Mason, Roger BruceCochetel, Fabrice2011-03-222011-03-222006http://hdl.handle.net/10321/604Originally published in: Journal of marketing communications, Vol.12, No. 2, 2006.This study examined brand awareness after a change in sponsor and audience perceptions about the sponsors and the event before and after the change. A survey of the audience at a surfing event was conducted. The findings were that the original sponsor maintained high awareness levels with the audience, particularly awareness of the previously sponsored event, thereby supporting the proposition that long-term sponsorship supports long-term brand awareness. Secondly, the research found that a change in sponsorship does not necessarily lead to changes in respondents’ perceptions of the event. Thirdly, the research showed that there was a mismatch in the values of the original sponsor and the event, whereas the current sponsor had a closer match with the event’s values. Sponsorships change fairly frequently and it would be of interest to sponsors to know the extent to which benefits continue to accrue after they have stopped sponsoring an event. Since almost no research has been carried out on residual awareness and awareness decay, this paper should contribute to knowledge about the cessation of sponsorships, as well as to the broader field of sponsorship knowledge.pp. 125-144 (14 p.)enThe electronic version of the article published in Journal of Marketing Communications 2006, 12(2): 125‐144 © 2006 copyright Taylor & Francis]. The Journal of Marketing Communications is available online at: http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~db=all~content=t713704530Residual awarenessAwareness decaySponsorshipSport eventAwarenessArticle10.1080/13527260600630450