More Shock Schlock: Industry Tactics Clueless About Blowback
Last year, I wrote about Cocaine in a can yanked by the FDA, but per Energy Fiend, it’s already back, without a name change, and some of these kids are sending kudos to Blow and victory slaps to Cocaine in renegade style, ready to ‘drink one every day til their heart explodes.’ Aw, gee, how sweet.
They’ll sure love this one then…Blow, (review here) the new powdered energy drink marketed in a vial complete with credit card and mirror has upped the ante of “outrage.” Now, you too can simulate ‘nose candy’ for the full tilt junkie experience. (news video here)
Let’s see, we’ve got cranked up candy bars with caffeine, Hershey’s ‘oopsie’ on the dime pouch of Ice(breakers) mint powder, Go Daddys’ purposeful sleaze to get press by having their Superbowl ads rejected, and Woolworths’ staff ‘baffled by the fuss’ of the ‘naming mistake’ of the “Lolita line*” of beds for girls. Poor Woolies was ‘forced’ to reconsider the name by literate moms who were then subjected to ridicule for being prudish and getting their undies in a twist.
And now? Blow. Yep. Go ahead. Tell me I need to ‘get over it and get a life’ and not be concerned that corporations and agency creatives keep manufacturing this ‘oh so brazenly edgy’ slop that’s polluting the planet and trickling down to tweens and younger…
Whether it’s Lolita or Target or the new statutory rape ads from the D-cup kiddie campaign that shoots itself in the foot (yes, even good causes can have bad ads) I’m well aware many will prefer to reduce the dialog to a ‘roll of the eyes.’ (good commentary on that last PSA blunder of the Family Violence Partnership on Copyranter )
The ‘evercool’ hipsters that think I need to ‘have a drink and get laid’ (further proving my point of crass/coarse lifestyle shifts) are also usually the ones who can’t comment without cussing, hide behind anonymity, and love to fling ‘protectionist’ labels without taking the time to familiarize themselves with the overall context of the dialog or the centrist focus of the blog itself. (it’s SO much easier to bullishly butt-in and shatter civility by derailing and trivializing the conversation altogether, n’est ce pas? )
Our teen advisory crew says ‘just ignore ‘em, they’re either bored or they don’t get it…either way it’s not worth your time.’
Gawd kids are smart…
But it’s particularly hard for me to ignore text messages from kids, because I see every conversation as an opportunity for better understanding.
(Um, ok, admittedly, I also see those opps for media literacy/a tad of ‘lift the veil’ counter-marketing of mass market manipulation and exploitation of kids’ for coinage and consumption in the name of ‘edgy’ products and ‘rebel yells’ that play into the profiteering agenda…yes, I have my own motives, I realize…)
After all, Blow was targeting MySpacers w/freebies as early as last summer, though thankfully, teen street chatter is the vial is ‘vile’ on the taste front…
And yes, though I’m well aware that older kids can ‘deconstruct for themselves’ as they’re über media savvy…what about the cacophony of ambient noise to the younger ones?
The FDA ‘renaming’ bit was all legend and lipservice…a total FDA wristslap on the Drink Cocaine site. Check it out.
There’s now a ‘big dark warning’ prior to entry with a pop up box about the elicit name that’s laughable.
Oh, and they ask if you’re a minor or not…how quaint.
I clicked yes, to see if it would ‘lock me out’ on the next try…Nope.
It simply faded to black for a sec, then reopened when I chose the ‘right’ button…Cocaine tees, valentines, gift sets, products galore glamorizing and merchandising Cocaine’s logo ad infinitum.
Gosh, FDA, that was a tough ‘no-no’…thanks for upholding such ‘tight’ standards. (um, now THAT is an eyerolling moment…)
You can abolish ‘candy cigarettes’…and talk ‘pattern setting’ but Cocaine in a can is okie dokie?
Oh yeah. Well, Blow should be just fine then too, eh?
Just a reminder, the PROLIFERATION of this ‘shock schlock’ is what my original Target article was about…
That is, before it got hijacked into a NYT sound-bite and flew through the blogosphere for Target’s dismissive response…
Contrary to blog banter, it was NEVER about “one ad” nor did I ever ‘complain’…I left a simple contact number in a voicemail.
