Nearly 90% of Swiss companies are involved in sports sponsorships, according to the 10th Swiss Sponsorship Barometer study conducted by sport
marketing company Sport+Markt and the ESB European Sponsorship
Exchange. The study also found the amount of sponsorship deals in Switzerland are increasing even during the current difficult economic times; Swiss companies have become more involved in sponsorship deals or professionalized their existing deals; and companies have drastically increased their expectations from sponsorship deals. The study polled 136 marketing directors of big Swiss companies. For more than half of the companies (55%) sponsorship has become a central tool in their marketing mix in comparison to advertisement and other communication tools. Four years ago this number was 41%. ESB European Sponsorship Exchange Managing Dir Hans-Willy Brockes said, "Almost no Swiss sponsor can avoid sports." A tremendous 89% of Swiss companies are involved in sports sponsorships. The sports with the highest sponsorship significance were golf, alpine skiing, football and hockey. Many decision makers were not as optimistic about the sponsorship development in sailing and figure skating (Sport+Markt).
PDF of survey press release.