Paris Hilton is a great role model...right?..RIGHT?

So we all know about Paris Hilton's future TV show, "Paris Hilton is my New BFF" which will match up the Hotel Heiress with tons of people until she finds a new shadow. About the show, Hilton says, ""I obviously have a lot of friends already, but I just thought it would make great TV show," she said. "You know, most of my friends are from Hollywood. They are kind a jaded a little bit. We are going to be meeting people from all around the world."..Honestly, you would have to PAY me to hang out with Bimbo Hilton.

Anyways- let's recall some of the things Ms. Hilton has done or can be connected with:
-Jail time for what was it again, I believe, Driving under the influence, right?
-the Simple Life: that lame show where Paris and friend Nicole, would go from "blue collar job" to "blue collar job", which apparently was supposed to be funny. I'm not sure if we were supposed to like the irony of a rich girl working, or the funny stupid things Paris said
-A sex tape surfaced a few years ago to.

So with all these things in mind, you're probably thinking what I am thinking....Paris Hilton is TOTALLY a great role model for the youth!
Yeah Right! Or so Ms. Hilton recently thinks, as Reuters recently reported, "on Thursday she said she sees herself as a role model for young women as she prepared to judge a contest to crown Miss Turkey." I'm not sure who gave Paris the role, or even thinks she is adequate enough to be judging others on how they carry themselves, when she can't even keep her OWN reputation out of the gutter..

Paris says, "About 90% of the rumors our there are false...I don't pay attention to lies because I am a good person, I work very hard and I've built this empire on my own. I think this is an inspiration for a lot of girls out there."

WHAT?! are you kidding. Firstly, what empire? you mean the crap money you've made off of your awful movies that are degrading. See exhibit A: The Hottie and the Nottie..How is anything related to this movie positive for kids, girls in particular? Furthermore, you would be nothing without your daddy and his business Ms. Hilton, so I hope you know NO ONE buys your "I work hard..I deserve everything..I'm an inspiration" act. The only person who has to work really hard around you is your PR rep.

What bothers me most is that girls actually DO look up to Hilton. Studies have shown that kids these days don't have the general outlook on the future that they use to have in the good ol' days. Gone are the days that kids wanted to be teachers, lawyers, doctors, etc. Now, a majority of kids want fame, and believe it is SO acheiveable. Why? Celebs like Hilton, Lohan, Tara Reid, etc. who really don't have any talent in specific...in fact, HOW did these people become so huge? Why does society care about them?

Anyone want to shed some light?

Help Keep Kids Safe Online!

Today I was checking out the usual sites I keep in tune with, and saw on Izzy Neis's blog this great video:


Common Sense in partnership Google created this video which is a step by step, easy to understand, and well made video to educate about internet safety. Common Sense is a nonprofit organization, which has the main purpose of providing parents with trustworthy information to help manage their kids media lives.

And for all the naysayers who are thinking, "oh you're off the topic, Buddy- what does this have to do with Marketing to Children"--Well Bubs, here's what I'm thinking:
I've been doing so much digging in the past 2 months now reading about companies, products, etc. that target children or are getting in trouble for campaigns that are negatively affecting children. With all this new knowledge and education I have not even once sat back an thought, "Gee, with the huge soar of popularity of the internet with children these days--do kids even know how to be safe online." So many companies use the internet, whether it is for promotions, campaigns, etc. I think there are many companies that could use a little social responsibility lesson.

Mickey D's! Healthy Kids Campaign

Another post about food and kids! This time focusing on a company that usually gets blamed for everything having to do with "un-healthiness": McDonalds. In a recent article by David Terrett for Crain's Chicago Business magazine (reg. needed), Terrett discusses McDonald's recent plan for making Happy Meals more healthy and creating a more health oriented image for children.

First Change: Ronald McDonald will now ONLY be able to appear in a Mickey D's ads featuring Healthy Foods....Does this mean we will be killing off the Hamburgler? I personally would love to see a duel between the two.

Second Change: The company will be "downplaying" kids' Happy Meals that feature a double cheeseburger. Instead theywill be changing their appreach to doing promotions (health related, I'm sure) in schools.

Things McDonald's have recently done to combat negative opinions on their happy meals and other kid oriented cuisine are offering low fat milk in happy meals as well as "Apple Dippers" (sliced apples with a caramel dipping sauce). Apparently these products have been fairly successful.

"As part of its new campaign, the chain plans to increase advertising for Happy Meals with apples, milk and four-piece chicken nuggets, which meet U.S. government health guidelines. It will continue to offer, but vows not to market, its Mighty Kids Happy Meal, which includes a double cheeseburger or six McNuggets" says Terrett.

The fast food chain is in a tight spot, as they can't keep marketing fatty delicious foods to children, as they will get attacked by parents and groups nationwide for "making kids obese"-- but at the same time, they simply cannot give up their share of kids and stop marketing to children alltogether! So it looks like this new campaign will try and make best of the situation.

Best of Luck to the Golden Arches on this new Healthy Campaign!!

Nickelodeon goes Green!

