- Sponsorship has evolved from visibility to value and experience
- Each era reflects cultural, technological, and consumer changes
- The future belongs to brands that create real connection and innovation
Sponsorship is a reflection of society, showing how brands seek to connect with fans.
Over the past decades, it has evolved from simple logo exposure to a complex and strategic marketing tool.
Each era brought new players, new technologies, and new ways to connect brands and people.
Understanding this evolution is not just about looking back, it’s about recognising how brands have adapted to cultural and technological change, and what that means for those working in partnerships today.
The visibility era (1970–1990)
Consumer brands such as Coca-Cola, McDonald’s and Budweiser dominated sponsorship, primarily seeking visibility and global reach through major events.
Global expansion and reputation (2000s)
With the growth of emerging economies, airlines and Asian conglomerates such as Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad, Wanda Group and Gazprom used sponsorship as a tool for positioning and international credibility.
The impact of digital platforms (2010s)
Companies like Airbnb, Uber, Google, Booking.com and Just Eat brought a digital mindset to sponsorship. Integration between the online and offline worlds, in favour of fan experience, became a priority.
The new economy: crypto, betting, luxury and fintech (2020s)
The current era is driven by speed, personalisation and emotion. Binance, Betano, Louis Vuitton and Revolut use sponsorship to build trust, exclusivity and engagement, reflecting a new way of consuming entertainment.
Looking ahead, even the most traditional sponsorship brands are transforming.
Luxury brands, present in sponsorship for decades, have gained renewed prominence. Louis Vuitton has stood out by producing trophy cases for the World Cup, Olympic Games, Australian Open, NBA and Formula 1 Grand Prix.
Financial companies such as Visa and Mastercard have evolved towards a fintech mindset, focused on innovation, technology and fan experience. Both have acquired naming rights for the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls and the McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team, respectively.
These brands prove that the future of sponsorship doesn’t depend only on who invests, but on how partnerships create real value for people.
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