It’s still beyond me why a ‘family retailer’ would stoop to joining the surround sound cues plopped into the public sphere of innuendo sans corporate responsibility and risk alienating their core target market.
For those misguided masses that think the huge Target brouhaha was only about ‘one ad’ or about the retailer dissing me as a blogger…a reminder…I’m IN branding…I specialize in name generation and product positioning…
Now do you REALLY think I would risk tainting my OWN brand, Shaping Youth with misconstrued perceptions by choosing a “mild by comparison” Target ad ripe for simplistic ‘over-reaction’ labeling decrees? C’mon…gimme some credit here!
If I were seriously trying to launch a viral backlash based on corporate innunendo alone, I would’ve at least picked the evocative gang rape ads from Dolce & Gabanna, or some of the equally dark current fashionista ones…
MY subject matter has ALWAYS been the proliferation and normalization of objectification in family retail and kidswear! (yah, now say that three times fast)
My rebel yell is the UNIVERSAL (and consistent) lack of responsibility and ethics among our industry that puts profit ahead of public health time and time again.
Business is so eager to make a buck on the backs of youth they have zero regard for ‘blowback’ ramifications…
Whether it’s caffeine overdose, drug overdose, wasted tax payer’s money devoted to analysis of ‘look-alikes’ or long term societal costs, it’s all akin to the junk food/health care outcomes showing up in kids…
An ‘oops’ that will ultimately cost us all. Financially. Societally. Behaviorally.
But hey, “I got mine” seems to be the corruption of coinage with short-term rollouts like this…
Seems the new marketing strategy is ‘outrage baiting’ to see who can stir up the most edginess/buzz in Imus, Rush, Howard Stern, shock jock style.
Ugh. For that reason alone, I’m gonna hush now…And leave you with this pithy comment about Blow from the Energy Fiend blog,
“So does this drink come with a Piano Key neck tie, a dead hooker and a Pet Shop Boys CD?”
Really, who thinks of this stuff? Much less drinks it?
“Blow” Visuals: Examiner.com
Hat tip to fellow name generation pal Nancy Friedman for the Lolita story; to SND/Willliam Lozito for the Go Daddy ‘beaver branding’ reference of Danica Patrick, and to Beauty and the Breast and Body Impolitic for the PSA on statutory rape.
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[...] tag Chris, Brian, Shea, Amy, Lizzie, Sara, Colleen, and Jerry. Pick one or both (or neither) of the memes to reply [...]
[...] Youth has information on companies marketing to teens in More Schlock. They talk about energy drinks and candy designed to mimic drugs and the Lolita bed line for [...]
Hello again,
Your favorite video gamer is back for another reply. I check your site every so often, but I never really wanted to overstep my area of expertise. However, I just had to comment on this because it is so funny. I heard about the Cocaine energy drink a while ago and didnt think much of it, but now its apparently widely available(I still dont think much of it.)
Anyway, while reading this article I could only think of one thing and you nailed it; “So does this drink come with a Piano Key neck tie, a dead hooker and a Pet Shop Boys CD?”
That line was so funny I just had to comment. Thanks for the laugh!
ah, you are indeed a favorite sparring partner on the ol’ ‘keep the balance’ front…welcome back!
So what d’ya say…is ‘Blow’ a ‘free speech’ issue or are we going to start marketing “pedophiles are people too” tee-shirts?
Where do we draw the line? Gimme some perspective here, ’cause I’m thinkin’ the industry has been ’smokin’ some funny stuff’ if they think these kind of cues aren’t toxic in trickle down sanctioning of normative behavior.
p.s. A few of us were kicking around the idea of an ‘outrageous products’ UGC contest on YouTube to spoof the system…(Onion style) but my fear is that people would actually want a URL or Paypal code for free shipping or something and take it seriously instead. Thoughts?
