#KickBigSodaOutofSport set out to spark a more intense public discourse about the health and environmental impact of Big Soda in their pursuit of profit.
Big Soda companies have long embedded themselves in global sports. Through event, team and individual sponsorships, these companies engage in “sportswashing,” using associations with success, health and fitness to boost sales—especially among youth. Yet, sweetened drinks like sodas are linked to serious health issues, including obesity and Type 2 diabetes. Big Soda is also a major player in plastic pollution and water extraction from vulnerable communities. On top of that, these companies lobby against public health regulations, prioritizing profits over people and the planet.
In response, the #KickBigSodaOutofSport campaign launched during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics to challenge Big Soda’s grip on sports. The campaign aimed to spotlight the health and environmental damage caused by these companies to initiate a global, ground-up movement and mobilize public support for a petition calling for an end to Coca-Cola’s almost 100-year Olympic sponsorship.
#KickBigSodaOutofSport utilized a high-impact digital blitz, media outreach and a partner mobilization strategy to expose Big Soda's toxic grip on sports and the world’s health.
On July 8, 2024, in the lead up to the Paris Olympics, a global petition to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was used to kick start momentum to the global PR and digital media release on July 17, 2024. Real-time analytics allowed for agile strategy shifts, optimizing resources toward the most engaged platforms and regions.
In the voice of Gen Z, the campaign unleashed eye-catching videos spotlighting Big Soda’s health and environmental havoc—plastic pollution and water extraction—and its corrupt role in policymaking. This was the perfect storm to ignite target audience debate around corporate influence over sport.
Paid media placements on Meta (Facebook and Instagram), X (formerly Twitter), TikTok and YouTube made a significant impact with a 45-second video that directly tied Big Soda’s damaging practices to its Olympic sponsorship. The campaign’s website (www.kickbigsodaout.org) featured the petition and educational content, available in multiple languages (English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Bahasa) to engage a global audience. Paid ads zeroed in on high-impact regions, including Barbados, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, the U.S. and key European and African nations.
Media outreach was a game-changer, combating Big Soda’s false narrative. Globally, over 350+ journalists were engaged, securing coverage in top-tier outlets like NPR, Folha De S. Paulo and Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. In addition, op-eds in prestigious international health journals like the British Medical Journal and The Lancet called for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to cut ties with Coca-Cola, amplified the message, earning headlines in The Telegraph, Newsweek, and Agence France-Presse.
Global impact was facilitated by the 93 partner organizations across 35 countries who joined the Kick Big Soda Out of Sport movement. Locally tailored efforts, including toolkits for adapting campaign materials, boosted relevance in key regions like Brazil, Mexico and South Africa—where Big Soda’s influence runs deep. In Mexico, El Poder del Consumidor, a consumer rights organization, executed in-person protests outside the IOC’s office, calling out its hypocrisy.
The combined result is a global movement that successfully leveraged digital media, powerful partnerships and local activism to take on Big Soda’s stranglehold on public health and policy—shifting the conversation and calling for action.
#KickBigSodaOutofSport delivered game-changing results, proving there’s a powerful, global demand to dethrone Big Soda from its throne as a top sponsor in sports.
The campaign collected 255,772 petition signatures from 195 countries, with 91% driven by targeted paid ads and 9% through organic reach—showing the effectiveness of its digital strategy.
The campaign was seen 314 million times, with 31 million people engaging with it worldwide. It garnered 5 million views on YouTube and reached 29 million people on Meta, where the cost per signature was $2.05. Display ads were viewed 128 million times, and the cost per interaction across platforms was $0.59. The campaign’s website also saw 854,080 visits, and its fact sheet racked up over 2,500 views—evidence of the campaign’s ability to both raise awareness and engage audiences with compelling, educational content.
Media coverage was a major win, generating 431 mentions across five continents, amplifying the campaign’s message and boosting its global credibility. Supported by 93 partner organizations in 35 countries, including environmental groups, the campaign gained traction in diverse regions, extending its reach even further.
Ultimately, the campaign ignited crucial global conversations about Big Soda’s unchecked influence on sports and public health, laying the foundation for continued advocacy and future efforts to disrupt industry practices and protect our health.
