Response to Georgia's "Thoughts on Marketing"

Please find Georgia's original post here.

Hi Georgia!

What a wonderful post!

            First off, I am so happy that you brought up Facebook. I too was surprised that no one mentioned it in class, so I wrote my post from last week on the future of social networks and not only our relationships with each other, but also God. I agree with your points regarding online advertising and Facebook. I have been ‘in a relationship’ for the past two years and have recently been getting ads pop up in my side bar for ‘Getting engaged? Wedding planner here!’ and ‘Diamonds rings for less!’ I also recently have been thinking of moving abroad to study and yet again, ads have been popping up asking me ‘Thinking of Studying Abroad? Look no further than the University of XXX’. I understand the marketing aspect of it and getting the product out there, however, it just is downright creepy. I remember last year during UTSU elections I logged on once and a candidates face was taking up my sidebar. The candidate ended up winning the election in a landslide and after talking to friends they said that they heard of them and their platform from the Facebook ad.

            Your mention of Nazi- related products hit home with me as well. My grandfather, who was in the navy during the war, could never understand why his Jewish Holocaust survivor neighbours had a fleet of Mercedes. He mentioned it to them one day and they blew him off saying that they liked the design and how it drove, not addressing what his point was in the first place.

Hitler and his Mercedes in the 1930s

           In speaking of the American Apparel fad, I understand the draw in wearing their clothing because of its ‘no sweatshop’ mentality, however I will never, ever, ever wear American Apparel. Not only is the quality atrocious, (my brother has a zip up hoodie that has already fallen apart from Christmas, while I am still wearing my Gap hoodie from grade nine), I just cannot stand the hipster mentality of the brand. I find the store incredibly irritating and have noticed that none of their products are unique. You know the nightmare of showing up to a party and wearing the same thing as twenty other people? Well, if you are an American Apparel fan… be ready for it. Speaking of which, I still cannot understand the fad of wearing a lace top with just a bra underneath from last summer, but that I will rant about on another blog.

            I too have seen the Hermes colouring book, however it was marketed as being ‘create your own Hermes art’ in Vogue. Other brands such as Louis Vuitton, Ugg Australia, Hugo Boss and Burberry (to name a few) have launched children’s lines with mini purses, boots and clothing to start little ones on the luxury good road early. 

Car companies such as Mercedes Benz sell mini foot peddled convertibles for toddlers to roll around in. My little cousin who is seven has a closet full of luxury clothing, a jewelry box full of Tiffany’s and a vintage 1960s Mercedes car that she can sit and drive. My aunt and uncle think it is ‘cute’ that she can match mummy and daddy. I keep thinking, just wait till she is sixteen and expects her own Mercedes to add to the family fleet. Maybe she’ll let me borrow it in exchange for my metropass. For some reason, I doubt it.

- K

Here is a blog of a very excited mother who recently found out that Saks carries Gucci for kids... exciting!