Boys don't think about sex as much as you think!

In the media, and in most parent's minds adolescent boys are thought of as sex-craved monkeys who only have "impure thoughts". However, Tara Parker-Pope, a blogger for the New York Times, has recently written about how this is not necessarily true. Studies were done by psychology researchers at Oswego University, where they surveyed 105 tenth grade boys to see what exactly IS on their minds. They asked questions about why they ask girls out on dates and pursued relationships..

Guess what the results showed.

These young boys predominatly are motivated to pursue girls by love and a desire to form real relationship rather then to engage in sex. When asked about reasons of engaging in a relationship most boys didn't solely answer: "I was attracted to the girl", but rather, 80% of the participants answered that they really liked the girl.

So how does this relate to marketing? Well, let me ask you, now- knowing that boys are not as sexually driven as we thought are super sexual ads for things like drinks, cars, and even deodorant, really effective?
watch the axe commercial below. Obviously it's targeting men ages 16-25 (give or take). Now knowing this new information, is this just a tacky sexualized commercial.


If you're a boy let me know what you think. I personally think there should be a study to see how much time men think about sex, men meaning 21-35.

Lego Universe

If there's one toy I was a devout fan of growing up, no doubt, it was anything Lego. The toys were addicting I would sit down and play all day attaching the piece together. This is something kids still do to this day as the Lego brand is just as powerful and popular as it was those 12+ years ago.

Question: What is lego doing these days to increase their market share?

Answer: Creating a virtual world!

Daniel Terdiman explained in his recent blog entry, "Lego Universe.." everything that's going down in Lego Land...

As you probably know, virtual worlds are HUGE right now, from Second life for adults, to WebKinz for little kids, theyre taking over the internet. Denver based web company, NetDevil is in the process of creating this "world" where users, primarily children, will be able to interact with one another, using lego versions of themselves. The primary basis of the world will revolve around building (duh), as users can create buildings with digital representations of lego blocks. What I think is awesome, is that they are in the trying to create a way for you to buy the things in which you make. For example if little Johnny builds a castle, he would then be able to order a customized lego set that would build this digital castle.

It seems as though users will be able to gain accessories and bricks as they progress through the "game" and another cool thing is that not only can you make things, but your friends or enemies in Lego Universe may even be able to invade your premises!!!

For parents freaking out about safety, here's a good quote from Terdiman, which can calm your nerves: "As the game development process moves on, Lego will work hard to get parents involved because it is very aware that to build a game aimed at kids but which will put kids in the same environment as adults, safety must be a major concern. "

Personally I think this is an awesome idea, 1) they're working with the popularity of these virtual worlds and using their product IN the world and 2) it's a new fun way to get the Lego brand talked about!!!

Check out more at the Lego Universe Official Website

Overweight Kids Rejoice!

So it seems everyone is in a tizzy lately over the fact that obesity rates are rising significantly in the world, particuarly in American- furthermore more of the concern seems to be placed on the fact that it's the youth that is becoming most affected. Where am I going with this you may ask?

Well take a look at this blog post by Marc Saltzman for USA Today. It seems that Nintendo is coming out with a new Wii May 19th called "Wii Fit". This game system will feature games that enable users to have fun and play games while exercising. Finally a fun way to stay healthy, and lose weight (if that's the issue at hand).

The system's main "controller" will be a Wii Balance Board, which looks similar to a bathroom scale. Users will use it to exercise on, following their instructor that will be an avatar on the screen. The article uses the example, "you may be asked to step on and off the wireless board in time with music or keep one foot on the board while lifting another up towards your waist.
Fun mini-games will also be included, such as using your body to ski downhill, leaning left or right to head-butt soccer balls out of a net (but avoiding cleats and other objects) or rolling marbles around so that they fall into a hole in the floor –- without falling off the edge."

Sounds Fun! How much will this baby set you back? Who knows, the price has not been supplied yet. What makes this product even better is that it comes with access to a channel, "Wii Fit Channel" - an interactive online channel that lets users check their progress.

