Sport, advertising and brands in physical education textbooks

The brand mania is characterized by an unreflective and excessive consumption, guided by the exhibition of brands, symbol of prestige and identification with the great media personalities, including sports figures. The aim of this study was to identify the presence of hidden advertising and brands in Physical Education textbooks in Spain. This aspect compromises the current legislation and educational objectives regarding education for responsible consumption. We conducted a descriptive and content analysis of 6773 photographs, performed univariate and bivariate analyses, and applied the chi(2) test, with a significance level of 95%. The percentage of photographs with brands in Physical Education textbooks indicated a lack of attention to this phenomenon by the educational institution. Textbooks reproduce the brands system and sports sponsorship in their photographs. The presence of photographs with brands in sports clothes entrenches the branding phenomenon in pupils. The hallmarks found in these textbooks are linked to competitive people, who belong to the elite, wear brand clothes and profit from sports sponsorship, regardless of the business ethic of the sponsoring company. Thus, school manuals contribute to private commercial interests.