“So what d’ya say…is ‘Blow’ a ‘free speech’ issue”
This one is great, Im still laughing. I honestly dont really think too much of this sort of thing. I wouldnt ban it over the name, thats just silly. But does it really influence kids? I can say that it wouldnt have influenced me at all. Remember Big League Chew? I never had any as a kid or candy cigarettes for that matter. They probably tasted disgusting anyway so no big loss. And that is what it really boils down to. Is this really a good product or is it just a marketing gimic? And I think we all know the answer. It may sell for a while because its “edgy,” but it probably tastes gross so it will eventually get forgotten. Kids love fads, this is a fad(and a poorly timed one,) it will pass.
“if they think these kind of cues aren’t toxic in trickle down sanctioning of normative behavior.”
This is a dangerous sentence. Because I could easily draw the same line right back to you. Kids take the most “cues for normative behaivor” from their parents. The more you draw attention to something like this the more of a response you will get from you child. If you see your child want to try something like this I wouldnt be so quick to slap it out of their hands. That could cause increased curiosity. Like I said before, kids enjoy fads, maybe they will try and hate it. Then you dont have to worry. Kids think this sort of thing is a joke really. They try it once, realize their mistake and move on. Kids dont learn by being told what is wrong, they learn by doing it and experiencing why its wrong. They have to learn the why for themselves, it just cant be taught.
“are we going to start marketing “pedophiles are people too” tee-shirts?”
I think you may have offended me a little here. And thats a pretty tough thing to do. So I feel like I must comment on this so that my opinion will be known. I absolutely hate pedophiles and child molesters. I think that they are less than people and should be treated as such. Abusing a child is, I think, is the worst crime possible. I cant imagine the psychological effect that it would have. And the really sad thing is that there isnt a way to punnish them severly enough for the horrible thing they did. OK, end rant.
Huh???? I have an 8-year old son in Tball and 11 year old in little league but ‘Big Chew’ is no big deal; it’s basically pink spaghetti bubble gum. How can you possibly say that equates to ‘Blow’ or Cocaine? This is MUCH more obviously drug based and IS a ‘cue for normative behavior’, (to make $$$$$ above all).
VideoGamer how can you be offended by pedophiles and not by marketing drugs to kids?
They’re both abusive!
They’re both taking advantage of children for profit. Both are active not passive manipulation. One is purposeful marketing for profit, (joke or not, it champions substance abuse as ‘okay’) The other is a sicko/psycho prob that our advertising and pop culture is marketing the helloutof in order to make a buck too!
I do agree with you on one point though, which is that we shouldn’t ’slap it out of their hands’ or ban it or give it all kinds of press.
(Full disclosure, I’ve seen Shaping Youth do this in their ‘counter-marketing’ to make it so kids can make up their own minds and SEE how they’re being duped into thinking drugs are ‘cool’ by getting hooked for profit.)
Same with booze and tobacco. They market the whole mess as a loser concept and it’s hilarious.
Kids get p.o’ed about the whole manipulation thing and end up questioning authority on all fronts. I’d say that’s a healthy thing to learn.
Amy, are you offline? Look forward to your comment…
“Huh???? I have an 8-year old son in Tball and 11 year old in little league but ‘Big Chew’ is no big deal; it’s basically pink spaghetti bubble gum. How can you possibly say that equates to ‘Blow’ or Cocaine? This is MUCH more obviously drug based and IS a ‘cue for normative behavior’, (to make $$$$$ above all).”
How can you say that it doesnt? Interesting that you mention that because chewing tobacco is most closely related to baseball players. I’d keep an eye out if I were you. But then again, does it really matter? Chewing tobacco is perfectly legal for people over 18 right? Its no big deal as long as they are 18 right? Its all a matter of acceptance. At one point cocaine was perfectly legal in the United States. You could buy it at a corner store. Also at one point alcohol was illegal. Whether its “good” or “bad” doesnt really matter, all that matters is acceptance. People know full well how dangerous alcohol and tobacco are, but they use them anyway.
“VideoGamer how can you be offended by pedophiles and not by marketing drugs to kids?”
Ah yes, the “marketing to kids” approach. So how many ads for cocaine appear on Nickelodeon? Or anywhere for that matter? I cant recall seeing an ad for this drink anywhere. I cant even name one place that I’ve seen it for sale.
You want to know where kids get their cues for normative behavior http://videos.stltoday.com/p/video?id=1734158
So an energy drink called cocaine is bad, but calling someone who actually uses the real stuff “the best person ever” is completely OK? I feel ashamed for that girls parents.
