August 20, 2015 Update: More Back to School branding boondoggles...Remember when the G-force Gatorade tribe was caught red-handed with their marketing machinations of hawking sugar hydration to students over regular water? Well, they're at it again, this time sneaking their sports drinks message into schools as 'hydration education' which is perhaps one of the biggest shilling … [Read more...]
Aug. 19, 2013 Turning negative media messages into positive, purposeful pursuits is what Shaping Youth is all about, so the newly launched "Freshman Green 15" project from Teens Turning Green.org fits smack dab into our sweet spot.I’ve long been a fan of their smart marketing, and have attended their Green University to see the winners from their annual Project Green Challenge … [Read more...]
August 17, 2012 Long time readers know I'm a huge fan of 'digital detox' to give writing a break, focus fully on family at the end of summer, and regroup for the back to school scene... I've written about the daunting demands of an 'always on' culture and the need for a screen free exodus multiple times in posts like "Media Unplugged: Clamping the IV Digital Drip"... And … [Read more...]
Aug. 31 2011 Transitioning back to school is tough, especially when media and marketing blitzes the ‘what could be’ fear dynamics of peer acceptance based on what you wear, how you look, and who you sit with at lunch. (Target's music teacher ad/video sums in satire well, "if your kids want to sound cool, they need to look cool") Now toss in the social media promises and … [Read more...]
September 1, 2010 It’s the first of September, as the first day of school angst bubbles up throughout the nation on either side of this ‘premiere’ week. (many have started school already, some are about to) A welcoming 'first day?' Hardly. This is classic online product placement meets mean girl drek in "First Day: The Series," an abysmal branding collaboration between … [Read more...]
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