by Patty Barrett, Office ManagerThroughout our lives, there are pivotal moments where we get to know ourselves a little better. Generally, we learn through our relationships with other people, our life experiences, our trials and tribulations… but for me, it came through a Gossip Girl marathon.
Gossip Girl promotes a life that is not typical of the average American teenager. There are generally no vodka martinis, fancy brunches, masquerade balls, or jet setting to another country in a private plane to get over a bad breakup. However, it’s such an enviable way of life, and people will do whatever they can to live that way with the means provided to them. If you can dress like Blair Waldorf, then why wouldn’t you? I’ve noticed in recent back-to-school catalogs that retail chains are selling their clothes with images of Gossip Girl¬-style characters so people will connect with those images and buy whatever will make them look like someone on the show.
And by “people” I mean “me”.
Watching the show made me realize just how easily I can be persuaded to buy certain brands. If I have a crush on someone on the show (is that creepy? I mean, they aren’t actually teenagers…) then I’m more willing to buy a brand they promote. If one of the girls is on the cover of a magazine talking about her secrets for perfect lived-in waves – I’m all over it.
And it’s not just Gossip Girl, I’ve always been this way without knowing. I’d wear berets like Cher in Clueless and drool over the Oscar de la Renta gowns and Manolo Blahniks that Carrie would wear in Sex and the City. It amazes me how strongly the consumers are affected by even the slightest product placement or endorsement in the media. We all like to pretend we’re immune to advertising and marketing, but it has a way of biting us whether we like it or not.
Especially undercover 13-year olds like me.
Editor's note: GOSSIP GIRL® is a registered trademark owned and controlled by AMP's parent company, Alloy Media, LLC
No comments:
Post a Comment