Sitter’s Checklist: Super Marketing Edition
Does NASA really have to team up with Disney to get kids interested in science and engineering? Of course not. But a partnership will sure help get Disney’s name in more places. Watch for it on a Moon near you!
Speaking of Disney, Sara at Gamine Expedition says that Disney’s new ad lab sends shivers down [her] spine. This is just about as creepy as it gets:
The effort is part of a companywide campaign to bring Disney’s advertising sales strategy into the 21st century as behavioral research is more plentiful in the digital age . . . . television networks have second-by-second viewing data available . . . .
The Writer’s Guild of America thinks that product placements on television shows should be disclosed as they appear. Children’s programming would be a great place to start. (via Murketing)
Even the most vigilant media-aware parents can’t detect it all: Indiana Jones Marketing Defeats JediMom Radar.
Yes, we want corporations to do what they can to make eco-friendly products — but slapping a word on the package (or a phrase on the press release) does not make it so.
Here, the Rainforest Action Network looks at Mattel’s Barbie B-Cause in their Greenwash of the Week (via Feministing):
June 3rd, 2008 at 10:47 am
“Speaking of Disney, Sara at Gamine Expedition says that Disney’s new ad lab sends shivers down [her] spine. This is just about as creepy as it gets.”
Hang on, though — given that advertisers are going to advertise, isn’t it better that they figure out who’s likely to want their product through research and then tailor messages to those people? Would greatly cut down on clutter, noise, and some of advertising’s other unwanted side-effects.
June 3rd, 2008 at 11:23 am
Hi Dan, Sara’s point (and mine too) is that it’s not acceptable to use children as research subjects. Even though parents may purchase the products, it’s the kids who ask for them. She’s speculating that that’s where Disney’s going with the research lab.
(I also question of validity of market research conducted on people who have been told from birth what they want and why they want it, but that’s another topic.)
If Disney is only going to conduct research on the adult mind, then that’s a different story. If that would cut down on the clutter, etc., I’d be all for it. But I really don’t think it will. I think it might add to it — perhaps in a stealthier way — but still add to it.
Thanks for adding to the conversation!
July 29th, 2008 at 4:55 am
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