Three Minds On Digital Marketing @ Organic

There was an interesting article in the New York Times about how there has been a shift in new teen romances, "brands are more important than romantic relationships to the female protagonists' popularity." Dr. Naomi Johnson, a communication professor at Longwood University in Virginia wrote her dissertation on female characters' obsession with being pretty, thin and stylish. She did this by reviewing three popular teen series, "Clique", "Gossip Girl", and "A-List". What she found was interesting.

In these new teen romances, she wrote, "Heroines no longer become women through romance, they become feminine through consumption" On average, there was more than one brand mentioned per page and the bad guys are often indicated by their unfortunate brand choices. Although all the representatives of the "Clique" series were adamant that there had never been any paid product placement in these books, cross-promotion or barter exchange, the books are represented by Alloy Entertainment. One of Alloy's biggest revenue streams is product placement and they are "very good" at reaching the pre-teen and teenage audience.

This goes into the face of the rise of the Alpha Girl. Alpha Girls have an "emancipated confidence" that is raising self-esteem, reducing depression, and altering gender roles among girls and young women.

So what does this mean? Maybe the difference with the girls coming of age is that they want the same things girls have always wanted, but now they will provide the clothes, fun and happiness for themselves versus looking to a boy to make it happen for them.

Full article in the New York Times:
In Novels for Girls, Fashion Trumps Romance

Embarrassingly as it is to admit I have recently become obsessed with teen romance novels (I like vampires, fairies, witches rather than the mean fashionable girls).

Kari Girarde