How Idaho Potatoes Stole the Spotlight at the FIS World Cup—Without a Title Sponsorship

A fresh perspective on how support-level sponsorships can drive outsized impact for challenger brands

In event marketing, title sponsorship is often seen as the only path to meaningful impact, especially at high-profile events. But visibility and value don’t always go to the highest bidder—and smart brands know it.

With the right strategy, support-level sponsors can deliver disproportionate returns—and sometimes even outshine the title sponsor. Strategic integration, authentic engagement, and fan-first activations can turn even modest sponsorship investments into powerful brand-building opportunities. Case in point: the Idaho Potato Commission’s (IPC) standout performance at the 2025 FIS World Cup Ski Finals in Sun Valley, Idaho.

Despite attending as a support sponsor, IPC carved out a commanding presence and became one of the most talked-about brands on and off the mountain. Let’s take a closer look at IPC’s creative, integrated approach and how it serves as a blueprint for smart, authentic, and high-impact event marketing.

From Support Sponsor to Fan Favorite: A Case Study in Strategic Activation

As a support sponsor at the FIS World Cup Ski Finals, IPC could have stayed in the background. Instead, they executed a multi-faceted, emotionally resonant activation strategy that made them one of the most visible and talked-about brands at the event.

IPC’s iconic Big Idaho® Potato Truck and its traveling ambassadors, the Tater Team, served as a cornerstone of the week’s festivities—drawing crowds with free mashed potatoes and crispy fries. Spuddy Buddy, the beloved mascot, delighted attendees of all ages—including athletes—generating nonstop photo ops and joyful interactions. One standout moment? A spontaneous embrace from Olympic legend Lindsey Vonn, captured and shared around the world.

The bib draw ceremonies turned into a breakout moment. In a playful twist on tradition, athletes selected their race numbers by choosing plush Spuddy Buddy toys instead of standard tiles—transforming a routine event into a fan-favorite. Every athlete didn’t just interact with the brand—they embraced it.

IPC also partnered with the live show production team to add value throughout the event, including interactive potato trivia and giveaways that kept the energy high between races and reinforced IPC as a contributor to the fan experience, not just a name on the banner.

And when it came to visibility, IPC showed up in all the right places. Strategically placed signage at the finish area—a focal point for fans and global media—put the brand directly into highlight reels, including Mikaela Shiffrin’s slalom win, which earned global coverage on Olympics.com.

To top it off, IPC secured the broadcast rights to run its national campaign commercial during event coverage. The spot aired multiple times across NBC and CNBC, extending the brand’s reach far beyond Sun Valley and tying the on-the-ground experience to a larger national moment.

“The potato presence was big, bold and unforgettable,” reported Eye on Sun Valley, calling IPC’s role “a surprise hit among the snow and slalom crowd.”

What Success Looked Like: Performance Metrics and Beyond

Throughout the event, IPC garnered over 2 million national TV impressions via NBC and CNBC, and more than 1.5 million social media impressions. The commission’s innovative activations attracted attention from a diverse array of media outlets.

Coverage spanned major platforms like Yahoo and SnowBrains, industry-specific publications such as Potato Grower and PNW Ag Network, and local outlets like Eye on Sun Valley, which noted that “ski racers have been quick to get their photos taken with Spuddy Buddy.” Internationally, Germany’s Die Presse featured a memorable photo of Spuddy Buddy embracing Lindsey Vonn, while a Swedish news station ran a lighthearted segment introducing viewers to Spuddy Buddy and the Idaho Potato brand. The Associated Press also spotlighted Vonn’s participation in the World Cup Finals, underscoring the global attention drawn to the event.

This widespread media attention underscores the broad appeal and successful integration of IPC’s initiatives during the event.

Beyond the Billboard: Redefining Sponsorship Success

Traditional sponsorship models often rely heavily on logo placement and signage visibility. While these elements create awareness, they rarely forge emotional connections with audiences. The most successful sponsorships transcend passive visibility to spark emotional resonance and activate engagement.

Because showing up is one thing. Being remembered is another.

Values-driven brands have a unique advantage in this space. When your brand stands for something meaningful—whether it’s regional pride, craftsmanship, family traditions, or sustainable practices—you have an authentic story to tell. This authenticity becomes your greatest asset when developing sponsorship activations that resonate with event audiences.

The question isn’t whether your logo appears on the biggest sign, but whether your brand becomes an integral, memorable part of the event experience.

5 Steps to Spotlight-Stealing Support Sponsorship

Creating standout sponsorship activations requires a strategic approach to event integration. The following five steps will put you on the path to meaningfully integrating your brand at your next event.

1. Identify the “Big” Moments and Find Ways to Engage

Every event has emotional highs and shared experiences that capture audience attention. These peak moments are your best opportunities for high-impact brand integration.

