Marketing the healthiness of sports drinks : from physiological to cognitive based benefits

By the year 2020, the sports drinks segment in the global beverage industry is expected to reach US$6B. In an alternate segment, bottled water is the main competitor. Sports drinks marketing continues to focus on unproven benefits such as attention, increased performance during sport, increased energy and stamina. Both categories claim their product is the healthier alternative to the other. Yet there has been limited, if any, research on the effects of the perceived taste of sports drinks, familiarity with the brand, nutrition involvement and colour cue perceptions on sports drink consumption. Study 1 explored the perceived healthiness of sports drinks based on colour cues. The results showed that based on colour alone, clear coloured sports drinks are considered the healthiest. Study 2 explored dual-stage moderated mediation effects of familiarity with the brand, nutrition involvement and clear colour on the perceived taste and sports drink consumption relationship. The results showed that if sports drinks are perceived to be flavourful, delicious and good tasting; then consumers' are more likely to consume greater quantities of it. Furthermore, familiarity with the brand mediates the relationship between perceived taste and sports drink consumption. Moreover, interaction effects of nutrition involvement and clear colour, results in a dual stage moderated mediation which has positive, direct and indirect effects on sports drink consumption. This study will assist marketers to shift their marketing tactics in terms of the way they promote the healthiness of sports drinks, from the physiological benefits to more cognitive based benefits.