Merchants of Cool and "Jersey Shore"

After viewing the documentary “Merchants of Cool,” I must say that I’m impressed with the research that has been done, and I would have to agree that pretty much the same concept of targeting teens has been going on for years. It may be unethical, but I think it was a brilliant idea for the advertising industry. The video basically explains how marketing and advertising industries target teens, the largest market available with the most expendable income. Some of the methods are a bit odd, and it seems that the trendsetters are being targeted and exploited. The documentary focuses mostly on MTV and Sprite, two partners in one of the largest marketing campaigns in the world. MTV has maintained a very important role on the influence of yesterday and today’s generations. When it came to advertising, MTV went to great lengths to grasp the attention of teenagers, who in turn, had the attention of their parents. By grasping these teenagers attention, MTV has been able to grow and introduce new trends throughout the years by incorporating advertising into everything they do , including music videos, sponsoring concerts and events, and most importantly to me, their reality TV. Targeting teens through such a large campaign has its consequences, though. As the video pointed out, there is a certain amount of “feedback” occurring with media and teens, where researchers find the small trends, make them big, convince bands to sell out, then let the trends die. Jersey Shore is one of many reality TV shows that have gotten teenagers hooked because apparently some want to be like them. Teenagers like to party, granted. But on the hit reality show “Jersey Shore” these groups of Italian-Americans are paid to do nothing but party and create drama. With partying comes drinking, mistakes, and confusion. Its bad enough Jersey Shore gives the illusion to young girls that drinking and dancing on bars is the way to go. I think that pop culture has come a long way now, however, I feel it’s always been consistent. The point is that teens are the generation who are somewhat coming out of their innocence, discovering their identity, wanting to party hard, and have every possible experience they can. With “Jersey Shore” I think that MTV has teens watching this show telling them that hey, you’re wanna know what partying hard is? Watch this! MTV is telling teenage girls out there with this show that you’re not the only ones with complex relationship issues, these guys on Jersey Shore have complications in their love life too! All in all, I think that selling to teens through the media has become pretty easy. You see it on TV, you wanna buy it and be it..