Oped: Our Big Little World of Sponsorship and Partnership

Photo by Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy via Getty Images

Ever undertaken a project and felt it did not meet the expected standards? Ever been unable to pursue one due to financial constraints? It takes one to make hope possible genuinely.

Sponsorship as an activity aims at improving credibility, positive brand and public image, improved customer experience, and broader demographic outreach by receiving resources to support the cause and returning a favor based on marketing and communications like providing drinks, branding name, and logo during the event.

An asset and a brand joining for a significant role and a common good beyond marketing and communications like locally, a mobile service provider agreeing to work with either a government or non-governmental agency to provide food for the hunger-stricken Northern Kenya residents become a partnership. As a result, sponsors gain exposure by sharing their human side.

Managing the sponsors and partners leads to successful resource mobilization. Individuals or groups either philanthropic or governmental, are onboarded to raise funds to help dreamers realize project goals.

Partnership management ensures established sustainable continuity to the sponsoring cause and goal amongst the stakeholders of an event or program, demonstrated through proper planning and execution.

It becomes a tedious task to take on single-handedly. Outsourcing a professional task force with knowledge and expertise sees you actualize dreams. Passersby monitor and evaluate event outcome to decide whether to board or not as they help substantiate aspirations hence orderliness and thoroughness.

A range of programs and events are due soon, including 'The Chairman’s Prize' by Kenya Golf Union and ‘Experience Kilifi Empower Kilifi’ by Imarika Foundation to empower Kilifi Vulnerable continue to seek sponsorships and collaborations both domestically and internationally as they wait to see what fate has in store.

As the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, hosted the season’s third Continental Tour Gold meeting of the Kip Keino Classic, it was a memorable opportunity for some local names among them Africa’s fastest man and world second with a personal best of 9.77 seconds; Ferdinand Omanyala. The multimillion Adidas sponsee proved to the world why local and international brands who have pulled out of sponsoring and partnership deals should give it a second thought.

H.E President Uhuru Kenyatta graced the event held on Saturday, May 7, 2022, at Kasarani stadium as the chief guest topping the list of events in the country for the weekend. ABSA Kenya bank partnered and increased its sponsorship kitty towards the event. Top Olympic stars and sprinters present included Marcell Jacobs, Fred Kerley, Shelly-Anne Fraser-Pryce and Christine Mboma in the short races male and female categories.

NCBA bank partnered with other education philanthropists, institutions and initiatives; MPESA Foundation Academy, EduMed Trust, Palmhouse Foundation, SOS Children’s Villages Kenya, Dr Choksey Albinism Foundation, and Daraja Kenya Initiative providing opportunities for bright talented students from families that are financially challenged by diverse circumstances through a donation of Kshs 11 million to see the groups through their sponsors actualize respective education and career dreams.

During a national crisis spat like one being witnessed between Russia and Ukraine, those for and against have stood with each camp in different capacities to demonstrate support. General debate on Ukraine by the House of Commons in the United Kingdom reveals ongoing discussions on the partnership and sponsorship of Refugees and Asylum seekers running for safety in the country, even as the feud escalates.

As the globe prepares for yet another breathtaking 2022 FIFA World Cup tournament, a lot is happening behind the scenes to mark this moment. However, Brands seem to weigh the cost of teaming with the host Qatar due to worker and human rights abuse allegations. Several World Cup sponsors are dissociating themselves in fear of negative publicity.

The same is happening with Sponsors of the Gravel Pro Cyclist Colin Stricklands believed to have cut ties with the Cyclist following the emergence of details revealing his proximity to Moriah Wilson's murder case.

Elsewhere, the leaders of the Quad nations - Australia, India, Japan, and the United States met in Tokyo to sign a partnership deal to improve maritime domain awareness across the Indo-Pacific.

Brands seem to shun the old norms of marketing communication to boost sales and publicity. As a result, they are demonstrating these by enabling other brands. It showcases that they care hence increasing brand awareness, sales and profits of services and products offered by cutting on costs meant for advertisement.

Success is not the end of a journey or is failure the final. An event that meets the irreducible minimums attracts and builds trust moving forward. Whilst human is to error, handling such causes do not entertain excuses. A memorable event lures future recommendations and sustenance.

Promising expertise and professionalism to reach out for sponsorship, partnership management, and fundraising to achieve cause locally and globally. There should be informed expertise and knowledge for resource mobilization, especially on drafting tailored proposals to solicit funds. Informed agencies and firms such as LEA Client Services Limited with proven competence appear to have been the missing link that is gradually gaining momentum.

The front seat is for the toughest who come out to express the idea disregarding how microscopic. It calls for expertise to help channel your idea and request support. Everyone has the right to dream. Achieving your goal is a long way proven expertise seems to have a flawless shortcut to seeing project realized through funding. "Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is a success."