Olympism and Consumption : An analysis of advertising in the British media coverage of the 2004 Athens Olympic games

Joseph Maguire, Katie Butler, Sarah Barnard, Peter Golding

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

18 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Drawing on work located within critical political economy and process sociology, this article uses content analysis to examine the types, frequency, and content of Olympic related advertising in the British press and television during the 2004 Athens Olympics. We assessed the degree to which The Olympic Partner (TOP) sponsors incorporated themes derived from Olympism and the Celebrate Humanity program, as well as from consumer culture more broadly. Our findings suggest that relatively few advertisers incorporated themes relating to Olympism, and that those that did focused on “excellence,” which is arguably more indicative of the achievement sports ethic and consumerism than of Olympic ideals.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1567-186
JournalSociology of Sport Journal
Volume25
Issue number2
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2008

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