Sponsorship: It’s Not Just for the Big Leagues
by Carrie Allin
When most of us think about sponsorship, giant banners at a major league baseball game or a corporate name on an arena probably come to mind.
But can sponsorship be used effectively in a more nuanced way by a brand looking to demonstrate its capabilities, build its credibility, inspire its employees, and impact an audience beyond its industry?
Medtronic, a global healthcare technology leader, put this concept to the test with its collaborative partnership with Fast Company’s Innovation Festival, held in New York City last fall. With help from Denver-based Tigris Sponsorship & Marketing, Medtronic worked closely with FastCo to sponsor the Innovation Festival and host a panel discussion on how the future of health is better with technology and then used a broad array of assets to amplify the panel’s content.
The annual festival is a celebration of technological discoveries focused on new approaches to complex problems and attracts a diverse group of industry disruptors and innovators. For Medtronic, integrating its brand into this key thought leadership event to engage a consumer audience, excite employees, and reinforce Medtronic as a healthcare and technology leader presented the perfect alignment for a brand built on innovation. Medtronic used the tie to highlight its AiBLE™ smart ecosystem of technology, AI, data, and services that delivers predictability before, during, and beyond spine surgery. Its sponsorship focused on a key panel featuring Medtronic VP of Research and Technology Bill Peine along with other industry leaders. Event activation included some of the standard benefits like paid and earned media and social channels, but the way Medtronic used these tools to integrate its brand into the event meant attendees experienced a cohesive, authentic partnership.
Some of the noteworthy ways Medtronic approached the sponsorship included:
Collaborating with influencer kaemen.the.creator, a young engineer who creates fun gadgets and unique creations for his more than 1million Instagram followers
Inviting top-notch tech reporters to the event and making executives available for interviews
Creating a booth that gave attendees the chance to interact with components of Medtronic’s AiBLE™ smart ecosystem including Mazor™, the Medtronic spinal robotic guidance system\
Providing sponsored content on the Fast Company website, including articles Medtronic execs contributed
Featuring top Medtronic talent in a sponsored post-event podcast to support the panel discussion, where Medtronic was highlighted as one of the “Most Innovative Companies”
Offering thought leadership articles by Medtronic leaders on LinkedIn, amplified by other employees to their networks
Orchestrating a complete takeover of the Medtronic social channel during the event, featuring on-the-ground content and interviews to drive visibility and engagement for the event
“For us, our partnership with the Innovation Festival became a living, breathing example of the type of bold, game-changing thinking we pride ourselves on at Medtronic. We wanted a way to share what we do in a tangible way, and this partnership gave us a platform to showcase the incredible innovations our team is developing every day,” said Dawn Condon, Director of Global Brand Marketing and Corporate
About Tigris: Tigris Sponsorship & Marketing is a Denver-based sponsorship agency specializing in evaluation, negotiation, activation, and measurement for more than 20 years.
Carrie Allin has worked with Tigris Sponsorship & Marketing since the firm opened its doors in August of 2004. She oversees the development of all Tigris’ client communications, from assisting in the creation of client strategies to producing and finalizing all client deliverables. Carrie also plays a key role in the firm’s external communications, including content development for Tigris’ website as well as its ongoing maintenance. Carrie has written key documents for nearly every major Tigris client, including Chick-fil-A, Western Union, The Rose Bowl, Phillips 66, Lumen, Vail Resorts, the Mayo Clinic, and others. Additionally, in her role on the Client Services team, Carrie works directly with Tigris clients UMB Bank, Hy-Vee, UCI Health, and Roper St. Francis Healthcare.