Ofcom Upholds Complaint About Channel 4 Pepsi Sponsorship
Ofcom has upheld complaints that a Channel 4 series, Pepsi Max World Challenge, broke Ofcom’s Broadcasting Code because of the amount of Pepsi branding featured in the programmes.
The series, in which 12 amateur footballers were followed as they competed to see who had the best attributes to make a world class player, was found to be in breach of rules 9.5 and 9.6 of the Code.
Rule 9.5 of the Code says that a sponsor must not influence the content and/or scheduling of a programme in such a way as to impair the responsibility and editorial independence of the broadcaster, whilst rule 9.6 says that there must be no promotion reference to the sponsor, its name, trademark, image, activities services or products and no promotional generic references.
In addition, Ofcom says that the sponsor must also not have any other direct or indirect interest in the editorial content of the sponsored programme. Non-promotional references are permitted only where they are editorially justified and incidental.
Channel 4 said that as the series was an international sporting event it was covered by a different set of rules. However, Ofcom rejected this and said that the programmes included extensive coverage of the sponsor.
Ofcom said: “Sponsor references within a sponsored programme are acceptable only where they do not result from the sponsorship arrangement, are not unduly prominent and are not included to raise awareness of the sponsor (they must be incidental, editorially justified and non-promotional).
“A programme funded by a sponsor about an event it is sponsoring is likely to fall foul of the Code’s requirements if it contains material featuring the sponsor’s branding beyond that which appears at the event itself. The Code rules in this area are consistent with the rules imposed under previous Codes.
“We therefore consider that the degree and apparent deliberate placing of sponsor branded content within the series was in breach of the Code.”
Ofcom: 020 7981 3040 www.ofcom.org.uk