Unhealthy sponsors for the 2012 Olympics - thoughts?

fayelein

Hi,

I'm just watching Newsnight and there's been a section on the sponsors of the London 2012 Olympics.

Basically the sponsors include Macdonalds, Coca Cola and Heineken. In fact, I've just looked on the website and there are no healthy sponsors at all!

I was just wondering if you thought this was wrong and that it's promoting the wrong things to the public, especially children? Or that it's just sponsorship and it doesn't matter?

Personally I think such an event that promotes fitness and health should have the sponsors to match!

Just thought it would be interesting to see what people thought

mmachick2011

As a MFP member... I completely agree... as a marketing/ PR professional, I know it is just not feasible. The ad time pricing is crazy high and the networks need to fill the slots in order to televise the Games. If "healthy" companies had the money, they would advertise during the Olympics. Unfortunately the dollar talks.... the world spends more money on the labels/ companies you listed and they have the dough for the ads.

kb4175

McDonald's has been an Olympic sponsor for years and years. I've always found that kind of ironic.

Hoakiebs

It'll never happen until we, the consumers, start boycotting this type of food and asking them to make something healthier. They wouldn't be spending the money if they knew there would be no return on their investment.

astrampe

You can still eat McDonalds now and then, have a Coke or a Heineken, and be fit and healthy.....Besides, organic carrot companies won't sell a lot of carrots at the olympics.....

Damiilla

I've completely given up my hopes of any sport events being sponsored by anyone "healthy". They just sell themselves out for money. Not to mention that I can't think of any large companies that sell health products that don't already do many unethical things.

Rogstar

I totally understand questioning the sponsor list of this. I've always found the McD's sponsorship funny...a picture of all these athletes doing their thing on the cup of soda I got with my supersized meal back in the day. When was the last time any of them had soda? At least you can get many more healthy options nowadays than when I was a teenager.

But when you think about it...what major sporting events are sponsored by healthy companies? Even baseball teams...you go to a game and all you see are beer\alchohol, pizza, fast food, and entertainment advertising. Those are the companies with the money...and I do appreciate them, because they keep our team in business and the ticket prices pretty low.

The problem is...who else would sponsor? It's hard for the Rhubarb Association of America to sponsor a world-wide event...so I just take it in stride. It is hard when watching something with children and commercials come up for things they want but we don't necessarily want to give them...but it happens all the time. It's up to adults to lead an example to the children around them...not to leave it up to the advertising.

fayelein

I agree! It's a sad fact of life but those are the people with the money!

In the ideal world the Olympics and other sporting events would have fitting sponsors - boo real world!

I can't even think of any healthy companies big and rich enough for sponsoring such a huge event which is sad!

IronSmasher

Welcome to the health and fitness industry!

As a returning customer, it's in our best interests to keep you unhealthy!

yarwell

McDonalds sell perfectly healthy food.

Di3012

Hi,

I'm just watching Newsnight and there's been a section on the sponsors of the London 2012 Olympics.

Basically the sponsors include Macdonalds, Coca Cola and Heineken. In fact, I've just looked on the website and there are no healthy sponsors at all!

I was just wondering if you thought this was wrong and that it's promoting the wrong things to the public, especially children? Or that it's just sponsorship and it doesn't matter?

Personally I think such an event that promotes fitness and health should have the sponsors to match!

Just thought it would be interesting to see what people thought

Perhaps if those "healthy food companies" could do some sponsoring, it might change things around.

Unfortunately, it isn't the case, so it is either "unhealthy" sponsors or no sponsors.

Di3012

I totally understand questioning the sponsor list of this. I've always found the McD's sponsorship funny...a picture of all these athletes doing their thing on the cup of soda I got with my supersized meal back in the day. When was the last time any of them had soda? At least you can get many more healthy options nowadays than when I was a teenager.

But when you think about it...what major sporting events are sponsored by healthy companies? Even baseball teams...you go to a game and all you see are beer\alchohol, pizza, fast food, and entertainment advertising. Those are the companies with the money...and I do appreciate them, because they keep our team in business and the ticket prices pretty low.

