Background
As part of its new business activity, an educational publishing company had contacted two large organisations - one FMCG, one retailing company - with a view to sponsoring certain kinds of educational material. Both clients expressed concerns about potential negative reactions from schools and parents, and so our client commissioned research amongst parents, teachers and children.

Objectives
To explore attitudes to the sponsorship of educational material amongst key audiences

Approach
Our client had developed a series of mock-ups which were to be used in the research to probe reactions.  Four group discussions were held with older primary school children, four groups were held with the parents of these children, and two midi-groups with teachers were held.
 
Outcome
The core findings from the research are still a matter of commercial confidence, however the following points can be drawn.

• Children had a clear idea of the nature of sponsorship & its potential value.
• The more visible the sponsorship, the happier all groups were.
• To some extent quality expectations were higher in relation to sponsored material!