Neuromarketing in Sports

Table of Contents

1 Introduction

2 Research Justification

2.1 Neuromarketing in sports: The current status of research

2.2 There is nothing like soccer – Soccer as the object of research

2.3 Combining neuromarketing with soccer sponsorships

3 Research Questions

3.1 First Dimension: Implicit Effects

3.2 Second Dimension: Sponsorship in Sports

3.3 Third Dimension: Brand Perception

3.4 Fourth Dimension: Different Consumers

4 Theoretical Framework

4.1 Corporate Social Responsibility and Sponsorship

4.2 Sponsorship in sports

4.2.1 Classification of Sponsorship into the Marketing Mix

4.2.2 Types of Sponsorships

4.2.3 Constant Growth of Sponsoring Partnerships

4.2.4 Objectives in Sponsoring Partnerships

4.2.5 Risks in Sponsoring Partnerships

4.2.6 Target Groups in Sponsorships: The “Magic Square Circle”

4.2.7 Effects of sponsoring activities

4.2.7.1 Important preconditions for sponsorship effects

4.2.7.1.1 Involvement

4.2.7.1.2 Arousal

4.2.7.2 Controlling the effects of sponsoring activities

4.3 Neuromarketing

4.3.1 Defining a young and evolving science

4.3.2 The Black Box – Hunting the “Holy Grail” of Consumer Behavior

4.3.3 The Consumer’s Black Box: Neurobiological Principles

4.3.4 Neuromarketing in Practice

4.3.4.1 Brand Code Management

4.3.4.2 Neuroscientific Research Methods

4.3.2.1 Medical Non-Imaging

4.3.2.2 Medical Imaging

4.3.5 Homo Oeconomicus – the classical principle in Economics

4.3.6 Criticism on the Homo Oeconomicus concept

4.3.7 The role of Cognition

4.3.8 The Importance of Emotions

4.3.8.1 The Emotional Turn in Marketing – “I feel, therefore I am”

4.3.8.2 Implicit vs. Explicit Processing – A definition

4.3.8.3 Pilot and auto-pilot

4.3.9 Limbic® Map

4.3.9.1 Emotions

4.3.9.2 The biological role of emotions

4.3.9.3 Emotions vs. Motives

4.3.9.4 Motivational Systems inside a human’s brain: Big 3

4.3.10 Limbic Types

4.3.10.1 The Traditionalist

4.3.10.2 The Harmonizer

4.3.10.3 The Disciplined One

4.3.10.4 The Open-Minded One

4.3.10.5 The Hedonist

4.3.10.6 The Adventurer

4.3.10.7 The Performer

4.3.11 State of the art in Research of Implicit Effects on Brand Perception

4.3.12 AIDA has had its day

5 Methodical Approach

5.1 Research Design

5.2 The Experiment: Measuring implicit effects in sponsorship

5.3 Defining Brand Meaning and Brand Associations

5.4 Measured attributes as important element of Brand Personality

5.5 The Experiment’s elements

5.5.1 The probands

5.5.2 The stimulus

5.5.3 The measured attribute

5.5.4 Procedure of the experiment

5.5.5 Response Time Tracking/ 1.

5.5.6 Limbic Type Categorization

5.5.7 Affinity to sports and the product category

5.5.8 Response Time Tracking/ 2.

6 Results

7 Discussion and Conclusion

8 Limitations and Directions for Future Research

Research Objectives and Core Themes

The primary objective of this thesis is to investigate the implicit effects of sports sponsorships on consumer brand perception by applying neuroscientific research methods. By moving beyond traditional explicit measurements, the study aims to reveal how unconscious emotional processes in the "Black Box" of the consumer influence attitudes toward sponsoring brands.

• Integration of neuromarketing findings into the academic study of sports sponsorship.
• Differentiation between implicit and explicit consumer processing in sponsorship contexts.
• Classification of consumer personality types using the Limbic Map to refine targeting strategies.
• Empirical analysis of sponsorship impacts using Response Time Tracking and field experiments.

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

1 Introduction: Discusses the competitive advertising landscape and the increasing necessity for companies to leverage sports sponsorship to reach consumers emotionally.

2 Research Justification: Outlines the lack of consistent empirical research on sponsorship effects and establishes the need for an integrated neuromarketing approach.

3 Research Questions: Defines the core inquiry of the thesis, specifically focusing on implicit effects, brand perception, and consumer segmentation in the context of sports.

4 Theoretical Framework: Provides a comprehensive overview of sponsorship strategies, the neurobiological basis of consumer behavior, and the Limbic® Map model for emotional targeting.

5 Methodical Approach: Details the design of the empirical study, explaining the use of field experiments and response time tracking to capture unconscious consumer reactions.

6 Results: Presents the statistical findings of the experiment, validating the hypotheses regarding implicit effects and brand evaluation differences across Limbic Types.

7 Discussion and Conclusion: Interprets the findings, confirming that sponsorship messages have a significant unconscious impact on brand perception regardless of the consumer's explicit affinity.

8 Limitations and Directions for Future Research: Acknowledges the constraints of the study and proposes future investigations, such as using medical imaging or varied stimulus formats.

Keywords

Neuromarketing, Sports Sponsorship, Brand Perception, Implicit Effects, Black Box, Limbic Map, Response Time Tracking, Consumer Behavior, Homo Oeconomicus, Neuroeconomics, Emotional Marketing, Sponsorship Effectiveness, Marketing Communication, Brand Personality, Field Experiment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the core focus of this research?

The thesis focuses on applying neuromarketing insights to sports sponsorship, specifically examining how sponsorships influence consumer brand perception through unconscious, implicit emotional processes.

What are the central thematic fields?

The study centers on three key areas: the mechanics of sports sponsorship, the neurobiology of consumer decision-making, and the application of scientific models like the Limbic Map to segment target audiences.

What is the primary research goal?

The goal is to determine if neuroscientific methods can measure the implicit effects of sponsorship activities that traditional explicit survey methods often fail to capture due to social desirability bias.

Which scientific methodology is employed?

The research uses a quantitative empirical approach, primarily a field experiment involving 103 students, utilizing Response Time Tracking as the primary tool to measure implicit attitudes toward brands.

What does the main body address?

The main body integrates theoretical literature on corporate social responsibility and sponsorship with advanced neuroscience, mapping consumer "Black Box" processes to practical branding strategies.

Which keywords best describe this study?

Key terms include Neuromarketing, Sports Sponsorship, Implicit Effects, Limbic Map, and Consumer Behavior.

How does the concept of the "auto-pilot" relate to branding?

The study argues that most consumer decisions are made by the "auto-pilot" (unconscious system), meaning branding must address implicit associations rather than just rational product features.

What is the significance of the "Limbic Types" in this study?

Limbic Types allow companies to move beyond risky socio-demographic segmentation, instead addressing the specific emotional personality profiles of consumers to make sponsorship efforts more effective.

What does the "Magic Square Circle" model add to sponsorship theory?

It expands traditional sponsorship models by explicitly including the "audience" and the "state" as vital stakeholders in the success of a sponsoring partnership.

What is the author's final conclusion regarding sports sponsorship?

The author concludes that sponsorship in sports is a powerful tool for generating implicit positive brand effects, even among consumers who are not inherently interested in the sport itself.