The Ultimate Infomercial - Dora The Explorer
By: Jon Lumerman
Last night I put my four year old to sleep. As she lay down on her Dora the Explorer sheets, placed her head gently on her Dora pillow and pulled up her Dora blanket, she innocently asked, “Daddy, when can I have a Dora lamp?”
Let’s get one thing straight. I am not standing on my soapbox proclaiming an end to children’s advertising. However, these children’s programs are nothing more than infomercials. You might hear Dora say, “Vamanos”, but all my daughter hears is, “BUY ME, BUY ME, BUY ME”. According to a Nickelodeon press release, Dora the Explorer is hotter than ever. In 5 years, Dora has made $5.3 billion in retail sales. Dora is not only a top seller but at this point a global mega brand. (Feb. 8, 2006 /PRNewswire)
I have watched episode after episode of Dora and have never been solicited an ad. Most children’s programming follows a similar format. The advertising is limited to a few minutes per hour, no ads are inserted in the middle of programs and the ads are targeted only at parents. (If someone can explain to me how ‘floam’ is targeted to parents and not kids, let me know – but I digress….)
The networks argue that some ad-supported business is needed to help finance the channel. It does not matter what silo you place Viacom, CBS, Nickelodeon and Simon & Schuster in, the bottom line is they are pulling in tons of money without placing a single ad during these programs. Why push their luck? With the FTC and the FCC constantly threatening involvement and the endless badgering by parenting groups how can you jeopardize a sure thing? On top of that – why would you take away from the quintessential product placement just to make a few extra dollars?
The adult viewer is usually able to discern when a product is being pitched to them when watching a program. A child, however, does not have these capabilities. A report from the American Psychological Association discusses that children under the age of 8 can’t grasp the notion that commercials have a purpose other than entertainment, and they completely believe what they see and hear. When they see Dora the Explorer running around wearing her backpack, before long they will be pestering their parents to buy them that same backpack – with Dora prominently displayed.
It is easy to cast blame. One side calls for the advertisers to make changes. It is an easy solution and it attracts national attention. The other side calls for parents to curb their children’s TV viewing. What we can do it try to be responsible. Advertising can be used in a positive manner to encourage and improve behavior. Principled advertising, especially to children, should always be a part of that message.
Anyway, it is time to take my daughter to school. She just finished brushing her teeth with her Dora the Explorer toothbrush, pulled on her Dora backpack and as she walks toward the door – I see a Dora band-aid peeking out of her shirt sleeve.
Jon Lumerman can be reached at JLumerman@EarthQuakeMedia.com