Advocacy group The Parents' Jury has singled out Coca- Cola Amatil's Powerade in its 10th annual Fame and Shame Awards for incentivising sports clubs to purchase sugary drinks in return for sports equipment.
The group, which is supported by a number of health organisations – including Cancer Council Australia and Diabetes Australia – claims that for a set of seven netball bibs, of around $50 value, a club would need to buy $1600 worth of Powerade, equating to 442 bottles of the drink and 15kg of sugar.
It also found that to receive a basketball, a club would need to buy 387 bottles of Powerade for $1400, with 13kg of sugar.
For the promotion, Coca-Cola Amatil was awarded the Foul Play award which is given for marketing unhealthy products to children through sponsorship of children’s sports.
The Parents' Jury campaigns manager Dimity Gannon said the award was a new addition which aimed to highlight the numerous ways junk food marketing is infiltrating what should be a healthy activity.
“This is a growing concern for parents who see junk food marketing as detracting from the health benefits associated with sport,” Gannon said.
“Over the past 10 years, we’ve seen the same companies vying for the Shame Awards. McDonald's and Kellogg's have been nominated every year, closely followed by Coca-Cola Amatil. This shows that despite parents' concerns, the industry is still investing big bucks in marketing to children, and industry self-regulation isn't working.”
Nestle Australia won the “Pester Power” award for its Wonka Chocolate golden ticket promotion. The Parents' Jury said the promotion “exploited the affection that children have for the 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' story by using the hook of finding a golden ticket to win a trip to a chocolate factory.
The “Digital Ninja” award was jointly awarded to Coca-Cola Amatil's Fanta Flavour Lab app and McDonald's Emlings App for “targeting very young children under the guise of an educational game”.
However, it wasn't all bad news. The Parents' Jury highlighted Woolworth's Jamie's Garden Collectibles promotion in its Parents' Choice award. The award congratulates a food advert that promotes healthy eating to children.
It's not the first time brands have been taken to task over sports marketing. The Advertising Standards Bureau has upheld two complaints against McDonald's this year over marketing to children, with one promotion targeting a kid's basketball club.
For more news:
ASB cracks whip over McDonald's marketing to children, again
Advertising watchdog rules McDonald's marketing to children breaches rules
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day. Need a job? Visit adnewsjobs.com.au.
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.