Health Promotion International; 2026
Sally Witchalls 1*, Hannah Pitt 1, Simone McCarthy 1, Becky Freeman 2, Samantha Thomas 1,3
1Institute for Health Transformation, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, 1 Gheringhap St, Geelong 3220, Victoria, Australia
2School of Public Health, Level 6, Charles Perkins Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, Australia
3Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Building 609, 7 Parker Place, Bentley 6102 Western Australia, Australia
*Corresponding author. Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, 1 Gheringhap St., Geelong 3220, Victoria, Australia.
E-mail: sally.witchalls@deakin.edu.au
Abstract
The marketing tactics of health-harming industries are broader than advertising. Health-harming industries use a range of promotional and public relations strategies to increase corporate branding, promote their products, and shape their image as socially responsible corporate citizens. Increasingly, this has included ‘washing’ strategies which companies use to
enhance their legitimacy and deflect blame. There is growing research examining the use of youth-focused engagement
in CSR strategies; however, there have been few attempts to document the range of ‘youth washing’ strategies that may
be used by health-harming industries. This perspective piece explores some of the strategies that are used across a
variety of health-harming industries, including the alcohol, gambling, ultra-processed food, tobacco, and fossil fuel
industries, to align with youth activities and causes. We propose a definition of ‘youth washing’ and present some
examples of youth washing strategies across five domains—youth education programs; youth employment and training
programs; sports activities; youth events; and youth-focused philanthropy. Using this information, we constructed a
proposed typology of strategies that will help guide future research and policy considerations of a range of public
relations strategies that health-harming industries may use to align their business practices with youth. Academic and
policy responses should apply youth-centred approaches to critically examine and counter such practices.
Keywords children and young people, youth, commercial determinants of health, harmful industries, corporate social responsibility, youth washing, marketing
Contribution to Health Promotion
• Introduces and redefines youth washing as a distinct CSR strategy used to enhance legitimacy while deflecting scrutiny.
• Highlights ethical concerns around health-harming industry engagement with youth, particularly in settings that shape health
and well-being.
• Constructs a typology of a range of youth washing strategies across education, sport, employment, arts, events, and
philanthropy.
• Calls for expanded research and policy attention to youth washing as a commercial determinant of health.
• Advocates for youth-centred approaches to critically examine and counter the narratives and practices of health-harming
industries.