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Author Topic: online doc: Merchants of Cool
britchestoobig
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 6762

posted 04 September 2004 11:43 AM      Profile for britchestoobig     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Just stumbled back on a doc I watched on PBS a while ago that would make some interesting watching for a long weekend.

Its about how marketers target kids and its a bit depressing:

Merchants of Cool

Note: it might just be my Real player...but the video part was screwed up (slide-show), but its fine in Windows Media


From: Ottawa ON | Registered: Aug 2004  |  IP: Logged
steffie
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Babbler # 3826

posted 04 September 2004 12:09 PM      Profile for steffie     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
What's disturbing to me is not the marketing towards children (this has always gone on, or for a long time, anyways) - what bothers me is that kids nowadays have grown up with a media bombardment like I never knew as a child! It's normal for them to see images of "what's cool" or violence or sex or whatever... all of course selling something - music, jeans, political party. So yes, telling kids what's "cool" is troubling, but thankfully this allows parents an opportunity to intervene and ask questions: "what are they selling?" "Why is that cool?" etc. I recently watched a new video game my 12 yr old bought, ESPN NHL 2K5 (hockey), and one of the screens on it had a scantily-clad woman posing with a hockey stick. I asked him, "Which team does she play for?" He inevitably rolls his eyes at me and says, "Mom, you ask me that every time we watch this." Good. Then I'm doing my job.
From: What are the roots that clutch, what branches grow / Out of this stony rubbish? | Registered: Mar 2003  |  IP: Logged
Michelle
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Babbler # 560

posted 04 September 2004 01:46 PM      Profile for Michelle   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
I just watched the whole thing, britchestoobig - thanks for that link. Very interesting!

What would be even more interesting is to make that a part of any high-school media awareness or sociology course.

Actually, never mind that. Make it part of grade 7 or 8 social studies, which EVERY student has to take.

[ 04 September 2004: Message edited by: Michelle ]


From: I've got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell. | Registered: May 2001  |  IP: Logged

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