Buy, buy love, buy, buy happiness: MKA, Celebrity and the Girl's Tween Market

New York Fashion Week: The Row by Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen

2011-09-26T11:52:00.000-07:00

New York Fashion Week: The Row by Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen
Check it out. MKA's Row is a hit with the critics.

2011-09-25T14:31:00.000-07:00

The first reference to "tweens," by the way, was in a 1938 Mickey Rooney movie, Love Finds Andy Hardy, when young Judy Garland sings, "I'm too old for toys and I'm too young for boys; I'm in-be-tween."

Upscale and EXPENSIVE the New Celebrity Trend

2011-08-31T07:22:00.000-07:00

(For Five Figures, That Look of Celebrity
By AUSTIN CONSIDINE - Excerpts from article. Click on link above to go to original, full piece.)

When Victoria Beckham announced this month that her fashion line was releasing an alligator-skin handbag costing nearly $30,000, the price tag might have seemed shocking, if not, perhaps, for the $34,000 alligator-skin backpack revealed in July by The Row, the design outfit of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.

In the past, celebrity branding has targeted a decidedly more down-market clientele: teenagers, the movie-star-obsessed and shoppers seeking some affordable piece of Hollywood glamour. Jeans by Jessica Simpson and athletic shoes by Kim Kardashian have been inexpensive and accessible, to say nothing of clothing lines for Kmart and Wal-Mart by teenage idols like Selena Gomez and Miley Cyrus, respectively.

...until now, celebrity brands have mostly stayed away from five-figure fashion. Indeed, do women who are willing to pay tens of thousands of dollars for a designer bag really care about (or even want) pop celebrity branding? Why not a Hermès, Delvaux or Balenciaga, luxury bags with impeccable sophisticated reputations?

If the difficulty in getting one of the new Beckham or Olsen bags is any indication, the answer to the first question may be “yes.” Colin T. McDonald, a professional stylist based in New York, is trying to buy one of the Olsen Row backpacks on behalf of a client who is, he said, marrying into “a very prominent and affluent Russian family” in New York. So far, he’s stuck on the waiting list.

The Row bag is available only at Barneys; Ms. Beckham’s bag is made to order. Such scarcity, combined with the celebrity seal, Mr. McDonald said, was enough to drive demand among buyers for whom money is no object. “It’s a luxury market, and it’s not about the price tag,” Mr. McDonald added. “It’s about what they can’t have that they must have.”

Perhaps the line between high- and low-end celebrity fashion is blurring: With The Row, Ms. Lomrantz added, “It’s not so much a traditional celebrity clothing line, as in, ‘Here’s a way for you to look like me for less,’ but a legitimate fashion venture from two people who have great taste and happen to have been on a little show called ‘Full House.’ ”

And for one of my favorite MKA quotes....

2011-07-31T15:00:00.001-07:00

in a Letterman interview MKA once explained how their parents had told them early on that "No - is a full sentence" when it came to turning down things they didnt feel like doing. Now, the t-shirt club has a t with the same sentiment. I knida love it.

Get Ready for Back to School - MKA Style!

2011-07-31T14:50:00.001-07:00

Okay, so maybe The Row Backpack that MKA just unveiled is not meant for back to school...but really at $39,000 what/who is it meant for?

Lordy!

yes please

2011-06-01T17:30:00.000-07:00

"SexyBack" meets Full House!

The new Us Weekly, out Wednesday, reports that Justin Timberlake and Ashley Olsen -- both newly single, former child stars with their own fashion labels -- have been inseparable (and flirty!) in and around NYC of late.

One insider close to the pair (spotted together at the Greenwich Hotel, a Saturday Night Live afterparty, two Broadway shows and a polo match outside the city) tells Us: "They are hooking up."

Adds another source of the unexpected twosome, who both ended high-profile relationships in March (he with Jessica Biel after four years together, she with actor Justin Bartha after two years): "They're really trying to keep it on the down-low."

(A rep for Timberlake denies anything non-platonic, telling Us: "They are friends. They are not romantically involved.")

Still, an Olsen source says that the former sitcom kid turned fashion mogul is "aware of Justin's reputation with women, but...They're in the same head space."

“He Whose Name Must Not Be Spoken.”

2011-06-01T17:21:00.000-07:00

So lots of time lost in reconverting found footage media to the correct file format, but while this has been happening Ive had the time to look at footage carefully for sound edits for a few animation segments. Its terribly interesting that in 2004 MKA were able to say that their company had come into being by the works of their "dad...well parents...and Robert Thorne." But in 2006 and 2008, when talking about the buyout, could only refer to RT as "our other partner(s)." Is Thorne indeed Voldemort?

Dear Parents, dont be such a drag. luv, icarly

2011-05-02T13:27:00.000-07:00

Another match made in...

2011-02-09T13:12:00.001-08:00

click on above title to go to original post

El Segundo-based toy maker Mattel has inked a licensing agreement with online fashion game maker Stardoll, Stardoll announced today. Stardoll runs an online fashion virtual world for teen and tween girls. Financial details of the licensing deal were not disclosed. Stardoll said that the deal will take the Stardoll brand from the virtual into the physical world, with first products to become available in autumn of this year. Stardoll is backed by Sequoia Capital and Index Ventures, and is based in Stockholm, Sweden.

