HOW STRATEGIC SPONSORSHIPS ORCHESTRATE MEANING

Marie Elaine Lemire, Head of Strategic Partnerships at Emerald, shares her personal take on how recent years have reshaped sponsorship storytelling and the key to making it truly effective.

It all started in the odd quiet of 2020. The world had gone virtual and so had events. At the time, I was working on the supplier side of the event industry, partnering with organizers to design brand sponsorships. And while the shift online was jarring, it also opened the door to something new, better ways to measure impact.

A New Era Of Sponsorships

Before 2020, event success was simple math. How many people showed up. That number drove everything. But during the virtual years, something shifted. With the introduction of event tech platforms, we could suddenly see it all, clicks, time spent, chat participation, drop off rates. It was not just about attendance but about what people’s behaviors once they arrived.

Engagement not only became the new ROI for event organizers, but also for marketers from exhibiting companies and sponsors.

And then came the real evolution.

Since 2022, our bar for success has moved beyond attendance and engagement. Now, it is about emotional impact. Did people leave inspired. Did the interaction leave a lasting impression. Did we build trust. Were the right connections made.

Designing For Presence And Impact

I remember the challenge of trying to replicate brand presence in virtual environments. Sponsors who once dominated entire convention centers, wrapping escalators, doors, windows, were now confined to a modest corner of a digital interface. So, we got creative. I started designing virtual sponsorships with multiple touchpoints, nudging partners to think beyond static banners. We built experiences that lived before, during, and after the event, sessions, content hubs, follow up moments. That work still affects what I do today.

Start With The Right Audience

Now, every time I work hand in hand with my customers to build a sponsorship package, I start with one core question.

Where do we find the right audience across the entire Emerald portfolio.

Once that is clear, we go deeper.

What is their mindset. Their style. Their community values.

Because here is the truth. B to B buyers are still humans. And humans respond to experiences that feel right. Too often, I see brands treat all events the same, focusing on booth size, headcount, badge scans. But that is not enough.

Context Is Everything

Think of SURF Expo, one of Emerald’s shows. It is vibrant, laid back, and community driven. Sponsors who show up stiff or overly corporate will not resonate. Then there is COUTURE, a fine jewelry show at a luxury Vegas hotel. The atmosphere is completely different, elegant, exclusive, design forward. Flip flops. Not a chance.

Understanding these nuances is essential. A great activation does not shout, it harmonizes.

Stretch The Experience

Another thing we learned during the virtual shift, multiple touchpoints matter. Onsite, that might mean product demos, VIP lounges, and speaking slots. But the most successful partners stretch that experience across the full year. They think about the entire customer journey, beyond the tradeshow floor.

During the virtual years, tech platforms showed us the potential of pre and post event connections. If you were an event marketer at the time, chances are your inbox was flooded with requests to set up your virtual company page on the event platform, so attendees could find you and book meetings weeks before the event began. Around that same time, brands were ramping up their webinar game, hosting sessions year round instead of just anchoring around major events. Content and thought leadership peaked.

It created the highest value when shaking hands was not possible.