Tuesday, 21 October 2008

Which consumer goods company faces a backlash over sponsorship and why?

Hope this is right this week, took me a while to find it this week, so have defiantly searched the media well!
Cadburys have struck a £20million deal to become a sponsor of the 2012 Olympic Games to be held in London. The Cadburys deal, which is called a “Tier-two” sponsorship will allow the confectionary giants to be the sole supplier of chocolate based products at the 2012 event.
The organisers of the Olympics are trying to use the games as a way to get young people excited and passionate about sport and exercise, and while Cadburys have promised to market the links it will have with chocolate and sport responsibly, fears have risen from health campaigners on the growing problems of child obesity and criticized the idea of a chocolate manufacturer being in such a high profiled position at the event.
"Chocolate, if in the wrong hands, can do huge damage," said spokesman Tam Fry of the National Obesity Forum "This kind of sponsorship throws out a fairly uncomfortable message that sport and sweets go together." (Businessjournal.com)
Cadburys were criticized five years ago for their “Get Active” campaign, where children were encouraged to consume chocolate in exchange for sporting equipment.
Todd Stitzer, the chief executive of Cadbury, has promised that there would be no chocolate giveaways associated with its Olympic sponsorship.

No comments: