title: Game on: do children absorb sports sponsorship messages?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It is likely that there are substantial subconscious effects of organizations’ efforts to associate their products with sport via sponsorships, but most research methods are unable to capture these effects. The present study employed a novel projective technique to explore children's implicit associations between popular sports and a range of sports sponsors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children participated in an activity using magnets bearing the logos of numerous sports and sponsors. They were invited to arrange the magnets on a whiteboard without being advised that the activity related to sponsorship.
  
  
  METHODS
  Perth, Western Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children (n 164) aged 5–12 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three-quarters (76 %) of the children aligned at least one correct sponsor magnet with the relevant sport. Just over half the children (54 %) correctly matched the most popular sport (an Australian Football League team) with its relevant sponsor (a fast-food chain).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Given the unstructured nature of the projective task, the results provide some support for the argument that sports sponsorship can effectively reach child audiences. This is of concern given the current extent of sponsorship by alcohol and fast-food companies.
authors: 1 School of Sport Science, Exercise and Health (M408), University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.
authors: Simone
authors: S
authors: Pettigrew
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Rosenberg
authors: Renee
authors: R
authors: Ferguson
authors: Stephen
authors: S
authors: Houghton
authors: Lisa
authors: L
authors: Wood
mesh_terms: D000434:Alcoholic Beverages; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004032:Diet; D057140:Fast Foods; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D019649:Food Industry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D040541:Marketing; D009938:Organizations; D012916:Soccer; D013177:Sports; D014904:Western Australia