Got Milk Photo Shoot

Hannah Montana/Jonas Brothers Concert Insanity

So I've been hearing a lot about the crazy ticket prices for the "Miley Cyrus as Hannah Montana with Jonas Brothers" concert and thought Id look into how much it would cost to go and shoot one of these concerts for the doc. Results? DC on Jan. 7th would be the closest location. And $305 is the cheapest ticket. $1975 is tops. Man oh man! See my previous Oct 21st post about the Jonas Brothers if you wanta hear that bitch fest. And don't even get me started on these ticket prices.

Also check out just two of the weird articles about this phenomenon below...

Y98 High Heel Derby for Hannah Montana Tickets
The rain stopped just as the races were to start, and it was a great day for a High Heel Derby. 50 men, selected at random, competed for tickets to see Hannah Montana at the Scottrade Center. Plus, there was a random drawing for tickets of everyone who registered for the High Heel Derby.




And I didn't find any photos for this one, but...

Man hangs on to 'Hannah Montana' statue for 6 days to win concert tickets (The Canadian Press)
Nov 15, 2007 - TAMPA, Fla. - Some people will do anything to make a kid happy.
Jody Powell, 35, hung on to a 3 1/2-metre statue of "Hannah Montana" for the better part of six days to win tickets to a sold-out concert by Miley Cyrus, star of the Disney Channel TV show. The concert will be held next week in Tampa.
"I'm ecstatic. It's like a dream come true," said Powell, holding four tickets to the show and a photo of his fiancee with her seven-year-old daughter, also named Hannah.
Twenty contestants started Nov. 8, placing a hand on the 180-kilogram statue in the parking lot of radio station WFLZ-FM, the contest's sponsor. They were allowed 12-minute breaks every three hours and got catered meals, but weren't allowed books, cellphones or iPods.
Powell was declared the winner Wednesday afternoon when the other remaining contestant, Lara Padgett, became distracted and let go.
"That sun really got to me today," said Padgett, who later was checked out at a hospital because she wasn't feeling well. "I took my hand off the fur-lined boot."
But the two had already made a deal. Powell gets the tickets, and Padgett will use the two backstage passes that are part of the prize package. They'll split a $5,000 cash prize.

Natalie Portman Wears Elizabeth and James

Nov. 11 - Showing that the twins do have fashion appeal outside of the tween market, Natalie Portman was in New York City at the DGA Theatre for the “Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium” event wearing a short pink mini from the newest Olsen line Elizabeth and James.

Comedian Kathy Griffin & MK

MK Hospitalized - Kidney Infection

After making a triumphant return to the small screen, Mary-Kate Olsen unfortunately had to watch the season finale of Weeds from a hospital bed.
The 21-year-old actress is suffering from a kidney infection and has been hospitalized in New York, her rep told People Monday.
But the prognosis is good.
Rep Nicole Caruso said that Olsen, who was admitted to the emergency room earlier today, is "resting comfortably and will be released in the next day or so."

More Famous Two For Ones

I almost forgot about the sweet valley twins. I use to read these books in 5th grade or so and its probably one of the first times I personally was hit with the dual personality marketing strategy. Back then I was the target rather than the critic and I remember the success of the strategy quite well. Jessica was the feminine/boy crazy one and Elizabeth was the tomboyish/school focused one. I remember relating mostly to Elizabeth, but having some connection to Jessica. Jessica's enjoyment of her friends and parties was something I could relate to, but her more boy crazy ways were off putting. Elizabeth's interest in playing sports and her more school focused attitude was appealing to me, but then other times she seemed a little uptight. I was definitely being sold products, but also messaging about what a girl should be and how a girl should act through the positive and negatives of each girl.

Here's an online book review that I found for the above pictured book. The little girl who keeps her book reviews has no idea how much I appreciate her sharing these thoughts with all of us.

"This story is about two girls and their names are Elizabeth, and Jessica. Elizabeth and Jessica are identical. Elizabeth and Jessica look alike on the outside but they aren't alike in the inside. Elizabeth likes green and likes school and would play adventure or practice soccer outside, but Jessica likes pink and likes sharing secrets and likes recess and likes playing with her dolls and stuffed animals inside."

