Archives for 2006

A Shaping Youth Roundup of Kids’ Media/Mktg. Notables

I left my ‘round-up’ ritual back in my editorial magazine days but my au courant colleagues and content partners have worthy ones so I’ll defer to their musings. Ypulse publisher, Anastasia Goodstein posted “Reflections on the year in youth culture” which gets my vote for the most articulate wrap up of four key trends: The ‘totally … [Read more...]

Shaping Youth: Using Media to Market Mindfulness

Yesterday it was painful to watch holiday shoppers in the media aisle at Costco randomly buying items based on marketing over merit. People were tossing media and toys in their cart based on wow-pow colorful packaging, "why to buy" snipes, and brand recognition with little regard for what was inside. The folks at Truce (Teachers Resisting Unhealthy Children’s … [Read more...]

Dads & Daughters Bonds Will Grow & Mature With Time

Stumped for last minute meaningfulness in holiday fare? Give someone you love a Dads & Daughters Bond, literally and figuratively! It's one present that's sure to grow and mature with time. If you don’t know about this great nonprofit, you need to. They’re doing great work here, focusing on the critical impact of male influences in girls lives without … [Read more...]

Teen Second Life: A virtual learning experience?

I’m baking homemade apple-cranberry pie for my pile of holiday guests arriving, and the scent of cinnamon wafting through the kitchen makes me realize this is one sensory, tactile, shared experience with my child that surely can’t be replicated with a media experience…Even in the surreal 3-D virtual world of Second Life. What is Second Life? A simulated … [Read more...]

Preteen Podcasts: Media, Middle-school & Growing Up Too Fast

The past few weeks Shaping Youth has recorded some preteen podcasts to hear what kids from public and private schools have to say about body image, celebrity hype, products, brands, teen media and how it all relates to the middle school experience. Yowza. It may not quite be Fast Times at Ridgemont High out there but I’m feeling quite Jurassic about the 'wannabe world,' … [Read more...]