They're seemingly simple things: an in-flight video message about NCAA championships; an NCAA championship logo on a water bottle at a Philadelphia quick shop; a list of championship dates and sites in a special customer mailing; an in-hotel room film recapturing the greatest moments of the Men's Final Four.

But add them all together and the result is that today's NCAA corporate partners have become effective messengers of the Association's mission and values.

What's different? Not so long ago, the nature of sports marketing was such that corporate sponsorships tended to be based on an exchange of company dollars for access to events. That has changed, and the NCAA in many ways has provided the platform for that change. Today's NCAA corporate partners, in fact, have taken advantage of the opportunity to become pioneers in developing relationships that are more than a handshake deep.

"The old sports marketing philosophy of exchanging dollars for hospitality at various sports events is a 'warm and fuzzy' that doesn't produce much return for corporations investing in today's sponsorship marketplace," said the NCAA's David Knopp, who directs the Association's corporate marketing efforts.

"It certainly doesn't produce the increase in sales that most companies are looking for. Sponsors generally realize now that in order to use a partnership to drive sales -- which is the most effective way to maximize the sponsorships -- is to show that there is a return of increased sales, which requires the sports property and the sponsor to put more into the effort."

The "more into the effort" part is what has proved to be beneficial for the NCAA in its relationships with current corporate partners. For example, Continental Airlines is offering to promote the NCAA mission during an in-flight video, as well as in its in-flight magazine. Marriott is offering NCAA videos in its in-room movie menu. And Aquafina, the Pepsi brand of bottled water, sported the NCAA championships logo on its retail products in host cities Indianapolis and Philadelphia during March. And those are just a handful of examples from the many efforts underway from the NCAA's current list of partners.

Imbedding messages

The offshoot is that corporate partners increase interest and sales by associating with the NCAA's image and events, while the NCAA has the opportunity to market its messages. Knopp said the new philosophy demands increased efforts on both sides of the partnership to make the final relationship as valuable as possible.

"It's really been a matter of both the NCAA and the companies that are interested in associating with the NCAA coming to the table for the same end result," Knopp said. "And that is for both groups to develop the kind of image that sends the right messages to a broad audience."

Some examples of that effort, such as Continental's in-flight video message, go beyond the playing field.

The airline has offered the NCAA about five minutes of "air time" to say whatever messages the Association deems appropriate. Knopp said the content is in the process of being developed to trumpet the NCAA as a developer of student-athlete leaders.

"Continental, like our other current corporate partners, is really embracing the spirit of a partnership in a big way," Knopp said. "Continental offered us more of a presence through their in-flight magazine and videos without asking for anything in return."

From Continental's point of view, the good-faith effort should result in long-term benefits. Lamar Berry, Continental's director of sales and public relations, said good service up front leads to increased sales down the road.

And what a better target audience than student-athletes using Continental as the NCAA's official airline to championships sites.

"Our objective in this relationship is to get NCAA member institutions to travel with us as their preferred carrier," Berry said. "We also realize that, after college, student-athletes will move into careers and we may have some influence, or our messages may become imbedded with these individuals, and they end up choosing us for personal and business needs in the future because they will have used us in the past."

Knopp said corporate partners realize an intangible image benefit by linking with the NCAA, too. And the messages that both entities promote can further this enhanced image.

"Many types of efforts that we're seeing from our corporate partners are designed to show the public that they're affiliated with the NCAA, which hopefully will lead consumers to attach NCAA-like values to those companies," he said. "That doesn't happen by us just telling people that Sears, GM or Ocean Spray is an NCAA corporate partner -- the NCAA and its partners need to work together to tell those stories and send those messages out."

"The message we're attempting to communicate, particularly to members schools, is the message of the NCAA," Berry said. "And we realize that may take several years for that message to be imbedded. But the relationship is like a mutual fund -- you have to put your monies into it and allow them to mature."

Sideline presence

Another example of the 'new day' in the advertising arena has occurred in the arena itself. Two years ago, Aquafina, which now supplies bottled water to championship participants during the competition, was granted permission to display its logo along with the NCAA logo on sideline coolers, cups and water bottles filled with product at all NCAA championships.

This sort of sideline presence was unprecedented and had the potential to open a commercialism door the NCAA hadn't dared enter before. The Association is adamant about keeping a "clean" playing venue, one that is clear of signage or other ads, even for corporate partners.

But Knopp said the reason Aquafina was able to obtain sideline visibility is because the items on which the logos are displayed are considered equipment that is necessary to the competition.

"The coolers, water bottles and cups are no different than other essential elements to the competition, like ball racks, balls and bags," Knopp said. "You've got to have coolers and water bottles on the sidelines for competition."

Aquafina also agreed to provide water for all events at no cost and supply water bottles and coolers for championships and the Youth Education through Sports (YES) clinics that are held in conjunction with them, which offsets expenses the NCAA otherwise would incur.

Knopp said it was a unique case that was not intended to set a precedent, but to directly benefit student-athletes without unduly cluttering the championships venue.

"It was definitely a bold step," Knopp said. "But we haven't seen another step like it, so it's not like we opened the commercialism flood gates or anything."

Knopp said the point of developing relationships between the NCAA and its corporate partners is to promote both groups without jeopardizing the integrity of either entity -- essentially to develop a win-win proposition.

Knopp said those relationships are established not only to promote the NCAA mission, but the mission of the Association's marketing, licensing and promotions arm, which is to enhance the visibility of the NCAA and its mission through corporate partners.

In today's corporate-partner relationships with the NCAA, that's been a mission accomplished.

"There's a trust factor that's necessary in establishing any sports marketing relationship," Knopp said. "We've been fortunate to associate with companies that understand -- and in the end share -- our mission.

"We think that 'new day' in corporate sponsorships is here to stay."