Modern Luxury in Sports Sponsorship

Modern Luxury is setting new standards in sports sponsorship, offering brands and rights holders new opportunities to activate their target audiences. Extraordinary experiences are the focus, creating lasting impact and a good return on investment (ROI).

Traditional sports sponsorship mainly focuses on two things: prominent logo placements and VIP seats for valued customers at attractive sports events. The more expensive the sponsorship package, the larger the logo space, and the more VIP seats offered. So far, so familiar. The catch: such sponsorship activities no longer achieve the desired effect and are becoming less profitable for sponsors. Billboard placements are hardly noticed amidst the daily advertising flood, and interchangeable experiences are no longer valued.
It is therefore high time to rethink sports sponsorship with the principles of Modern Luxury. Modern Luxury offers brand managers the opportunity to engage their target audiences with exclusive, individual, and emotional experiences. Instead of showcasing and loudness, the new brand presentation in sports sponsorship focuses on value-oriented, unique, and thus sustainable experiences.

Modern sports sponsorship sets new standards in experiential quality, even for premium events. While shuttle services, VIP tickets, and upscale catering were considered state-of-the-art until now, targeted activation strategies are now in demand. Starting from the reception – for example, at the airport – and the selection of hotels, to a concierge service during the stay, and an exclusive program featuring cooking classes, classical concerts, or sports activities, the possibilities to create lasting impressions among the selected customer base are diverse.
Unconventional sports events, attractive locations, extraordinary activities, and interesting peer groups are part of Modern Luxury concepts, providing highly personalized, unforgettable experiences. This positioning also transforms brands into valuable partners for the sports events themselves, no longer merely a sponsor among many. Event organizers that fail to offer brands contemporary sponsorship opportunities may increasingly find that brands create their own events.

Modern Luxury concepts are not limited to either analog or digital experiences. The focus is on expanding and strengthening the brand’s own community in both the online and offline worlds. Brand activations are designed to work across channels and complement each other. For example, the community is provided with high-quality digital content before, during, and after an analog event, turning an invitation to a 90-minute Champions League match in the VIP lodge into a complete experience package.
The event becomes just one element in a comprehensive customer journey. The possibilities of media formats range from live streams to viral elements in social media. This strategy not only engages existing customers but also has the potential to expand the target audience and attract new customer segments to the brand. Therefore, the Modern Luxury-influenced sports sponsorship not only activates the existing community but also becomes a tool for acquiring new customers. Aside from this effect, sports sponsorship in the era of Modern Luxury proves to be much more sustainable than just having a lodge seat and logo placement – benefiting both the community and, ultimately, the ROI.