IS SPONSORSHIP CONDUCIVE TO LONDON 2012?

AS OLYMPIC FEVER grips the UK, institutions all over the country have gone into overdrive to promote the benefits of sport.  Even in these troubled financial times, the Government has allocated money to schools and other educational bodies to help increase sports awareness, in the hope that more people will actively engage in physical exercise.  And although this stance is admirable - a lack of exercise is seen as a major contributory factor in causing obesity - the manner in which funding has been appropriated to support The Games has been somewhat suspect.

     An argument supporting the growth of obesity in society - and especially obesity in the young - has been blamed on the 'fact' that children do not exercise as much as they did as the previous generation.  Indications, however, now show this belief is largely false.  For although there has been substantial growth in the areas of computer technology, implying children spend most of the day inside at their Playstation, studies show that many young children still engage in outdoor activities concurrent to levels shown 20-years-ago.

Coke sponsoring London 2012 - A mixed message?

     Although no simple answer to obesity exists, studies have shown that a dramatic increase into the accessibility of unhealthy foods have been a major factor causing weight gain.  Multinational corporations including Cadburys and MacDonalds are selling chocolate bars and other foods that are saturated with calories, the excessive consumption of which are leading to obesity and other health related problems.  And clever marketers in this sector, who now have an inherent understanding of the value of healthy cuisine, are happy to promote their products as being 'the healthy option' when this is not necessarily the case - an example being the sandwich retailer Subway who promote their food as being 'freshly made' when, in actual fact, some of their baguettes contain more calories than a Big Mac!

     Which brings us back to the London Olympics of 2012.  MacDonalds and Coke are just two of the sponsors who have made vast financial contributions to help fund The Games.  Their sponsorship will ensure that their brand will be clearly identified with this global sporting event, even though the products they sell will do little to advance the ultimate health of their consumers.  By allowing these two prominent organisations to take centre stage in sponsoring this event, people are left with a mixed message.  Subliminally, we are being told to go for a five mile run to improve our lifestyle, then quench our thirst with a large coke at the end.  In itself, is this not an ultimate irony?