Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the key elements that maximise sponsorship opportunities and that enable a successful relationship between a sponsor and a sponsored party. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on a review of the literature and takes a case study approach. The paper first identifies the classic aspects of sponsor relationships and then explores new criteria to propose a brand model approach. Practical examples are taken out of the sailing team Alinghi who raced the America’s Cup. Findings – The paper suggests that the key success factor for a sponsored party is to act as a brand. This brand should have four strong pillars to build its brand essence: its own identity, a clear offer for a value creation process, an organisation to support this offer in line with strategic alliances of the sponsor and identified targets or consumers. Originality/value – Sponsorship is part of the daily life of any business and can take many forms. Moreover, the large number of sponsorship opportunities does not help entities looking for financial support to stand out easily. However, few opportunities meet all criteria to build an effective sponsor relationship. The authors believe that a brand model approach is the best way to achieve such goal. Alinghi (America’s Cup 2003 and 2007 winner) is a perfect example of this new approach.