......being "Sponsored" and being "Cheap Advertising"?

Here's some food for thought.

I see a lot of people who say they are "Sponsored". But what does that mean?

When I look at the definition of "Sponsor", I see "a person who vouches or is responsible for a person or thing."

The way I understand a sponsorship, a person/company pays money to you in order to advertise their goods or services - meaning if a company that makes turbos sponsors you, they give you the required materials to advertise it - including the turbo itself. If there's a show they want you to attend, they give you the funds required to be there. They are paying you for your time and effort to show that they have a product the community at large will want.

I see a lot of people who have "sponsorships" that come in the form of "discounts" and maybe some free stickers. Breaking News: That isn't a sponsorship. You're simply cheap advertising to that company. The company still makes money off you, and you're out there blindly pimping their goods without them assuming any financial responsibility. It's NOT a sponsorship by definition.

Did you get that turbo kit at cost in return for a sponsorship? Sorry. You still don't have a sponsor. They break even, and you become a billboard. AND you still spent money.

My point is - those of you who have "sponsorships" should ask yourself - Do I really have a sponsor, or am I just a form of cheap advertising? If you really have a sponsor, congratulations. You are one of the few who really do.

If you're cheap advertising, that's ok too if you benefit, but call it what it is. Just don't call it a sponsorship.

This post is simply my opinion. Opinions are like a55holes. Everyone has one, and they all stink.

 

Finally someone put it in an understandable way. I agree completely. Just becuase you got it 25% off of what the website wants for it, doesnt mean they love your car and are losing money to give it to you cheaper. EVERY part is market up and they probably broke even and will make money offf of you by you throwing a 4 foot by 4 foot decal on your ride.

Nice post!!

 

100% agree. My #1 sponsor is my wallet I do have one complete sponsor, NST. All others are just friends with shops that I do not mind getting the word out that hook me up with deals.

If they give me a price break, and they are not a friend or a buddy, then I just got a good deal. Not a sponsor *LOL*

So many kiddies on here confuse that. They think because zippies weedeater shop gave them a huge price break on the latest muffler with 10" flame tip and some stickers, they think they have a sponsor.


If your car is good enough in the first place and you know your stuff, sponsors will come to YOU, not the other way around.

 

I agree AND disagree. Sponsorships do include what is called "partial" sponsorships. Just my opinion. Companies have strict prices set for dealers on their products. A dealer is not allowed to go below that price because then the other dealers would be screwed and never sell the product. Then the product line would be dropped from that shop because they would be mad at the manufacturer. If a company directly chooses a car to sell to below the pricing structure, and those parts can't be found anywhere else at that price, that IS a sponsorship. I mean there is an obvious difference between some clown in a shop selling mufflers at "half price" when he is still making money off of you and a real company selling directly to a car they choose in trade for advertising. I don't want to offend anyone, because this is just an opinion thread and I respect your opinions, but I do disagree that a sponsor has to pay show entries. Sponsorships are usually written out and agreed upon. That's what it's all about. They have terms, if the terms include paying for show fees, then you have a sponsor that pays for show fees, if the terms include discounts and no show fees, that's still a sponsorship. I'm upset because I think when it's all set up and agreed upon, if you are getting a great deal and a company asks you to rock their stickers on your car, why not? Be good to the companies who are good to you. Be thankful!

 

No, what you're quoting is the typical "MAP" structure (Minimum Advertised Pricing) that companies like alpine use. A dealer can sell an item at whatever price he wants. He simply cannot ADVERTISE a price lower than X. Just because a dealer sells you that part at below MAP, that certainly doesn't make him a sponsor.

A sponsorship means a company is paying you to be there, as they have taken a financial interest in you and your car. An alpine sponsored car has ALL their best gear loaded in there at ALPINE'S cost, not yours.

These smaller rinky-dink outfits that give people a discount and call it a sponsorship is simply laughable. If someone is going to sponsor me, they better be prepared to give me the best gear that company has to offer, money or both.

