Sports consumer’s attitude regarding brands using sports as a marketing platform
(A2023-113258)

AUTHORS

Mihaela Constantinescu, The Bucharest University of Economic Studies; Andreea Orindaru, The Bucharest University of Economic Studies; Stefan Caescu, Bucharest University of Economic Studies; Florina Botezatu, Bucharest University of Economic Studies; Adrian Apostol, Advanced Ideas Studio; Marian Bratu, Advanced Ideas Studio

ABSTRACT

In an era of more aggressive and less effective direct marketing, tools of indirect marketing, like sponsorship, gain traction especially in the context of sports. This fact raises the question on the impact of sports sponsorship on the most important stakeholder for both the sponsor and the sponsee: the customer. In the present research, we evaluate different correlations between types of customers and their attitude related to brands that use sports as a marketing platform, with an emphasis also on the trust these customers have in what they are being exposed to. Major findings of this research proved that the effectiveness of sponsorship as a communication platform based on all three dimensions of their attitude: cognitive, affective, and conative. Also, the findings offer valuable insights for identifying the most responsive segments of sports consumers, in terms of demographics and attitude, to brands involved in this phenomenon.