Science is iterative. Software development is iterative. Sports performance is iterative. Personal growth is iterative. Everything seems to be iterative these days. It’s not a new word or concept, but it has certainly gained in prominence lately. Everyone seems to be talking about the importance or value of this or that being ‘iterative’. It makes the speaker or writer seem smart, but what does it actually mean?
Well, it’s really not that complicated and you don’t need to be that smart to use it or understand it. Including this sentence, I’ve used the word ‘iterative’ seven times already in this article. There’s your proof.
Iterative simply means that the creation of something good or great comes as the result of a process whereby the first version is tried and tested, and then the results of the test are evaluated and used to make the 2nd version a bit better. Then V2 is tested so V3 can be even better. And so on. Each subsequent version is an ‘iteration’ of the previous.
An athlete gets better at his or her sport not only by training, but by competing, learning and adapting - you might even say ‘evolving’. Human evolution is iterative. You know, survival of the fittest and all that.
The iterative process is very evident in marketing - especially in advertising campaigns. We create and run an ad, look at the results, and then improve the ad or its placement to make the campaign better. And then we do it again, and again.
So why don’t we do this more in sponsorship? Some do, but far too many don’t seem to embrace the current iteration craze to get more from sponsorship investments.
Rather that apply OBJECTIVE analysis to sponsorship measurement results with intent to improve the next ‘iteration’ of the sponsorship, we apply SELECTIVE analysis to cover our backsides. To hell with iteration, it’s all about preservation - of jobs and budgets and agency contracts. If the sponsorship looks good, we all look good and everyone’s happy - but we don’t ’iterate’. And that’s a problem.
The ‘un-iterated’ sponsorship process (the problem) looks something like this:
Create and execute sponsorship activation campaign (V1)
Gather analysis data on V1 and report the best numbers to the boss
Receive resounding pat on the back
If it ain’t broke…re-run V1 (slightly tweaked but not really improved) as V1b
Commission more measurement to assure more good news.
Wash, rinse, repeat…
If we really want our sponsorships to evolve, improve or ‘iterate’, we have to measure them accurately and honestly. And to do that, we have to have a clear and robust measurement framework in place. This isn’t just about gathering more data (you know I hate that - read here), it’s about clear objectives and knowing what success looks like. This is the only way to properly iterate your sponsorship.
The great irony here is that so much of sponsorship operates in the world of sport… and nothing lives by the iterative process more than sport. In sport you have a go, you succeed or fail, you learn and adjust and go again with the next iteration of the sportsperson or team that you are. The greatest champions are those that iterate the best. The iterative process defines sport at every level – grass roots to elite.
So this is a call to action for all sponsorship professionals who want to be champions of their game. Let’s get going! Let’s iterate!
I know, it doesn’t really roll off the tongue, but it works…
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