By Princewill Ekwujuru

Manufacturers and marketers alike today are turning to a number of different marketing tools to grow and drive their brands and businesses forward. Within the busy world of brand marketing, utilizing the strength of marketing alliances or marketing partnerships to get product into new channels and venues is an essential marketing element to generate incremental sales.

As corporate and brand budgets are constantly scrutinized, partnership brand marketing can grow business and acquire new customers and users in all channels of distribution.

The power of partnership brand marketing brings two different companies and brands together – each with their own brand equity and their own distribution channel strength.

Many organizations often place partnership marketing under the Promotions banner within the marketing mix, and as such, can become more promotions-based and limiting in nature.

Partnership marketing however, are much more strategic and expansive in scope, and therefore, more than just promotions.

For partnership marketing to deliver its full potential, it is elevated to a more strategic level.

That was why Glo, Airtel leveraged on the rising profile of football clubs like Manchester and Arsenal respectively to give the impression that players of the clubs use their network.

The latest to join the fray is Chi Limited, owner of the Chivita 100% and Chivita Active among others, a proposition that the management of the company believes will increase the brand equity of the brand in the market.

Recently, at a ceremony held at Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester UK, the management of Chi Limited signed a multi-year sponsorship deal with Manchester United.

The deal will allow Chi Limited use the legendary Manchester United crest, club imagery, players and other intellectual property on a range of products throughout Nigeria, will rather help to boost the brands share of voice and market share.

The key reason for partnerships is to involve all elements of the marketing mix, and thus impact a company’s overall marketing message and platform, its advertising program, as well as product packaging and merchandising. To yield partnership marketing’s full potential and reap all of its results and successes, it is positioned at the top of a company’s marketing mix, providing incremental value at all levels. Thus, partnership brand marketing can actually affect and contribute to all elements of the marketing mix.