For more on this subject see
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Business-Managed Democracy‘Business-managed democracies are those in which the political and cultural 
Sponsorship and Donations
Sponsorship
Reference: GMV Conseil, ‘Marketing in Schools’, Brussels, European Commission, October 1998.
 Sponsorship is another way that marketers achieve brand awareness and the association of the company symbols with “need satisfiers”, for example the association of children’s sporting events or arts events with particular brands and logos. Nike and Levi’s also sponsor end of year parties for schools.
Reference: Eve Lazarus, ‘Cafeteria Blues’, Marketing Magazine, 19 January 2004.
Sponsorship is “a cheap and effective way for corporations to gain goodwill in the community” whilst getting an “enormous amount of exposure” for corporate brands.
Reference: Bernie Froese-Germain, Bernie, ‘National Survey of School Commercialism in Canada’, Perspectives, vol 5, no 3. 2005. (pdf)
Thirty percent of Canadian schools have some sort of sponsorship arrangements with business to provide services such as tutoring, technology courses, extracurricular activities, staff and even academic courses.
Reference: Kate Cole-Adams, ‘Soft Sell Goes to School’, Time Australia 8(46), 1993, p. 55.
In Australia Nestlé, Telecom, Pepsi Cola, Coca-Cola, Hungry Jack’s, North Forest Products and BHP have all sponsored school activities. The National Australia Bank (NAB) sponsors Schools First, a program that awards funds to schools that establish "effective school-community partnerships".  Book Donations
Reference: First Book, ‘Corporate Partners’, First Book, 25 April, 2007; EdelmanWorldwide, ‘Sweet Success in Campaign for Children's Literacy’, Edleman Newsweb, 4 August 2000.
 Book donations are another favourite of corporations wishing to get a halo around their brand. First Book is a non-profit group that donates books to low-income families in the US. Its corporate partners, who bask in the group’s philanthropic glow, include icecream-maker Baskin-Robbins, which holds an annual “Free Scoop Night” to thank customers who help it to “lick illiteracy”. In return “First Book Advisory Boards publicized local events and drove traffic to their local Baskin-Robbins stores.” Books donated to First Book have a bookplate with Baskin-Robbins logo and a place for the new book owner’s name.
Reference: First Book, ‘Corporate Partners’, First Book, 25 April, 2007; ‘Cheerios Spoonsful of Stories’, Cheerios, 2007.
Another partner is Cheerios which gives away books in its boxes of Cheerios. Cheerios Spoonful of Stories website states: “Just as Cheerios helps fuel kids to start the day, reading gives them the power to succeed in life.”
Other Donations
Reference: Jonathan Woodward, ‘School Board Set to Expel Corporate Logos’, Toronto Globe and Mail, 5 November, 2005.
In North Vancouver Home Depot donated money to build a playground and at its opening school children had to wear Home Depot shirts and sing “Who are we! Home Depot! What do we do? Build playgrounds!”
Reference: Patty Winsa, ‘The Take: On schools getting corporate money’, Toronto Star, 15 April 2009.
Shortly after deciding to accept corporate donations the Toronto School District accepted $100,000 from Future Shop for computer labs in two high schools. The labs will be painted in Future Shop brand colours and there will be a sign proclaiming the donor. The schools chosen have to be within 7 km of a Future Shop store. Links
See also: Corporate Promotions | Contests | Scholarships | Incentives
© 2009 Sharon Beder
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The Corporate Capture of Childhood
Nestle distributes books to schools through its 
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