Today’s “Daily Candy” e-zine, purporting to be the “ultimate insider’s guide to what’s hot, new, and undiscovered” is stumping for big box retailers, which tanks their credibility as a boutique ‘kids picks’ site for new and different offerings.
They position themselves for “busy and hip parents” with an impressive editorial policy that’s supposedly ‘no pay for play’ (meaning they can’t be bought) in 13 major cities.
Sponsored links are in full view on the sidebar, so it certainly LOOKS like editorial, but hmn…something’s not quite right here in payola land. I need to sniff out the angle, as their fun and funky leads disconnect with homogenized ‘big box’ promos.
If you’re unfamiliar with the newsletter, it’s quality consumption by creed, so I track their “Kids Edition” to target trends and try to understand the parental mindset of this new breed of über-yuppies with a mega-case of “Affluenza.”
No one “needs” ANY of this stuff, but their wry tidbits of consumerism give me a glimpse into the stylish synapses of “shop ‘til you drop” urbanites coming into the new parenting scene.
Shaping Youth’s got a tough road ahead counter-marketing materialistic values to kids when the blurb on the kids edition reads, “There’s more to life than going out and shopping. Like going out and shopping with your kids.” Ugh.
I work hard to get past their ‘kids as matching handbags’ mode, and remind myself it’s a glorified shopping ‘zine, but using children as baubles-n-bling like living dress-up dolls leaves me cold.
The copy is pithy and witty prose, but the self-absorption and gratification is everpresent so it’s hard for me to relate to.
I try to think of it as a “Lonely Planet” guide for the chic set and get over my bias since half the designers and creative teams I work with are addicted to the dang thing and even have “DailyCandyToGo” delivered into their mobile phones.
Daily Candy claims it’s like “getting an e-mail from your clever, unpredictable, and totally in-the-know best friend. The one who knows about secret beauty treatments, must-have jeans, hot new restaurants – and always shares the scoop.”
Fair enough. But that means this Superbowl ditty doesn’t belong on such a hidden treasure tipsheet does it?
“…Head to the Game Time Party display at your local Wal-Mart and stock up on Pepsi, Doritos, Cheez-Its, Chex Mix, Planters peanuts, fresh deli platters, and more. You’ll also find easy Kraft recipes online for kickoff apps (super skins, double onion dip), half-time showstoppers (barbecue chicken, salsa chili dogs), and end-zone rewards (chocolate bliss cookies, cheesecake s’mores).”
Sheesh. The only ‘scoop’ there seems to be Frito-Lay’s chubby dip chips by the same name.
Talk about a ‘sellout’ and brand erosion of authenticity and uniqueness.
In fact, that’s such blatant shilling I’m surprised they didn’t cross-market with coupons. Seems like blurred ad boundaries to me.
It takes chutzpah to crow that your useful nuggets of information are unique, unbiased, local gems and then write an advertorial for junk food at WalMart.
Are we to assume the prominent banner ad alongside the “editorial” was just a coinkydink too? In their own vernacular, ‘puhleeeeeeeze.’
Momsters sure don’t need to give junk food and WalMart a marketing nudge…there’s nothing newsy, charming, precious, or ‘in-the-know’ about this.
Call it advertorial and keep it real, because this Daily Candy has a sour after-taste.
1-31 update! Found the ‘aha’ moment & spotted this advertorial pattern:
Wow. Pretty sneaky marketing. First, blur the lines with parents to think these are subjective picks & faves, then float one now and then that’s a completely paid sponsor advertorial with banners and links and products featured throughout. How?
Look closely, the ones with embedded sponsorlinks throughout and matching banners have a subtle, grey, screened-back header above the title that says “dedicated e-mail” even though the rest of the template is branded with their usual look, logo and style ‘Daily Candy Kids’ so that it looks identical.
The e-mail subject header carries the phrase tacked on at the end too.
I found several other corporate examples beyond WalMart: You could send a ‘peaceful baby’ holiday e-card from Pampers, get toy ideas (shown with Bratz CyberStyle Laptop and four featured product shots) via Sears, and always have that banner ad to remind you of the sponsor in case the sassy, upbeat, witty editorial distracted you.
My, my, bet you those ‘busy and hip’ parents will never have time to notice.
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