Kool-Aid Man Teams With Reebok in Kids’ Fashion Flavors

In the ‘what will they think of next’ category comes an alliance inspired by Superbowl New England Patriots’ Laurence Maroney, known as Kool-Aid since childhood, teaming the retro favorite kids drink with fruit juicy scented sneakers and all the requisite "promo stuff" therein (beach towels, pitchers, smiley tees). “The second-year running back … [Read more...]

Shaping Youth’s New York Times e-Interview, Verbatim

Since I’m too swamped to post right now, dealing with flamethrowing yahoos missing the point of my original post altogether and now reacting to the New York Times article, I’ll simply post my verbatim comments (sent with a high degree of reticence to the NYT reporter's request) and deconstruct the nuances when I can breathe a bit. So here ya go: "Just the facts, … [Read more...]

Shaping Youth’s Gross Out Game for Good Nutrition

Just returned from Champions for Change, the state summit for a healthier California, and picked up some positive validation that Shaping Youth’s reality show games are on target in the solutions-based arena of obesity intervention. Our nutrition pilot, “Dare to Compare: A Gross Out Game for Good Nutrition” echoes the core concepts and research reflected by … [Read more...]

MC Milker Reports on New Digital Toys for Shaping Youth at CES

Shaping Youth continues our series of guest commentary by MC Milker at the Sandbox Summit which wrapped up yesterday in Las Vegas. (full CES media coverage here) Figure I'd better cut to the chase and offer her academic and marketing bio at the end of this piece so you can jump right into browsing the 'new era of play,' what's new in digital content...and see who earned … [Read more...]

Taking Aim at Target: Think That V is a CoinkyDink?

The Flickr photographer, Bennett says this billboard is in Times Square, NYC, about 20' x 20'. I'm waiting for a corporate callback with an explanation from a 'Target Team member.' Meanwhile, the universal issue is sexualized ad slop, and how we need to just freakin’ STOP it. The tasteless toddler tee “Hooters Girl in Training” (hat tip to Corporate … [Read more...]