Sponsorship and Community Investment Fees Increased Globally in 2012 According to SPONSORIUM Report

MONTREAL--(Marketwire - Feb 21, 2013) - A sign of a potential economic rebound, average amount requested in sponsorship proposals increased in 2012 globally according to data from the latest SPONSORIUM Report. Published annually by SPONSORIUM International, the leading sponsorship and community investment management software provider, the SPONSORIUM Report publishes data and insights globally as well as regionally for the United States, Europe, and Canada, of sponsorship and community investment for the 2012 calendar year.

The data for the latest "Year in Review" analysis of the SPONSORIUM Report comes from 145 countries and consists of nearly 50,000 opportunities and partnerships all taking place in 2012. The data is collected from the PerforMind™ platform, which over 200 brands around the world rely on to track and evaluate their own sponsorship, CSR and community investment activities.

Access to and analysis of this data allows numerous key performance indicators (KPIs) to be identified, such as Average Actual Amounts Paid per Sector by brands and Overall Market Share. The results presented are global, however SPONSORIUM has the ability to drill down to any market and industry upon request.

According to the latest SPONSORIUM Report, Sports accounts for the largest slice of the sponsorship industry in most markets, and has for some time, but many other sectors are relevant and impactful in the markets where they take place according the data.

Additional highlights from the SPONSORIUM Report include:

• One of the key observations from the Report is an increase in popularity for many sponsorship sectors (measured by amount of files), by an average of 16%
• In the US, 71% of partnerships are in SPORTS, 19% higher than the global total
• In Canada 49% of sponsorship spending is on sports.
• Only in Europe did Voluntary Organizations (e.g. Habitat for Humanity) rank as 2nd most popular (Education is most popular CSR sector in all markets)
• Following SPORTS, the next most popular sector that brands have partnerships in globally are FESTIVALS/FAIRS, with 7% of partnerships and spending at 1%
• Globally, average spend per sponsorship is trending down, mainly due to multiple smaller partnerships being formed and the overall economic climate. The SPONSORIUM Report shows an increase in proposal requests due to sponsorship seekers creating increased activities
• Within Corporate Social Responsibility related fields, EDUCATION/YOUTH ranks 1st globally with 44% of actual partnerships
• Globally, Consumer Shows that are priced below $500K are meeting brand sponsorship objectives at a better rate than any other sector at 52%; Consumer Shows priced over $500K reach over 70% of brand objectives
• Spending on EDUCATION based programs is higher in the US than in any other global market and they also score higher, on average, in the US than in any other market

US Key Observations

• On a per market basis, the US spends more on sports than any other market
• Festivals and Fairs are less popular in the US than in the other markets
• Spending on Education in the US is more than in any other market, as is US spending on Military support causes
• Education programs are more costly compared to in other markets
• Arts (includes music) within the US has moved into a more cost effective position than its traditional more expensive spot further to the right side of the grid

Canada Key Observations

• A more even split among the top sectors of Sports, Arts, Festivals and Fairs exists in Canada than in any other market
• Canada is the only market where Sports is not the most popular sector. FESTIVALS/FAIRS led proposals polarity index in Canada with 25%, followed by ARTS with 24%, and then SPORTS with 22%.
• Spending towards the Arts is higher in Canada than any other market
• Compared to the other markets, Community Events ranked highest in Canada, as did Health
• Overall average spending is lowest per activity in Canada

Europe Key Observations

• Festivals and Fairs account for a larger portion of Sponsorship spending in Europe than in any other market
• Overall, European sponsors see a greater variance in popularity vs. budget per sector than other markets (i.e. the difference between Sports popularity at 76% vs. Sports Budget at 49% is larger than in other markets)
• Percentage for Sports is higher in Europe than in any other market
• Compared to the other markets, Health ranks lowest in popularity in Europe, but first in average spending ($123,000 per file)
• Media Sponsorship (including Film, TV) is traditionally one of the most expensive sectors globally (2012 avg CPP = $245/pt), but in Europe they are considerably less expensive and closer to average
• CSR focused sectors in Europe are less expensive (-9.7%) yet scoring lower (-6%) than their counterparts in the rest of the world

"As evidenced by the data contained in the SPONSORIUM Report, 2012 proved to be a remarkable year for sponsorship and community investment," said Paul Pednault, Founder and President of SPONSORIUM. "Corporate marketing budgets are on the uptick, and the sponsorship industry's share remains at a point where continued spending justification is necessary."

Pednault added, "Through our patented PerforMind™ platform, SPONSORIUM is able to show to sponsors that they can benchmark their average actual sponsorship and community investment spend, and understand which sectors the most activity and ROI is taking place."

"The SPONSORIUM Report is here to help these efforts. It shares truly unique data -- the actual statistical performance of these industries," said Seth Leeds, Head of Strategic Development, Americas and Editor, SPONSORIUM Report. "The Report's goal is to empower sponsorship and CSR decision makers, their agencies, and the rights holders and non-profit groups they support, with the latest trends and analysis of their marketplace."

The SPONSORIUM Report publishes three times annually, and is available for download via the website: www.SponsoriumReport.com

About SPONSORIUM

SPONSORIUM provides Sponsorship and Community Investment Management systems to brands in more than 35 countries. The PerforMind™ platform allows corporations to efficiently and consistently evaluate, manage and report on upcoming and current partnerships. SPONSORIUM empowers industry professionals to dedicate their time to improving partnerships and enriching communities through value-added tasks, not clerical work.

SPONSORIUM is independent from consulting. It is privately funded, product-oriented and focuses on knowledge transfer. SPONSORIUM has invested more than any other in research and development and offers the ultimate online management solution for engaging in sponsorship and corporate citizenship. Its PerforMind™ tool is constantly evolving as result of suggestions brought up by its elite network of users from around the world.