Sponsorfied Platform Connecting Events With Sponsors To Launch At SXSW

Sponsorfied is an emerging platform created by a team with a strong background in technology, events and sponsorships. They are leveraging their hard-won knowledge to build a matching service for events and sponsorships that could change the game for both event organizers and brands seeking to sponsor events. Though they are not specifically focused on music, they are already connecting with numerous music events including a number taking place during SXSW.

Currently Sponsorfied has a presence in Austin and San Francisco but, in a few weeks, they will be fully based in SF. I recently spoke with one of the four cofounders, David Matthews, who filled me in on the past and future of Sponsorfied.

Sample Event Listing: Rawkblog/TwentyFourBit Unofficial SXSW Party

Sponsorfied is designed to create a marketplace that allows event organizers to announce events available for sponsorship and brands to find suitable events to sponsor. A particular focus of Sponsorfied is addressing the fact that brands are inundated with sponsorship requests, many of which are inappropriate for their needs as well as their brand identity.

Though event organizers will be able to post events, Sponsorfied is not creating a directory of brands, which Matthews pointed out has not worked for previous companies addressing event/sponsorship connections. In fact, though event organizers will be rated by brands, sponsors will not be rated. The focus is on providing a tool for brands, ad agencies and marketing firms though, if done well, Sponsorfied's success will greatly benefit event organizers as well.

In addition to listing events, Sponsorfied will notify brands when events that fit their needs, including location and demographic reach, are posted.

Though there are over 200 events in their database with more on the way, the full platform will not launch for another 3 months. You can take a look now at Featured Events and even submit an event or apply to sponsor. However, at this stage, much of the process is handled offline.

The long term goal is to develop a platform not only for events, including festivals, but potentially for tours and other opportunities built around specific acts such as bands. They are even discussing the possiblity of a Kickstarter-like platform for funding creative projects via sponsorships.

In the short term, based on Matthews' comments, it appears that the Featured Events will give you a pretty good idea of what they're attempting. If the initial stage of development results in a solid online platform that provides transparency to participants and allows event organizers to establish a solid, rated identity, Sponsorfied should be a powerful tool for both sides of the equation.

To stay updated on their progress and perspective, I'd suggest keeping up with their blog. If you're headed to SXSW, you might take a look at their current crop of Featured Events and also check out this post, "Rabbits, Nets, and Other Unconventional Ways to Make a Splash at SXSW."

Hypebot Features Writer Clyde Smith maintains his freelance writing hub at Flux Research and music industry resources at Music Biz Blogs. To suggest topics for Hypebot, contact: clyde(at)fluxresearch(dot)com.