Anyone who is a frequent reader here, knows I'm not the hugest fan of Nickelodeon. As a child, sure, it was amazing, but I feel the extreme creativity it used to exude is gone. However, as stated in their recent press release, Nickelodeon announced a new initiative which "is designed to empower kids to take action on the environment through gaming and grassroots activity." Looks like Nick is proving me wrong these days!!


The campaign is called, The Big Green Help, will help kids understand issues such as global warming, energy conservation, and other environmental-esque issues. As well as educating it will SHOW kids how they can make small changes in their lifestyle and behavior to become "more environmentally aware". The campaign will revolve around a game which will be the first global multiplayer online "green game" for kids. As the press release states, "[the game] will provide actionable, measurable steps and information to directly link them to ways that they can positively contribute to helping the environment, on individual and community levels.'' This sounds full of success to me.

For whatever it's worth, kids seem so in tune with politics and world issues these days. Just the other day I was getting coffee at a favorite cafe of mine and kids no older than 11 were at the table behind me talking politics, Obama vs. Clinton to be exact!

The best part of the campaign is definetly the game, which hopefully will catch kids and keep them entranced. Apparently the campaign is set to launch this fall, and finally here are some stats for you lovely readers that were found by Nickelodeon in collaboration with Pew Center on Global Climate Change. The study was called "Keeping It Cool: Kids, Parents and the Global Environment":

-- Half (50%) of kids 8-14 are not sure how to directly impact environmental issues,
 but approximately 80% believe they can stop global warming. 
-- Approximately one third of parents and kids say they know nothing about ways they can help protect the
environment, yet three quarters of parents and half of kids are concerned about the environment.  
-- While 33% of kids and 25% of parents believe they have a responsibility      
to the environment, still 62% of families drink bottled water on a daily basis and 45% of them do not recycle. 

Nickelodeon was genius to jump on the Green bandwagon- look at those numbers! Again,
Kudos to Nickelodeon, I can't wait to see what happens with this initiative!

For more information on the campaign check out this great article.

Disney startin' to take on Japan?

We all know Disney is great at dominating the children's market. Look at their network, products, movies, and amusement parks! With shows like Hannah Montana, and movies like High School Musical, the company is really banking in as of late. But internationally, would shows and products such as Hannah or High School succeed? Who knows, but one thing Disney has caught on to, is targeting foreign markets specifically with adaptable animation, as Tokyo reporter, Chisaki Watanabe points out in her article "Disney will produce animated TV for Japan."

The show in question is Lilo and Stich. Disney will be adapting the show thematically as for the foreign market it will now be a d
"ifferent" show, featuring a Japanese girl named Hanako (replacing Lilo), and the imagery, setting, and stories will revolve around a Southern Japanese island, as opposed to Hawaii (where the show takes place originally).

Disney has not said if they will do the same for other countries, but apparently their eyes are open for other Eastern regions. Disney claims they have produced tv films and series abroad, however it is unclear if this is the first time they are tailoring a whole show and changing it to appeal to a local market. If anyone can clear that up for me, that would be fantastic.

I'm surprised this hasn't happened years ago? or has it, I guess that is where I am confused. There are kids all over the world, they all deserve the magic that is Disney, and they all deserve to feel as connected to it as kids in markets such as America. Kudos to Disney for this new show and endeavor!

Oh, the secret's out, Victoria is in for change!

I know it's old news that kids these days are longing to be adults (and look and act like them), as many of my posts in the past have indicated...Well, I've recently stumbled upon an article in the Wall Street Journal by Amy Merrick, which talks about Victoria's Secret, and their current dilemma.

Right now, when you walk into a Victoria's Secret, you'll be in the company of mostly young women, even some young girls, ages 16-28, shall we say. The brand used to be soley marketed to women 25 and up, now, many women in their 40's and up have lost all interest in the store as these women "do feel they are sexy, just not the same kind of sexy as college girls". The stores used to carry bigger sizes even, but as their target demographic grew younger and younger they did away with these sizes, and let's admit it, not many grown woman are a size 0.

What went wrong? Well, Vicki reps themselves are blaming Victoria's Secret's line extension Pink. Which is an extension that wanted to target college aged girls and younger. It was launched in 2002, and since has grown tremendously,with 900 million in sales in 2007! But also with that, has enticed the youngin's in to V.S.'s as well..

Author Amy Merrick gives a great depiction of what the store is today, "Victoria's Secret stores are lacquered black, with neon-pink accents and oversize images of scantily clad models. Pounding music pumps through the loudspeakers. Malls endure protests from parents who are outraged by window displays that feature suggestively posed mannequins."

So again, is it that shocking that the original older generation have fled? Sales have been waning lately, and Victoria's Secret is currently analyzing the problems and trying to redefine sexy, to welcome back more diverse, older customers.

So I guess the point of this post, is to let girls know: Get your own store, our mom's will hopefully be taking back what is rightfully theirs!! With that, I guess it's safe to say we won't be forced to see campy V.S. ads or promotions in the future, you know, ads that will make preteen girls all across America stare in awe at their screen thinking, "man, I want to look like THAT!".......let the revolution begin!!