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Sponsoring Esports to Improve Brand Image

Author

Listed:
  • Bruno Duarte Abreu Freitas
  • Ruth Sofia Contreras-Espinosa
  • Pedro à lvaro Pereira Correia

Abstract

This research aimed to identify how esports sponsorships affect the sponsors’ brand image. An exploratory focus was adopted along with a convergent-parallel mixed method with equal status. Twenty-two experts in esports sponsorships were interviewed and 5,638 esports fans were surveyed. Quantitative data was processed on SPSS 25 and qualitative data on NVivo 10. The two data sets were analysed separately from one another, but the results were interpreted together and given the same level of importance. The results showed that all experts believe that sponsoring esports can positively affect the sponsors’ brand image and roughly one-third of fans perceive more positively a small number of brands as a result of them sponsoring esports. This image improvement is, however, dependent on multiple variables, including activation strategy, brand type, and target audience. The findings are relevant for academics and companies looking to better understand the brand image effects of sponsoring esports. JEL Codes - M31; M37

Suggested Citation

  • Bruno Duarte Abreu Freitas & Ruth Sofia Contreras-Espinosa & Pedro à lvaro Pereira Correia, 2020. "Sponsoring Esports to Improve Brand Image," Scientific Annals of Economics and Business (continues Analele Stiintifice), Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, vol. 67(4), pages 495-515, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:aic:saebjn:v:67:y:2020:i:4:p:495-515:n:184
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    File URL: http://saeb.feaa.uaic.ro/index.php/saeb/article/view/1186
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Funk, Daniel C. & Pizzo, Anthony D. & Baker, Bradley J., 2018. "eSport management: Embracing eSport education and research opportunities," Sport Management Review, Elsevier, vol. 21(1), pages 7-13.
    2. Daniel C. Funk & Anthony D. Pizzo & Bradley J. Baker, 2018. "eSport management: Embracing eSport education and research opportunities," Sport Management Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(1), pages 7-13, January.
    3. Erik Mooi & Marko Sarstedt & Irma Mooi-Reci, 2018. "The Market Research Process," Springer Texts in Business and Economics, in: Market Research, chapter 2, pages 11-25, Springer.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    esports; sponsorship; brand image; marketing; branding;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • M31 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Marketing and Advertising - - - Marketing
    • M37 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Marketing and Advertising - - - Advertising

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