Through sponsorships, companies primarily expect to
establish, strengthen, or change their brand image. We
analyze the effects of negative and positive sponsorship
information on the favourability and structure of
sponsors ́ brand images. We adopt a new, unconventional
approach, the Brand Concept map, which analyzes sponsors
́ brand associative networks. We find that negative
sponsorship information unfavourably influences the
favourability of sponsors ́ brand image and the
structure of a sponsoring brand’s associative network,
but positive sponsorship stimuli have no influence.
Furthermore, we identify boundary conditions under which
the effect of negative sponsorship information on
sponsors ́ brand image is strengthened or diminished.
pdf 2013
