Non-alcoholic beverage marketing in 100 highest grossing movies in 2010-2014
Abstract
Purpose
Australian sales of hyperpalatable beverages (HPB) (a term used to describe naturally or artificially sweet beverages) have followed a consistent upward trend since 2000. The purpose of this paper is to examine HPB brand placements in the top 20 annual highest grossing movies in Australia in 2010-2014.
Design/methodology/approach
A content analysis was undertaken on the 20 highest grossing movies annually from 2010 to 2014. Movies were analysed according to the prevalence and portrayal of branded beverages.
Findings
In total, 35 per cent of movies contained an HPB brand placement. Movies were more likely to be classified M, MA15+, R/R18+, and categorised as comedy, or action/adventure genre. Soft drinks were the most prevalent category (60.9 per cent), and Coca Cola Company manufactured 40.6 per cent of the brands that were embedded throughout the movies.
Originality/value
This study revealed some of industry’s non-direct marketing strategies through HPB placement in movies. Findings suggest that further scrutiny is needed of the relatively underresearched medium of beverage advertising.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Luis Furuya-Kanamori for his contributions to the study.
Citation
Cockburn, N., Schubert, L., Nguyen, N.-P.Q. and Ford, P. (2018), "Non-alcoholic beverage marketing in 100 highest grossing movies in 2010-2014", British Food Journal, Vol. 120 No. 4, pp. 839-851. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-05-2017-0304
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited