Toolkit: Sportswashing changes the game

Few spectacles can attract viewers’ interest like sport, even in a radically fractured new media environment – but the same draw that pulls in brands has also attracted investment from controversial sources looking to bolster their reputations. 

Just 11% of respondents to the WARC Marketer’s Toolkit 2024 believe that sport has nothing to do with social or political matters; it appears that sportswashing is growing into a mainstream concern. 

WARC members can read the full report here. 

If you’re not yet a member, you can find a sample of the report here.

Why sportswashing matters

Claims of sportswashing are increasingly widespread. In many cases, the finance-first mindset of many sports brands and rights holders makes logical sense – after all, it is the reason they make deals beyond ticket sales. But for brands, the costs of controversy are rising and new sport engagement strategies may quickly become necessary. 

Go further

Brands need to think about the importance of purpose – and if these values are truly applied to every aspect of their marketing.

That does not mean ending a sponsorship as difficult conversations arise, but it does require a willingness to engage with unhappy consumers and openness to meaningful dialogue on hard topics.

Sourced from WARC