The problem is...who else would sponsor? It's hard for the Rhubarb Association of America to sponsor a world-wide event...so I just take it in stride. It is hard when watching something with children and commercials come up for things they want but we don't necessarily want to give them...but it happens all the time. It's up to adults to lead an example to the children around them...not to leave it up to the advertising.

Just out of curiosity, why do you think none of them drink soda?

cfloresmt

Just because its a sports event, it doesn't mean they are there to promote healthy habits.

Kara_xxx

Yes it's hugely ironic and considering how powerful these organisations are, it wouldn't surprise me if there was a whole host of politics involved too, same as with the tobacco industry in the past.

In the UK doctors have certain made a public stand about it and the parallels with the smoking industry are huge.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-17705228

PJ_73

Thought exactly the same this morning when they said on the news that due to McDonalds being official sponsors of the Olympics that no one else would be allowed to sell chips on the sites!

Not quite the symbol of healhy living athletes!

Dragonnade

It's less the actual sponsors I have an issue with than the censorship. No chips unless they're McD's or served as 'fish and chips'? Teh?
No beer except Heineken? What the actual? We have a glorious beer industry in this country and could properly display British brewing ingenuity in the bars for those who refuse to drink lager.

Actually becoming a farce. I live in London and tbh, it's SH1T! Absolutely. I don't like the 'security' measures - missiles on blocks of flats make me instantly more paranoid in the city that I love. The little experiment at London Bridge shows how the transport system already can't cope with just ordinary commuters if you try to 'streamline' it. Never been more glad that I work from home tbqh.
Oh, and the troops having to be called up to work for G4S because they've f**ked up something chronic. Troops on leave having to man a privately run security outfit. F F S.

Not only that, the Olympic flame thing is apparently entirely disappointing with a friend of mine saying the police bike escort was the most interesting part.

Ludicrously expensive, disappointingly mediocre and with corporate censorship and 'security' that means I've never felt more out of touch with this city or the events. I just want it to be over so we can get back to stumbling along gently.

Kara_xxx

Let's hope they can sort that M4 bridge out cos otherwise the s**t will quite seriously hit the fan.

bluefox9er

Whilst I agree with everyone about the 'unhealthy' sponsors for events such as the Olympics/ FIFA world cup etc, as a marketing person I'm deeply cynical. It's no surprise that huge corporate giants muscle in on every facet of our lives from blatant advertising such as the Olympics to more subliminal product placements in tv shows etc.

I see this as nothing more than corporations having agendas which basically aim to control every single part of our lives and the way we live. People on mfp are in the vast healthy minority and our consumption of burgers, coke etc isn't likely to increase during the Olympics but be assured, many billions will. It's a product of the world we live in where humanity is being subconsciously forced to comply to the will of the corporate giants in almost every single thing we do....the commercial way to dominate the world and be accountable for profits and profits ALONE.

hbunting86

I agree that money talks, and in order for these things to be funded, realistically sponsorship will come from those with the big bucks.

However I don't agree with the censorship thing. Whilst these companies may sponsor the event - as a result of people CHOOSING their business. What isn't right is comandeering the whole market at the event itself. Not everyone who watches the Olympics chooses to eat McDonalds fries (come on... in the UK CHIPS are so different... Fish n' Fries is NOT fish n chips by any stretch of the British imagination)... but they should be allowed to choose what to eat, what to drink and what to buy at the even itself.

It was the same over here for the Rugby World Cup - Steinlager were the sponsors... and so you had a choice of Steinlager or... Steinlager to drink.

Aperture_Science

Whoever has the money to sponsor an event and wants to do so if fine by me.

If I don't like a product I won't buy it; no matter what they sponsor.

If I dislike a sponsor enough I would probably choose not to watch the event as a personal protest but for me McDonalds, Coke and Heineken are not things that I really dislike enough to worry about.

