Social Media - Hurting or Helping Sponsorship

Hey guys! Wow, I'm on a roll! This is so much fun! Now on to the meat and potatoes of it! (I'm starving).

Recently, I read a very interesting article on prdaily.com. It was over the London 2012 Olympic games and it was...interesting. I don't personally follow the Olympics, but they're fun to hear about-especially with so many creative sponsorships! The details were all over Facebook and Twitter.

That being said, it's starting to feel like social media is beginning to actually hurt sponsorships and brands. Sponsors have begun to rely on social media for marketing and advertising, and the new-stricter-rules mean a competitor or spectator could be placed in hot water for posting certain photos or videos onto social media sites. This also means that competitors can't comment on one another's performance or post about a brand (including food they may have eaten) before the competition- I.E. Michael Phelps can't post that a Subway sub propelled him to victory when his sponsor is McDonalds.

That aside, the article brought up a very good point. Sponsors will use what's known as the Halo Affect to ride in the glow of the Olympics. Likewise, though, the Halo Affect can go the opposite way. The sponsor could potentially be affiliated with the Olympics. Confusing, I know... I still don't fully understand how that works. From what I undesrtand, the sponsors 'bask in the good vibes created by the Olympics'.

Another interesting point brought up by the article was the concept of 'Brand Equity'. That confused me at first, because it doesn't state it often. However, if my understanding is correct, Brand Equity is the potential profit a sponsoring brand can rake in because of big events like the Olympics. It's actually quite a simple yet effective method-though very brutal where competition is concerned.

Some brands, like Nike, use a different technique. In their recent Olympic campaign, 'Make It Count', Nike references the Olympics without actually sponsoring it, therefore bypassing the rules set in place in London this year to protect its Sponsors. Their plan? They placed themselves strategically in a shopping center near the main Olympic venue where nearly 70 percent of the spectators will pass by. See what they did there?? They aren't sponsoring, so they bought a space in a nearby shopping center-which is technically legal because they bought the spot and didn't sponsor. Brilliant and just a bit sneaky. I liked reading it.

In my opinion, though, I don't think the Olympic sponsors should be governed by any strict laws whatsoever. If you stop to think about it, isn't our economy based on company competition? The more the competition, the cheaper the product and the better the drive to improve the product to win over competitors, therefore giving the buyer a better chance to reap the benefits of all of it. Personally, I don't think sponsors should get the privilege of bypassing competitors for those key Olympic spots closest to the venue. It isn't fair to the smaller sponsors and businesses who are also trying to make money. They should have an equal chance at it.

Well, till next time guys. I gotta bolt for now!!

Adventures in Design and Marketing With Renee

Hi guys! The title must say it all, but some of you might be squinting at your screens right now. "What is this crazy person talking about?!", "Why am I reading this?" Don't worry, I know what I'm doing and I'm going to tell you...eventually.

This is my blog, it's about graphing, design, and marketing. These things you know by now. What you probably didn't realize was that I'm actually doing this for a class! Crazy, I know! I'm super excited about it and I absolutely love it. We do so much! I'm getting along really well with the other people in my class, which soothes at least ONE fear I had coming into it. What a relief! Now I can be nervous about the upcoming projects!!

Let me lay it all out for you if you're still confused...because I didn't understand all of it at first either, really. In this class we will learn the ins and outs of marketing and design. We will work first on projects to get us used to the flow of it, and eventually we'll have three to four or more projects going on at once (that's a really scary thought actually). From what I understand, it'll be everything from business cards, posters, and packaging, to commercials, advetisements, and other things. To me, this is going to be a huge leap in my (hopefully bright) career! For the most part, I'm getting the hang of it. We've already made our own unique business cards. How cool is that?! Mine looks super retro.

Besides business cards, thank you cards-on and on and whatnot-we'll be focusing on marketing and the different techniques a company or business will use to sell a product or service to potential clients. Maybe later I'll get to market something of my own or market for someon else. It's an interesting idea.

What I'm really looking forward to, though, is working outside the class. Later in the year, I'll get to work with individual businesses to design or help market something! That makes me so nervous, but I'm trucking along nicely. I know the marketing and design world is a tough battle field in an economy like this. I'm hoping the jobs will still be in demand by the time I get into it. I may even be paid! (That's an exciting incentive because I'm broke *cough cough*)

Alright, now that you've gotten the gist of it, I really want to tell you something! ... Wait for it, wait for it~... I get to go to New York! Again, to a poor person, this is amazing. It'll be later in the year, and we'll get to visit a few big design firms in that general area... The only downer is that the people AROUND me are broke too, so fundraising is...interesting, to say the least. Being in the big city will be another nervous fit, but I'll deal with that when it comes. Anyways, be looking for more updates.