Study: Americans Split on BP Sponsorship Strategy

In the wake of the BP oil spill, many organizations advocated for cultural institutions to drop sponsorship ties to BP. A new study by Performance Research polled U.S. and U.K. consumers on the topic. While both U.S. and U.K. consumers agree with BP’s decision to continue existing arts/culture and sports sponsorships, when presented with a list of current BP sponsorships at both a global (US Olympic team, 2010 FIFA World Cup, London 2012 Olympic Games) and more regional level (eg. NY Giants in US, Royal Opera House in UK), Americans were consistently split on whether the properties should continue their relationships with BP or end them (either immediately or when the contract expires). In contrast, Brits were consistently in favor of continuing the affiliations. Here's the summary presentation of Performance Research's findings.