Liz: I agree w/VG that Chew is an issue for baseball, no question, as mouth cancer-wise it’s right up there w/any other tobacco product in terms of cues; not sure why it slips under parental radar so easily, since kids mirror the hawk-n-spit-gum-chomping antics of ball players already…but parents don’t seem to necessarily make the Joe Camel leap. (definitely applies, it’s just more ‘acceptable’ as VG would say; less overt than candy cigarettes or cocaine powdered drinks)
VG: As far as acceptability/prohibition, etc. you’re absolutely right it’s a societal norm…look at Amsterdam and pot. The difference is that in many European countries, advertising directly to kids is universally frowned upon and ‘off limits.’ Vices and advertising in kids’ formative years is deemed inappropriate, like a ’safe zone’ of impressionability to leave the dumb decisions to adulthood.
In the U.S. profiteering mode, we insist on the ‘freedom’ to ‘tap ‘em while they’re young’ with no moral compass whatsoever even though research shows that brainwaves/physical patterns/habitual addictions lock in early during these most vulnerable years.
Mining childhood for profit comes at a cost to society. Period.
Cocaine in a can/blow energy drink doesn’t have to be ‘marketed on Nickelodeon’ to have the teen/tween edgy trendsetter effect…it’s a simple ‘profit over public health’ issue that needs to be reversed, because we can and WILL pay for this in the long run in our healthcare system. (whether you’re talking substance abuse, disordered eating, heart health/obesity/diabetes, etc.)
As it is we’ve done a horrific job of sensationalizing and glamorizing toxic media/mktg./celeb antics (ugh, VG, that was depressing seeing that mallrat crowd of Paris Hilton wannabes; thanks for the link, gonna go pound my head against the wall now) And yes, I concur that idiocy/ignorance knows no boundaries when it comes to choice of ‘best person ever’ role models…
But consider this…Each time our society holds up vapid values and empty-headed antics with ‘never too rich or too thin’ personas like Paris, we’re setting a pattern of aspirational cues, revealing what we as a society embrace through media attention. I’m not saying ‘ban her’ I’m saying shift the focus…TURN THE CAMERAS OFF OF HER AND REDIRECT THEM to worthy people who really ARE making a difference…teens, youth, ecokids, inspiring minds of all ages and let those heroes flourish and be rewarded with attention…flip the power of the media to embrace a healthier worldview.
We can be ‘marketing hope’–rather than ‘marketing drek & drugs’–Taking action rather than passively observing the degradation of the human condition at the lowest common denominator…snide, snarky cynicism and put downs as entertainment/sport.
And yes, VG, I stand by my ‘pedophile’ slam because when we tart up tots in models-n- makeup mode to sell pricey jeans via ingénues (campy Calvin Klein of yesteryear or trashier American Apparel today) while accessorizing Bratz dolls with hot tubs and martini glasses and candy cocaine wands, we’re clearly cueing adult behavior seeping into the minds and bodies of our most vulnerable population. Let the kids be kids.
“TURN THE CAMERAS OFF OF HER AND REDIRECT THEM to worthy people who really ARE making a difference”
You’ll get no arguement from me here. The only problem is that it just isnt going to happen. I wish it would, but it probably wont.
Notice that this story doesnt make the 6 o’clock news on fox. This girl is a hero….. http://www.examiner.com/a-1239286~Md__girl_uses_Web_site_to_help_pets_find_new_homes.html
Ah, yes…but it’s our goal to MAKE her one!!! Championing change has to start somewhere, n’est ce pas?
That’s what our new feature “People Shaping Youth” is about! (tapping into the celebs doing good things, as well as the ‘inspiring minds’ of real people with real ideas making a difference on this ol’ blue rock of a planet…
e.g. Similarly, this little girl in Canada at 11 launched an entire nonprofit foundation based on her outreach w/homeless to bring humanity to an otherwise ’scary’ media depiction, esp. w/kids: http://www.ladybugfoundation.ca
We’ll be honoring Hannah Taylor and her work soon….(she’s now a media darling at the Int’l Film Festival in Canada, etc.) I LOVE to hear positive stories like this get the ‘mainstream press’ exposure…
(even if it takes the blogosphere to ’seed the content’ first in order to pay it forward!) Ok, sounding Pollyanna again…
Since you’re a ‘gamer’ what concepts do you have that would be fun/forward-thinking without being ‘overtly educational’ to plant positive behavioral cues?!
