David G. Wilkinson is president of The Wilkinson Group, a Toronto-based international event marketing, education and strategic planning company.
Donna A. LeBlanc is research co-ordinator for the Event Marketing column. Contributions, ideas, media releases and feedback should be directed to Donna at (416) 510-1692 or fax (416) 510-1694.
The stadium Corporation of Ontario (SkyDome) has just put together 19 event sponsorship opportunities for 1993.
Since the 19 events respond to the strategic, added-value and creative flexibility needs of today’s event advertisers, SkyDome officials have appropriately called them ‘responsorships.’
Opened in June 1989, SkyDome has now hosted more than 650 events and entertained almost 20 million guests – both records for stadiums in North America.
Up until 1992, most events at SkyDome have been rentals; but in the interest of filling up as many dates as possible and generating revenue for the facility, SkyDome has started co-promoting (Disney on Ice, Globetrotters, Garden Bros. Circus) and self-producing events (Grand Prix, soccer, Spring Fling, concerts.)
Paul Clark, vice-president of sales and marketing, says that ‘not all of the 1993 events fit every company’s business needs, but among the 19, there is something for everyone.
Clark says that because SkyDome has eliminated the middleman, ‘we can offer very competitive rates and almost unlimited creative flexibility.’
In fact, SkyDome is so convinced that the ‘responsorships’ will hit a home run, it is guaranteeing four-to-one value or the participating company’s money back.
Both Richard Peddie, president and chief executive officer, and Clark have significant packaged goods experience, so they bring a different approach to the sports and entertainment business.
From strategic alliances with media sponsors such as tsn, Toronto radio station cfrb and The Toronto Sun, to a close working relationship with Decima Research and record retailer hmv, they are making significant marketing breakthroughs in what is a relatively unsophisticated business.
SkyDome has a 45-minute ‘responsorship’ slide show and those who would like to see it or would like more information should contact Paul Clark at (416) 341-3418.
Good Food Festival
The Good Food Festival has scheduled an inaugural run for May 28-30, 1993 in Toronto at Exhibition Place.
It promises a cornucopia of healthy and great-tasting foods and food-related experiences with celebrity chefs, a farmers’ market, a showcase kitchen, cooking demonstrations and hands-on activities teaching children how to cook – a real ‘family affair.’ Add to that the expected 250 exhibitors and an estimated attendance of 40,000.
Developed with advice from an advisory council which includes the Heart & Stroke Foundation, the Ontario Restaurant Association, the Ontario Dietetics Association, major sponsors to date include Loblaws Supermarkets, Toronto Life magazine, The Toronto Star, cbc-tv and CHFI FM98 radio.
Corporate sponsorship offers printed promotional material, newspaper, magazine and media relations advertising campaign, logo displayed on signage on-site, company name stated on p.a. system throughout festival and premium exhibition space.
Secondary sponsorships include festival feature sponsorship, animation area sponsorship and exhibition space. Values range from $1,095 to $25,000.
Additional event sponsorship opportunities are available and the sale of exhibition space is under way.
For more information, contact festival manager Lynda Chubak at (416) 778-6483.
He shoots, he scores
The Duracell University Hockey Challenge begins its fourth year with a competition pitting Canada against the u.s.
The games are scheduled for Nov. 27-28, with the Colgate University Red Raiders, University of Toronto Varsity Blues, and York University Yeoman challenging the Lake Superior State Lakers.
Shoppers Drug Mart has signed on as a co-sponsor and promotions have centred on tv coverage, with the participation of Toronto’s citytv and tsn and radio exposure on Toronto stations Q107 and cfrb.
cds from artists such as The Jeff Healey Band and Glass Tiger will be given out to prize-winning patrons, and a percentage of the gate receipts and monies raised in a fundraiser on the evening of Nov. 27 benefit the Hemophilia Society of Toronto.
Billed as ‘The Coppertops versus the Topcoppers,’ the Metropolitan Toronto Police gets into the act with a game on Nov. 28 challenging the hockey squad from Duracell.
For more information, contact Christina Simmons at (416) 823-4410.
