About This Project
Summary
Big Soda companies engage in “sportswashing,” using sports’ associations with success and fitness to boost sales. Yet, sweetened drinks are linked to health issues like Type 2 diabetes and contribute to plastic pollution. The #KickBigSodaOutofSport campaign utilized high-impact digital ads, media outreach and partner mobilization to expose Big Soda.?Launched during the 2024 Paris Olympics, the campaign marshaled public support for a petition to end Coca-Cola’s almost 100-year sponsorship.
Goals & Objectives
The #KickBigSodaOutofSport campaign endeavored to create 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 around sport sponsorship and calling for change.
Results & Impact
The campaign received 255,772 petition signatures from 195 countries and support from 93 organizations. It was seen 314 million times with engagement from 31 million. #KickBigSodaOutofSport sparked global debate on Big Soda’s role in sports, fueling advocacy and efforts to challenge the industry.
the team
Sandra Mullin
- Senior Vice President, Policy Advocacy and Communication
- Vital Strategies
Trish Cotter
- Global Lead, Food Policy Program
- Vital Strategies
Alexey Kotov
- Director, Food Policy Program
- Vital Strategies
Christina Honeysett
- Vice President, Communications, Policy Advocacy and Communication
- Vital Strategies
Rachel Burns
- Senior PR Manager, Food Policy Program
- Vital Strategies
Pallavi Puri
- Communications Manager, Food Policy Program
- Vital Strategies
Luyanda Majija
- Associate Director, Communication, Food Policy Program
- Vital Strategies
Kayla Mardin
- Communications Officer, Food Policy Program
- Vital Strategies
Felicia Mangwani
- Communications Coordinator, Food Policy Program
- Vital Strategies
Bibiana Castillo
- Communication Manager, Colombia, Food Policy Program
- Vital Strategies
Taina de Almeida Costa
- Senior Communication Manager, Brazil, Food Policy Program
- Vital Strategies
Donnelle Christian
- Communications Manager, Caribbean, Food Policy Program
- Vital Strategies
Katherine Hoffman
- Senior Grants Manager, Food Policy Program
- Vital Strategies
Nalin Singh Negi
- Associate Director, Research, Policy Advocacy and Communication
- Vital Strategies
Nandita Murukutla
- Vice President, Behavioral Insights and Evaluation, Policy Advocacy and Communication
- Vital Strategies
Barrett Prinz
- General Counsel
- Vital Strategies
Lucilla Blankenberg
- CEO
- Community Media Trust
Paul Fishlock
- Founder and Principal
- Behaviour Change Partners
Linelle Smith
- Media Programmes Director
- Community Media Trust
Laddie Bosch
- Post-Production Manager
- Community Media Trust
Pamela Vallejo
- Strategy Director
- Social Pop
Alejandra Villalobos
- Community Manager
- Social Pop
Global Health Advocacy Incubator
Global Food Research Program, Gillings School of Global Public Health, the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law, Georgetown University Law Center
