Top Sponsorship Takeaways from 2024
Takeaway #1: Hybrid and virtual formats are here to stay—and sponsors already see the value
I’m proud to be an advisor to event tech company Evenda, because I believe that their event sponsorship solution can help bridge the gap between event organizers and companies who are looking even more strategically and thoughtfully at their offerings in 2025. The team gathered all of the data collected in 2024 and created a digestible, actionable Event Sponsorship Trends insights report.
One of the main takeaways from their annual sponsorship report that actually surprised me, was that not only are hybrid and tech-powered events are here to stay—sponsors are, in fact, spending their budgets wisely in this market. In fact, virtual and hybrid formats accounted for 40% of sponsorship spend last year, and the figure is only expected to grow.
Want to read the full report? Reach out to Evenda here!>>
Takeaway #2: Designing personalized event sponsorship packages is the way to go
Professionals who evaluate sponsorship opportunities are so accustomed to seeing the same offerings: Packages named after various precious metals, that list a number of places where a company’s logo or assets will be displayed throughout the event, along with activation opportunities that exist as the planning team sees them.
In both Evenda’s Insights Report and last July’s issue of Association Convention & Facilities Magazine echoed this sentiment. Quoted in the article “Sponsorships: The Ultimate Social Media,” Gail S. Bower, President of Bower & Co Consulting, put it best: Meeting and Event Planners “…should not be throwing a bunch of assets together and call it a gold, silver or bronze sponsorship. These generic packages are not valuable.”
Takeaway #3: Data-forward sponsorship sales will win the bid
In both of these media, data is queen. Historic data points are your friend when it comes to designing sponsorship packages and presentations that catch the eye of the reader. The return on investment, and relationships, one can expect when investing in your event should be front and center, so that all parties that evaluate the event opportunity can quickly and efficiently spot the benefits.
Include elements like the amount of people who attended your event in previous years; industry associates who have sponsored and specific wins they achieved as a result; number of connections made that closed business; and names of companies that were in attendance in previous years.