Changing Negative Attitudes Through Sport Sponsorship In Brazil

Abstract

Objective: The research has as objective to assess if sports sponsorships can change previous negative attitude towards a sponsoring brand, also investigating implications on consumption intentions. Methodology / Approach: The study was structured in experimental design, using a one-group pre-test/post-test variation to compare different effects of an independent variable. An online questionnaire was elaborated using a repeated measure design to assess participant attitudes and consumption intentions, employing a scenario-based experimental survey. The first scenario brought negative information about a sponsoring fake brand/company. It was only accepted in the final sample (295 Brazilians citizens) people that presented negative attitudes in the first scenario. In the sequence, they were submitted to subsequent sports sponsorship scenarios, having their attitudes and consumption intentions measured after each scenario. The second scenario associated the brand with sponsorships to football. The third one also linked the brand to football but focusing on a community perspective. The last context approached a different sport (volleyball), contextualizing the sponsorship in an Olympic/Paralympic frame. Originality / Relevance: This study is justified due to the lack of similar studies, insofar as no other article was found with the same objective, method, premises or culture investigated (country). Main results: The study provided evidence that sports sponsorship can change previous negative attitudes towards a brand, mitigating or turning it into a positive one. The research also reports a positive effect of sports sponsorship on purchase intention. Among all scenarios, the second one showed the biggest influence on attitude and consumption intention. Theoretical / methodological contributions: The findings are important to marketing and sports managers as they offered evidence that sports sponsorship can support brand and organizations to face crises and scandals situations, as a prevention or as a recovery strategy.