Last week, I presented a lot of information about brands from the Consumer Sponsorship Rankings (CSR). But there is another side to the world and that is the selling properties. What did we learn from the study?

First, as noted last week, the Stanley Cup Playoffs are Canada’s #1 sporting event and the Montreal Canadiens hockey team is Canada’s most prestigious sports property. However, it was interesting to note that, in the sports category, automobile racing (Indy, Grand Prix, etc.) held three of the top 12 positions among most important annual sporting events. Even more interesting was that the Edmonton Indy ranked highest of the three and the Toronto Indy didn’t even make the list of the top 12! Both Canada Cup Curling and Ford World Men’s curling ranked higher than the Tim Horton Brier and curling held three of the top 12 spots as well. This should be an eye-opener for the properties and brands that are investing in them as well as those that are not.

When it comes to causes, Canadian consumers recognize the Canadian Cancer Society as the most important major charity or cause. This was followed by the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and the Canadian Diabetes Association. These brands have equity in consumers’ minds and they should be leveraging this.

On the arts and culture side, the Canadian Tulip Festival in Ottawa and Festival du Voyageur tied as the most recognised arts or cultural event in Canada. The Carnavel de Quebec ranked third followed by ScotiaBank Caribana, the Edmonton Fringe Festival, and the Calgary Stampede. The only film festival to make the top 10 list was TIFF and it was ranked number 10, with the Montreal Jazz Festival at number nine. Some of this information is shocking to me! Some of Canada’s most iconic brands in the arts did not show up in the minds of Canadian consumers. Perhaps the branding of these properties needs some review, or the brands that sponsor them need to review their investments. If I was a property I would definitely want to learn more about what consumers think of my property. Once again, research is critical. And it is not just reaching “the converted.” It is not just exit surveys asking people their favourite arts organization as they leave your arts event! General consumer research is critical to landing sponsors as well as what your patrons think about you.

It was interesting to note that the Calgary Stampede and the Canadian National Exhibition tied as most important fair or agricultural exhibition in Canada. The Expo Agricole St-Hyacinthe and Expo-Quebec followed closely behind with The Royal Agricultural Fair, Canadian Western Agribition, Edmonton’s Capital EX, and Farm Fair International following. The PNE ranked ninth and the International Ploughing Match was number 10. I was surprised to see that the Canadian Finals Rodeo did not rank in the top 10 in this category, but ranked number eight among most important annual national sporting events. This tells me that consumers recognize the CFR more as a sporting event than an agricultural one.

The study also revealed that almost 40% of higher income Canadians attended a live professional sporting event in the last 12 months. This is no surprise, but a reaffirmation that professional sports deliver high-end income earners. Overall, about 1/3 of Canadians attended an arts or cultural event in Canada last year. Also, 1/3 of Canadians attended an amateur sporting event and 1/3 attended a gala or fund raiser. So amateur sport, gala events, and arts and cultural events deliver a strong proportion of the Canadian population. The question then becomes: Who attends your specific event?

That is where property conducted research becomes critical. Properties must understand who recognizes their segment. This study shows them demographics and regional divisions. It is essential for properties to have this information in order to target the right brands. I also urge properties to set aside budget for annual or bi-annual research on their specific properties. It is these types of research that will set them apart from their competition and secure the dollars in the marketplace.