The influence of sponsorship effectiveness on consumer perceptions and purchasing behavior in esports

Purpose With the rise of esports, research on the perceived fit between esports sponsors and events remains limited. This study uses the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) to investigate how the perceived fit between sponsors and esports events effects brand awareness, consumer attitudes and purchasing behavior, aiming to offer insights for more effective marketing strategies. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 245 participants during the Taipei Game Show 2024, using purposive sampling of individuals aged 18 and above. The data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with Smart PLS 4.0.1.6 to examine the relationships among perceived fit, brand awareness, consumer attitudes and purchasing behavior, and to investigate the mediating effects. Findings The results discovered that brand awareness, perceived fit and consumer attitudes had significant positive effects on purchasing behavior, explaining 75% of its variance. Additionally, perceived fit positively affected both brand awareness and consumer attitude. Mediating effect showed that both brand awareness and consumer attitude play significant mediating roles between perceived fit and purchasing behavior, with consumer attitude having a stronger mediating effect. Originality/value This study highlights to the limited body of research on esports sponsorships by demonstrating that perceived sponsor-event fit is crucial for enhancing brand awareness, advancing positive consumer attitudes and driving purchasing behavior. The ELM framework highlights the importance of central and peripheral routes in influencing consumer decisions, offering strategies for companies to optimize sponsorship effectiveness and improve brand competitiveness.