Final Four

Everybody’s caught NCAA fever!  Despite the fact that everybody at the Groupable office saw their bracket wrecked in the first round, we’re still following avidly.

As much fun as we’ve had watching teams disappear, it seems one important group of people hasn’t caught March Madness.  The Detroit News reports that corporate sponsors are trying to keep a low profile around the Finals, wary of negative publicity from event sponsorship.

The Big Three automakers are the most concerned.   When their CEOs took a corporate jet to Washington to ask for taxpayer bailout money, they got slammed by the press.  Now they’re looking to avoid any show of excess.  GM cut back on many events and hospitality around Detroit, while Chrysler chose to donate nothing at all to the festivities.

At Groupable, we think this is the wrong approach to corporate sponsorship.  As University of Michigan professor Bettina Cornwell put it, “I think it’s a pity that people don’t understand sponsorship as a win-win proposition for the community and for the business.”

When corporations choose to invest in their community, the public seldom sees it as a sign of waste.  Rather, it sends a strong signal that the corporation is a good member of its community who is willing to spend its own money supporting the events and causes its customers hold dear.   A well-executed sponsorship is never something a company should feel the need to hide.

Large brands may have forgotten how to generate a powerful bond with its customer base, but local sponsors are a bit more savvy.   With little league season starting up soon, local businesses across the country are proud to write checks to demonstrate their commitment to the kids in their community.   As the parent of a Little Leaguer, I can attest to the fact that this commitment counts extra in this difficult economic climate.

So even if they’re trying to keep a low profile, we nevertheless issue a big thanks from the NCAA fans at Groupable to businesses who have chosen to help the Final Four.  Without your giving, we might not have been able to enjoy Saturday’s games.