WhitneyAnnabelle

It's funny when people assume that Olympians don't ever eat fast food or drink soda or beer. The sponsors aren't necessarily representative of anything anyway. They just have a lot of money.

slay0r

This is why I love my music festivals, the last one I went to had fresh chickens cooking and they did pulled pork etc with salad, yeah it comes in bread but it's not processed as hell, they had a noodlebar where they cooked fresh infront of you and then a kebab stand where it was made with loads of fresh ingredients. All £5 each and filled me up so much I couldn't have a snack..compare that to McDonalds where I spend £9 the other day on just myself and I was hungry 2 hours later.. yum..

IronSmasher

Was it DrNoodles?

Aperture_Science

It's an interesting topic though....

If we push aside the are they/aren't they "healthy" debate fro McDonalds, Coke and Heineken and for the moment take them to be un-healthy.

Who would you pick as a healthy alternative food supplier to sponsor the Olympics?

wantstolooseweight

Unfortunately they have the most money so they have the sponsorship, I don't think it creates the best impression for healthy lifestyles but at the end of the day their providing the money to run it... Advertising wont make me buy it though

futuremalestripper

Who cares? First - almost no one watches the Olympics anyways... but even then, who cares who sponsors it?
Would you be offended if Viagra sponsored your kids little league team? I wouldn't. They aren't going out and handing free samples to the kids, they are just putting their name out and the adults that are interested will purchase their product. You don't have to agree with someone to take their money and you can't choose your own customers or you'll never have any. There is a strip club nearby with big signs. Just because they have a big sign I see, doesn't mean I am going to go there. It only makes me aware of its presence. People = free choice.

Kara_xxx

However I don't agree with the censorship thing. Whilst these companies may sponsor the event - as a result of people CHOOSING their business. What isn't right is comandeering the whole market at the event itself. Not everyone who watches the Olympics chooses to eat McDonalds fries (come on... in the UK CHIPS are so different... Fish n' Fries is NOT fish n chips by any stretch of the British imagination)... but they should be allowed to choose what to eat, what to drink and what to buy at the even itself.

I agree the whole issue about the "chips embargo" is beyond a joke. It's forcing people to eat crap at McDs or stay away from the events.

Kara_xxx

Who cares? First - almost no one watches the Olympics anyways... but even then, who cares who sponsors it?
Would you be offended if Viagra sponsored your kids little league team? I wouldn't. They aren't going out and handing free samples to the kids, they are just putting their name out and the adults that are interested will purchase their product. You don't have to agree with someone to take their money and you can't choose your own customers or you'll never have any. There is a strip club nearby with big signs. Just because they have a big sign I see, doesn't mean I am going to go there. It only makes me aware of its presence. People = free choice.

But because of sponsorship embargos, at the events there is no choice. get with the programme.

http://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-forces-olympics-to-ban-fries-2012-7

futuremalestripper

Who cares? First - almost no one watches the Olympics anyways... but even then, who cares who sponsors it?
Would you be offended if Viagra sponsored your kids little league team? I wouldn't. They aren't going out and handing free samples to the kids, they are just putting their name out and the adults that are interested will purchase their product. You don't have to agree with someone to take their money and you can't choose your own customers or you'll never have any. There is a strip club nearby with big signs. Just because they have a big sign I see, doesn't mean I am going to go there. It only makes me aware of its presence. People = free choice.

But because of sponsorship embargos, at the events there is no choice. get with the programme.

http://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-forces-olympics-to-ban-fries-2012-7

Oh, I'm "with the programme." I still don't disagree. I think it's an acceptable contract.
If it wasn't worth it, it wouldn't have been done.
It's not like they banned all food in Britain. Just fries sold individually at shops.

When I go to a football game, all they serve is burgers, fries, beer, and nachos. Does that mean I am only allowed to eat those things? No. I have the mental capacity to bring something else if I want it.
This is what happens when your city turns into a stadium. The good comes with the bad.

MellowGa

I live near Atlanta which is home to Coke, did you happen to know they are the world's largest Juice and bottled water supplier? While Coke is thier name, they have a business model that beverages for all lifestyle's is their business.

Can't speak for the other two, but I love beer, but not Heiny's

IronSmasher

Did someone just say that nobody watches the Olympics?