I think this is a great move for nintendo and will start a huge trend. This is the kind of toy that will not only look fun and appeal to kids, as it has the Nintendo brand name, as well as "wii", but it's the type of toy that parents won't mind buying for their children. Think about leap Frog and other revolutionary toys that capitalized off of the notion, "Hey Look it's a toy, BUT IT'S EDUCATIONAL!"--then think about all the parents that ran to Toys R Us to buy one for their kids for Christmas! The only problem is...will kids really enjoy this?

What do you think?



Check out this video about the product:

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Hey Kids! Doing Drugs is cool!

So lately, it's been all the craze in Hollywood to engage in endless nights of debauchery, whether you're getting too drunk to function, inhaling crack in a bathroom stall (Ms. Amy Winehouse!), or most popularly: Doing cocaine! (Kate Moss..etc)..Now, I'm not sure why any child would want to look up to these "public idols" but sadly, they do.

This is why a new product is about to hit shelves..it is an energy powder entitled, "I Love Blow", and is made to look like real cocaine. The UK's Daily Mail gives us the lowdown in their article, "Energy Powder Made to Look Like Cocaine.." Apparently, it even comes in a tiny box with a fake credit card (what else would you use to make your lines) AND a mirror! I know if I was a father I would instantly run out to buy my child some I love Blow! The manufacturers claim that this product is mainly for the adult market, for club-goers etc..But why in God's name would adults buy this? If anything the appeal is going to be from children who look up to their idols and try and emulate them.

This "Blow" comes in different sized packaging ranging from 2 to several dozens vials of powder. In the UK it costs £5 for a two pack and £18 for 12 vials, which come in a box shaped to look like a BLOCK of cocaine. To clarify, the powder is supposed to be mixed with liquid, and then it turns into an energy drink..

A representative of the company has said, "We absolutely discourage anyone from snorting Blow. Our package has a clear warning to customers not to snort. The news has brought attention to the brand and helped sales. in many stores, we sell a case of Blow every single day.
Unfortunately, it has provoked groups of people to pressure many retailers to quit selling Blow."

Sorry, but I'm not sure anyone would really agree that it is unfortunate that retailers are now under pressure to stop selling your God-awful product.

Mike Gimbel, an American substance abuse expert has stated,"It is the most unbelievable product I have ever seen. It is the worst I have ever seen in using drugs lingo and drug imagery to sell the product to teenagers and young adults."

Well said Mike, well said indeed. If you are a parent, how do you feel about this product, sure the company keeps trying to defend themselves saying, "BUT WE ARENT MARKETING THIS TO KIDS!" but we all know..if kids want something..kids WILL find a way.

Here's a news clip about the product

Go sailing with Dora, Spongebob, and company!

In late January, Viacom released a press release announcing the channel and company, Nickelodeon, is taking to Sea! (release found here on CNN.com) Following the steps of company's such as Disney, Nickelodeon is launching its own family cruise this August. The cruise will feature Nickelodeon themed things for kids such as live game shows, wandering characters, minature golf, rock climbing, oh and don't forget the iceskating rink (who doesn't love to ice skate on cruise ships?) But like any other family cruise, Nickelodeon is making sure to keep the parentals happy too. Adults can look foward to the usual spas, bars, and resturaunts as well as the fact that the ship will stop in locations such as "Cozumel, Mexico; George Town, Grand Cayman; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; and a special stop at Royal Caribbean's private beach destination, Labadee, which will be Nickelodeon-themed".


What a marvelous way this is for Nickelodeon to get their name back out there, in a very cliche and tacky way. I mean, what does this really have to do with fostering creativity and fun for the everyday child? (something Nickelodeon used to do amazingly!) Personally I think Nickelodeon is far far away (in a bad way) from the brilliance that it used to be. When I was a kid Nickelodeon was THE channel. Every show was somewhat different in a spunky way, it was king of programming. Now all the channel has is shows that target the tween age group in a very cliche way..by making tweens feel like theyre teenagers. Maybe it's just my aging mind's perspective, but really Nick should be using its power to help change the youth! (I know that's a huuuuge demand, but hey, Nick used to be able to do anything!)

