What�s Junk Food Got To Do With Children�s Sport?

Tobacco sponsorship of sport is banned in Australia to protect the health of citizens, but unhealthy food and drink companies are still allowed to sponsor children's sport.

Food and drink companies frequently use sport as a marketing medium and a way to target large numbers of children. Children play and watch sport at different levels including local clubs, state associations and national leagues. Australian children are not protected from unhealthy food sponsorship at any level.

Food marketing takes many different forms

Food marketing affects children's food choices and purchasing decisions. Unhealthy food and drink companies spend billions of dollars per year on advertising and marketing promotions because they work.

The marketing of unhealthy food and drink to children takes many different forms. There are the obvious above the line mass media strategies like television, radio, cinema and print advertising. But there are also below the line strategies such as in-store and point of sale promotions, television product placements and sponsorship activities.

Food companies increasingly utilise a mix of above and below the line marketing strategies to reach children. Using this approach they can ensure thorough target market saturation and widespread brand awareness.

Why do food and drink companies promote to children through sport?

The promotion of food and drink to children through sports' sponsorship is a relatively inexpensive way to increase brand awareness compared to television advertising. Companies can target children whilst they are doing something they love, playing and watching sport.

Sports sponsorship:

Increases children's familiarity with food and drink brands
Associates particular foods and drinks with an activity children enjoy and therefore generates a positive association
Builds customer relationships and creates long term loyalty
Targets children at a time in their life when they are more susceptible to the persuasive intent of marketing and advertising
Generates a favourable relationship with parents as well

What types of promotions are used to target children through sport?

Food and drink companies promote to children through sport in a variety of ways. Some food brands invest just a small sum of money marketing in this way, whilst others spend hundreds of thousands or dollars each year sponsoring big league sport at a national level.

Some of the ways companies market unhealthy food and drink to children through sport include:

Naming rights for teams and events
Signage at sports club on billboards
Logos on uniforms
Branded merchandise giveaways such as hats and water bottles
Food and drink samples and giveaways including discount vouchers
Free meals at fast food outlet
Promotional fliers for brand or specific products
Logos on printed materials such as welcome kit or club handbook

These promotions take place both at the sports children participate in and the sports children watch.

What is the problem with promoting unhealthy food and drink to children through sport?

We naturally associate sports participation with a healthy and active lifestyle. Sports clubs and associations have a responsibility to children to provide positive messages about nutrition and exercise. By allowing unhealthy food and drink sponsorship they are giving out contradictory messages that encourage poor food choices and unhealthy eating behaviours.

Alternatives to unhealthy food and drink brand sponsorship

There are many alternatives that sports clubs can consider approaching for sponsorship funds instead of companies that market unhealthy food and drinks to children. Examples include:

Sports retailers
Sports clothing and equipment manufacturers
Banks
Telecommunications companies
Travel companies

Do you have any other suggestions? Log in to the discussion forum and tell us your ideas.

What Parents Jury members say ...

We recently polled Parents Jury members for their views on unhealthy food and drink sponsorship of children's sport. Click here to see the results (opens a new window).

With the results of the above poll, we wrote to Surf Life Saving Australia (Kellogg's Nutri-Grain) and Little Athletics (McDonald's) in each state and territory with your concerns about their sponsorship agreements with unhealthy brands. You can see what we sent, and the responses below:

Letter to Little Athletics Australia (individual letters were also sent to each state and territory)
Letter to Surf Life Saving Australia
- Response from SLSA

Here are two easy actions you can take to advocate for the end of unhealthy food and drink brand sponsorship of children's sport.

1. Is your child's sports club or association sponsored by an unhealthy food or drink company? Use this letter template to write to them and urge them to reconsider their funding strategy.

2. The Children's Food Marketing Fame & Shame Awards are your opportunity to nominate food marketing campaigns you love and hate. The Shame Award for the Bad Sport will be awarded to a sports association, team or athlete that promotes unhealthy foods and drinks to children. Click here to submit a nomination.