Promoters accuse sponsors of bias - Claims Corporate Jamaica only interested in uptown events

Local promoters have claimed that it is complicated to get corporate sponsorship for events because of favouritism.

According to the promoters, it is easier for persons from some backgrounds to get sponsorship than others. However, at least one corporate entity has dismissed the claim of a bias or favouritism towards uptown events.

According to Powe, promoter of popular inner-city event Passa Passa, sponsors are picky when it involves the inner-city.

"A lot of sponsors don't like to give money to inner-city, when you keep events like ... it is easier to get sponsorship. Sponsors (in our case) have come on board for one or two nights but never as a title sponsor," Powe said.<Passa Passa was last hosted on August 1, 2012, in collaboration with the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission.

However, Powe believes that brand managers should be smart and decide if they want their brands to get exposure.

"When you have a good product that attracts a lot of people, brand managers should look into it and decide if they want exposure for their brand or not, because Passa Passa is an international event. It is even going to go on a European tour in months to come. If sponsors do their homework they will know what is happening," he said.

Promoter Patrick 'Cue P' Pinnock, who hosts his event in rural Jamaica, also had similar complaints. According to Pinnock, Corporate Jamaica is biased towards promoters from their own social background.

"Right now I am looking sponsorship for my event, it is in Porus, Manchester, and they are telling me that it's far. But I know it is not that it's because I am not from that circle," he said.

"Negril is further away from Kingston than Porus, yet sponsors find themselves down there sponsoring events. So, it is all about networking and also hypocrisy on part of Corporate Jamaica," Pinnock added.

Pinnock is gearing up to host his annual water party in Porus called Splash in October. He believes that upcoming promoters should be given a chance to prove themselves.

"Give young promoters a chance. Give them an opportunity to produce their events. Everything has to start from somewhere so give the youth a chance ... I am still searching for sponsorship and building from ground up using my networks to my advantage and building my crowd. When my product is hot, Corporate Jamaica will look at me. When you are not from uptown it is hard for you and when you're out of Kingston it's even worse," Pinnock said.

However, at least one sponsor disagrees with the promoters.

Segregation

Lloyd Black, CEO of Impulse Beverages Limited, distributors of Impulse Energy Drink, said he does not subscribe to the uptown and downtown segregation as long as the benefits are mutual.

"I don't even like to use the word sponsorship in my language. We try to work with the term partnership in which both parties will benefit. Some promoters expect sponsors to give them everything and it is a tough economic climate so there has to be some value coming out of the collaboration. I don't get caught up in the uptown downtown situation because they are both valuable as it relates to getting out our products," he said.

"Promoters must ensure that their events are properly organised. The promoter must have integrity and the brand must gain some value from the association," Black said.

(from Jamaica Star)