President of Nick, Cyma Zarghami states, "taking to the seas with our first- ever family cruise with Royal Caribbean was the natural next step for us. Combined with the ground-breaking of our first Marriott Hotel and the opening of the biggest indoor theme park in the country at the Mall of America, Nickelodeon will be offering more family experiences this year than ever before."

That's great Cyma, but I'd take it step by step. Maybe the first step should be making the programming on Nick more diverse and creative. You know, like Geraldine Laybourne, did..

(Vacation packages for the "Nickelodeon Family Cruise" go on-sale to the public beginning Jan. 28.)

what do you think about current Nickelodeon as opposed to its past?

My kid knows more music than your kid!

Fans of Indie Music who have kids can finally rejoice! Turn off your Wiggles CDs and save your sanity! Finally, indie music is hitting TV and targeting kids!

There are currently two shows to keep your eyes and ears open to, Firstly, Pancake Mountain: which is an independantly run show, which films in Washington, DC and only costs creator (and music lover), Scott Stuckly under $500 to make each episode. Pancake Mountain is shown on public access channels throughout the East coast, and has been a hit with kids (and grown ups alike). It has featured such indie and renowned artists such as: Bright Eyes, Tegan & Sara, Jenny Lewis (of Rilo Kiley), the Flaming Lips. As well as more up and coming/smaller artists like Northern State, Metric, Tilly and the Wall, and the Fiery Furnaces.


my favorite pancake performance: the beautiful Jenny Lewis

As someone who is so passionate about music, I'll admit I watch this show regularly. There is no way to describe the happiness that these episodes exude. Watching little tykes dance around and sing along with the artists who often sing some of their own songs or create a song just for the show that is super kid friendly (Ted Leo even rocked out to his version of The Wheels on the Bus!) The main target of this show besides the kids? Hipster parents! A demographic all on their own. This audience is made up of young parents who are still in touch with their youth and are eager to stay "in with culture" whether it be popular indie music, or popular fashion and art. In other words, the coolest parents ever. Creator of the show, Struckly stated, "that the bands usually approach him wanting to play the show, mostly because they love it. It's just a really fun, different experience for them."

Don't fret if you don't get to watch "Pancake Mountain", because not only is it available on DVD, BUT Nickelodeon has created a similar show called "Yo Gaba Gaba!" where artists such as Devo's frontman Mark Mothersbaugh or the new dance rock band Shiny Toy Guns, play songs written for the show while being surrounded by huge puppets.

Doug Cohn, senior VP of music marketing and talent at Nickelodeon says, "tons of bands have contacted us wanting to be on the show, and we are really focused on including strong, great music." To prove success of this show, let's look at the numbers: "Yo Gabba Gabba!" averages 683,000 2- to 5-year-old viewers per week. It's also the #1 show for kids 2-5 in its time period, says Nielsen.

KEEP THE KIDS ROCKING!! Who knows, at the next M.I.A. concert maybe you'll be surounded by 5 year olds!!


Tegan and Sara with puppet Host, Rufus (LOOK they teach morals and lessons too!)

(source: Billboard article, "Doin' it for the Kids" by Courtney Harding, found through database LexisNexis)

Webkinz Kraze!!

This entry is somewhat of a response to my entry on the BHF trying to ban junk food ads. How you might ask, well let's see...

