SLSO: on sponsorships
This was my response to comments on the “Talk of the Day” blog: Are corporate sponsorships a good or bad thing?
A few points:
1) Corporate sponsorships are standard in most cities. The SLSO has had its share of them (remember Krispy Kreme Coffee Concerts and the Volvo that was parked in the lobby for a while?), but this is a big one. St. Louis is catching up.
2) It won’t be tacky (especially compared to the Volvo in the lobby). David Robertson will not have “Wachovia Securities” emblazoned upon the back of his tailcoat; there will be no billboards at the back of the stage. The notices in the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis program were small and subtle.
3) The bills have to be paid, and Wachovia Securities — which is a separate firm from the Wachovia of subprime loans — is a natural sponsor.
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HA! Suddenly, a picture came to my mind of “The Lawrence Welk Show” that my Grandmother used to watch, with the word “Geritol” at the back of the stage of musicians. Thank goodness that’s a thing of the past. Let’s hope that product placement won’t find it’s way to the concert stage, as it has to the movies!