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5:33:00 PM EDT
Hearing Hunger Strike -- Temple of the Dog
Corporate Kiddies
Okay, I'm really interested to hear what you all think about this story: Corporations are providing product-branded teaching materials to preschools around the country, imparting basic learning lessons along with product placement for companies like Pizza Hut, Ford, and toy maker Milton Bradley. Teachers and other educators seem to be conflicted about the materials: On one hand, it's advertising. On the other hand, anyone who's been to a preschool knows they often need all the teaching materials they can get.
I personally don't like it. Like any parent, I'm fighting a rear-guard battle to make sure my daughter doesn't get sucked into the consumer culture early. I won an early battle when I convinced her TV advertising was the work of the devil (Me: "Hey Athena! What are TV commercials?" Athena: "They're evil, daddy!"), but lately she's been seduced by the Bratz line of dolls, a product line whose entire point is to inculcuate the idea that nearly all of life's problems can be solved by shopping, facial scrubs and flared jeans. I hate them with a white-hot intensity. But Athena says to me, "I know they're evil, daddy. But I don't care." Indeed, she loves bringing in her Bratz material (provided by my wife) and waving it in my face mockingly. She's four, man. She's already mocking her old man with stuff. It's cute but disturbing. I blame myself. But I blame the Bratz more.
Given this sort of behavior, I don't see how exposing her or any other kid to even more product placement is going to be a good thing, especially when parents don't have a choice, save withdrawing their kid from preschool, which usually isn't a realistic option. But I'm also willing to believe I might be more worried about it than I need to be. I do remember various corporate initiatives in my elementary school when I was a kid (and of course, there was all that Sesame Stuff, which, while starting from an education point of view, wasn't exactly entirely innocent of branding), and I got through it just fine. So maybe it's not as big a deal to other people as I think.
It doesn't change how I feel, though. And heaven forbid my daughter's preschool should ever hand out Bratz educational worksheets (or "worksheetz," as I'm sure they'd be called). I think the top of my head would just pop right off.
Your thoughts, please.
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Yabbut what's FORD doing trying to market themselves to pre-schoolers? Do they seriously think that the kid's still going to be brand-loyal to something they saw/connected with preschool? For instance, you couldn't pay me to wear Oshgosh overalls now, even if they *did* make them for adults.
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Yabbut what's FORD doing trying to market themselves to pre-schoolers? Do they seriously think that the kid's still going to be brand-loyal to something they saw/connected with preschool? For instance, you couldn't pay me to wear Oshgosh overalls now, even if they *did* make them for adults.
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Product branding happens ... remembering "Crest" in my elementary school. You need to teach "choice making" and "figurin out what THEY value."
And, just because I as a mom listen to nature sounds and watch very little tv, doesn't mean the my boys (19, 21, and 22) are going to "buy my hype!"
Bring them up to be aware and discriminating, not just judgmental. *Sigh* The 21 year old bought his own "Hummer" this year. Wouldn't have been my choice. Can't reach the seat! -
lol, worksheetz, good one. I know exactly what you mean, I started educating my daughter at the same age as yours about commercials and how they are not what they seem "See the hand moving the barbies head, Barbies don't move on their own" at the age of 10, she is quite the critic...but, she still wants one of those bratz dolls, dang it. You can't escape, but you can help to learn to deal.
10/15/03 3:38 PM
http://journals.aol.com/clari