The In’s And Out’s Of Sponsoring A Logo-less Event

Corporate signage is omnipresent at the vast majority of PGA Tour events. Logos pop up everywhere from grandstand seatbacks to flower beds—even tee makers are often branded. Miniature tractors and red umbrellas greet golfers at the John Deere Classic and Travelers Championship respectively.

At the Masters, global sponsors AT&T, IBM and Mercedes-Benz pony up millions for the privilege of being associated with pro golf’s Super Bowl. While the familiar logos of these multinationals get screen time during the television broadcast and on the app, onsite they are practically invisible. Augusta National didn’t pioneer the practice of placing rigid restrictions on onsite logo placement at a sporting event.

“The precedent is probably the Olympics. There is no signage inside the games and my guess is they took note of that,” Rick Burton, former chief marketing officer for the U.S. Olympic Committee and currently a professor of sports management at Syracuse University, explains.

“It is bold the way they do it since everywhere else in golf is so smothered in logos and banners. In a fun way, it reminds us of a simpler time which I think is the intent,” he adds.

The lack of corporate logo bombardment at Augusta National stands out in an era where the trend is towards more marketing. The NHL increased the number of in-ice advertising spots a few years back and the NBA—who already has corporate patches on jerseys—recently greenlit advertising on warmup wear. But a lack of logos does not necessarily translate into an inferior return on investment. There are many more variables needed to measure outcomes.

“ROI in sponsorships is still very much a guessing game. It has become more quantified recently as the ability to track impressions has increased, but the value of the impressions is still a guessing game. Linking the sales of a product and increased brand equity to an event is so laden with assumptions that it’s probably more art than science still,” explains Mike Lewis, an Emory University sports marketing professor.

And while logos are out of sight at the Masters, that does not mean they are out of mind. Golfers at the 2022 edition of the major tournament are given the new electric Mercedes EQS as a courtesy vehicle and VIPs are chauffeured down Magnolia Lane in the German luxury marque’s sprinter vans. While fans, referred to as “patrons” at the event, don’t enter the grounds down the majestic roadway, when they make their pilgrimage to Founders Circle in front of the clubhouse to scope out the famous Masters emblem, composed of yellow pansies, they very well may catch a glimpse of the cars rolling by.

“If your hope is to someday emulate your favorite player on tour, maybe subliminally you will go, ‘well I saw him in a Mercedes so if I want to be like him, I should buy a Mercedes,’” Burton says.

There is a marketing concept called matchup hypothesis where if consumers feel there is congruence between a spokesperson and a brand or a sponsor and an event they can more readily get behind it.

“You have the best of the best when it comes to golf courses in Augusta National, choosing one of the best of the best in the automobile world. It’s no coincidence that this match is as good as it is. There are a lot of similarities. The two brands stand for the same things and make each other better in a sense,” world No. 2 Jon Rahm, a Mercedes ambassador, says.

Another key benefit for sponsors attached to the event is the ability to utilize one of the hottest tickets in pro sports to solidify existing customer relationships and foster new business. Companies invite clients to special VIP areas and exclusive parties where golfers competing in the tournament might even drop by to chat, sign autographs and pose for photos. While these soft benefits may be tougher to quantify than impressions or exposures that are detailed in sponsorship contracts, they can be very effective.

“Marketing is conducted by individuals and relationships matter. Inviting someone to the Masters can be a powerful relationship builder and an amazing networking opportunity. These ‘soft’ benefits of sponsorship, may be incredibly powerful,” Lewis says.

“Access to VIP areas and experiences like meeting golfers can create powerful connections. It’s like the standard sports experiences where regular fans bond over exciting events. Now it’s business people creating memories and connections over a great experience.”