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An investigation into the effects of sportinginvolvement and alcohol sponsorship onunderage drinkingKeywordsalcoholsponsorshipsports cultureunderage drinkingFiona DaviesLecturer in Marketing, Cardiff Business SchoolAberconway Building, Colum Drive, Cardiff CF10 3EUTel: 02920 875700Email: daviesfm@cf.ac.ukPeer reviewedAbstractConcerns about underage drinking have led to calls fora UK ban on alcohol sponsorship of sport. Such a banwould have severe financial consequences for manysports, so should not be implemented without thoroughconsideration of its likely effectiveness. This studyinvestigating the alcohol consumption intentions of 14and 15 year olds showed that boys who were involvedin sport were more likely both to drink alcohol and toget drunk, with awareness of sponsorship enhancingthe likelihood of these behaviours. Girls involved insport, however, showed more negative attitudes thantheir peers towards alcohol. It is argued that boysinvolved in sport are socialised into a traditionalmasculine alcohol and sports culture, which isreinforced by sponsorship. Evidence from studies ontobacco sponsorship suggests that health-relatedmarketing communications and the use of low-alcoholor non-alcohol brands for sports sponsorship could bemore effective than a ban in changing the culture.RESEARCH PAPERExecutive summaryIn the light of increasing concerns about underagedrinking in the UK, alcohol marketers have to defendtheir sponsorship activities against calls for bans orrestriction. Alcohol sponsorship of sport, in particular,is seen as making inappropriate connections betweenhealthy pursuits and products which, if usedirresponsibly, can cause much harm. The position iscomplicated by the historical links between alcoholand sport in the traditional masculine culture of theUK, which alcohol sponsorship both capitalises onand perpetuates. However, sponsors make a largefinancial contribution to UK sport, and many also try● OCTOBER 2009 ● International Journal of Sports Marketing & Sponsorship25
Sporting involvement and alcohol sponsorshipRESEARCH PAPERto promote a message of responsible drinking. A banwould have severe consequences for sport, so shouldnot be implemented without evidence that it wouldhave a noticeable effect on underage drinking.Evidence for effects on product (as opposed tobrand) perceptions from sponsorship is mainly frominvestigations of tobacco sponsorship, and is limitedand inconclusive. A study was therefore designed toexamine such effects in the context of alcohol.Following a series of focus groups with 14 and 15year olds, a questionnaire investigating sportinginvolvement, alcohol consumption and awareness andknowledge of sponsorship was drawn up andadministered to a sample of 322 pupils of a similarage. Multiple regression analysis, using the Theory ofReasoned Action framework, was used to test forsignificant predictors of young people’s self-perceivedlikelihood that they would a) drink alcohol and b) getdrunk, on the weekend following questionnairecompletion. For boys, being involved in sport predictedgreater likelihood both of consuming alcohol and ofgetting drunk, while adding sponsorship awareness tothe equation further improved predictions ofconsumption. For girls, attitudes towards alcohol werethe most significant predictor of both behaviours;sporting involvement was not a significant predictor ofeither. Sponsorship awareness showed no main effectin predicting girls’ intentions, but enhanced the effectof positive attitudes towards alcohol.Involvement in sport thus brings boys into a culturein which the use of alcohol plays a significant part,and they are influenced by this whether or not theynotice sponsors. Sponsorship by alcohol companiesplays a part in perpetuating the norms of that cultureand reinforcing positive attitudes towards alcoholconsumption. There is no evidence of sportinginvolvement, or moderate drinking messages bysponsors, acting as an incentive for boys to moderatetheir drinking. The girls in this study are less involvedin sport but have more favourable attitudes to alcohol,which are the major predictors of greater likelihoods ofdrinking and getting drunk.Solely banning alcohol sports sponsorship wouldhave minimal effect on levels of underage drinking; aserious attempt to weaken the links between alcoholand sport would require wide-ranging measures tostimulate cultural change. Health-related marketingcommunications should be used to highlight thedetrimental effects of alcohol on sporting performanceand send the message that alcohol and sport do notmix. The use of low-alcohol and non-alcohol brandsfor sports sponsorship would allow alcohol marketersto send a more socially responsible message while stillpromoting their corporate and brand identities.IntroductionWith tobacco sponsorship now banned in the UK andrecent restrictions on junk food advertising, alcoholmarketers are becoming increasingly concerned aboutthe future of their sponsorships, especially against thebackground of rising public concern about the extentof underage drinking. The previously voluntary codesof practice on alcohol advertising have already comeunder the jurisdiction of the Advertising StandardsAuthority, but so far sponsorship has remainedunregulated. However, as far back as 2001 the WorldHealth Organization (WHO) was calling for all MemberStates of the European Union to “strengthen measuresto protect children and adolescents from exposure toalcohol promotion and sponsorship” (WHO/Europe,2001), while the Europe-wide study by Anderson andBaumberg (2005) recommends the development of apan-European policy on alcohol marketing, with theultimate aim being “no advertising on TV and cinema,no sponsorship, and limitation of messages andimages only referring to the quality of the product”(p416). The European Sponsorship Association (ESA)riposte to this report denies any links betweensponsorship and alcohol misuse, cites the impact thata sponsorship ban would have on sport and otheractivities, and states its belief that alcohol companiesare already acting responsibly (ESA, 2006).26 International Journal of Sports Marketing & Sponsorship ● OCTOBER 2009 ●
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