An exploratory study on the influence of brands' sponsorship on the South African national rugby team and the consumers' decision to purchase the sponsor brands in Tshwane

Abstract

Organisations both locally and internationally spend large portions of their marketing budgets on sponsorship opportunities in order to achieve organisational and marketing objectives. The Springboks are in partnership with an assortment of sponsors, from main sponsors to associate sponsors to official suppliers, all with their own objectives to achieve through their affiliation with the Springboks. Although sponsorship is a rapidly growing marketing communication medium, there seems to be uncertainty about aspects related to its impact and effectiveness. The primary objective of the study was to explore the influence that the sponsorship of the Springboks has on the consumer’s decision to purchase the sponsor products within the Tshwane area. The study was an exploratory study and made use of qualitative data collection tools such as naïve sketches and focus group interviews to obtain primary data. The collected data was analysed by means of content analysis. Various variables that impact on the consumer’s final decision to purchase products can be identified and the literature states that limited knowledge exists regarding the influence of integrated marketing communication (IMC) tools on each stage of the consumer decision-making process. Psychological processes that make up consumer behaviour may be impacted by the effects of IMC and acting further to induce a specific decision from the consumer. This study provides knowledge regarding the influence of sponsorship on consumer behaviour. It was found that sponsorship can contribute to increased awareness of sponsors and that it contributes to positive attitudes maintained within the minds of the consumers. As a result of positive attitudes and increased awareness, participants mentioned that they may consider sponsor brands as alternatives in their decision-making process. The final decision to purchase sponsor brands, as indicated by participants, is not dependent on the sponsorship of the Springboks.