Going to get flamed but here i go...... Sponsorship.....

Hi all,

So i'm just starting to get my photography up to the level worth a dime (well maybe more! haha) and i have had some tops made up. I've already contacted a local company who is willing to help support me and we have made an agreement for advertising space on my top i wear at all shows in exchange for some kit.

I want to branch out further and contact more companies to request support.

Does anyone have any templates i could adjust / amend or offer advice where to start?

Thanks

I haven't tried to go down this route, but I'm also not at the level that I think makes sense.

I have worked with some motorsports drivers with developing their sponsorship proposal, so I have a bit of experience in that regard. It all comes down to two things: eyeballs, and ROI. You need to show the potential sponsor how many eyeballs they can expect to be in front of, hopefully eyeballs that are potential customers of theirs. From there, you need to show them how a small investment in you, either via cash or via product, can return an even larger return on that investment. In general, a minimum of 3x return should be displayed, with 5x to 10x being ideal. You should also showcase some of their other advertising options, to show how the ROI gained from working with you either hits a larger audience, is available at a cheaper rate, or ideally, both.

All of this will be extremely customized to the potential sponsor you're pursuing, so even if someone had a boilerplate email template, the details would still require a substantial amount of work on your end.

so more of a customized contact would be best then.This is how my top is standing at the moment....
I asked a friend to finalize the design before making them and he has added a few more than i thought i could legitimately have as i'm not getting stuff / funding etc from all of them...
Should i tone it down?

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/Aa7d​85

How many people do you expect will see this per year? How will a name on a t-shirt like this help these 'sponsors' sell product? I have never seen a name on the back of a t-shirt and thought to myself "hmm, that sounds interesting. I should go see what those guys sell and buy whatever they have!"

Here in the US, we're often required to wear high vis vests issued by the race track or sanctioning body, so anything you wear like this underneath will get covered up. If you can get away with just wearing a t-shirt like this instead of a high-vis vest, that's awesome! But it also makes me wonder if you would be close enough for spectators or fans to actually read your shirt.

I get trying to wear something with your own personal branding, or branding of clients you're working for so that people know where to find your coverage. I just don't understand the value in a company paying you to wear that logo, especially if it's unrelated to what you're shooting.

Over here this is a replacement for a high vis vest. I don't have to wear an additional one provided by the tracks i attend. At the tracks i often am about 2-7m from the cars but i also go to the spectator areas and pits and am often interacting with the fans / visitors as well as the drivers.
I was thinking in the same way that people have decals for things like samco / sparco / Bell etc on their cars.

My son and I have professionally raced radio control cars as well as shoot competitive archery, my advise to you is to only put the names on your top that you are receiving help from. There are 2 reasons for this
1. If you have a companies name on your top without receiving help from them their is no incentive for them to help you in the future.
2. It is not fair to the companies that are helping you out if there is another companies names on your top.

Good point there! think i might tone it down a bit then

You need to change the shirt and remove the logo of any company that has not given express permission for you to use it. You are putting other companies' logos on a shirt that is designed to promote your business. At the least you are implying some form of endorsement or sponsorship where none exists and at worst it is Trademark infringement.

You may feel that using their logos is free advertising for them and thus a good thing but that isn't how big business feels. Unless you are a world famous photographer they are far more likely feel that you are the one gaining the benefit by associating your company with theirs, when no such association exists. In addition many companies like Canon have specific/exclusive sponsorship deals with well known photographers and do not want anyone diluting that program by falsely claiming such an association.

But if companies go that far and don't want free advertisement why do they put their name on equipment and bags etc. They WANT people to know what kit you are using. There is no mistaking a white L series lens even from a distance. Should i paint over my Canon logo on my camera too?

urbanfreestyle wrote in post #17759060
But if companies go that far and don't want free advertisement why do they put their name on equipment and bags etc.

The equipment and bags are their products. Some companies also put their name on their employees' clothing. But you're not a Canon employee, and wearing a shirt with a Canon logo implies that you are or that you have some other business relationship with Canon. This would be a misrepresentation.

Dan Marchant is trying to keep you out of trouble. Please take what he said seriously.

Oh, No, i totally understand but what if i were to buy a canon teeshirt (from ebay or wherever) would it be a bad idea to wear it while shooting as it could imply i work for them?
I did read about canon's use terms here
My aim isn't to pretend that i'm sponsored by them, just promote that i use Canon kit and that i am proud to say it!

urbanfreestyle wrote in post #17759060
But if companies go that far and don't want free advertisement why do they put their name on equipment and bags etc.

Added bold to emphasis the important point. It's their brand and they get to decide what is good for their brand, you don't. What you are doing is no different than if a company were to take one of your photos without permission and make money from it by using it in an ad promoting their company - and then turn around and tell you you should be grateful for the "exposure".

urbanfreestyle wrote in post #17759120
Oh, No, i totally understand but what if i were to buy a canon teeshirt (from ebay or wherever) would it be a bad idea to wear it while shooting as it could imply i work for them?

In the context in which you were doing it (while working as a photographer) it could certainly be misconstrued and open your business up to legal problems. But the real issue is why on earth would you want to promote a company that isn't paying you when you could use that space to promote your own company.

urbanfreestyle wrote in post #17759120
Oh, No, i totally understand but what if i were to buy a canon teeshirt (from ebay or wherever) would it be a bad idea to wear it while shooting as it could imply i work for them?
I did read about canon's use terms here
My aim isn't to pretend that i'm sponsored by them, just promote that i use Canon kit and that i am proud to say it!

While that might not be your aim, it would be your deception. Their name on your shirt should only occur by their consent and endorsement. Otherwise you are appropriating their trademark. If you bought a canon tee shirt and wore it with no other logo its a different matter than a canon blurb under your branding. Context matters.

urbanfreestyle wrote in post #17759060
But if companies go that far and don't want free advertisement why do they put their name on equipment and bags etc. They WANT people to know what kit you are using. There is no mistaking a white L series lens even from a distance. Should i paint over my Canon logo on my camera too?

I've watched large corporations bankrupt small businesses over trademark infringements. While many of them have no issues with fans plastering their logos everywhere, they take a very different tact when it's someone operating a business.

Does it make any difference that i don't actually make money from my 'business' and it's more of a hobby with a 'business' page?