Sugary Drinks and Tobacco—Different Industries, Same Playbook

How Are Companies Marketing Sugary Drinks?

On average, kids in the United States will see dozens of advertisements every single day, many for sugary drinks and junk food. And children are being exposed to more ads for sugary drinks than ever before, a growing concern because sugary drinks are the single largest source of calories in children’s diets—providing nearly half of kids’ added sugar intake.

Beverage companies spend nearly twice as much on ads for sugary drinks as they do on ads for unsweetened or diet beverages and they target Black and Hispanic youth.

• Beverage companies spent $1 billion in ads in 2018, disproportionately targeting Black and Hispanic youth.
• Black children saw 2.1 times as many sugary drink ads compared to white children in 2018.
• Beverage companies spent $84 million in ads on Spanish-language TV for soda, sports drinks and energy drinks in 2018—up 80% since 2010.

These ads and the billions of dollars behind them are part of a strategic marketing campaign by the food and beverage industry to get kids hooked on their products.

Their tactics come straight from the tobacco playbook—and kids of color are most frequently targeted. This is especially concerning because sugary drinks are a major contributor to obesity, diabetes, and other chronic health conditions that disproportionately impact Black and Hispanic children.

Parallels Between Beverage and Tobacco Industries’ Marketing Practices

They Spend Money to Influence Consumers

The connections between the tobacco and food industries go back decades. Until recently, many of these companies, including well-known brands such as Kool-Aid and Marlboro cigarettes, were one and the same, managed under umbrella corporations such as RJR Nabisco and Philip Morris.

And to this day, both industries continue to employ the same unfair practices—tactics that may seem benevolent but, in fact, disguise strategic advertising techniques aimed at specific populations. For example: funding projects such as playgrounds in communities of color or sponsoring Black and Hispanic celebrities and sports figures.

They Make Sure Kids Have Easy Access

In some cases, that involves the beverage industry infiltrating spaces where kids congregate—placing products and ads everywhere from schools and playgrounds to recreational fields and professional sports arenas.

With infiltration, kids get ongoing, consistent exposure and easy access to a company’s products. That means increased sales for beverage companies and the cultivation of brand loyalty from an early age.

Are Their Tactics Working?

Nearly two-thirds (61%)¹ of U.S. children and youth consume sugary drinks each day; among children ages 2 to 4, nearly half² (46%) do. Black and Latinx children consume more sugary drinks than white or Asian children do.

And the latest national data from 2017-2018 show 19.3% of children ages 2 to 19 have obesity,³ with rates disproportionately higher among Black, Hispanic, and Mexican American youth.

As the pandemic and its related economic consequences continue, experts believe kids’ risk for obesity may be increasing⁴ due to limited access to healthy food, fewer places or chances to be physically active, and families facing financial challenges. Increased risk for obesity, may increase risk for harmful outcomes from the COVID-19 virus. This is especially concerning among kids of color, who have higher rates of obesity and have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.

Learn more about how sugary drinks harm kids’ health and policy efforts to address the problem.