Just Chew It: Milo

Owned by Nestle, the world’s largest food company, which sells more than 1 billion products a day from its 6000 brands. Nestle has annual sales of US$108 billion a year and spends US$2.6 billion on advertising.

Ad spend Australia: $34 million

Sport: Milo pays more than $1 million to be a Gold Partner of Cricket Australia. Milo-branded junior cricket is played in the lunch break at Test and one-day matches and Cricket Australia’s junior program carries the Milo brand.

Sports stars: Michael Clarke, Adam Gilchrist and netballer Liz Ellis, plus the Australian cricket team.

The ads: https://www.milo.com.au/

Food facts: Milo breakfast cereal is roughly 1/3 sugar, just like Nutrigrain. The drink has two teaspoons (9 grams) of sugar per cup, about half what’s in a glass of cordial, but the milk is good for you.

Expert verdict: Choice says the drink’s OK and the Cancer Council agrees. But the cereal gets a Choice Food For Kids red light: “Nestle Milo cereal is 30% sugar and has more kilojoules and fat per serve than most other breakfast cereals, and is also low on fibre … best left as an occasional breakfast treat.”

Targeting Kids: Nestle has introduced five million kids to cricket — and to Milo — through Milo in2cricket. “I don’t think Milo would exist any more in Australia if it weren’t for Milo cricket,” says ex-Test cricketer Stuart MacGill, “It’s been the greatest marketing exercise of all time…First day they turn up they get a bat, a bag, a hat and a shirt, which are all branded Milo, then they have to wear that every time they play. It’s just a brandathon.” Nestle recently launched a new program to dish out Milo-branded cricket clothing to schools, and runs competitions for schools to win a coaching clinic with the Australian team. It also sponsors Milo-branded junior ski schools in NSW. Previously, Milo sponsored netball clinics with Liz Ellis, who remains a Nestle brand ambassador.