The role of sponsorship fit for changing brand affect: A latent growth modeling approach

•This article uses a latent growth modeling approach to examine the controversial role of perceived sponsor–event fit in inducing change in brand affect.•Brand affect and perceived brand–event fit increase linearly through sponsorship-linked marketing activities.•At the initial level, perceived sponsor-event fit and brand affect are positively related.•Over time, initial lower level of perceived sponsor-event fit increases the rate of brand affect improvement.

Using a latent growth modeling (LGM) approach, this study examines the controversial role of perceived sponsor–event fit in inducing changes in brand affect. On the basis of two longitudinal studies related to the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2012 London Olympics, the authors determine that fit and brand affect increase linearly over time. Resolving an apparent conflict in the marketing literature, the results show that the initial level of fit relates positively to the initial level of brand affect, but relates negatively to the subsequent increase in brand affect. Moreover, a significant and positive association emerges between the change trajectories, such that a steeper increase in perceived fit results in a faster rate of brand affect improvement. Furthermore, the initial level of brand affect is associated with subsequent increases in neither brand affect nor fit. Therefore, incongruence resolution is key to ensuring that sponsorship improves brand affect. Finally, both attitude toward the sponsorship and event involvement have positive impacts on subsequent increases in both brand affect and perceived fit.