REASONS FOR BUSINESS TO SUPPORT THE ARTS

STIMULATES THE LOCAL ECONOMY

• Creative Clusters UK estimates that creative industries, including cultural products, are showing annual growth rates between 5 and 20%.

• The European Cultural Foundation (see “Creative Sector” document) evaluated in 2005 the number of jobs in the cultural sector of the then 27 EU countries and 4 EFTA countries to be circa 4.7 million, not counting the administrative jobs, which would bring the total up to 5 million jobs.

• Studies in London and Lausanne (Peytregnet, 1997 et Gyger, 2004), amongst others, have calculated that the return on investment for each spent unit in the cultural field is between 1.5 and 4 units, due to direct, indirect and induced expenses.

HEIGHTENS CORPORATE IDENTITY 

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  Rolex upholds its exclusive identity through the choice of emblematic artists as ambassadors for the brand.

• Target, the mass goods American mega-store, has raised its profile by developing a public commitment to the arts, for example, by funding projects at the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art or financing free entrance to museums. “Adding vision and inspiration to the everyday” is how they qualify their association to the arts. Chicago Contemporary Art Museum

CONTRIBUTES TO BRAND ENHANCEMENT

• Neuflize Vie, part of the ABN AMRO bank group, has distinguished itself by becoming a prime photography collector in France, as well as supporting institutions, festivals, events and prizes associated with this art form, for example, the Maison Européenne de la Photo.

• American Airlines not only benefitted from brand awareness by sponsoring a popular Edward Hopper exhibition in 2004 at the Tate in the UK, it also successfully completed a promotional operation by offering 10% off flights to the US. See AA -Tate

CREATES A BOND WITH THE COMMUNITY

"CORPORATE CULTURAL RESPONSIBILITY"

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  As a way of reinforcing its local presence, La Vaudoise insurance company supports events throughout the canton of Vaud in Switzerland, where it originates.

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  When KPMG, the global auditor, supports, for example, the K20K21 Museum in Düsseldorf, it is “giving expression to its connections with the region and the people who live there”. See KPMG & K20K21.

• A number of companies implanted locally in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, in partnership with the state of Vaud, sponsor cultural prizes in favour of local artists. In 2007, the group included: PubliGroupe SA, Philip Morris SA,  Les Retraites Populaires, Banque Cantonale Vaudoise, Audemars Piguet SA and Nestlé SA. See Fondation Vaudoise pour la Culture  

ALLOWS HIGH PROFILE NETWORKING & CORPORATE ENTERTAINMENT POSSIBILITIES

• The incorporation of Artists and Cultural Leaders into the World Economic Forum in Davos is intended to “raise awareness and draw attention” to the issues on the agenda in order to produce action and results. See World Economic Forum..

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  Breguet, by becoming the main sponsor of the Los Angeles Philarmonic, is cultivating a relationship that offers direct access to a very select clientele. See Breguet/LA. 

BENEFITS EMPLOYEES        

Companies with a high level of cultural commitment are known to attract a higher level of talent in all areas and are more likely to benefit from employee loyalty. The benefits to the employees are:

• The possibility of attending sponsored events.
• The probability of having their own work identified with a higher corporate profile.

AN INTERESTING ALTERNATIVE TO ADVERTISING

• According to the findings of the National Arts Sponsorship Survey published by the Business2Arts in Ireland in 2006, 55% of Irish adults believe that sponsorship of the arts is a better way for companies/brands to market themselves than branding. Only 10% disagree.

• A Swiss Sponsorship Survey made in 2005 discovered that 46 % of those asked would prefer to purchase a product from a company that supported the arts.