Canadian Cancer Society and Relay For Life named Canada’s Most Valuable Property

Ipsos Reid and TrojanOne Study Identifies Drivers Behind Consumer Connection to Sponsorship Properties

In August 2012, Ipsos Reid and TrojanOne released the results of ‘Canada’s Most Valuable Property’, a first of its kind study designed to measure consumers’ affinity and connection with a property and its impact on sponsorship. The research highlighted seven key drivers that make a property valuable to Canadians and identified the Canadian Cancer Society and its signature fundraising event, Relay For Life, as Canada’s ‘MVP’.

To measure the ability of a sponsorship property to create an emotional connection between Canadians and the property’s sponsors, the Most Valuable Property study evaluated 100 properties through a survey of 1,016 Canadian consumers. In the context of the MVP study, a property is defined as the sponsorship rights holder i.e. the entity that seeks sponsorship. The study created a ‘value index’ designed to pick up impact on sales, shared goodwill equity and enhanced image.

Through an analysis of the data, seven key drivers of consumer sponsorship equity were identified as follows, in descending order of importance:

1. Personal Involvement – connecting to the property on a personal level.  It may have touched them in some way, improved their lives or led them to change behavior.
2. Creating the Moment – adding enjoyment and passion to their lives, helping Canadians create lasting memories, connect with others.
3. Impact on the Cause – trusting the property to use their contributions of money, time and energy to have a real impact on making their community, or the world, a better place.
4. Sponsor Fit – seeing a clear and logical fit between a property and sponsors who are true champions for the property, who ensure that it happens and that Canadians have access.
5. Responsible Management – a property has the appropriate governance and is not overly commercial.
6. Heritage – the property has a solid history and promising future. It helps define what it is to be Canadian.
7. Uniqueness – Is the only organization/event that does what it does.

“There are hard measures available – attendance, viewership, awareness,” said Jordan Levitin, Senior Vice President, Ipsos Reid. “But the industry has been asking for a measure of the ‘emotional’ connection that sponsors need to understand if they are truly connecting with their target audience through the sponsorship – if they are sharing some of the love consumers feel for the property”.   

Both the Canadian Cancer Society and their pan-Canadian fund-raising event, Relay For Life, gained the top ranked ‘MVP’ status by achieving strong scores across 6 of the 7 key drivers of value.

“If you subscribe to the notion that sponsorship is the borrowing of equity and that the equity value is determined by consumers, stakeholders, employees and media, then the importance to our industry of this type of study cannot be overstated,” said Mark Harrison, President, TrojanOne. “Identifying the key drivers of equity has implications for all stakeholders in the sponsorship world.”

About TrojanOne Ltd.

TrojanOne is an entrepreneurial marketing agency, working with blue chip corporations to create and deliver brand experiences, and with sport, cause and entertainment properties to identify their value proposition and maximize their business potential. TrojanOne also owns and executes proprietary events. For more information, visit www.trojanone.com

About Ipsos Reid

Ipsos Reid is Canada's market intelligence leader and the country's leading provider of public opinion research. With operations in eight cities, Ipsos Reid employs more than 600 research professionals and support staff in Canada. Ipsos Reid's Canadian marketing research and public affairs practices are staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, offering the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada—all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Ipsos Reid is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based market research group. To learn more, visit www.ipsos.ca.