VG, I’d love your thinking on this, as much of the current gamer drama stems from the dark side of the ol’ ‘good vs. evil’ StarWars type of melodrama…how can we capture the magic of the positive in unique and entertaining ways that are more nuanced, less cliche, and embedding the covert vs. overt e-learning/behavioral cues?
p.s. What’s your major? Philosophy? Econ? Engineering? CS? I can see some exciting games that could appeal to all with the right minds involved…
Oh it looks like my response didnt get posted. *sigh* I’ll have to track down some of the stuff I posted again, tomorrow.
My major is in Accounting.
Crum…it SHOULD have posted…the Akismet spam filter shouldn’t have snagged it unless there were ‘key words’ that come in via spam a lot here…hmn. Try again? Still no computer here…sigh.
I cant remember exactly what I posted eariler, but here is a good example of gamers who care for others.
http://www.childsplaycharity.org/index.php
Thanks, VG, this one is as cool as the Cal jazz history one before! Both need featured…(and yes, I know gamers can clearly ‘have heart’ and there’s no ‘polarity’ between ’serious’ games in the ‘do-gooder’ realm and ’serious gamers’ necessarily.
Just depends on the subject matter and content…which clearly, I tend to favor in the positive um, non-violent non-sociopathic realm…tx for the link!
p.s. THAT might be a great post for you to tackle…”debunking the myths of hard core gamers”…(Nick Yee did this well at Stanford at his PARC talk full of heavy duty bright MMORPG players and post-graduate techies closer to age 30 than 13. ( heavily into WoW/commanding leadership roles in ‘city sieges’ and such, questioning the changing of the times when new recruits for ‘real life’ jobs would start to look at ‘virtual world resumes’ in terms of mgmt/leadership skills of value from a global outreach/interpersonal communications standpoint.
yah, such is life in Silicon Valley…
“heavily into WoW/commanding leadership roles in ‘city sieges’ and such, questioning the changing of the times when new recruits for ‘real life’ jobs would start to look at ‘virtual world resumes’ in terms of mgmt/leadership skills of value from a global outreach/interpersonal communications standpoint.”
If you could command and lead an effective raid by coordinating a large group of people in WOW you deserve a job in a fortune 500 company. No joke! Trust me I’ve played it before, its literally impossible to coordinate anything in that game. People never listen to anything and any semblance of teamwork is meerly a coincidence. Any one who can effectively and efficiently lead a large group of WOW players could lead this country.
As for myths about gamers, I could easily tell you about myself or one of my close friends. I dont consider myself “hard-core,” but I suppose in comparison to the average person I am.
yup, I’m guessin’ you ARE, compared to the vast majority…especially since you’re reflecting the WoW mindset that Nick Yee eluded to at the PARC summit…He made a strong case for same re: the Fortune 500 leadership, and several in the audience echoed the sentiment…this is why I’m sensing you’ve got the chops for analysis of same…Feel free to ping me on the myths piece if you feel so inclined. My hunch if you’re more ‘hardcore’ than you think you are…(you have to remember, much of the world isn’t even on the internet much less gaming platforms)
I’ll write something up if you want. Send me an email with a list of some things you would like me to touch on and I’ll put something together. My email is Daroc57@yahoo.com
[...] bars” flooding the retail mix to join energy drinks and mind-boggling stupidity stunts in the ‘shock schlock’ realm of drug-look-alike kiddie [...]
[...] More Shock Schlock: Industry Tactics Clueless About Blowback [...]
Excellent piece here on same with the actual FDA verbiage to give you a feel for how regulatory arms work:
Dr. Robyn writes:
http://drrobyn.wordpress.com/2008/03/07/the-candy-man-and-the-soda-papa-marketing-candy-and-drinks-like-drugs-to-teens/#comment-80
Hello everybody, my name is Damion, and I’m glad to join your conmunity,
and wish to assit as far as possible.
