IMR helps companies to understand the process of sponsorship and works with rights holders to realise the full potential of their assets.
We adapt global best practice to clients regardless of size and experience, working to clear objectives.
For sponsors
- We work with you to define clear business objectives, often looking beyond traditional brand marketing.
- Where brand development is key, the requirement is behavioural change in the target audience. We advise on property selection, research, staff allocation and activation spend.
- Our managed approach also delivers powerful results for internal communications and business-to-business relationships.
For rights holders
- IMR helps rights holders to value and market their sponsorship assets. We identify relevant sponsors and present the business case for investing, saving time and money in the sales process and maximising the rights value.
- We profile fans to create recruitment and loyalty programmes.
- IMR has unique expertise in using stadia for conferences, events and as a community hub. We advise on club shop operations and merchandise.
International airline strategy
The retained marketing agency of a major global airline approached IMR to develop a sponsorship strategy. We analysed the company’s operations, including marketing, route network, internal communications, external relationships, corporate reputation and competitor activity.
The new strategy was designed to match brand objectives, deliver activations towards internal processes and deliver a research programme that would benchmark the company’s position, monitor success and ROI, and refocus when initial objectives had been met.
Aston Villa youth + community programme
Aston Villa is the biggest football club in the Midlands area of the UK. The club had a double objective: to recruit and engage younger fans and to develop relationships with the sizeable Asian population living close to its Villa Park stadium. IMR developed the first soccer reality TV show – Villawannabee. Screened on the Asia TV Network and open to children aged12-14, the show had more than 2,500 contestants. The club’s marketing department described the project as "very successful".
Parkour Generations development + training
Parkour Generations is the world’s leading group of parkour instructors and practitioners, responsible for the discipline’s first fully recognised training regime. IMR advised the group on commercial activities, publishing contracts and on the creation of an independent federation to help develop the sport worldwide. IMR also created an annual summer training camp in the French ski resort of Morzine - still running today. This camp brought together two IMR clients to achieve income for the resort during its off-season and superb, high-altitude training facilities to parkour students.
Northampton Town FC business development
IMR undertook a major research and consultancy project that helped the soccer club to value its rights, understand its fans and create new commercial opportunities. The research data was used to help identify potential partners and persuade them of the business case for becoming a sponsor. IMR also worked with the club on media projects, stadium facility revenues and a major community development strategy. Working closely with the club, IMR helped to increase commercial revenue by 600% in one year.
projects