TheMerchantsofCool
1. WhattoKnow: Why has corporate America targeted teenagers? They have disposable income and want to spend their money, huge demographic (larger than baby boomer market)
2.
What does RobertMcChesney mean when he calls teenagers Africa? The generation Most studied generation in history
3.
To what extent is a typical American teenager exposed to advertisements? 3000 discreet advertisements a day; 10 million by the time theyre 18
4.
What does cool hunting mean? Why is it important for corporate America? Search for a certain personality
5.
How do cool hunters work? What techniques do they use? Go to where the teenagers go, document styles/tendencies/etc., speak with them to learn what is cool, etc.
6.
According to Douglas Rushkoff, the paradox of cool hunting is that it kills what it finds. Why? Once cool becomes corporate, it loses its coolness because what is cool is what is not corporate
7.
Marketers know that kids do not like or trust them. What strategies do they use to approach kids? They try to be cool or use reverse psychology to appeal to the teens emotions.
8.
What is the reason for Sprites success with teenagers? It became synonymous with the hip-hop culture.
9.
What does under-the-radar marketing mean?
Getting involved with the culture and lifestyles of the target market (guerilla marketing, marketing, viral covert marketing etc.)
10.
Who are defined as the true merchants of cool? AOL Time Warner, Disney, Rupert Murdoch, Viacom, Universal Vivendi, Fox, Newscorp
11.
According to RobertMcChesney, what weapons do the merchants of cool use? Music, Sports, Television, Radio, Video Games, etc.
12.
According to Mark Crispin Miller, why is the MTV machine not interested in listening to the young? It tunes in so it can figure out a pitch so Viacom can sell, its not listening to make the young happier though its all about the sale
13.
Why is Mark Crispin Miller quite concerned about gigantic transnational corporations and their TV shows? They have a lot of pressure on them (from debt, stockholders, etc.) and drag standards down to be profitable
14.
What does and mook and midriff mean? Mook: Crude, loud, abnoxious and in your face (tom green, jackass, south park, man show, howard stern) Midriff: Collection of female sexual stereotypes and clichs; women became sexual objectsflaunt your body, its your best asset
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What might a mook and a midriff have in common? Create a feedback loopthey project these qualities to teenagers who, in turn, become what is portrayed
16.
What is a feedback loop? Media watches kids and sell them images of themselves and kids watch the media and imitate what they see and it continues