• by Lynn Russo , February 1, 2006

Companies that use event sponsorships as part of their marketing and media mix now have a better way of proving their return on investment than simply counting the number of attendees. Marketing Management Analytics, Inc. (MMA), and Copernicus Marketing and Consulting Research, both Aegis Group units, recently launched the MMA/Copernicus Sponsorship Evaluation Service to help gauge the impact of sponsorship investments.

The service focuses on sales-based ROI, brand equity, and customer equity. It also breaks down ROI by sponsorship component, including event exposure, supporting media, and promotions. "We can measure [media] spend, brand awareness, supportive behavior, actual sales lift, and how long the impact will last," says Ed See, chief operating officer of MMA. One Fortune 500 consumer packaged goods client found that sponsorships directly led to 5 percent of sales. "With 24 percent of budgets going to sponsorships today, CFOs and CEOs are increasingly demanding accountability...for sponsorship spending," says Kevin Clancy, chairman and CEO of Copernicus. The sponsorship metrics can also be integrated into MMA's media mix m