Purpose

The purpose of this study is to evaluate children’s perceptions and attitudes towards sponsorship transition, specifically the change from Nike to PUMA as kit sponsors for Manchester City Football Club (MCFC) in July 2019.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of 368 children, between 7 and 16 years of age were recruited for the study. Using electronic diaries, 1,577 diary entries were captured between February 2019 and March 2020.

Findings

Data reveals that children conceptualise sponsorship as a social exchange, with sponsoring brands seen as human entities and interaction with them reflecting the dynamism of social and familial relationships. Consequently, children in this study demanded prosocial and interpersonal behaviours from sponsors and sponsee during the transition period.

Research limitations/implications

The research has an immediate and direct application for brand managers and the sponsee when considering terminating long-term sponsorship. Both the departing and incoming sponsors can maximise their relationships with these younger fans through an orchestrated departure, arrival and dedicated handover.

Practical implications

The findings enable marketing brand managers to effectively evaluate sponsor transition to maximise opportunities to maintain, and indeed start, brand relationships with younger fans.

Originality/value

This is the first study that has examined sponsorship children’s responses to sponsorship transition.

中文翻译：

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探索儿童对赞助过渡的反应：对人际关系和亲社会要求的研究

目的

这项研究的目的是评估儿童对赞助过渡的看法和态度，特别是从2019年7月作为耐克赞助曼彻斯特城市足球俱乐部（MCFC）的赞助商从耐克到PUMA的转变。

设计/方法/方法

招募了7至16岁的368名儿童作为研究样本。在2019年2月至2020年3月之间，使用电子日记记录了1,577条日记条目。

发现

数据显示，儿童将赞助概念化为社交交流，赞助品牌被视为人的实体，与他们的互动反映了社交和家庭关系的活力。因此，本研究中的孩子在过渡期间要求赞助者和受赞助者的亲社会和人际交往行为。

研究局限/意义

当考虑终止长期赞助时，该研究对品牌经理和受邀者有直接和直接的应用。离开的赞助商和即将到来的赞助商都可以通过精心安排的离开，到来和专职移交来最大化与这些年轻粉丝的关系。

实际影响

调查结果使营销品牌经理可以有效地评估赞助商的过渡情况，从而最大程度地保持与年轻粉丝建立并建立品牌关系的机会。

创意/价值

这是研究赞助儿童对赞助过渡的反应的第一项研究。