Prof. Fassnacht & Jun.-Prof. Schmitz as F.A.Z. guest authors

In the article "Sport-Sponsoren landen leicht im Abseits", published on December 12, 2022 in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung under the heading "Der Betriebswirt", the F.A.Z. guest authors Prof. Dr. Martin Fassnacht and
Jun.-Prof. Dr. Anna-Karina Schmitz, address current challenges for brands in the context of the global sporting event FIFA World Cup, which cost the German Football Association DFB one of its sponsors "Rewe", early on. This example shows that brands and their positioning with regard to sustainability issues have become the focus of public interest and public criticism.
Global brands in particular find themselves in a field of tension. On the one hand, doing business in and with countries beyond the Western mold is becoming increasingly important for many companies; on the other hand, it is becoming increasingly difficult to justify them in Western markets. At global sporting events in such countries, brands are quickly confronted with the accusation of wanting to enrich themselves from the event despite the situation in the host country. However, as the purchasing power of European markets is important for brands, they need to address the expectations of Western consumers with regard to these issues, position themselves accordingly and take a stand. This is not a trivial task and requires strategic thinking that is often lacking in companies in this country when it comes to brand management.
This certainly also contributes to the fact that the net profit margin of German companies consistently lags significantly behind that of US companies, where brand management is accorded greater importance.
If we have piqued your interest and you would like to join the discussion, read the article here.