Logo Slaps

How to move past the logo slap.

Every time I say the words logo slap, I cower a bit in expectation of a former media partner correcting and reminding me it’s an “integration.” If you aren’t familiar, it’s a judgmental term used when a sponsorship puts (slaps) your logo on every element, but nothing is done to make it more meaningful.

Ultimately that partner and I were on the same page about media sponsorships, only to me, each opportunity was a logo slap until we did something meaningful with it.

This topic is timely because I have seen some dramatic improvements in recent months. As media budgets tighten, every dollar has to work harder for the return, and it’s showing up in how some brands are using their integrated media packages. I’m inspired to offer up my input on how the advertising and marketing side of things should approach sponsorship opportunities to ensure our media partners aren’t allowing anyone to slap anyone with our logo.

Believe me, I understand the lust when media partners see a prized opportunity come open. There is temptation in the extra eyes on our brand, incremental units, and the ability to bask in borrowed equity. On its own, sponsorships like this already have value.

But to make full use of these often expensive packages it must become fully integrated into the brand’s plans. We love to throw around the word integration in marketing because it makes leaders comfortable that it was more than a media buy. Our brand is part of the inner circle.

However, is that how your customers see it?

I have a few thoughts on how to ‘integrate your integrations’ for an overall stronger performance.

Before I get doxed by smart media people, I will say that if the math works out that the package is delivering more efficiently than the standard plan, it is likely worth it even if the logo is slapped on. Good media is good media.

What I am suggesting here is how to make that performance even stronger. And these may seem like elementary ideas, but I don’t believe they are always put in practice.

Customize your content.

Brands that use their existing work to satisfy sponsorship assets are reducing the impact of their media purchase.

Consider that there will likely be a concentration of media assets in a narrow period of time and/or to a narrow audience. Your work will not reach wear-out in the traditional sense because the model for this is not traditional. If your intended audience is seeing your work at every turn (media people will celebrate) they can quickly become exhausted.

Make the brand-sponsorship connection obvious to your customer.

Carry it through everything.

Partner with your media team and the team from the vendor.

Calculate your production budget impact and share this when sharing the cost of the media portion of the package.

The fact is, many packages are more media over less time, across multiple channels.