Testing Sponsorship Recall and Recognition after the Games of the Small States of Europe – Montenegro 2019

Abstract

To explore sponsorship awareness, two approaches are most commonly used: recall and recognition. While researching sponsorship recall, respondents are asked to state a brand name from memory without any prompting. In contrast, recognition refers to a consumer’s ability to name a brand after being presented with a brand list as a prompt. This study aimed to test sponsorship recall and recognition six months after the Games of the Small States of Europe were held in Montenegro (GSSE 2019). An online survey was distributed to participants of the games, as well as the volunteers and potential spectators. Survey data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Our results show that not all companies that invested and sponsored the GSSE 2019 were recognized by the respondents. Specifically, the top-of-mind sponsors were companies that activated their sponsorship investment using other marketing channels. Other sponsors, whose names were also displayed in official documents and in the playing courts and sport halls, achieved low recall levels. Therefore, we conclude that sponsorship, as an isolated medium, cannot achieve good results. Our findings suggest that the sponsorship investment itself is not sufficient to maximize the potential marketing effects. Companies that engage in sponsorship activation achieve higher sponsorship awareness, which can lead to positive attitudes towards the brand.