Soccer is the only sport in which kids’ participation rates have increased significantly in the past decade according to Statistics Canada, with more than 20% of all young people now playing the game. As Popsicles are a ubiquitous summer treat, sponsoring grassroots teams is a natural fit for the brand’s new initiative, says Shoshana Price, brand building manager for Popsicle.

Yesterday the Unilever brand announced it was sponsoring more than 1,200 soccer teams across Canada, giving more than 18,000 children under the age of 10 the chance to play. To promote the initiative, Popsicle has partnered with CBC, becoming its title sponsor for Soccer Day Canada – a day of covering soccer games and related stories – which will take place this year on July 10. Media for the brand is handled by Toronto-based Mindshare, with creative online promotions by Ariad Communications, also of Toronto.

‘We’re in all their communication efforts around the day and there’ll be dedicated sections on their website,’ Price tells MiC. CBC is also producing a series of vignettes about the Popsicle-sponsored teams that will air on national television, she adds.

As the title sponsor of Soccer Day Canada, Popsicle will have brand presence in broadcasts throughout the day. The CBC special, which starts at noon, includes the broadcast of a major league soccer game between Toronto FC and Colorado and a FIFA World Cup report and match live from South Africa.