Sponsorships

From Wikiyale98

Reunion

Sponsors

*Concept

The reunion committee is exploring the possibility of approaching sponsors to help defray some of the costs of hosting the reunion, and to potentially lower (or eliminate) reunion fees. We'd only do this in a way that was befitting the class (think U.S. Open sponsors, or vendors outside the Yale-Bowl during the Yale-Harvard Game). For example, we reunion chairs get to choose wine to be served at the class dinner, so why not find a wine sponsor to potentially cover that and lower some of expenses for the reunion?

• What We Need From You ;-)

  If you have experience in advertising, public relations and creating sponsorhship packages with organizations, please let Reggie know [reginald.solomon [at] yale.edu]

  If you have legal experience with licensing or drawing up sponsorhip agreements, please also let us know.

  Help developing strategy (see strategy section below)

Examples

Sponsorship Examples

1. Pen Tennis - combo of metal level (platinum, gold, etc.)+ Category specific sponsors
2. High School
3. Google Spent $200,000 on sponsorship for the "MIT of India" reunion

Existing Sponsorship Examples at Yale

• Corporation Sponsors

  Mercedes and high-end car companies, Yale Credit card vendors, setup during the Y-Game out of the Yale Bowl.

  Purell advertises its soap at the door of BK dining hall.

  Corporations market through Yale Daily News, Yale Herald Numerous Publications

  Alumni Magazine - LOADS of sponsors targeting Yale alumni

  Yale works with corporations on joint collaborative research.

• Yale Sponsors
• Yale serves as presenting sponsor for major New Haven festival of Arts & Ideas
• Yale serves as major sponsor of Pilot Pen Tennis

Goals

Figures

Primary: $300,000

Secondary: $500,000

Kick Ass: $1 MM

Category

Modest: Raise enough to contribute money to class treasury to sponsor class events pre- and post- reunion as well as associated website and occasional marketing expenses throughout the year.

Ambitious: Raise enough to cover off-campus reunion events and associated marketing expenses leading up to reunion (1,267 classmates x $100 per person = 126,700) or (60% of class = 760 x $125 per person = $95,000)

More Ambitious: Raise enough to cover significant portion of reunion expense (Raise enough so it only costs $75 per person for the entire weekend = 1,267 classmates x $150 subsidy = $216,475)

The Ultimate: Raise enough to cover entire reunion expense for everyone in the class (1,267 classmates x $250 per person = $316,750 or 75% participation $237,562)

KICK ASS!: Not only raise enough to cover reunion fees for everyone but commit to raising a larger sum, say $500,000 (or more), that would allow us to build a class fund to sponsor class events/initiatives leading up to the 15th reunion and beyond. For example, if you thought pie in the sky, why not have a "Y98 Fellowship" that would cover the cost of bringing in a big speaker (think Chubb Fellowship) to speak to the class once a year on the East Coast and West Coast. Why not create an Y98 Themed Competition similar to the Yale Entrepreneurial Society's, Y50K competition where Y98ers submit ideas for a startup and the class awards a monetary prize (the Y50K gives $50,000) to the selected winner(s) to go out and create it? Why not create a class managed gift fund like the class of '54 that class-managed a pooled fund (we have plenty of finance people) and gave a $100+ Million gift to Yale at its 50th reunion? Ideas are endless, but I think you get the gist of dreaming big.

Strategy

Sponsorship Strategy

We need help in honing the sponsorship strategy. As a starting point, we're interested in leveraging connections that people have in the class. For example, you or friends may have connections that we might be able to leverage. If you're interested in helping the class reach out to potential sponsors and/or interested in helping us think through our sponsorship strategy, please leave thoughts here and/or give Reggie a shout reginald.solomon [at] yale.edu

Forms and Value Proposition

Form

Would ask sponsors to pick up cost of off campus reunion events.

Would ask sponsors to provide free or discounted services for reunion (alcohol, wine tasting).

Would use sponsors to influence things we can control at reunion such as alcohol

Would recognized sponsors on class blog in ad form, RSS Feed, recognize them at the reunion (could also create special gateway on our blog for classmates to get products/services with potential discounts for 98ers).

Value Proposition For Sponsors

• What we would be giving them.

• Overarching tenant: No one's personal data, ever released to any 3rd party; "teh class" would always be 2nd party intermediary & give people the opportunity to elect to share their personal data with 3rd partiiescommunication channels so it'd all be electable, rather than unsubscribable.
• Targeted access to group of influencers and reduce cost of customer acquisition through permission marketing(Why pay $100,000 for an ad in magazine to reach us by chance when you can reach us directly and more meaningfully).

If sponsorship was for a multi year period, sustained access

Could use "Yale Class of '98" as part of an advertising campaign (e.g., When the Yale Class of 98 gathers for their 10th reunion, what do they drink?")

Ability to testing of new products (e.g., advance release of a new Google application).

Opportunity to offer specials deals to Y98 consumers

Potential Sponsors

*Add More Ideas

Wine

Robert Mondavi, Beringer, Rodney Strong, Beaulieu Vineyards, White Star, Veuvre Cliquot, Chateau Souverain, Riedel Glass Company)

Could feature them as exclusive wine supplier at discounted price to class in addition to cash give

Alcohol

Grey Goose, Ciroc

Could feature as exclusive hard alcohol supplier during reunion.

Beer

Heineken

Could feature them as as exclusive beer provider during reunion

Banks/Financial Services

Bank of America, Investment Banks

Could keep a class bank account at sponsoring firm

Computer

Dell, Hewlett Packard

Could arrange discounts on computer hardware for all classmates

Clothing

Banana Republic, J Crew

Could get discounts for class and commit chairs to wearing only J Crew wear for the reunion weekend. Could also offer exclusive discounts to 98ers at Broadway store during weeekend.

Credit Card

American Express

Car

Mercedes, BMW, VW

Social Network

Facebook, Linked In

Could make one the exclusive social networking spot for the class aside from our website.

Online Media

Might ask web-based companies like Amazon, etc. to be exclusive provider.

Basically any family of products our average age 30 group uses.