Consumer Attitudes Toward Corporate Sponsorship, Brand Image and Purchase Intentions in Taiwanese Baseball Fans

Author

Cheng-Che Chiang, Lynn University

Date of Award

2-2006

Document Type

Dissertation

Granting Institution

Lynn University

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PHD)

Degree Program

Global Leadership - with a specialization in Corporate and Organizational Management

Department

College of Business and Management

First Advisor

Lisa Dandeo

Second Advisor

Cheryl J. Serrano

Third Advisor

Laura Kozloski Hart

Abstract

Corporate sponsorship expenditures in sports and other events is one of the fastest growing forms of marketing communications, which has grown at a faster pace than traditional media advertising and sales promotion. However, there has not been a great deal of research in this area. In Taiwan, sponsorship has not been forthcoming as a major marketing communication tool and further has not gained much attention for academic research. This research is an investigation of event attendees' response to sponsorship marketing and the sponsor's brand image as well as the purchase intention by participants at an athletic event in Tainan, Taiwan.

A sample of 235 baseball audience respondents in Tainan Taiwan completed a questionnaire. Upon exiting an athletic event, that was sponsored by a major food company in Taiwan. Results of hypothesis testing indicated that event attendees' attitude toward the sponsor had a significant impact on the sponsor's brand image. Additionally, sponsor-event fit was found to have a similar impact on sponsor's brand image. Event attendees' attitude toward the sponsor and their perceptions of sponsor-event fit were found to have a significant impact on their purchase intention. Finally, the effect of the sponsor's brand image had a major impact with regard to respondents purchase intention.

Findings from this study support prior sponsorship studies, that found consumers' attitude toward the sponsor, sponsor-event congruence and sponsor's image were key factors in generating a favorable response from attendees due to the fact that the athletic event was a sponsored event. Additionally, a model of consumer responses to sponsorship was developed for the purpose of this study.

Recommended Citation

Chiang, C. (2006). Consumer Attitudes Toward Corporate Sponsorship, Brand Image and Purchase Intentions in Taiwanese Baseball Fans [Doctoral dissertation, Lynn University]. SPIRAL. https://spiral.lynn.edu/etds/37