Sponsorship image transfer theory in virtual brand communities

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the influences and efficiency of a sports sponsorship in an online brand community. Design/methodology/approach The study was conducted through interviews with 609 social network users of a Spanish first league soccer team. The partial least squares (PLS) methodology was applied with a posteriori segmentation (PLS prediction-oriented segmentation (POS)). Findings The attitude toward the sponsor helps to assess the efficiency of sponsorships between companies. This variable is particularly relevant for evaluating sponsorship efficiency in online brand communities. Improving trust and assessing the sense of membership directly improves attitudes toward the team and the sponsored brands. The attitude toward the sponsor has a direct and positive impact on the purchase intentions. The use of a posteriori segmentation with the PLS-POS technique helps discriminate between groups. Research limitations/implications Among the limitations encountered, further study would require using a sample of various sports disciplines and cultures. Practical implications Specific actions and communication strategies are defined for each segment and in general to adapt communication strategies that improve identification with virtual brand communities. The study has revealed involvement-related differences resulting from the impact that engagement with the sponsored team may have on the assessed relationships. Originality/value The study of the effects of sponsorship and the use of a posteriori variables user segmentation in an online brand community are used.