A sponsorship is not something a person should be seeking if they're simply too poor to buy gear themselves.

 

+1, if I have a friend (which I do), and I don't mind helping them out, I don't mind advertising for them, or trying to put a good word in for a product they offer, in exchange for sweet deals on labor/parts/etc..

The other stuff in my sig is just a "I will try it to see what happens" type thing. I have not one decal on my car other than ZPI's and a Tein(just because I like the way it looks and have that suspension) decal.

Sponsorship is just a general category that people lump everything into. But I agree with most of you here, there aren't many on here that have TRUE sponsorships. Luckly, my pockets are deep enough...

 

You should get one of these:

http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/gear/5f21/

Then you could be one of the few people proud to say....... SPONSORED BY DUCT TAPE.

 

Beggars can't be choosers.

 

While I agree that people confuse "sponsorship" and a "good deal," but you looked at one part of one dictionary to get your myopic definition of sponsor.

Sponsor, as defined by the Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law is: One that securitizes assets. Or, one that promotes, advocates, or favors a business venture (as investment in a security or limited partnership).

The second part of this definition is what most sponsorships are. Not every company can afford to provide sponsorship as you (the OP) have defined it. And, not all sposnsorships come in the form of 100% free goods—I would be surprised if any but the highest level of motorsports saw a great deal of your perceived level of sponsorship. Most people only get partial sponsorships—an advocate sponsor—which means (sometimes deep) discounts/event assistance.

How I determine if a shop is a sponsor: If I can get a part from a shop at a price less than anyone else can, and they offer me future deals I will gladly consider them a "sponsor" as they are providing some financial investment (they are losing their profit on my goods in hope that I will generate sales for them). In exchange for this deal I will provide some level of advertising and referring prospective clients.

 

I also agree that some people confuse sponsorships. But everything else, dead on. I couldn't have said it better. Thank you.

 

C'mon.

We all know what a sponsorship is. If you think of what happens to Tiger Woods when he gets sponsored, then you know what a sponsorship is. Stop trying to redefine it as a "discount".

Enough already. Call cheap advertising what it is. A discount does not equal a sponsorship. I don't care if you consider that "myopic" or not.

If a shop can't afford to sponsor, then they shouldn't call what they do a "sponsorship". They probably have closer friends that get a better deal. And that's that.

 

I sometimes offer what I would call a partial sponsorship. If we hook up a car at half price on our product, which is ridiculously lower than we allow any of our dealers to sell at, in exchange for that person to rock my company's sticker and get us some publicity... that's not a sponsorship? But if I sold it to them at full price and paid for their admission to car shows that is?!? I don't think so. Come on man, give me a break. I don't want to be rude, but I think you are a little stubbiorn. You might be a bit confused and narrow minded on this subject. I really think some people need to consider what is in this thread. What's wrong with showing appreciation if a company hooks you up directly? What's wrong with showing support? WHY OH WHY would you complain about not getting paid to go to a car show if you are getting a ridiculous hookup on product prices. My 2cents.

 

Now that I have started a flame war with you, I do want to say I just checked out your cardomain site. Wow, that is NICE. I like what you've done. (Still doesn't mean you are right though. haha.)

 

I see both points well. But the fact is 50 billion kiddies worldwide blab all over the place they are sponsored by this company and that company because they got a discount. Putting a free ad for a company on your car is cool and all. No biggie... And even if they hook you up with a super good price then no biggie. You could call that a partial sponsorship if you will and only if it is taked about with the company before hand and they agree that it is a partial sponsorship. Overall that is just somone trying to nail bragging rights so there buddies will ohhh and ahhh over the subject when in fact all they did was get an item cheaper and the company gets there name out, the company still makes money and that is it..

The issue is 95% of people on here that claim to be sponsored just get a good deal, some stickers and they brag to all the people that they are sponsored. Makes them look retarded. I think that is were icenine is going with this, just annoyed at all the people with 50 company names in there sig claiming they are sponsored by them all when in fact they are not.