Welcome, Damion…we’ll start with ‘what are your biggest concerns/issues you’re facing with media/marketing and kids?’ (and what country/region/city are you from so we can get a gauge on this!)
We’re collecting data from all over the globe looking for best practices/media means to flip youth messaging toward positive pursuits, as their talent and energy is boundless!
Stratumseind Tijned…
A spokesman for Coca Cola, who produce the Fanta range, admitted that the company was flattered to have the pontiff as a fan of their beverage. However theyve ruled out using the leader of the Catholic church in any ad campaigns….
Hello everybody, my name is Daniel, and I’m glad to join your conmunity,
Wish to assist as far as possible.
Hey Dan, I’ll refer you to #22 and ask you the same question! We’ll be posting a survey along these lines on survey monkey soon so we can triage some priorities for youth action, (we’ll do one for parents and one for youth and collegiate helpers…)
Meanwhile, if you have leads on youth correspondents (tweens/teens) eager to lend their eyes and ears to us on media/marketing consumption, pls. let me know as we’re working on an intern application process. Thanks!
[...] awareness and inform or chalk it up to a web-celeb-wannabe just going for ’shock schlock’ profiteering to pull our collective [...]
[...] I wrote before in this post about ‘Blow’ energy drink and Cocaine in a Can going after the ‘edgy teen scene’ —in ‘how low can you go’ vapid [...]
De Eindhovense gemeenteraad gaat de Rekenkamer vragen onderzoek te doen naar de gang van zaken rondom Siegobert Jansen over de slechte financiële situatie van het Parktheater. Dit doordat er wederom problemen zijn met de bruto-marge. Siegobert Jansen heeft een lange staat …
Siegobert Jansen´s last blog ..Tuchtklacht tegen Cees Boskamp gegrond verklaard!
De Eindhovense gemeenteraad gaat de Rekenkamer vragen onderzoek te doen naar de gang van zaken rondom Siegobert Jansen over de slechte financiële situatie van het Parktheater. Dit doordat er wederom problemen zijn met de bruto-marge. Siegobert Jansen heeft een lange staat …
Hoofdinkoop Parktheater Eindhoven Siegobert Jansen verdacht van slechte bruto-marge wederom problemen Parktheater Eindhoven….
Siegobert Jansen Hoofdinkoop Parktheater Eindhoven verdacht van slechte bruto-marge wederom problemen Parktheater Eindhoven….
Ernst van Tienen´s last blog ..Boskamp Willems ontkent schenden briefgeheim
[...] it’s become a punchline in itself? Is it the sheer pervasiveness, quantity and repetition of ’shock schlock’ in a coarse media/marketing culture that’s shifted the dynamic to being ‘a [...]
architect en ontwikkelaar ir. M.L. (Marco) Aartsen Aartsen & Partners Architecten B.V is door de Fiod beslag gelegd op de panden en het onroerendgoed
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Klacht Hoofdinkoop Siegobert Jansen (Penningmeester Stchting Horecafraude) van de Gemeente Eindhoven Parktheater tegen advocaten afgewezen
EINDHOVEN – De klacht tegen 26 advocaten van het Eindhovense advocatenkantoor Boskamp & Willems is ongegrond verklaard. Gemeente Eindhoven mederwerker Hoofdinkoop Parktheater Siegobert Jansen (ook bekent als Penningmeester / Woordvoorder van de Stchting Horecafraude) beweert dat een vertrouwelijke brief van hem door een advocaat per fax is doorgestuurd naar zijn broer, met wie hij een zakelijk en persoonlijk conflict heeft.
Siegobert Jansen diende daarover een klacht in bij de Raad van Discipline van de Orde van Advocaten. Die stelt nu dat er ‘op grond van de beschikbare gegevens en de stellige ontkenning van alle advocaten’ niet kan worden vastgesteld wie de fax heeft verstuurd.
Excellent updated article here on crossover marketing of ‘gateway drugs’ …
http://www.wickedlocal.com/marblehead/news/lifestyle/health/x933817585/Hazard-in-plain-sight-Convenient-store-items-may-help-hook-kids-on-smoking-drugs
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