Smart execution outperforms budget scale at Irish Sponsorship Awards 2025

Innovation in sponsorship does not depend on the largest budget. Several entries at the Irish Sponsorship Awards 2025 showed that a clear audience, a well-chosen format, and measurable goals can outperform broader spending.

Kerrygold’s “Nature Wrapped in Gold” garden at Bord Bia Bloom Festival won Innovation in Sponsorship. The multi-sensory garden showcased the brand’s butter and cream cheese, with 51,000 samples distributed across the weekend alongside a national media campaign. Product awareness of cream cheese among key shoppers rose by 26 per cent.

Mindshare’s Danone Aptamil partnership with the A Little Birdie Told Me podcast won Best Low Budget Sponsorship. Judges described the sponsorship as strategic, authentic, and highly targeted, showing that strong audience fit can create real impact on a smaller budget.

Gala Retail took a different route with Ireland’s Best Baker, a brand-owned concept created with Virgin Media TV rather than a sponsorship of an existing property. The campaign generated over 450 entries, national coverage, and full in-store activation. It reached the finals for Innovation in Sponsorship and Best Multi-Platform Sponsorship.

Sport Endorse 2.0 entered the Innovation in Sponsorship final with a platform designed to transform athlete-brand sponsorship in Ireland. Its entry combined a scalable, secure, and equitable model with global case studies, strong metrics, and testimonials from both athletes and brands.

DFI Beds became the first Official Sleep Partner of the LGFA in January 2025. On a budget under €42,000, the campaign delivered paid ambassador roles, athlete-led sleep education, and co-branded content. The entry reached the Best Low Budget Sponsorship final.

Londis won Best TV Broadcast Sponsorship with Proud Sponsors of Ireland’s Fittest Family, integrating TV, in-store, social, and PR activity into one coordinated programme. Judges noted that clear measurable outcomes sat alongside strong audience engagement.

These entries shared three traits. Each defined its audience before choosing a format. Each tied its activity to measurable outcomes. Each selected a channel or model suited to its audience rather than defaulting to scale.

For sponsors working with limited budgets, the lesson is to start with audience fit and measurement, then choose the format. Scale is one route to standing out, but it is not the only one.

For past winners, category details, and updates, visit the official Irish Sponsorship Awards website and subscribe to the newsletter for exclusive insights and coverage from Ireland's sponsorship sector