The "Sponsorship Code of Conduct" is based on the "Code of Best Practice" from 2003, which has been updated in many respects. It serves all sponsors, agencies, suppliers, marketers and service providers organized in the Sponsorship Association as a guideline for professional, partnership-based and successful sponsorship, the association said in a press release on Monday. The topics covered include research and analysis, ambush marketing, doping, basic ethical values, hospitality invitations and the mediation forum.

The code of conduct does not represent a voluntary commitment on the part of the industry, but has the character of a recommendation, the association continues. These Faspo rules of conduct are unique in the sponsorship market. To date, no other interest group has taken a position on issues of market behavior and competition or made recommendations.
 

The 2012 winners:

Public sponsorship category
In the Public Sponsoring category, the ISA was awarded for the "2 x Christmas" project, a campaign by Swiss Post, the Swiss Red Cross and SRG. The jury stated that the project successfully combined sponsorship and core services. Parcel delivery as an original business focus is used to provide a social service that inspires customers, business partners and employees alike. The commitment is characterized by a high level of credibility and positions Swiss Post as a likeable and trustworthy company. The jury acknowledged that the "2 x Christmas" campaign has already taken place 15 times, making it one of the highest-profile social sponsorships in Switzerland.

Cultural sponsorship category
Bayer received the ISA in the cultural sponsorship category for Bayer Arts & Culture. In the jury's statement, the company's significant commitment, which dates back more than 100 years, was rated as "outstanding".

Sports sponsorship category
In the Sports Sponsoring category, the ISA goes to Deutsche Post and the BBDO Live agency for the "Absolut treffsicher" project, the e-Postbrief campaign for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2011. The jury described the project as an exemplary sponsorship activity for women's soccer, for the company and its new products such as the e-Postbrief.

Media sponsorship category
In this category, the ISA was awarded to Berliner Bank and the agency Felten & Compagnie for sponsoring the "Berliner Bank Future Dialogs". Based on scientific studies, the bank, together with its media partners, initiated events on the future of the city.

Innovation category
A1 Telekom Austria and the executing agency WWP were honored with an award for the "innovative identification of the A1 brand in sports sponsoring".

The Jury of the 19. International Sponsoring Awards: Jean-Baptiste Felten (Chairman), Faspo Vice President (Felten & Cie, Winterthur); Christine Angenendt (Pilot Group); Stephan Frucht (Kulturkreis der Deutschen Wirtschaft im BDI); Oskar Gut (Switzerland); Arnold Hermanns (Universität der Bundeswehr, Munich); Oliver Kaiser (President Faspo, Ledavi Group); Brigitte Kössner-Skoff (Initiatives Economy for Art, Vienna); Dieter Mussler (Mussler Communication, Frankfurt); Hans Conrad Walter (Causales, Berlin); Lutz Weidner (Bureau Weidner); Yvonne Wodzak (New Business), Jochen Zimmer (Horizont).
 

The IMG agency received the award in the "Media" category. The fusion of a fashion event with a TV casting show in the run-up to the event on the one hand, and media partnerships with various publishing houses on the other, persuaded the jury to award the sponsorship concept. "Charles Vögele Fashion Days covers all important channels cross-medially and creates a highly professional link between an event and a TV format," the jury stated in the official press release. Charles Vögele Fashion Days Zurich is a four-day fashion event that was held for the first time in Zurich from November 3 to 6, 2010. Swiss fashion chain Charles Vögele was won as the title sponsor. 

The Würth Group, which was the main sponsor of the Tour de Suisse, also received an award in the "Sports Sponsorship" category. According to the jury, the company succeeded in deepening customer relationships and charging them with emotion. The overall concept was designed very professionally and accompanied by extensive performance and impact monitoring.

The 43-year-old Oliver Kaiser replaces the long-standing Faspo President Bernd Reichstein from office. The 59-year-old Reichstein, who has led the Sponsoring Association since 2003, had already announced last year that he would not be standing for re-election in order to initiate a generational change. In future, he will be active on the Board as Vice President Germany.

Oliver Kaiser was a founding member of Faspo in the mid-1990s. He is founder, president and owner of the IFM Sports Group and was co-owner of Schmidt und Kaiser-Kommunikationsberatung, one of the most successful German sponsorship agencies, as well as the Auratis network.

In addition to Oliver Kaiser Edwin Weindorfer newly elected to the board. As Faspo Vice President Austria, Weindorfer heads the Faspo branch in Vienna. Vice-President Switzerland is still Jean-Baptiste Felten (Felten & Cie). Also new to the Board of Directors are Jörg Pommeranz, Dirk G. Schernikau and Ferdinand Froningwho will be responsible for branded entertainment.

The Sponsoring Association Faspo is the central interest group for the sponsoring industry in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, based in Hamburg, Vienna and Winterthur.