Reverse effects of sponsorship: Establishing sport brand equity

Abstract

ABSTRACT Rationale/Purpose The purpose of this study is to develop and test a parsimonious model of brand equity reverse transfer, where the reputations of sponsoring brands influence the brand of a sponsored sports enterprise. Design/methodology/approach Building on associative network theory and the Elaboration Likelihood Model, this paper utilizes an experimental design to examine how the brand equity of a sponsorship roster influences perceived prestige and ultimately the brand equity of the National Hockey League (NHL). Domain involvement acts as a moderator. Findings Sequential path analysis supports the model’s proposed relationships in that sponsoring brands positively influence the perceived prestige of the sponsored property, which directly affects the brand equity of sponsored property. Involvement in hockey amplifies this reverse transfer effect. Practical implications While the numerous brands simultaneously engaged in sports sponsorship can be a source of clutter, these associations offer opportunities for sponsored enterprises to proactively manage their own brand equity. Research contribution Although the predominant sponsorship perspective in the literature has been that of sponsoring brands, the supported model raises the prospect that brand equity transfer is not unidirectional and a reverse effect applies in the wider portfolio context seen in practice.