I stumbled upon this article by Matt Bailey from MarketingNewz.com, entitled "Webkinz and Marketing to Children." The article talks about the virtual phenomenon of webkinz and how it is one of the most popular toys for children right now. For those of you who are unfamiliar, webkinz are plush toys that come with an access code that lets the owner access part of the webkinz website, where they can play games and win points (the points are a currency you can purchase things with for your character), and minimally talk to other kids. Essentially, it's a social network for kids. In a way I was freaked out when I first heard of webkinz, imagining kids all over the world "tagging" pictures of themselves and writing on their 7 year old friend's wall. However, thank God, it's nothing like that, in fact there is limited interaction actually as kids can only choose from a variety of phrases to say to other people.

This is where marketing comes in, and I guess I've never though of webkinz in this way: it's somewhat of a marketing masterpiece. Think about it this way: webkinz is two products, a toy and a social network. What exactly is webkinz trying to market? The network, thus by making a toy, they have something to actually advertise on TV and sell. What child in their right mind would beg mommy and daddy for "access to a social network online". That is simply illogical from a child's perspective, but when you buy a toy, you gain the access THEN get hooked. (also note: they sell webkinz trading cards, lip gloss, bags, etc). Think about networks such as facebook and myspace, theyre slowly catching on, on how they can market themselves, as myspace has branched out with its own "myspace records". But until webkinz, marketing social networks was a strange and slightly untapped land (especially for the child demographic)!!!

Back to the Junk Food Entry! So, what ties this together nicely, is how Mr. Bailey seems to agree with me, about parent's responsibility in raising their children (to an extent). He says, "It is ultimately the parents that need to take an active role in knowing what your child is doing online and how it can help or hurt them. Educating children about marketing and how to evaluate marketing messages will be critical as more and more marketers see children as a "gold mine" for marketing-entertainment." He goes on to say how while social networking sites like webkinz may be seen as entertaining, it's the parents duty to be aware "of the real motivations behind these sites".

Source

Know anyone that plays on webkinz? Do your kids? Let me know the appeal from their perspective, I'm curious to know!!

note to kim: while I realize Mr. Bailey's article is a month old now, I feel the information is still extremely relavent, and nonetheless, it's the opinions that matter :)

Are you guilty of pushing views on your kid?

So the past two posts have been about advertising to children, in more of a traditional approach. This post however I'm going to talk about a pretty prevalent issue, seeing as how the primaries are around the corner!

So how many times have you seen adorable babies, toddlers, or even 5-8 year olds wearing a t-shirt to support a political figure?? This CNN article has gone on to give it the name as "party-training", which makes perfect sense if you think about it. Who are the ones who dress such a child/pick out their clothes day to day... their parents. Thus by dressing them in a shirt that displays your views, using them as a billboard, you are in turn starting them on your political views. Jackie Kaplan, a social justice worker who is a lesbian and talked about dressing her child in clothing that states thing such as "Let my parents get married!" stated, "... we all want our children to share our values, and these shirts are one of the ways we get to express that."However, is this really fair? Is it fair to push political beliefs on anyone? Just because someone is in your family gives you no right to force that person to believe one thing over another (especially when they cannot speak!). Also what sickens me more is that currently there are publishers publishing such children's books as Why Mommy is A Democrat (featuring squirrels as characters) and Why Daddy is a Democrat (a sequel with bears). I don't know about you, but does anyone else see this as having the word BRAINWASH written all over it.

Coming from a family where free-thinking was encouraged, I cannot even imagine if my father were to push his republican beliefs on me at a young age. No doubt I would VERY different from how I am today (a 20 year old democrat).

I'll end by a quote provided in the article by Joan Ingber a therapist who specializes in children's issues in Manhattan, "It seems cute and benign, however, the more I think about it, the more it fails to pass my cringe test. It seems that we're bombarded enough by constant advertising, so why should children become the canvas for any ad? ... Do we really want to see kids in this role?" She then went on to say, ""I see too many kids who mimic their parents' feelings and opinions," she says. "I, for one, would like to see children grow up to be critical thinkers. Can that happen if they're told how to think, feel?"

I couldn't agree more Joan!!!!!!!


Source: Cnn.com by Ron Dicker