The Olympics and Self Sabotage: Give a gold medal to the marketers

I don’t know about you, but overall I don’t watch a lot of TV … except when it comes to the Olympics. I love watching the sporting events (not the Opening and Closing ceremonies). I watch as much as it as time permits, and I admit I get teary watching athletes who have worked so hard their entire life to achieve their dream of winning a medal and standing on the Olympic podium. And I get even more teary for the ones who are having a bad race or meet or end up with an injury and see their Olympic dreams dashed in a matter of seconds.

It’s easy to be inspired by the incredible feats of athletes who push their bodies to the limits, striving for excellence and glory. But let’s take a step back and talk about something a little less glamorous but just as powerful: self sabotage, and how it’s sneakily tied to the marketing masterminds behind our favorite (and not-so-healthy) brands.

McDonald's: The Official Fast Food of the Olympics? 🍟

Did you know that for 41 years (1976 to 2016), McDonald’s was the official restaurant of the Olympics? Even though it's now been 8 years since they were a sponsor, I still remember the McDonald's Olympic commercials I watched promoting the company as the official restaurant of the Olympics. Yep, the same event that showcases the epitome of physical prowess was sponsored by toxic fast food. Now, do you think elite athletes are chowing down on Big Macs and fries in the days/weeks/months leading up to their event even though McDonald’s was the official restaurant of the Olympics? Of course not! These athletes fuel their bodies with nutritious, high-quality foods to optimize their performance. While I've never been a competitive athlete on nearly that level, I can tell you from my distance runner days that if I ate like crap (e.g. toxic fast food) the day before a long run, I felt nothing but tired and sluggish and it hurt my race and speed.

Coca-Cola: Nearly 100 Years of Sugary Sponsorship 🥤

And let’s not forget the Coca-Cola Company. Coca-Cola has been a sponsor of every Olympic Games since 1928. That’s nearly 100 years of encouraging the public to pick up sugar and chemical-filled beverages, all while linking it to excellence in athletics. Yet, can you imagine an Olympian drinking a sugary soda before a big race as a winning strategy? Absolutely not!

The Power of Repetition and Celebrity Endorsements 📺

But here’s the kicker: McDonald’s and Coca-Cola know exactly how to play the game. Through repetition and celebrity endorsements, they create powerful associations in our minds. We see Olympians, our heroes, and somehow we start linking their success to the products they endorse – even if it’s just a Big Mac or a can of soda.

We’re Wired to Fit In and Mimic Behavior 🧠

As humans, we are community-based species. We’re wired to fit in and mimic behavior, especially from those we admire. Marketers exploit this instinct by bombarding us with ads featuring our favorite athletes enjoying their products. Celebrities are paid top dollar to promote these products, even if it is something they would never actually put in their body.  The more we see it, the more we believe it’s normal – even beneficial. It's a game designed to mess with our mind and get us into our subconscious daze rather than thinking rationally and logically about what these athletes would really do and what they would really consume.

Why These Ads Are So Powerful 💥

These repetitive messages work their way into our subconscious, making us more likely to crave and choose unhealthy options. It’s a brilliant strategy for marketers but a dangerous trap for us. This can lead to self sabotage, where we make choices that are out of alignment with our health goals, all because of the subliminal messages we’re constantly exposed to.

Becoming Aware and Reducing Exposure 🔍

So, how do we break free from this cycle? The first step is awareness. Recognize the power of these advertisements and how they manipulate our subconscious mind.  Marketers spend years studying this stuff to learn how to be effective to influence us subconsciously so that we desire (and ultimately purchase) their product. Their motive is profit, and not our overall health in wellbeing. If the good health of society was the overall goal, then you’d see the Olympics sponsored by companies like organic produce farmers, or quality water filter systems, but those aren’t the companies with the mega sponsor dollars to spend, or if they do have those dollars, aren't showing up as the Olympic sponsors. It’s up to each of us to become empowered and learn how our subconscious mind works, both so that we understand what exactly is happening, and also so that we don’t fall victim to marketing tactics driving us to unhealthy behaviours.

Final Thoughts 🥇

As we marvel at the Olympic athletes and their incredible achievements, let’s also remember that their success is built on discipline, healthy habits, and wise choices – not on toxic fast food and sugary beverages. By becoming aware of the powerful influence of repetitive advertisements and celebrity endorsements, we can take control of our own health journey and avoid the pitfalls of self sabotage.

Here’s to making informed choices, staying true to our goals, and achieving our own version of gold-medal health!

Stay strong and savvy!