A Look into Boeing’s Corporate Sponsorship

Boeing is the leading aerospace company in the world, and by far the largest manufacturer of jetliners for commercial use, and also military aircrafts. They are the forefront runners in aerospace innovation and leadership, continuously creating new and more efficient products.

As it is a large corporation, Boeing gives out corporate sponsorships to those in need of support in funding. Organizations are welcomed by the company to give unsolicited sponsorship proposals since they seek to proactively create partnerships with strategic and appropriate partners.

Evaluation Process

Building long-term partnerships is the goal that Boeing aims to attain in sponsorship. They support a select number of events and activities which have similar interests and values. In order for this to possible, an evaluation process is conducted by Boeing to see whether an outside organization is an ideal sponsorship partner.

All sponsorship proposals given to Boeing go through the following processes:

• Unsolicited and solicited proposals are received by Boeing Corporate Communications.

• Boeing Corporate Communications then performs a preliminary overview that is based on their evaluation criteria.

• If the sponsorship proposal has potential, it is shared with a team of managers responsible for sponsorship program development projects.

• The sharing is evaluations of the sponsorship proposal – taking into account the proposal’s location, subject and scope – seeing if it fits with Boeing’s brand and strategy on sponsorship.

Evaluation Criteria

There are six general criteria developed by Boeing in evaluating sponsorship proposals. These measures ensure that the benefit garnered is for both parties – sponsor and sponsee.

Sponsorship proposals are subject to evaluation based on the following:

• The tangible benefits involved if a partnership is pursued.

• The longevity the proposal offers if a partnership between the organization and Boeing is established.

• The capability of the proposal to target necessary audiences and build the right kind of relationships.

• How Boeing will be exposed through such a sponsorship – will it be a positive venture, will it bring in more customers and good feedback, etc.

• What kind of additional resource is the proposal going to generate.

• Will a long term relationship prove to be sustainable and overall beneficial to both parties?

There are specific ineligible activities that Boeing has no interest of pursuit. Some of these activities are mentioned below:

• Little leagues and other local sports organizations
• Charities that hold fundraising events
• Individual or family sponsorship requests
• Daredevil stunts and sports
• Events that do not have any Boeing facility, product or technology
• Religious activities
• Sponsoring travel expenses

Current Sponsorships

There are currently a number of organizations that are sponsored by Boeing. These companies are also large business that have passed the evaluation process and fit the evaluation criteria that Boeing stands by,

Some of the current sponsorships include the following below:

• Chicago Bears - This team is contracted by Boeing under a five-year sponsorship agreement.

• Museum of Flight - This organization, relevant to the nature of Boeing, provides a detailed and extensive look into Boeing’s history and bright future.

• The John F. Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts - The events held by this institution are sponsored by Boeing. These events are Kennedy Center's Annual Gala Weekend in April, 2004 – 2008; and Kennedy Center's Annual Honors Week in December, 2004 – 2008.

Sponsorship 101 – Knowing the Basics

Marketing strategies have, over the years, evolved into an arena of different tactical methods in promoting products that range from people to things. One such method, which has been growing at a rapid speed, is sponsorship.

Although it’s still in what we may consider in its ‘infancy stage’, numerous companies have adapted the use of sponsorship as one of their major promotional tools. But what exactly is this tool?

Below are the basics of this marketing strategy – a run down of what sponsorship is and what it encompasses.

The low-down of sponsorship

Basically, sponsorship is a business connection or relationship between two parties, wherein one provides support for the other. These parties may be an individual person, a group of people, or a whole organization. Applicable terms to designate the nature of each party may be termed as sponsor and sponsee or rights holder.

The word ‘sponsor’ simply indicates a person or organization willing to represent and vouch for a certain thing, individual, or group.  Relatively, ‘to sponsor’ would mean to give support. The sponsor’s support may be through providing funds, products, or services to the ‘sponsee’.

The ‘sponsee’s’ role, on the other hand, creates itself as the representative of the sponsor. Their main duty is to promote the name of the sponsor, be it a large company or individual. Their exposure would usually be through advertising and media avenues, and in turn promote the sponsor’s name and the product or service they provide.

This business relationship that is created is a partnership between the two parties and is naturally aimed to be in the long-term. The longer the business relationship lasts, the greater the benefits and value that can be acquired by both sponsor and ‘sponsee’.

Kinds of sponsorship

Marketing extensively spans throughout every business venture; and because of this there are many kinds of sponsorships available to individuals and organizations. The following sponsorships below are business areas that popularly make use of sponsorships in their promotional strategies.

Educational Sponsorship

Sponsorship in education can take on several types of support by a third-party individual or organization that wishes to partner with an educational institution. The forms of sponsorship in education can be through supporting a student’s stay within the school; providing books and educational materials for students; sponsoring for uniforms, equipment and the like; and so on.

Sports Sponsorship

Sports sponsorship may be considered as one of the most popular and media-covered kind of sponsorship, in which it allows large companies or corporations to support athletes or a sport organization through a variety of services. These services include sponsoring major events and/or games, providing athletes with necessary equipment, gears, nutritional needs, etc. All these bear the sponsor’s name, which in turn benefits them by letting their ‘sponsees’ advertise for them by wearing or using their name.

Arts Sponsorship

Sponsorship in the arts may not be as well known or media-covered to that of sports sponsorship, but rather attract a specific type of attention. Sponsoring for art events are for organizations that hold a certain image or brand. These are often upheld for brand exclusivity and/or luxury, independent of popularity ratings.

Television and Radio Sponsorship

An organization or individuals funding for television and radio programs is making use of media as their avenue for being known or recognized. Sponsorship of this kind reaches a lot of potential consumers, clients, and even ‘sponsees’ to cater to the sponsor’s services or products.