A true sponsorship usually involves contracts, show lineup's, lots of talk and travel and you the car owner having to promote items like a salesman. I know for I have been 100% sponsored many times. All in all, sponsorship is not all it is cracked up to be most of the time and can be a pain in the rear trying to make everyone happy. Most young people think sponsorship is a way to get free gear because they are so broke they cannot afford to buy the stuff they want. Sucks to state in the open, but that is a fact. I know first hand, I get people asking almost every other day for me to sponsor there car because they have an intake and header and think there car is the hot stuff.

The simple truth is, if your car is the hot stuff, sponsors will come looking for you and ask you to put there gear on your car with logos. Not you the consumer asking and begging a company to sponsor him or her... Sure, if you know for a fact you have a true show car, it does not hurt writing a company if you really are interested in there product, but most of the time like I said... they will come looking for you

Last rant....

Allot of companies abuse this sponsorship deal to lure younger not so bright people into being a rolling billboard for them. They tell the person they will sponsor them, cut them a small % off a product as long as the person slaps stickers on his or her car. When it fact all they are doing is help push the sale through to a person they may loose a sale to. I see that happen ALLOT.

 

Have you been burned by a shop in the past?

Just because one shop can't or won't afford to foot the whole bill for anything you want automatically means they are not a sponsor?

I work for a shop (my alter ego on SL) that sponsors a friend for autocrossing; he gets a flat out check for $1000 per year for event registration/tires/travel, then gets parts at a discount (usually cost less terms). In exchange, he runs a large company sticker (actually a magnet) on the side of his car. Most of the $1k gets spent somewhere besides the shop, as they don't sell tres or rims. Occassionally he will get a free part (the shop just got him a free Clutch Masters set up in exchange for him putting a CM logo on the magnet).

At a grassroots level there is no such thing as a free ride, and any help is important. Large companies like Toyo, Hoosier, Nitto, Kuhmo, and MINI offer contingency sponsorship. You buy their product, place a logo prominently on the car, then go out to national events. If you win you get paid a small fee. If you don't, well, you get nothing. Point is, motorsports are expensive and any level of sponsorship is hugely important unless you are inheirently wealthy and you can afford to go it alone.

Another point: I'm a Platinum sponsor and you are a Silver sponsor, but we are both sponsors, even though I paid more (not me personally, this just an example).

 

Nope.

Correct. They cannot afford to sponsor. They may WANT to, but they cannot afford it. They will give discounts in return for free advertising. This isn't a sponsorship.

I paid money so I can post about my LED swaps. I paid for advertising. Nothing more.

 

Great post.

I'm glad someone finally said it.

 

I don't think it's a flamewar at all Just a difference in opinon (and thanks for the comment just the same

There's a reason I take issue to a lot of these "discounts being called sponsorships". First of all, the kids who typically go this route wear their "discounts" on their sleeves, be it in their sigs, when talking to others, etc.

They flaunt it in a manner that makes them (or their car) try to look better than everyone else(s) because they got some sort of discount. It's like they're saying, "Hey, I've been sponsored! I'm hardcore now! And i'm better than you!"

They need to be woken up. They didn't buy themselves bragging rights. What they did was make themselves cheap advertising, and I don't think some of these people realize how ridiculous they look when they post that crap in their sig.

 

Yeah gotta agree. If a company really hooks me up, I will tell people about them, and a sticker might even make it under the hood on my section for companies I like or a buddy owns. But I do not go bragging all over the place I am sponsored by such and such. Annoys the crap out of me at a car show to see some dweeb with 500 stickers on his car telling people he is sponsored by all of them. Just retarded.

 

someone should sponsor my wheels, suspension, and intake. and oh yeah, a nice ghost flame job would be great too. I'd gladly put a couple banners on it! PM me if interested, i'll provide all my own labor. I'm ASE Master Certified so i promise i'll do a good job!!