An even earlier twin show (though they were suppose to be cousins, but same marketing strategy) was the Patty Duke Show. The Patty Duke Show was a sitcom which ran on ABC from September 18, 1963 to the final episode aired on May 4, 1966 and repeats through August 31, 1966. The show was created as a vehicle for rising star Patty Duke, who had recently won an Academy Award for The Miracle Worker.

Patty Lane (played by Duke) was a normal teenager living in the Brooklyn Heights section of New York City, who loved boys, ice cream, and sleepovers. In the first episode, her "identical cousin" Cathy Lane (also played by Duke) arrived in the United States from Scotland to live with Patty's family. Their close physical resemblance to each other is explained by their fathers being identical twin brothers.

Patty's father, Martin (Schallert, who also played Cathy's father in a handful of episodes), was the managing editor of the fictitious New York Chronicle; Cathy's father also worked for the Chronicle as a foreign correspondent. It was Cathy's father's wish that she complete her secondary schooling in the United States before she would be allowed to return to Scotland. Cathy was much more worldly, and the aggravations that came from the two girls' very different personalities set the tone for much of the sitcom. The show's theme song, which has since been parodied many times over in pop culture, illustrates the two girls' differences: Cathy adores the minuet, the Ballet Russe, and crêpes suzette, while Patty loved to rock 'n' roll; a hot dog "made her lose control."

Dancing as Fast as They Can

Just in Case You Couldn't Tell Us Apart..or, You Wear the White Hat and I'll Wear the Black this week

Ashley and Mary Kate Olsen


Paris and Nicky Hilton


Ashlee and Jessica Simpson



Haley and Hillary Duff

The Gold Sisters

From PM Magazine. This could be useful down the road for looking at celebrity kids/siblings. Also, pretty fun for those of us who remember Growing Pains and Benson. (Note to self, Directed by Louise Palanker, 1984)

Twin Personas - Selling Both Sides of One Coin

This dual personality idea in Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus functions much like MK and A. Twin sides of one coin. The built in duality of the marketed object is sheer money-making brilliance, as well as a totally frustrating manipulation of tween girl fans. Basically, everything you buy...you'll can have two of...one of Hannah's as well as one of Miley's. There's just one brand...but because of its duality it can reflect nearly anything back at you.

Every time I think about this marketing strategy I can almost see this fast dancing, tricky animated character (maybe a coked out teletubbie who's gotten a job to serve his habit) bopping around a girl who's been overwhelmed by all the dazzling colors of the limitless product lines. Poking and prodding he aims to find out what she wants to buy. Who is she? Who does she want to be? What can he say that will make her BUY? He playfully works to find out how she identifies, is she the: bold girl or the shy girl? good girl or the bad gir?. creative girl or the academic girl? athlete or the cheerleader? Whatever she wants him to sell to help her be a better version of herself, or a better someone else, he's got it. Or he'll get it. Just step right up and identify with one of the two sides of the coin and he'll roll out the red carpet product line just for you. And once you're done with that and want to try something else...he can sell you the other one, the one you didn't buy before.

And at some point I feel he should say, "Just remember, the first ones free...but after that...you'll have to pay. And pay. And pay. And pay. And pay. And pay...."

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Below is an excerpt from: Cyrus/Montana -- Disney's dominating 'duo' -- thrills the tweens
By ANDY SPLETZER

The lights dim, and that's when the screaming starts. Thousands of preteen girls watch excitedly as a cage of video screens descends from the ceiling playing a silhouette of Disney star Hannah Montana.

When it lands, the blond superstar emerges in a sparkling silver dress and high boots, and the screaming gets even louder. That's when a man offers me $20 for two sets of earplugs, which I just give him for free. I'm sure it's the only thing he didn't pay for all night.

On the hit TV show that shares her character's name, 14-year-old Miley Cyrus (daughter of "Achy-Breaky" country star Billy Ray Cyrus) plays a brown-haired high school student named Miley Stewart who is secretly the blond-haired pop sensation Montana.

The premise of the show is reflected in many of the Montana songs, like the opening number "Rock Star" in which she sings about how she's a strong but shy girl who "might even be a rock star."

Cyrus plays her Montana persona perfectly. She owns the stage, and moves from one song to the next without a stutter or stumble. At 14, she has a stage presence that many performers two or three times her age don't.

