Cristiano Ronaldo’s Coca-Cola stunt at the EURO 2020 press conference wiped a whopping USD 4 billion off the cola company’s market value and renewed the conversation around celebrity endorsements, especially those of the unhealthy kind. This report delves into people’s opinions about what Ronaldo did, and their views on the moral responsibilities of celebrities.

Cristiano Ronaldo isn’t a fan of carbonated drinks. And he made that amply clear when he put aside the Coke bottles placed in front of him at the EURO 2020 press conference last week in favour of water. That Coca-Cola is one of the top sponsors of the tournament made the incident even more buzzworthy and almost created a domino effect before the organizers stepped in. While Ronaldo is certainly not the first celebrity to denounce a branded product, the incident has drawn sharp responses from people across the world, especially as it comes amid the ongoing health crisis and heightened discussions around healthier lifestyles. Will Ronaldo’s action have an impact on his fans, and will it put other popular cola endorsers, especially sportspeople, in a spot? Piplsay polled 31,272 Americans and 7,000 Britons to get some insights. Here is a summary of what we found:

Other Insights

• 35% of each of Millennials and Gen Xers think Ronaldo’s act will put other celebrity endorsers in the spot as compared to 30% of Gen Zers
• 59% of women and 68% of men in the US believe celebrities should make responsible choices while endorsing a product
• 38% of Gen Zers in the UK believe Ronaldo’s act will have a positive impact on people’s attitudes as compared to 35% of Millennials and 27% of Gen Xers

Survey Methodology: This Piplsay survey was conducted nationwide in the US and the UK from June 19-22, 2021. We received 31,272 and 7,000 online responses respectively from individuals aged 18 years and older.