South Africa, Jan. 23 -- The most important question is no longer:

"What do we (as a brand) get from this sponsorship?"

It is now more than ever:

"Why would someone choose to engage with us here and how does this engagement elevate our brand in the minds of the consumer?"

Brands that can answer this question don't just win attention; they earn belonging.

As we look to 2026, the challenge becomes even sharper. We must move beyond asking whether people are engaging with our sponsorships, towards understanding why they are engaging.

Are audiences interacting with our brand because they want to. or simply because we paid to be there?

The future belongs to brands that design sponsorships people choose to engage with, not those they mere...