Question

Topic: Advertising/PR

Beer Dilemma - To Sponsor Or Not To Sponsor.

Posted by Anonymous on 8/31/2008 at 1:36 AM ET 125 Points
Imagine you've been offered the exclusive beer sponsorship of a concert by a humanitarian association. It will be televised, and the media attention will be huge. Problem is, during the event, the organization will show the abuses suffered by farmers in the country. They will show how beer companies benefit from exploited barley farmers, among other things. Would you sponsor the event? After all, the farmers are not your employees and their explotion is not something you can control. Or would you rather invest that money in a campaign to minimize the criticism? Consider that if you don't accept to sponsor the event, the organization will go and ask the same question to your main competitor.
What's your opinion and what woud you recommend?
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RESPONSES

  • Posted on 8/31/2008 at 2:24 AM Member
    I would not sponsor. Your competitor should not either. Folks might associate your brand with the abuses to farmers, as you are the top of mind brand at that moment, as you are sponsoring the event. Would probably not do any campaign to minimize criticism..you do not need to defend yourself. Just pretend nothing is happening and spend your marketing dollars in marketing and sales activities that will drive sales.
  • Posted by ilan on 8/31/2008 at 7:39 AM Member
    Invest the money in promoting good will, not blunt beer promotion.
    Humanitarian associations are not a natural fit for anything connected to partying anyway...
    Beer sponsorships are better used in conjunction with safety rather humanitarian causes.
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 8/31/2008 at 9:42 AM Member
    If your brand doesn't exploit barley farmers, then you could produce a special "We're Sorry" Beer. The beer would be both an apology and way to further the message/branding.
  • Posted by CarolBlaha on 8/31/2008 at 11:06 AM Member
    I honestly don't believe this is a real situation. As if there aren't a thousand opp's and orgs asking for your sponsorship dollars. And if this org has some ax to grind anti barley would consider having a "bad" beer sponsor.

    First, as a sponsor you most certainly can be in charge of content. Gimme a break.

    As Jay indicated, if you choose to sponsor, you are probably immediately associated with the "good" barley farmer. Or else, would the org even consider you? That would be a huge conflict of interest. This is all BS.

    If you want to model your co as being a "good" farmer of barley, consider modeling it after FSC, a forestry program. If they forest in a foreign area, the indigenous people must be used, they must be paid fairly and no children can be employed, in addition to what we usually associate with good foresting.



  • Posted by Gail@PUBLISIDE on 8/31/2008 at 11:18 AM Accepted
    Stay away from this sponsorship but as Juliet suggested, launch a PR campaign targeted on the message of your company's honesty and integrity toward barley farmers.

    I disagree that you would be seen as a "good" barley farmer if you sponsored this event. As a consumer, I would just find the whole thing ironic and maybe your brand, ignorant of the fact that you've entered this potential firestorm.

    You can take the opportunity of this message coming to light to promote the great ways your company treats barley farmers in a separate campaign. Good luck!
  • Posted by matthewmnex on 9/2/2008 at 2:38 AM Member
    Firstly establish that ti is real :)) if it is then don't shy away from this :) It is a perfect opportunity to do some good CSR work.

    Whilst all the other beer companies are running for the hills, you have a great opportunity too raise awareness about the situation and let people know that your beer company is a responsible one (if indeed it is ) The only reason to run away is if you are participating in the said abuses. If not then take the opportunity to differentiate your brand from all the others.

    Starbucks is very careful to pint out its ethical approach to coffee growers - here is a great chance for you to do the same for the barley growers.

    I am completely unaware of any problems that barley farmers are facing and probably most people are. Get involved - this is your industry after all - Supply chain is critical to your bottom line results so make sure you are aware of what is happening to your raw materials from farm right through to consumer and you can't fail to win.
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