Partnerships between various sports and brands have become very popular for good reasons. Partnership deals allow sports and businesses to increase visibility, boost awareness, and build engagement. 

Quality partnerships allow companies and sports to build a positive public image. That’s because these deals encourage Corporate social responsibility (CSR), which enables people to perceive the involved parties as contributing to society.

To better understand how sports forge a robust brand partnership, we sat down with Jane Wakely, the current Chief Consumer & Marketing Officer at PepsiCo. The brand is among those that have partnered with several sports and athletes.

Growth of Sport and Brand Partnerships

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Q1: Thank you for agreeing to sit with us for this conversation. How have you observed the evolution of partnerships between sports and brands over the years?

Jane Wakely: I believe the landscape of sports and brand partnerships has experienced remarkable evolution, especially in the last decade. Initially, it was about simple sponsorships where brands mainly sought to promote their visibility through logos.

However, as consumer behavior changes and the market becomes more competitive, partnerships have evolved into more detailed and strategic collaborations.

Now, it is not just about placing a brand’s logo on a team’s shirts, at the stadium, and so forth; it is about creating meaningful and lasting experiences as well as narratives that resonate with the target audience.

Q3: How do different sports entities or brands ensure that partnering with companies like yours aligns with their goals, values, and objectives?

Jane Wakely: Aligning a sport’s values and goals is vital for a successful partnership. That said, most partners and sports entities invest considerable time in understanding each other values and norms. In most cases, they consider shared values, target audience and demographics, and all-embracing goals.

This ensures partnerships go beyond mere collaboration, like just signing papers. Eventually, this creates an authentic and reasonable connection with the sports and brands’ target audience.

Q3: In what ways do sports partnerships contribute to brand visibility, customer engagement, and awareness?

Jane Wakely: Well, the visibility aspect for companies and sports has gone beyond the traditional advertising techniques. In particular, the rise of digital marketing platforms and social media provides sponsors with numerous approaches they can take to ensure successful partnerships.

This includes, but is not limited to, athlete endorsements, in-stadium branding, and social media campaigns. Through this, businesses are able to leverage their partnerships to enhance their visibility and create brand awareness across various avenues, reaching a wider audience worldwide. Sports such as football or basketball appeal to billions.

We are confident we will reach local and international markets when we sponsor sports or individuals, particularly popular ones. On the other hand, working with upcoming players shows a sponsor’s commitment to nurturing new talent, promoting that brand’s visibility, recognition, and loyalty.

Q4: What factors make sports an attractive platform for brands to associate with, considering that it’s one of the industries with the biggest sponsorship deals?

Jane Wakely: Sports like football, basketball, rugby, and golf provide a unique avenue for brands because of their abilities to capture fan’s attention and also emotions.

The passion and loyalty associated with sports fans create an excellent environment for different companies, Like PepsiCo, to connect with their target audience across the world.

 In addition, sports attract a diverse and global audience, which offers brands a chance to engage with diverse people. This allows them to expand into various markets and demographics.

Q5: Can you share some innovative strategies where sports and companies have partnered for mutual benefit?

Jane Wakely: Without a doubt. We have seen some innovative deals in recent years. For example, more brands today are getting more involved in creating immersive experiences, including virtual reality activations and the use of interactive technologies in stadiums.

In addition, athlete-led campaigns, in which companies strive to work with athletes who represent their values, have gained popularity. This has created more engaging and authentic connections with existing and potential consumers.

Q6: How has the advent of technologies, like virtual reality and machine learning, enhanced sports-brand partnerships?

Jane Wakely: Technology has been a game-changer in most industries. Augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), machine learning, and interactive mobile apps have enhanced fan engagement in ways most of us never anticipated.

Thanks to it, sponsors can create personalized and interactive experiences for fans, such as a virtual stadium tour or extensive behind-the-scenes content. This new level of engagement enhances fans’ experience and provides brands with valuable data they can utilize for targeted marketing.

Another highlight of how technology makes partnerships better is data analytics. It allows companies to analyze data to determine their consumers’ trends. The information allows them to determine what they should offer their consumers, promoting customer satisfaction.

Q7: What challenges do sports face in sustaining and maximizing the impact of their partnerships?

Jane Wakely: One of the most notable challenges is staying authentic. As sponsorships become elaborate, there is a risk of losing connection with the target audience. That’s because balancing commercial objectives with fans’ expectations can be challenging.

Some people might lose interest in a sport for various reasons, such as being sponsored by a brand they dislike. For example, sponsorship by some companies, such as alcohol brands, can give the sport a bad image.

Another notable challenge is that sports must maintain an outstanding performance to keep sponsors. Besides, only the elite few get sponsored by renowned brands, which disadvantages some athletes or sports.

Q8: How do you foresee the future of partnerships?

Jane Wakely: The future, I’d say, has exciting opportunities. I foresee a more profound use of technology, with virtual and augmented reality playing a more significant role in fan engagement. Sustainability will likely become a prominent theme, with businesses and sports striving to align on social and environmental initiatives. Successful partnerships will promote a shared commitment to create memorable experiences for fan