Corporate
TechiTeens has a prestigious group of corporate partners that have sponsored multiple Community service projects, donated equipment and provided other support to the community. The Promotions Management Office serves as a gateway for the corporate community to all Corporate areas of TechiTeens to advance its research through mutually beneficial relationships with business and industry.
CORPORATE RELATIONSHIP DEFINITIONS
TechiTeens currently has, or will have, the following types of relationships with corporations:
TechiTeens sponsorship packages include:
•Strategic Partner: Benefits include premium recognition and access organization-wide; ties to high-profile events and programs; and promotional rights in connection with a supported program or initiative (e.g., Cell Phones for Soldiers).
•Event Cosponsor: Benefits include recognition, access and promotional rights, including sponsorship of a proprietary component, around a single TechiTeens event (e.g., Annual Cell Phone Drive, Tech For Tots, OC).
TechiTeenss other corporate relationship packages include:
•Fund raising Partner: A company that makes a fund raising commitment to support a TechiTeen's program or initiative. In most cases, companies do not make an upfront financial commitment, but rather fund raise on the program's behalf and pledge all proceeds raised during a designated time frame to that program. Fund raising promotions can take a variety of forms, from a company promoting the sale of a themed merchandise item with proceeds going to a designated TechiTeens program to in-store icon promotions, to staff fund raising events, to cause marketing (e.g. "Buy my product/use my service, and I'll make a contribution to TechiTeen's Toys For Tots program.")
•Promotional Partner: A company that promotes a specific ADA program or message through a themed promotional campaign, which may include guaranteed media, Web messaging and/or on-pack promotion. Companies do not pay a sponsorship rights fee; rather, they commit a minimum amount of promotion to the campaign.
•Grantor/Donor: A company that makes a donation/grant to any regional TechiTeen's Foundation to support an event or program. This may also include providing in-kind supplies to a program in exchange for enhanced employee or industry goodwill. There is no expectation of a marketing return on behalf of the company.
GUIDELINES
TechiTeens is a collaboration between local and remote men and women between the ages of 17 and 25 to provide local community based computer sales or services. Corporate relationships can provide resources toward this end�cash, in-kind product/services and/or added value for members�to enhance the TechiTeens's efforts. Outlined below are guidelines for all corporate relationships, with an emphasis on relationships that may involve sponsorship benefits.
1. Corporate Relationships Must Uphold the TechiTeen's Mission and Preserve Constituent Trust.
TechiTeen's will refrain from associating with companies that have the potential to damage TechiTeen's image because of the nature of the companies' products, services or reputation. Standards include:
•The company's products or services must be compatible with and complement TechiTeen's mission and values.
•The company must have a high degree of integrity, a strong corporate reputation and a track record of maintaining a high level of product/service quality.
•The company must demonstrate ethical business practices and a positive image.
2. Corporate Relationships Must Answer to TechiTeen's Mission All corporate-supported events or programs, including those co-created with a corporate partner, must conform to TechiTeen's mission and organizational priorities.
3. TechiTeen's Must Not Directly Endorse Corporate Partner Products or Services While TechiTeen's administers a recognized Seal of Acceptance program for computer products, such a program does not provide for endorsement of a company's product or service. Similarly, a corporate relationship will not provide for an TECHITEENS endorsement of the partner's product or service.
4. TechiTeen's Must Have Final Approval on All Content and/or Programming and Marketing Materials TechiTeen's will decide which event(s), program(s) and/or member service(s) a corporation may tie into and/or create and will have final approval over all content. The Agreement with the Corporate Partner will specify any involvement of the Corporate Partner with the content or programming, if any, such as recommending speakers, conference presentations, authoring articles, making opening remarks, etc. Corporate Partners will submit all marketing materials to TechiTeen's for approval prior to release.
5. TechiTeen's Will Formalize Recognition To ensure the recognition of corporate partners is proportionate to fees paid, TechiTeen's will establish a formal recognition program. Higher-paying partners (e.g., Caf� Press) will receive more recognition, as well as benefits not available to lower paying sponsors. Recognition may acknowledge that funding has been provided by either the company itself or one or more of the company's product or service lines. TechiTeen's reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to decide whether a product or service line is an appropriate candidate for recognition, and whether the corporate relationship may include any identification of a product, service or brand name. TechiTeen's also reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to decide all matters of taste, appropriateness and professional integrity.
6. TechiTeen's Must Document All Relationships that Include Marketing Benefits in an Agreement TechiTeen's should generate all agreements and create master documents that document the relationship and protect TechiTeen's best interests. This will help TechiTeen's detect departures from pre-approved terms. In addition, signed agreements will help manage partner expectations by specifying all benefits, terms and conditions of each corporate relationship. Areas to address in the agreement include:
•Property Definition. Define the Property with which the partner is affiliating, whether it is TechiTeen's or an event/program only.
•Category Exclusivity. Specify that there is either no category exclusivity or define the extent of exclusivity (e.g., exclusivity for a particular promotion or event component but not for the entire organization).
