Corporate cause sponsorship will grow 3.4% in 2014 to hit $1.8 billion, predicts the IEG Sponsorship Report.
In 2013, corporate cause sponsorship was up only 4.8% to $1.78 billion. Overall, North American sponsorship spending grew 4.5% to $19.8 billion, below IEG’s prediction of 5%. Sports, which accounts for nearly 70% of sponsorship spending, was up 5.1%. Cause marketing’s share of the overall sponsorship market remained at 9%.
Projected spending, growth and category share in 2014 are:
- Sports: $14.35 billion, up 4.9%, 70% share
- Entertainment: $2.06 billion, up 4.6% 10% share
- Causes: $1.84 billion, up 3.4%, 9% share
- Arts: $927 million, up 1.4%, 4% share
- Festivals, fairs, annual events: $853 million, up 1.79%, 4% share
- Associations, membership organizations: $576 million, up 1.4%, 3% share
Overall, North American sponsorship spending is expected to grow 4.3% to $20.6 billion in 2014.
Since 2002, cause sponsorship has grown as follows:
2013 — $1.78 billion, 4.8% growth
2012 — $1.70 billion, 1.2% growth
2011 — $1.68 billion, 3.7% growth
2010 — $1.62 billion, 6.7% growth
2009 — $1.51 billion, 0.3% decline
2008 — $1.52 billion, 5.5% growth
2007 — $1.44 billion, 10.4% growth
2006 — $1.34 billion, 20.2% growth
2005 — $1.17 billion, 18.4% growth
2004 — $988 million, 7.2% growth
2003 — $922 million, 6.3% growth
2002 — $816 million, 13% growth
Back in 1990, cause sponsorship spending was only $120 million.