Event Sponsorship Trends for Brands
How is event sponsorship changing, and what new opportunities does it open for live events?
Brands are asking more of the events they sponsor. A logo on a banner no longer settles the question a marketing team brings to the table: what will this do for us that we can show? That pressure is changing what organizers offer and what sponsors buy.
This guide describes the shifts we see in how sponsorship is being sold and bought, and turns each into a planning question for brands and for organizers. It is a practical reading of the direction, not a market report: we state no statistics or forecasts, because we have no published figures of our own to cite. Where we describe what Eventdex does, we limit it to what its sponsorship page says.
Updated by the Eventdex team
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How to read a list of trends
Most trend lists are a mix of what has changed, what a vendor wants to sell and what sounds new. Before you act on one, ask whether the shift changes what you would put in a package or what you would ask for as a sponsor. If it does not, it is a talking point, not a trend.
The shifts below are described in qualitative terms. None is backed by a number here, so treat them as questions to test against your own audience and your own past results.
Look for a change in behavior
A trend is real for you if sponsors are asking for something different, or if attendees are responding to something different.
Test against your data
Your own attendance, session and lead figures will tell you more than a general survey of the industry.
Start small
Pilot a new placement with one willing sponsor before you add it to every package.
Seven shifts in how sponsorship is sold and bought
Each shift has two sides: what it asks of the organizer and what it asks of the brand. The table underneath puts them together.
From exposure to outcomes
Sponsors want to name a result (leads, meetings, content views) before they sign. Packages that list outcomes and how they are reported are easier to buy.
How to measure event marketing ROIFrom logo placement to participation
Sponsors want a role in the event, such as a session, a challenge or a networking space, rather than only a name on a wall.
Sponsorship activation ideasDigital and physical placements together
With hybrid and app-led events, one sponsorship can span a venue and a screen: badges and lanyards onsite, splash and banner ads in the app.
Eventdex sponsor placementsData shared with sponsors
Sponsors ask what they will see afterward. Live stats during the event and a post-event report answer that before it is asked.
Sponsored content, not just sponsored space
Webinars, keynotes and branded games let a sponsor contribute something people want, which is easier to remember than an ad.
Tailored packages over fixed tiers
Some sponsors want one placement done well rather than a bundle. Offer a menu next to the tiers.
Event sponsorship packagesLonger relationships
Organizers and sponsors both gain from renewing against a result, not selling from scratch each year.
New sponsorship opportunities for live events
Live events offer more places to put a sponsor than the booth and the banner. Here are the opportunities to think of adding, with what each requires. Eventdex's sponsorship page describes the placements listed in the right-hand column.
| Opportunity | What the sponsor gets | What the organizer provides | Eventdex page describes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sponsored session or keynote | Direct access to a seated audience | A slot in the agenda and a speaker brief | Sponsored webinars and keynotes, promoted by push notification |
| Mobile app placement | Visibility on the screen people use all day | Ad positions, with limits on how many | Splash ads, banner ads and video pop-ups |
| Branded badges and lanyards | A logo worn by every attendee | Print production and approvals | Custom-branded onsite badges and lanyards |
| Games and challenges | Engagement tied to the sponsor's name | Prizes, rules and moderation | A branded scavenger hunt; sponsor-branded trivia rounds |
| White-labeled app content | Resources and content inside the app | Space in the resources section | White-labeling so sponsors feature content in resources |
| Exhibit hall presence | Meetings and leads | Floor plan and booth sales | Exhibitor booths with live booth metrics |
Questions for brands before choosing an event
If you are the sponsor, the same list of trends becomes a checklist. Bring these questions to the first meeting.
Who exactly attends
Ask for the audience mix in the organizer's own records, not a general description.
What will we see afterward
Ask what reports you receive and when. Our guide on event marketing ROI shows what to track.
Event marketing ROIWhat can we do, not just be shown on
Ask what participation options exist beyond a logo, and what the organizer will do to promote them.
What is exclusive
Ask which categories are held by one sponsor, and what stops a competitor taking the next slot.
What happens if the event changes
Ask how a change of date, format or size affects what you pay and what you receive.
Questions for organizers before adding an opportunity
If you are selling sponsorship, test each new idea before it goes in the prospectus.
Can we deliver it well
A new placement you cannot staff or measure is worse than none. Start with what your team can run.
Can we report on it
Decide in advance which number tells the sponsor it worked, and where it will come from.
Event analytics softwareDoes it fit the audience
A sponsored game suits a crowd that likes games; a sponsored session suits a crowd that wants to learn.
Does it need a limit
Cap the number of app ads or sponsored sessions so each one stays visible.
The Eventdex platform
Offer sponsors more than a logo
- Event sponsorship featuresApp ads, branded badges, sponsored webinars, a scavenger hunt and live stats.Learn more about Event sponsorship features
- Event gamificationTrivia, a real-time leaderboard and sponsor-branded rounds.Learn more about Event gamification
- Event mobile appThe screen where sponsor placements are seen all day.Learn more about Event mobile app
- Event analyticsAttendance, session and booth reports to share with sponsors.Learn more about Event analytics
“Eventdex helped me run a smooth registration process during my event and helped me deliver an excellent mobile application to my event's attendees. Their support team was brilliant and I really enjoyed incorporating the Eventdex solutions into my events.”
University at Buffalo
Eversource Energy
Georgia Tech
Influence Communications
FAQ
Event Sponsorship Trends for Brands: common questions
What is the biggest trend in event sponsorship?
The change we describe most is the move from exposure to outcomes: sponsors ask what they will be able to show afterward. We cannot put a figure on how widespread it is, so test it by asking your own sponsors what they want to report.
What are new sponsorship opportunities for live events?
Beyond booths and banners, they include sponsored sessions, mobile app placements, branded badges and lanyards, games and challenges, and white-labeled app content. Eventdex's sponsorship page describes each of these placements.
Why does this guide give no statistics?
Eventdex has not published figures on sponsorship trends and we do not repeat numbers we cannot source. The shifts here are observations to test against your own events, not measured claims.
Do these trends apply to small events?
Yes, in a smaller form. A small event can offer one sponsored session or one app placement and a short post-event summary. It does not need a large package to answer the sponsor's question about results.
Is virtual sponsorship still worth offering?
It can be, where part of your audience attends online. Eventdex's sponsorship page describes sponsor logos in virtual spaces and a tailored exhibition floor, so the same package can span in-person and virtual attendees.
Offer sponsors live stats and a post-event report
Start with a free interactive floor plan, or talk to an event specialist on +1 (866) 434-5088.