Sports

How challenger brands can use sponsorship to step up

How challenger brands can use sponsorship to step up

Sep 24, 2026 |

The marketing tactics that build a challenger brand aren't necessarily the ones that will turn it into a serious category competitor. Early growth is often built by winning over a relatively small group of customers. Challengers find an audience underserved by established competitors, give them a compelling reason to switch and, if they get it right, turn some of those...
BMO’s soccer sponsorship shows authenticity is earned, not activated

BMO’s soccer sponsorship shows authenticity is earned, not activated

Sep 15, 2026 |

Every sponsor wants to be authentic. They want fans to believe they understand their passion, share their values and have a genuine reason for being there. The problem is that authenticity isn't something a brand can simply claim. Fans are increasingly savvy. They can tell the difference between a sponsor that has invested in something they care about and one that has...
The great Canadian sponsorship squeeze

The great Canadian sponsorship squeeze

Aug 24, 2026 |

There are few things the Commercial Director of a sports team enjoys more than announcing a new sponsorship. So, when a good friend who has spent years managing sponsorships for a major brand recalled the email she had received that morning, sent to her and all the club’s existing sponsors, which read, “Great news, we have a new sponsor joining the club”, her reaction was...
Data driven sposnsorship