• Level of Acknowledgment. Specify the level of recognition a partner receives, ensuring that recognition of the partner is proportionate to fees paid.
•TECHITEENS Role. TechiTeen's will commit its organizational resources to maximize the success of the specific sponsored event or program for both TechiTeen's and its partners. However, under no circumstances will TechiTeen's be obligated to exert any influence to advance a partner's other corporate interests as part of the relationship, either written or implied.
•Mark/Logo Use. TechiTeen's must retain total control of its marks/logos and their use by corporate partners. Specify which marks, logos and designations, that the corporate partners can use in their advertising and/or promotions, and how such marks/logos may be used. TechiTeen's marks/logos may not be used in a manner that expresses or implies endorsement of a partner's products or services.
•Promotional Parameters. TechiTeen's must specify the time frame (year-round or three-to-six months around specific event or program) for which the partner can promote its affiliation with TechiTeen's.
•Ownership/Control. TechiTeen's must retain ownership and total control of all TECHITEENS events, programs, awards and communications vehicles. The policies, programs and integrity of TechiTeen's must remain entirely unaffected by any corporate relationship.
Resource Commitments. Sponsorship commitments to TechiTeen's should be unrestricted, with the exception of pre-approved, budget-relieving, in-kind products or services. Programmatic commitments (e.g., underwriting for Tech For Tots) may be restricted. Payments must be detailed to ensure full value is delivered. Commitments come in the following forms:
•All companies that receive approved marketing benefits must compensate TechiTeen's for the marketing rights in the form of a rights fee, or a minimum cash or promotional guarantee:
•Strategic Partner: rights fee
•Event Sponsor: rights fee
•Event Cosponsor: rights fee
•Fundraising Partner: minimum fundraising guarantee
•Promotional Partner: minimum promotional commitment
•TechiTeen's must determine in advance the method for valuing in-kind products or services.
Additional Expenses. Corporate partners are responsible for paying all expenses related to implementing their activation plans (e.g., product/literature distribution, display, added-value member services). For Strategic Partners with an activation fund, specify how this fund will be administered and what expenses can be charged to the fund (e.g., member gifts, hospitality, etc.).
Use of Funds. Rights fees are to be used at TechiTeen's discretion, not the partners.' No part of the fees shall be returned to the sponsor.
Logo Approval Process. TechiTeen's and its partners have the right to use each other's marks and logos with pre-approval procedures in place. To facilitate this process, provide sponsors with style guides that depict TECHITEENS's marks/logos and guidelines for usage in advertising and promotions, as well as approval processes and timelines.
Promotional Approvals. TechiTeen's shall have complete editorial control over all partner-created member and consumer communications. In every case, all materials in print, broadcast or electronic media prepared by the partner, including promotional pieces, ad copy and artwork, must be submitted to TechiTeen's for pre-approval in writing prior to release.
TechiTeen's and its partners shall disclose the nature of their relationship in all event and program activities, materials and promotions when applicable.
Assignment/Third-Party Promotions. Corporate partners are not allowed to assign rights or conduct third-party promotions without TECHITEENS approval. Detail the terms permitted. (For example, TECHITEENS Corporate Sponsorship Policy Page 4 of 4 November, 2008 Visa may conduct third-party promotions through TECHITEENS-approved banks; however, banks are not allowed to call themselves partners.)
Renewal Option. For partners who receive category exclusivity, offer an exclusive negotiating period (e.g., 60 days) with a deadline ending at least three to six months prior to the end of the contract term. Because exclusivity is generally limited, TechiTeen's can apply the exclusivity to the sponsor's existing proprietary component or initiative. Do not offer right of first refusal.
Termination. If a partner's reputation or integrity is called into question by TechiTeen's and/or the public, if TechiTeen's determines that the relationship may harm TechiTeen's image or reputation, or if through changes in business practices the partner becomes ineligible for TECHITEENS sponsorship, or if the business practices of the partner in any way reflect negatively on TechiTeen's, then TechiTeen's has the right to terminate the relationship.
Fulfillment Obligations. The responsibilities and obligations of TechiTeen's, including personnel and materials, must be within the organization's capacity to fulfill.
In addition, in the agreement, specify the responsibilities and obligations of TechiTeen's, including staff time committed to activation planning and/or execution, facilitation of use of mailing lists, approval process for use of TECHITEENS logos, administration of activation fund, etc.
Designated Liaisons. Specify the primary contacts for TechiTeen's and the process for approval, reporting and notification. For the partner liaison, identify the highest-ranking staff from the company who will be the central contact for all corporate relationship matters.
7. All Corporate Relationships Must Be Reviewed and Approved Acceptance of corporate relationship funding must be approved by the Executive Director. Each arrangement must be reviewed by the Division of Promotions. Corporate relationships will be reported regularly to the same.
Supply:
All Information is required for proper Authentication of a new or existing corporate relationship.
Security Note: Do not submit any other personally identifiable information other than the the required. Upon review, more information will be requested.