Effect of Brand Familiarity on Sponsor Recall: Evidence from Swimming Competitions

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of brand familiarity on sponsor recall. 196 respondents in China and Singapore were exposed to video clips from the 14th FINA World Championships held in Shanghai, China in 2011, and the 28th South East Asian (SEA) Games held in Singapore in 2015. It was found that respondents were more likely to recall familiar brands. The findings provided empirical evidence that commercial organisations should first consider the level of brand familiarity in the target market before embarking on sports sponsorship. This is because sports sponsorship is more effective when the brand is familiar with the target spectators. In addition, this study suggests that it may be more effective for commercial organisations that are not established internationally to consider sponsoring events that targets spectators from regions that they are already operating in. This will allow their sponsorship to be more effective.