AQA · GCSE · Business
Course version: 8132 · Version from Sept 2017
Price, product, promotion and place (4Ps): sponsorship
Full specification wording
The elements of the marketing mix: price, product, promotion and place (4Ps): sponsorship
Sponsorship is a promotional method in which a business pays money, or provides goods, services or expertise, to support an event, team, individual, venue or cause.
Checked against the AQA 8132 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 53 of 80
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
Sponsorship is a promotional method in which a business pays money, or provides goods, services or expertise, to support an event, team, individual, venue or cause. In return, the sponsor receives agreed exposure, such as its name or logo on shirts, boards, vehicles, programmes or digital channels, and an association with the sponsored activity. For example, a local building firm might pay £2,000 to sponsor a junior football club's kit for one season; the club gains funding and the firm gains visibility among local families. Sponsorship sits within promotion, one of the 4Ps, because it communicates with potential customers and builds awareness or image rather than directly setting price, designing the core product or choosing distribution channels. Its value depends on audience fit, reach, reputation and whether the association is positive.
What earns the marks
- Defines sponsorship as a promotional relationship in which a sponsor provides money, goods, services or expertise and receives agreed exposure or association in return.
- Places sponsorship within the promotion element of the marketing mix, distinguishing it from price, product and place decisions.
- Explains how sponsorship can raise awareness, improve or damage brand image, reach a target audience and support marketing objectives.
- Uses a concrete example, such as a business sponsoring a sports team, event or community cause, and identifies both the sponsor's contribution and the benefit received.
- Evaluates sponsorship by considering cost, audience fit, length of agreement, measurable exposure, reputational risk and alternative promotional methods.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Treating sponsorship as a charitable donation with no commercial return.
Put it right by identifying the agreed promotional exposure or association the sponsor receives.
Classifying sponsorship under price, product or place.
Put it right by linking it to promotion because it communicates with an audience and builds awareness or image.
Assuming any sponsorship automatically succeeds.
Put it right by judging audience fit, cost, reputation and whether the exposure can be measured against objectives.
Exam tips
- Name the sponsor's contribution and the benefit received, then link both to a marketing objective such as awareness, image or reach.
- Use a specific context from the case, such as a named event or team and its audience, rather than writing about sponsorship in general terms.
- When evaluating, weigh sponsorship against another promotional method and reach a supported judgement about which is more suitable.
Try the lesson
The start of the The elements of the marketing mix: price, product, promotion and place (4Ps): sponsorship lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Which promotional method involves a business paying money to have its name linked to a sports team or event?
Listen
Sponsorship is a promotional method in which a business pays money, or provides goods, services or expertise, to support an event, team, individual, venue or cause. In return, the sponsor receives agreed exposure, such as its name or logo on shirts, boards, vehicles, programmes or digital channels, and an association with the sponsored activity. For example, a local building firm might pay £2,000 to sponsor a junior football club's kit for one season; the club gains funding and the firm gains visibility among local families. Sponsorship sits within promotion, one of the 4Ps, because it communicates with potential customers and builds awareness or image rather than directly setting price, designing the core product or choosing distribution channels. Its value depends on audience fit, reach, reputation and whether the association is positive. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Defines sponsorship as a promotional relationship in which a sponsor provides money, goods, services or expertise and receives agreed exposure or association in return. Places sponsorship within the promotion element of the marketing mix, distinguishing it from price, product and place decisions. Explains how sponsorship can raise awareness, improve or damage brand image, reach a target audience and support marketing objectives. Uses a concrete example, such as a business sponsoring a sports team, event or community cause, and identifies both the sponsor's contribution and the benefit received. A common slip: Treating sponsorship as a charitable donation with no commercial return. Instead, identifying the agreed promotional exposure or association the sponsor receives. Exam tip: Name the sponsor's contribution and the benefit received, then link both to a marketing objective such as awareness, image or reach.
See it
Put it in order
Put these steps in the order they happen.
- 1. Value depends on audience fit, reach, reputation and whether the association is positive
- 2. Sits within promotion, one of the 4Ps
- 3. Sponsor receives agreed exposure or association
- 4. Builds awareness or image
- 5. Sponsor provides money, goods, services or expertise
- 6. Supports an event, team, individual, venue or cause
- 7. Communicates with potential customers
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
Sponsorship
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Promotion within the marketing mix
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Brand awareness and image
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Target audience and reach
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
See every definition
- Sponsorship
- A promotional method in which a business pays money, or provides goods, services or expertise, to support an event, team, individual, venue or cause.
- Promotion within the marketing mix
- One of the 4Ps, communicating with potential customers and building awareness or image rather than directly setting price, designing the core product or choosing distribution channels.
- Brand awareness and image
- What sponsorship can build because it communicates with potential customers, with its value depending on audience fit, reach, reputation and whether the association is positive.
- Target audience and reach
- What sponsorship can achieve, with its value depending on audience fit, reach, reputation and whether the association is positive.
Label the diagram
Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.
1Box 1
2Box 2
3Box 3
There is more to this lesson
The full lesson goes on to check your understanding and help you earn the marks. Create a free account to carry on, with your progress saved.
A week of Premium from your first lesson · Then the free plan continues · No card, no charge
Test your understanding of The elements of the marketing mix: price, product, promotion and place (4Ps): sponsorship
Active recall beats re-reading. Take an instant quiz now to test what you’ve learned and lock it into long-term memory.
A week of Premium from your first lesson · Then the free plan continues · No card, no charge