I was driving down Islington Street today and absentmindedly looking at signs. I have no idea what the product was, because it just barely caught my eye before I passed it, but the most absurd sign struck me. It said “Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Banks on it.” Well, I thought, what the hell? What could Dale be “banking” on, a bank? And why would I want to do my banking where Dale Earnhardt, Jr. banks?

When I got back to my computer, I googled the sponsors Dale Earnhardt, Jr. currently endorses:

Anheuser-Busch: Personal and racing team sponsorship through 2007.
Kraft: "Team Kraft" drivers.
Chevrolet: Team and personal sponsorship.
Drakkar (men's cologne): Since 2003.
Enterprise Rent-A-Car: Since 2003.
Gillette: "Young Guns" promotion, new 2004.
Wrangler Jeans: Multiyear deal, new 2004.
Remington Arms: Since 2000.
Polaris: ATVs, new 2004, multiyear contract.
NAPA Auto Parts: Since 2003.
Nextel: Linked to Earnhardt through major NASCAR sponsorship.
Action Performance: Clothing licensee, through 2005.
VF Knitwear: Clothin
Nabisco: snack stuff

So it wasn’t even a bank! I’ve always had a rather extreme disdain for the advertising media, in all its insidious forms, especially when directed at kids. Ewuggabuggashivva – don’t even get me started on Ronald McEvilDonald (side note: Madison Avenue actually has a term for children through whom they woo their parents, 'backseat consumers' – cute, huh?) With celebrity endorsements, I just can’t help but laugh. Do they really think I’m going to hook up with American Express because Ellen does a cute little dance? We are supposed to believe the mouthpieces simply because they are famous.

Sadly, celebrity endorsements really do work, which is why they persist. This is sad, in my eyes, because it shows what weak sensibilities the American consumer has. The general public is so easily led – look around at not only the celebrity endorsements, but the self-help books, “life” coaches, motivational seminars, etc. The advertising and promotion business is probably the biggest business in the USA.

Here is what I have done to prevent my family as much as possible from our lives being interrupted by the pervasive, evil advertising media. First – I cut off the cable. I got so tired of corporate America telling my family what to buy, and paying them so much money for the privilege, that I finally told the cable company to come and get their box (yes, it was that long ago).

I told my son, at the time 14 years old, that I was doing it, and asked him if he was going to be really upset about not having TV (in our apartment at the time, the only reception we got was PBS). He shrugged and said that he didn’t really care. We’ve always been more music-oriented anyway, and found ourselves listening to CDs together after the baby was asleep instead of watching the tube. So we did it – and we never missed it.

About two years ago, my father presented me with a set of rabbit ears, the kind you can get for $25.00 – seems he was tired of having “nothing to do” when he and Mom came over to visit. (My father is a dyed-in-the-wool TV addict). So, I gave in, and now we have ABC, CBS and NBC as well as Maine and New Hampshire PBS stations.

My little boy doesn’t watch anything on the network stations, so I don’t have to worry about his exposure to advertising, although he gets more than his share at his dad’s house (note to self – must work on his dad!). When I’m watching TV, which is never until my son is in bed, I always try to mute out the ads. Most times, I’ll get up and do something else during the ads (with 6 pets and a 7 year old, there’s always something to do!).

Another trick is to lay off the magazines. That one is a little more difficult as I’m a Country Living junkie. The other mags, though, are nothing but advertising missiles. Go ahead, grab your Woman’s Day, and count the ads. Disgusting! You are paying for that! Also - never, ever pick up a "People" or "Us" or like magazine and stay away from shows like Entertainment Tonight. This will allow you to form a neutral opinion on celebrities, or even better, a "who the hell cares?" attitude.

Come on, America, let your own brain lead your spending habits. Isn’t the generic brand just as good as the name brand? Do you really need that Citibank card just because their ad portrays a really happy family growing old together just the way you always wanted to? And read your city’s water & sewer report. I’ll be willing to bet your tap water is just as good as Aquafina.

Lastly, I’ll leave you with this excerpt from the blog of Jeremy Zawodny, though the real author is unknown. As the author leaves behind the influences of corporate advertising, he/she has this final goodbye:
'I just feel bad for those of you I'm leaving behind. You'll be wearing your Slave Labor Nikes, sweating under a Third World Vest, listening to Everqueer or Fratboy Slim, your hair styled stupidly with gasoline and aborted pig placentas, trying to choke down a Double Meat Fuck Splattered Cow Testicles On The Slaughterhouse Floor Pus Coagulated Lactacious Secretion Yellow Dye #2 Deluxe. Man, will you be looking dumb. It makes me want to cry. You poor, oversugared demographic you. You're filling your apartments, your bodies, and your minds with useless junk. You stagger under your own weight, throwing money in random directions until you collapse and die, buried by a bunch of people who you failed to create meaningful human bonds with, who forget about you on the way home from the funeral.'

Hmmmmm.......while I am not a TV addict, I do enjoy a few programs regularly (Most of which are found on cable - usually the history channel, discovery health etc....plus we watch baseball & football and we get "unfair and unbalanced" news from Jon Stewart) We subscribe to 3 or 4 magazines (Time, PC, National Geographic and Photography)

I don't let the 3 yr old watch much TV outside of Noggin and PBS.

