Post: Wal-Mart Elves: Crass Commercialism, Interactive ‘Tude
Wal-Mart Elves: Crass Commercialism, Interactive ‘Tude
We’re barely back to school, it’s not even Halloween, yet the mass muck of Christmas consumerism is filling the aisles, as marketers turn up the volume on pester power to target parents relentlessly.
Wal-Mart is leading the techno-begging frenzy with a whimsically cheerful interactive toyland site of smarmy back-talking elves with attitude.
These obnoxiously sassy lil’ fellas spurt out kid-speak like, “puhhhleeeze” and “very funny…NOT!” Is there really a need to further incentivize annoying voices? Power shopping prepubescents? Cartoon icons that talk with ‘tude?
We’ve already created a Born to Buy culture that’s Consuming Kids and pounding parents in every direction…(those two books are my "positive picks," by the way) Yet somehow, this Wal-Mart holiday promo reaches new lows in blatantly cajoling kids. For starters...
Wal-Mart’s wish meter uses subversive, taunting techniques.
Each time a child clicks "yes" to create a toy and add it to their storage, kids receive thundering applause. If kids click "no," the elves tease each other about how they could be out of jobs! Then they immediately counter-market to kids saying they can always change their noggin to pull it out of their dumptruck trash bin. And kids…
You can make your list "longer, faster, stronger, we have the technology!"
Gee, thanks, Wal-Mart, nice values there. Sound off, parents. This is
"click-n-consumerism" of the worst kind.
Read the rest of this entry on ShapingYouth.org, where it originally appeared. To send a letter to Wal-Mart about the holiday Web site, visit Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood.
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Date: October 20, 2006
Walmart just keeps sinking lower. They're not even trying to be subtle. I wrote earlier this week in my blog about Walmart's attempt to jump on the 'fair trade' bandwagon and many others have written about their blog-fraud (www.blogher.org has several great articles). Manipulating children in this way is unconscionable. Another reason to keep the computer in a central location and keep on top of what our kids doing online.
Link: http://notjustaboutcancer.blogspot.com