Visual processing and need for cognition can enhance event-sponsorship outcomes: How sporting event sponsorships benefit from the way attendees process them

Abstract

In a field study at a professional tennis event, the authors examine attendees’ visual processing and need for cognition in sponsorship processing. To add a managerial perspective, depth interviews are conducted with senior managers in sport/event management. Field study findings demonstrate that attendees who are high in need for cognition are more likely to evaluate a non-endemic title sponsor as fitting with the event, because they tend to elaborate, or think about how the two fit more so than attendees who are lower in need for cognition. Sports marketing executives discuss practices for how they integrate visual communication and cognitive tools and expand on the field study results with additional managerial insights.

Keywords: Event marketing, sponsorship, sport, need for cognition, visual processing, mixed method