 2005; Tseng & lee, 2011).The form of sponsorship which grow- ing rapidly is a sponsorship in an area such as sport and arts event (cornwell, 2004). academic literature mostly em- pirically tests an effect of sponsorship in the sport-event area (e.g. cornwell, 2004 ; Martensen, 2008); but few and limited sponsorship research has been done in the arts-event area. o'reilly (2005) has supported that a lack of discussion about brand in market- ing literatures specifically in arts area has created an opportunity for further investigation. hackley & Tiwsakul (2006) also have mentioned that a re- search in music sponsorship event or "entertainment marketing" is still lim- ited.Event sponsorship in arts area, spe- cifically music festival is one of spon- sorship event that is more considered and used as media promotion by many product brands. Sponsorship is a im- portant revenue stream for music festi- vals (rowley & Williams, 2008). fur- thermore, from the brand manager's perspective, the sponsorship of mu- sic festival provides opportunities for targeted communication to the rela- tively homogenous festival audience comprised primarily of young people (oakes, 2003).Music has its own attraction in form of image and knowledge to a brand and product in consumer's mind. posi- tive environment of music festival is clear and able to attract brand which involves in it. Music festival also gives environment and condition where brand can create an inside, close and meaningful interaction to its consum- ers (allen & o'Toole, 2011). McDan- iel's research (1999) proves that the loyality of fans to music group or sport league will attach and has a particular proximity to the brand which sponsors their favourite music event or sport match.As described before, the research which focused on the music event sponsorship is still limited (hack- ley & Tiwsakul, 2006). …