Sponsor can we morally seek sponsorship from a brewery

[cpapplefamily]

A student member of the team has a link to a local brewery they also handle soda and energy drinks. I'm mixed on the idea and image of them as a sponsor. What's your opinions?

[BrendanB]

Originally Posted by cpapplefamily

A student member of the team has a link to a local brewery they also handle soda and energy drinks. I'm mixed on the idea and image of them as a sponsor. What's your opinions?

Many teams are sponsored by defense contractors who make weapons and other items that aren't aren't just pretty wall decorations.

If a local brewery/beverage company would like to financially donate to your team and invest in your students go for it.

For me, I would raise questions if they are doing something that is illegal or their name/branding has language/symbols that would be offensive.

[JohnBoucher]

I would check with your school board. They may not be happy with the sponsorship. Don't be surprised if some parents object.

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by cpapplefamily

A student member of the team has a link to a local brewery they also handle soda and energy drinks. I'm mixed on the idea and image of them as a sponsor. What's your opinions?

This would be my thought process:

STEP 1: Does your youth organization have something to say about it?
STEP 2: Is the brewery okay with a non-beer corporate name or one of the soda brands as the sponsor?
STEP 3: If the answers are no and yes respectively, accept it and send a thank you card.

Originally Posted by BrendanB

Many teams are sponsored by defense contractors who make weapons and other items that aren't aren't just pretty wall decorations.

A team about 20 minutes from where I lived in South Carolina got sponsored by FN Manufacturing--the company that makes military-issue assault rifles.

[cpapplefamily]

Great points to ponder. Thanks for the fast responses

[Billfred]

One other addition: this kind of stuff shouldn't be new to an alcohol company. It's a settled issue in NASCAR, where there are drivers that are under 21. (Those drivers also run "21 Means 21" contingency sponsor stickers in lieu of the usual Coors Light pole sticker.)

[Steven Smith]

One thing that could help (assuming your inclination is to take them as a sponsor) is to separate two elements, accepting money from a brewery and how the team advertises the sponsor, as is typical in FRC.

Yes, there are some folks that would be strongly opposed to any interaction due to personal beliefs surrounding alcohol. However, breweries and other food production facilities have increasingly large amount of process control, automation, etc... and they employ many STEM professionals.

However, as Billfred alluded to, I would not want to be seen as advertising alcohol at a high school robotics competition, whether directly or indirectly. You might be able to use this to your advantage to strike a middle ground. "We would love to have XYZ Brewery as a sponsor, but are unable to advertise alcohol or use the word brewery on our promotional material, would it be ok if we advertise an individual non-alcohol product as thanks for your sponsorship?"

If you strike that deal up front, it might help settle any concerns from folks that hear "brewery sponsorship" and jump to wild imagery of a pallet of beer showing up for Saturday lunches at build day and your team designing a still for SteamWorks. (which in a parallel universe, sounds pretty cool)

[roboruler]

Originally Posted by Steven Smith

jump to wild imagery of a pallet of beer showing up for Saturday lunches at build day

Sounds like a good way to attract new mentors.

I think the brewery sponsorship can work great and be good for both your team and the brewery. But it is important that the Brewery understands what they can expect from you as a reciprocal relationship.

[GeeTwo]

It looks like most of this has been covered, but to wrap it all up in one list:

• Clear it through your parent organization(s) [school, 4-H, whatever] before going any farther.
• Work with the candidate sponsor to develop a message/plan which does not give the impression of promoting underage drinking. Put this agreement in writing.
• Be open with mentors and other stakeholders BEFORE signing the deal - this is one of those cases where, if a stakeholder has an issue, forgiveness is unlikely. Get permission/buy in.
• Review the materials as they come in and periodically. Have one of your stakeholders who was leery of the deal in on this. You may even want to start doing this with your other sponsors.
• Thank them!

[Christopher149]

In taking a look, I found (according to http://www.oai.org/firstbuckeye/teams.html), that team 870 is/was sponsored by a brewery (caveat, I have no relation to this team, and the brewery is not on their current sponsor list as shown on TBA).

Team 4293 lists Lone Tree Brewing Company as a $2500-$4999 sponsor.

So, there are a few teams which are sponsored by breweries.

[roboruler]

Originally Posted by Christopher149

Team 4293 lists Lone Tree Brewing Company as a $2500-$4999 sponsor.

So, there are a few teams which are sponsored by breweries.

Originally Posted by Team 4293 website

We have been chosen as "Charity of the Month!" for June, 2015.

It looks like it was a charitable donation rather than a sponsorship and that it was a one off thing.

[Chris Fultz]

As a school team, we cannot accept bars, alcohol, tobacco or gun dealers as sponsors.

[IndySam]

Originally Posted by Chris Fultz

As a school team, we cannot accept bars, alcohol, tobacco or gun dealers as sponsors.

Also casinos.

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by Chris Fultz

As a school team, we cannot accept bars, alcohol, tobacco or gun dealers as sponsors.

What about defense contractors?

[roboruler]

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

What about defense contractors?

Sounds like a slippery slope, a big defense company who build cruise missiles have built built weaponary that have caused the deaths of a lot more innocent people than your average gunshop.

Or what about sub-contractors who build parts like Rolls-Royce building engines for fighter jets.

Or what even about the USAF…

The gun dealers thing sounds a bit weird, but makes reasonable sense.