Sponsorships That Stand Out

Feel like sponsors aren’t interested in simply having their logo on a sign? Try seeding them some experiential ideas, like bringing in furry friends for visitors to meet. We’ve seen puppies, therapy llamas, and more at event conferences, and they make for great photo opps. We gave the strategy a spin ourselves at the Connect Spring Marketplace in Las Vegas, April 2025 with a custom branded cat café. This activation featured a cozy lounge area where attendees could interact with adoptable cats. Our feline friends helped draw in attendees who then had meaningful conversations with our ambassadors about our region's offerings. It fit our brand because we’re all about “microadventures” – quick, quirky, curiously wonderful adventures you can fit into any amount of time.

Try it at home: Search for local animal shelters or animal therapy organizations in the area to see if they’d be interested in partnering on a sponsorship.

Everyone loves food. Having a catering sponsor is one opportunity, but you can also solicit sponsors for coffee carts, boba carts, dessert stations, specialty cocktails and mocktails, and snack bags. Some sponsors even bring vending machines into the event to distribute their products, or goods that they feel represent them.

Even better, think of food that somehow fits the theme of the event. As the headline sponsor at Live Nation’s pop-punk and emo festival When We Were Young, 7-Eleven plans to create an early 2000s-inspired lounge, complete with free Slurpees and themed décor. Every event has their version of the convenience store slurpee; it’s just a matter of figuring out what that is.

Try it at home: Search for local vendors who offer unique food items, food trucks, or catering services. Destination marketing organizations like Explore Seattle Southside can help you think of ideas!

Nobody is ever mad about the chance to win something, whether you’re running a raffle with a random winner or a merit-based award that’s relevant to the event. Award sponsorships may be tried-and-true, but there are always ways to elaborate on them. If it makes sense, the sponsor could give away free tickets or a gift card to their business for winners. If they don’t have a product that works well for that, they might still put together a creative prize that feels relevant to them. For instance, a home insurance company could give away a basket filled with small home decor items.

Or, you can go the humorous route. For example, in a bold move, the Pop-Tarts Bowl, a college football game, unveiled an 80-pound chrome football-shaped trophy that can toast two Pop-Tarts. The quirky design not only garnered media attention but also reinforced the brand's playful image, demonstrating how unconventional ideas can amplify brand visibility and audience engagement.

Try it at home: The closer your relationship with your sponsors, the better sense you’ll have of what kind of prize they could provide (and would like). While we can’t all have novelty trophies, you could get a custom themed cake or another dessert, or commission something original on Etsy.

Align with Brand Identity: Ensure that the sponsorship activation reflects the sponsor's core values and resonates with the target audience.

Encourage Interaction: Design experiences that invite attendees to participate actively, fostering deeper engagement.

Leverage Social Media: Incorporate elements that are shareable on social platforms to extend the activation's reach beyond the event.

Measure Impact: Establish metrics to assess the effectiveness of the sponsorship, providing valuable insights for future collaborations.

By thinking outside the box and embracing creativity, meeting planners can craft sponsorship opportunities that not only delight attendees but also deliver significant value to sponsors. Whether it's through cuddly companions or toasty trophies, the key lies in creating authentic, engaging experiences that leave a lasting impression.