Participant motivations in cause-related sporting events marketing

Marketing Causes

Marketing Using Cause-Related Sporting Events

Social marketers often concentrate the majority of their efforts on the sponsors for cause-related sporting events often not taking into account the needs of the participants. In the article The Marketing of Cause-Related Events: A Study of Participants as Consumers (Scott, Solomon, 2003) the authors attempt to determine the multifaceted needs and motivations of participants in cause-related sports events. The intent of the analysis is to determine how cause-related sports events can be used successfully as part of a multichannel-based marketing strategy that aligns or is consistent with broader strategic marketing initiatives and programs. The researchers chose a Susan G. Komen Foundation's Race for the Cure event in the southeastern U.S. As the basis of their sampling frame to complete their research methodology.

The Article

In the article The Marketing of Cause-Related Events: A Study of Participants as Consumers (Scott, Solomon, 2003) published by the Journal of Nonprofit & Public Sector Marketing the authors define through an analytical framework the implications of the benefits participants gain from cause-related sporting events. Implications for marketing strategies including how to define segmentation strategies by participant's motivation and group identification are also addressed.

My Critique

Admirable in their pursuit of new insights into the motivations and segmentation of participants in cause-related sports events, the authors provide insights into this dynamic and its implications for marketing strategies. It is however only a first phase of what needed to be a more multi-phased research study. The sampling frame, statistical analysis and rigorousness of the research make the results anecdotal more than representative of an entire population. There is also a lack of crisp, clear analysis of segmentation criteria. Why not go for psychographics profiles as well? With in-person interviews the depth of the analysis could have been much greater. It is an interesting yet limited analysis as a result of why people participate in cause-related sports events and how these events can be used in marketing.