Sweet Success: Mother's Complaint About Jelly Belly's Waterpolo Advertisement Gives Results

The advertisement for American candy giant, Jelly Belly, at a children's waterpolo event in Auckland had to be withdrawn after a mother complained to the watchdog for advertising.

The removal of the panel following the woman's complaint highlights the divisions and complexity of advertising for junk food in the sport.

Today, the mother of Auckland encourages more and more parents to file complaints about junk food advertising at children 's sporting events.

Sarah Gerritsen, an academic in public nutrition and child health at the University of Auckland, said she was so disappointed to see Jelly Belly advertise at her daughter's waterpolo. She has complained to the Advertising Standards Authority.

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Her complaint was mainly about a Jelly Belly banner next to the pool, illustrating images of jelly candies with the following text: "North Harbor Water Polo – A sponsor supports children in the water".

Founded in the United States in 1869, Jelly Belly manufactures over 100 types of confectionery.

Gerritsen said the banner stood by the pool at Flippa Ball's children's games every Sunday for the North Harbor water polo at the AUT Millennium Pool.

In her complaint, she stated that the advertisement was designed to target the children, because the expected average audience at the time or place where the advertisement appeared included a significant proportion of children or adults. youth.

She also objected to free packs of Jelly Belly jelly candies being offered to each team to reward the player of the day and other players who displayed good sportsmanship.

The ASA president said the advertisement violated sponsorship advertising rules for "casual foods" intended for children.

Occasional foods and beverages are high in fat, salt or sugar and are classified as being for occasional consumption.

After receiving the complaint, but before the ASA could comment, the North Harbor Water Polo Club had removed the banner. The question has been resolved as resolved.

Advertising standards contain a long list of rules for sponsorship advertising for young people, including a rule that "advertisements should not show a casual product in the form of food or drink".

Companies like McDonald's, which sponsors junior football in New Zealand, bypass this problem by presenting their branding at sporting events and by distributing vouchers to players, without showing no products in promotional material.

Gerritsen said he found it odd that some forms of advertising were banned, but not sponsorships and giveaways.

Giving children gifts helped create brand loyalty, she said.

"They take a liking to it and learn that their parents may not have given it to them otherwise."

She added that it was difficult for parents to refuse junk food once their kids had been rewarded.

"It's a real loss for parents – we can not win."

She added that parents should take action and complain to the Advertising Standards Authority if they do not agree with junk food sponsorship.

She said that it was not easy to take a stand because she understood that funding was important for children's sport.

"We need to create a solution here, we can not just lift our hands in the air."

She said that other parents involved in the polo team were opposed to advertising.

The president of the ASA said that jelly candy-based candy bags are not under the jurisdiction of the ASA because they are not advertisements.

Wilson Consumer Products has distribution rights for Jelly Belly products in New Zealand.

Wilson Consumer Products pastry manager David Wilson said the Jelly Belly's $ 150 "flipchart" sign at the North Harbor Water Polo Flippa Ball has been on display for some games since last March.

The sponsorship was to distribute 10 bags of Jelly Belly jelly beans to the players.

Bottles of drinks were also offered to the players, he said.

In return, Jelly Belly was able to display the sign and have his mark affixed to the Flippa Ball League of North Harbor.

He stated that he had started the sponsorship because his son had played water polo for the club.

Only one of the parents objected to the signage, he said.

"A parent discovered that he did not like his child to receive a reward for the player of the day," Wilson said.

"It's quite his prerogative to agree or disagree."

Sharon Geary, head of the North Harbor Water Polo Program, said the panel had been removed after receiving a letter from ASA.

The sponsorship and advertising of Jelly Belly were still allowed as long as they did not include images of jelly beans, she said.

Jelly Belly's sponsorship, which has been in place for about four years, has funded operations such as printing certificates. Jelly Belly also donated trophies, hats and drink bottles to the players, she said.

"It's not like we're getting thousands of dollars."

She said the club could not afford even small costs without support from sponsors.