Commercialism Corner

Commercialism Corner: Your one-stop shop for quick summaries and links to all the latest news about the commercialization of childhood.

Bribes: How Food Corporations Keep Opponents Quiet – Marion Nestle exposes how corporations buy advocacy groups’ silence.  This time Save the Children stopped advocating in favor of soda taxes after accepting millions from Pepsi and seeking more from Coke. http://www.theatlantic.com/food/archive/2010/12/bribes-how-food-corporations-keep-opponents-quiet/68210/

How Toy Crazes Are Born - This Wall Street Journal article explains how marketers exploit kids' natural developmental tendencies to whip up collectible toy frenzies. http://www.commercialfreechildhood.org/news/2010/12/howtoycrazes.html


Mint.com Hits The Books; Offers Personal Finance Curriculum To Students – Scholastic’s newest in-school advertising partner, Mint.com, is “a free, online program designed to educate middle-school students about personal finance and financial management.”  At http://www.scholastic.com/mint/ teachers can print lesson plans around sponsored videos like “Quest for Credit” and schoolchildren can play games like “Quest for Money.” http://techcrunch.com/2010/12/20/mint-com-hits-the-books-offers-personal-finance-curriculum-to-students/

Coca-Cola Infiltrates Teen Social Network WeeWorld – Coke takes over the social network for teens with a Coke Party Room, Coke video game, Coke virtual products and integrated billboards.  The site is supposedly for teens 13+, but the advertising for Build-a-Bear suggests a younger target audience. http://mashable.com/2010/12/17/coca-cola-infiltrates-teen-social-network-weeworld/

Not So Happy Meals – This New York Times editorial expresses support for efforts to curb fast food marketing to children. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/20/opinion/20mon4.html