• Place signage where cameras and fans will naturally focus—IPC’s branding in the finish area appeared in Olympic highlight reels.
• Transform ceremonial traditions into branded moments—when IPC replaced traditional bib draw tiles with Spuddy Buddy plushies, it prompted athlete interactions, fan smiles, and global social sharing.
• Tap into culturally resonant moments that extend beyond borders. A Swedish news segment introduced international audiences to Spuddy Buddy and the Idaho Potato brand, showing how a well-placed activation can spark global curiosity.

2. Build Human-to-Human Connection

Personal interactions create emotional resonance that logo placements simply can’t achieve, making them the foundation of memorable brand experiences.

• Activate brand ambassadors who are engaging, approachable, and aligned with your values.
• Prioritize genuine, face-to-face interactions between your brand and the people who matter—fans, athletes, and staff.
• Let personality lead the way. IPC did this brilliantly through Spuddy Buddy, who delivered endless high-fives, selfies, and shared laughs across the event.

The most powerful brand moments are rarely scripted—they happen organically when you create space for genuine connection. IPC set the stage for exactly that, leading to a standout, unscripted moment: Olympic legend Lindsey Vonn spontaneously embracing Spuddy Buddy during her victory celebration. Captured on camera and shared worldwide, it became one of the most memorable images of the week.

3. Master Organic “Infiltration”

When participating in an event, your goal is to make your brand feel like a natural extension of the experience—not an interruption.

• Identify opportunities to be present at moments and locations where fans naturally gather. IPC did this through simple, high-impact moves—like having Spuddy Buddy and brand ambassadors circulate among the crowd, turning casual moments into joyful interactions.
• Look for ways to show up in unexpected, authentic ways. IPC partnered with 5850 Fest—an on-site music festival happening during the event—where a Spuddy Buddy plush made a surprise on-stage appearance during the Barenaked Ladies concert. The moment was unexpected, fun, and reinforced IPC’s playful brand energy in a totally new environment.
• Create experiences that align with the event’s spirit. IPC’s food giveaways—serving up hot mashed potatoes and fries—tapped into the nourishing, high-performance qualities of potatoes in a way that made sense for an elite athletic competition.

For food marketers, the tactile, sensory nature of edible products offers a unique edge. Sampling, smells, and shared experiences can create an emotional connection that lasts far longer than a static logo.

4. Develop Collaborative Relationships for Maximum Access

Strong partnerships with event organizers unlock integration opportunities that standard sponsorship packages don’t typically include.

• Position your brand as a partner, not just a sponsor. When IPC came to the table with creative, value-adding ideas—from reimagining the bib draw to hosting race-day trivia segments—they built trust with organizers and earned greater visibility throughout the event.
• Proactively pitch integrations that enhance the fan experience. IPC didn’t wait for permission—they asked, “How can we help?” and found new ways to contribute that made the event stronger overall.
• Look for opportunities in newer or first-time events. Emerging properties often offer more flexibility and are eager to collaborate with brands that go beyond transactional sponsorships. IPC’s close coordination with production teams and the live show crew opened doors that more passive sponsors simply didn’t access.

The takeaway? Smart collaboration can often outweigh spend. Sponsors who bring ideas—and solutions—create more room to shine.

5. Maximize ROI Through Multi-Channel Amplification

On-site activations are just the beginning. The most successful sponsors build for storytelling across every channel.

• Design for content from the start. IPC built content capture into every layer of activation—like sharing Spuddy Buddy’s “journey to Sun Valley” in social vignettes before the event even began.
• Create photo-worthy moments that fans want to share. The bib draw photo ops, spontaneous athlete selfies, and even Spuddy Buddy’s music festival cameo all fueled organic social buzz.
• Extend your presence on-screen. IPC negotiated to air its national campaign commercial multiple times across NBC and CNBC broadcasts—an important layer that reinforced the brand’s presence and message with a national audience.
• Connect your live and digital experiences. IPC kept momentum going in Stories throughout the event, capturing real-time fan engagement, race-day energy, and behind-the-scenes content that pulled audiences into the experience.

Great activations don’t live in one moment—they echo across platforms, creating a flywheel of earned, owned, and paid media that keeps your brand top of mind.

Measuring Impact Beyond Traditional Metrics

While impressions and media value remain important metrics, truly successful sponsorships deliver results that transcend these traditional measurements.

Beyond counting eyeballs, look for evidence of emotional engagement: Are attendees seeking out your brand experiences? Are they sharing content organically? Are athletes or influencers engaging with your brand unprompted?

These qualitative indicators often signal deeper brand equity building that will pay dividends long after the event concludes.

Forward-thinking sponsors approach events not as advertising platforms but as relationship-building opportunities. They focus less on impressions and more on expressions—creating moments that allow consumers to experience and express what the brand means to them.

The Future of Strategic Sponsorship

As event marketing continues to evolve, the lines between sponsor tiers matters less than how brands integrate with events, regardless of investment level.

In this context, the question isn’t whether you can afford to be the title sponsor. It’s whether you can create authentic experiences that resonate more deeply than a logo on a banner ever could.

Want to discuss how your brand can develop strategic, high-impact event sponsorships? Let’s explore the possibilities.