All of these mediums include advertising. So? I find commercials the perfect opportunity to "pee" or load the dishwasher - whatever.
I'm not magically turned into a Zombie, rushing out with my credit card to purchase every shiny item dangled before me. I have a brain and am able to "tune out" the garbage. Or - *GASP* - sometimes I'm even informed of a new product that will actually make my life easier in some way, and I'm glad to know it's out there so I can get it when I need it. (Otherwise I'd still be washing my clothes on a rock at the edge of the Squamscott River)

I find people who hold up wooden crosses and splash holy water at a TV commercial to be rather weak minded - otherwise why would they be so scared of being brainwashed by advertising? Is it ANNOYING to have commercials every 5 minutes, sure, but use the time wisely and productively and focus on enjoying the entertainment.
And is it really that hard to turn an extra page to skip a magazine ad?

Sheeeeesh

No, I'm not holding up crosses and tossing holy water, and I'm hardly weak minded (c'mon CZ, you're talkin to bully here). I am hot headed though and one thing that gets under my skin is the attempts at subversive coercion by the advertising media.

You know, I have the *mind strength* to hold up to cheesy ploys by Tylenol (stop! think!) and Robert DeNiro's unforgivable use of 9/11 to pitch "his life, his card." But kids don't. And when my 7 year old returns from only 2 days at Dad's singing 5 different commercial jingles and asking for Gogurt Smoothies because he actually thinks it's going to make him able to do the breakdancing, I get pissed.

And you can't keep them from it just by monitoring their TV usage. It's not just TV commercials or magazine ads (and I'm not going to pay four bucks for a bunch of crappy ads, I'll go online and get it for free, and enable my pop up blocker, thank you). It's everywhere. Go into Wendy's for a soda, look where they put the kid's meal ads - about 24 inches from the ground on the front door, eye level with anyone over the age of 2. Advertising directed at children is everywhere that they are, just take a look. Even PBS for Christ's sake is not immune -- some of the shows are just half hour long commercials for dolls and toys.

I'm curious if you clicked on the link attached to "backseat consumers." It's a great article published *online* by Businessweek.

PS I just had to comment on Dale Earnhardt, Jr's use of Anheuser-Busch as a sponsor - WTF? Do we really want a race car driver sponsored by beer? Especially one who's father died in a car crash?

Bully - I would NEVER refer to YOU as weakminded.... I just don't think ads are a big deal. If my kid sees something in a commercial she just "has to have", I simply say "No."

I believe parental guidance outweighs media barrage. At least it SHOULD. Let the kid hum the catchy jingle. It's just music. If you show them that YOU and THEY have control over what you purchase, then they've learned a valuable lesson. And they won't suddenly be overwhelmed with decision making when they are older. As for Dale Earnhardt - he's in business. Bud pays the most money. And they get their product shown to hundreds of thousands of beer drinkers (who, if they don't already drink a 12 pk of Bud a day anyway, will know they have a choice in how they get sh*tfaced. If seeing Bud and Viagra cars speed across your screen is offensive to you, turn your channel to PBS.

Ha ha! CZ, I'd need more than a 12 pk of Bud to sit through 5 minutes of a NASCAR event!

I'll have to concede that it was a very cute sight to see my 7 year old trying to spin around on his head on the kitchen floor in an effort to shake up his Gogurt smoothie in just the right way.

I have two pet peeves about advertising.

1.) They always use sex somewhere to sell a product. (I've used Herbal Essences a few times and I still haven't had an orgasm!) Using the shampoo, that is.

2.) The absolute biggest bunch of BS that goes on right in front of your eyes. All you need to do is look at the disclaimers at the bottom.

A) Wives Tales or Hocus Pocus Medicines-BS=These claims have not been proven or approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

B) Tylenol-
I'm not a doctor, but I do "PLAY" one on TV. (Are we really this gullible in America?)

C) GNC Exercise in a Bottle-
This is one of my all time favorites. Results NOT typical. For best results, exercise regularly, eat a low fat, low carbohydrate diet and drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water a day. (Why even call it EIB, why not call it "Make Us Filthy Rich, You Stupid Lazy Bastards".

Just curious; How do you feel about schools sending out Gift Wrapping Fundraisers, or Magazine Fundraisers. They show all sorts of cheap toys advertised right in front cover of the catalogs to motivate the kids to be mini sales and marketing representatives.

"Kids if you sell 100 magazine subscriptions you can choose your pick of either a Magic Glow in the Dark Yo-Yo, A Pack of 25 Yugio Trading Cards, or A Five Dollar Gift Card to McDonald's"

I send in a decent donation instead of selling. I have asked the school every year not to put fund-raising materials in my son's book bag. Every year one comes home regardless. On the bus ride home he's trying to figure out how he can sell enough items to earn those darn Yugio cards.

Oh yes - don't you love the new wave of medicine ads? As if this country wasn't medicated enough. There was a great column written about the pharmaceutical industry's advertising blitz by Stephen King that I found on the net while doing research a few months ago but can't find it now, or I'd link it. Ironically enough, I'm pretty sure it was in the online Entertainment Weekly.

As for school fundraisers - those things they send home for the kids to sell, I toss it out and like you said, make donations some other way. (I'll buy lots of Krispy Kreme donuts) :)

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