Corporate marketing in Kenyan sports

Abstract

Strategic corporate investors use sports variously as a medium of marketing their products and services. This paper is a result of a study on the corporate sector involvement in sports in Kenya. A high response ate (74.2%) to a simple survey provided data on 46 companies incorporated in Kenya, and operating in Kenya. Findings revealed that the Kenyan sport has gradually changed during the last 15 years in line with a shift to a more liberalized economic environment. Most companies (95.65%) reported to have used sports as a means to gain ancLdevelop publicity while others, used sports (21. 74%) to introduce new products to the market as well as to create product awareness. The use of sports for product and service promotions, sponsorships, sports related corporate marketing activities and use of full-time sports marketing personnel indicates the increasing importance of sports to the corporate sector. The study revealed that the corporate sector is extensively involved in sports activities in Kenya for varied reasons, the ultimate one being profit maximization.