When all else fails she strikes her rock-star pose by locking one knee, bending forward at the waist, looking out to the crowd and thrusting her right hand in the air, palm up, making a "gimme more applause" gesture.

To close the show, Cyrus rises up on a platform at the end of the runway wearing a leather vest over a white shirt, a wide belt and bedazzled black leggings with white boots. A fake wind blows through her hair.

As the other half of the Best of Both Worlds Tour, Cyrus feels more like a persona than Hannah Montana. The songs are more guitar-driven, the outfits more adult, and the lyrics imply a string of bad boyfriends -- but it feels like imaginary drama taken from high school poetry, as if she's pretending to be older than she is. Only her country-influenced song, "I Miss You," dedicated to her dead grandfather, has a level of sincerity missing from the rest of the set.

By the end of the concert, the kids in the audience seemed tired. It wasn't until they got outside that they got all excited again, flaunting their $30 Hannah Montana shirts, their $20 programs, their $15 laminates, and $10 wristbands.

Rah, Rah, Rah, Sis, Boom, BLAHHH! - Officially Rejected by American Girl

Noone can say I didn't give them a chance to speak for themselves in my obviously "high-quality production"....

***********
My email to them via their online media request form:
Name: Shannon Silva
Publication: Documentary
Does this person want to be on the mailing list?: No
Additional Information: Hello, I am currently working on a documentary that looks at the rise and evolution of the girls tween market and I would very much like to interview a marketing representative from American Girl. With the various brands out today it would be unfortunate not to respresent American Girl, one of the largest brands in the market. If someone could please contact me by phone to discuss this possibility I would be greatly appreciative.

Their response nearly two weeks later:
Shannon,
Thank you very much for your interest in including American Girl in your upcoming documentary project. Although your film is obviously a high-quality production, we are going to take a pass on the opportunity. American Girl takes a very conservative approach when it comes to discussing the development and marketing of our products. We don’t release specific marketing strategies or financial information. Also, we operate on a very lean staff and schedules are such that it’s very difficult to coordinate interviews.

Again, thank you for your interest and best wishes for the success of the film.

Sincerely,
Susan
Susan Jevens
Senior PR Associate
American Girl

Jessica Weiner - “Real Girls/Real Advice” for MKA Site

Jessica Weiner is an Author, Self-Esteem Expert, and Advice Columnist who reaches audiences worldwide through her books, speaking engagements, and media appearances. Her ground-breaking and empowering work in self-discovery and self-esteem with women and teens motivates and inspires them to become Actionists™ by taking action in their everyday lives. Her emerging brand, “With Jess™”, is dedicated to reinforcing its motto, “Find you. Feel Good.”

Jess's new book, "Life Doesn’t Begin 5 Pounds From Now” (Simon and Schuster ’06), attempts to decode the ‘language of fat’ that women speak every day and explores how body image controls the way women think about all aspects of their lives: health, wealth, family, career, and relationships. It’s a step by step guide to loving your body and developing the attributes of Inner Style™: self-confidence, self-knowledge, and self-acceptance.

Jess's first book, "A Very Hungry Girl" (Hay House/September ’03), chronicles her own self-discovery and ultimate recovery from an eating disorder and explores how she has helped thousands of young people address a multitude of self-esteem related issues.

Jess is the self-esteem expert for The Tyra Banks show and is a regular contributor for The Today Show and CNN Showbiz Tonight. She currently writes about body image and self-esteem for CosmoGirl! Magazine and is serving as the “soul goal” coach for the CG Body/Soul Challenge. Jess also writes a blog for iVillage entitled “The Weighting Game”, discussing pop culture trends, body image, and issues of self-esteem with over 70 million women worldwide.

Jess reaches the ‘tween and teen market through her advice column entitled “Real Girls/Real Advice” for the Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen website. (www.mary-kateandashley.com). This popular column is read by over one million girls in 10 countries around the world. It provides advice on issues ranging from self esteem, boys, popularity, friendship, family, and body image.

Jess recently received The Outstanding Young Californian Award by the California Jaycees to honor leaders under the age of 40. She became the youngest recipient to be honored by Penn State University with an Alumni Achievement Award. Her work has been featured on, Oprah, CNN, TODAY, THE EARLY SHOW, MTV, The View, Good Morning America and in The Washington Post, Teen People and countless other media outlets.

When she is not busy changing the world, she likes to walk on fire.