Memory Effects of Past Sponsorships

Despite considerable interest in the long-term effects of sponsorship, few studies examine the ongoing effects when sponsorships have expired. This article fills this research gap by developing and empirically testing a conceptual model that shows (1) the time-lagged attitudinal benefits of the recall of a past sponsorship and (2) the antecedents determining this recall. Using primary (survey; n = 271) and secondary data from German professional soccer, the analysis shows that the present recall of a past sponsorship has a positive impact on the attitude toward the sponsor’s brand—an important precursor of actual buying behavior. In addition, this research finds that management (e.g., duration of the engagement), individual and group (e.g., perceived fit between the past sponsor’s brand and the sponsored object), and market factors (e.g., number of follow-up sponsors) determine the present recall of a past sponsorship.