Stardoll can be accessed at: http://www.stardoll.com/en/

Little Sister with Two New Films

2011-01-22T13:58:00.000-08:00

CLICK ON ABOVE TITLE FOR ORIGINAL STORY

Olsen twins' little sister makes Sundance debut (Reuters)
Source: ReutersFri Jan 21, 2011, 6:24 pm EST 144 Comments Buzz up!

PARK CITY, Utah (Hollywood Reporter) - No Sundance first-timer arrives in Park City with more fame-by-association than Elizabeth Olsen, the younger sister of media moguls Mary-Kate and Ashley. But the buzz surrounding Olsen on the occasion of her first festival is anything but gratuitous: She tackles two meaty dramatic roles in the much-anticipated "Martha Marcy May Marlene," in which she portrays a young woman who escapes a cult and "Silent House," the late-addition non-competition thriller about another young woman grappling for sanity.

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, the younger Olsen reflects on her feature-film debut, her love of studying psychology and what she's learned about fame from her famous sisters.

The Hollywood Reporter: Okay, let's get the obvious question out of the way. What's it like having the Olsen twins as your sisters?

Elizabeth Olsen: I grew up with it so I don't know anything different! The only thing that I struggled with growing up is that I wanted to be an actor but I was very nervous to actually work. I think that's why I focused so much on theater. I thought theater was a safer place because it's more free of media.

THR: How does it feel to have not one, but two films screening at your first Sundance?

Olsen: I'm so excited! I was very happy to hear "Martha Marcy May Marlene" made the competition. We actually just finished filming "Silent House" in November, so that was a thrill too.

THR: How did you get the role in "Martha Marcy May Marlene?"

Olsen: I was filming "Peace, Love and Misunderstanding," a movie directed by Bruce Beresford, last summer and we had Monday and Tuesdays off for weekends so I would come into the city and audition. I was obsessed with the script. Sean Durkin, the director, was there at both of the auditions, and then we met for tea one time and it just seemed like a really good fit for both of us.

THR: The story has shades of Elizabeth Smart's ordeal in Utah. What kind of research did you do to prepare?

Olsen: The story is based loosely based off of two cults that the director knew about. It's not a true story specifically, but inspired by these different groups that he heard of in the U.S. and the U.K.

THR: What was it about playing this character that most interested you?

Olsen: Well, I find mental illnesses fascinating. In fact, right now I'm taking a class on Freud at New York University.

THR: "Silent House" is essentially one long shot of you descending into madness. Did you intend to make two films in a row about people losing their minds?

Olsen: No! "Silent House" was actually a totally different animal. It actually made me physically sick because it was very exhausting to keep the momentum of the fear and terror in one shot. But yes, basically people look at my face for an hour and a half.

THR: What are your ultimate goals moving forward?

Olsen: I've been training in theater and dance since I was a kid, so being in front of a camera was really the most frightening thing. Right now I'm just trying to balance school and acting, going script by script. I hope I will be able to do stage and film work. I really love it all.

THR: Well, you've certainly come a long way since guest-starring in your sisters' made-for-DVD movies, "The Adventures of Mary-Kate and Ashley," in the early '90s.

Olsen: Yes. When I was a little girl, my parents would pick me up from elementary school and my sisters would be at the set, so my afterschool care was basically hanging out there. They would be like, "Hey Lizzie, you want to be on this one?" I would be like, "Okay!," and then they would put gum in my hair.

THR: What are the most valuable lessons your sisters have taught you about show business?

Olsen: Well, first of all, our family is very close. We keep our values and our personal lives very private. I think my sisters are also very smart businesswomen and they work endless hours people don't realize that. Fame is a really weird thing, and I think my sisters have handled themselves very well. It's really something for me to know that you never have to get caught up in it; you can just go on with your work.

Always following in her footsteps

2011-01-17T10:53:00.001-08:00

Mary-Kate, Hillary, Lilo, Miley

What Kid Stars Make

2010-10-08T13:52:00.000-07:00

(Hollywood Reporter) — "Two and a Half Men's" Angus T. Jones, 16, who plays Charlie Sheen's nephew, has inked a $300,000-per-episode contract, according to TMZ, who examined court papers filed on his behalf in Los Angeles Superior Court as he's a minor. This makes Jones — who will earn, at a minimum, $7.8 million over the next two seasons plus a $500,000 signing bonus — the highest-paid child TV star.

Other kids who earn big: Miranda Cosgrove, who makes $180,000 per episode of her Nickelodeon hit "iCarly"; Selena Gomez, with $25,000 per episode of her Disney Channel show "Wizards of Waverly Place"; and Dylan and Cole Sprouse, who reportedly earn $20,000 per episode of Disney Channel's "The Suite Life."

Miley Cyrus earned $15,000 per episode of "Hannah Montana" on the Disney Channel, according to the Post. But Parade magazine reports she made $18.2 million in 2008 thanks to sold-out concerts and merchandising deals. People says she was slated to sell $1 billion in Hannah-related merchandise.

MKA on Ellen

2010-09-24T09:45:00.000-07:00

Brooke Shields, Age 15

2010-09-24T09:33:00.001-07:00

2010-09-01T10:38:00.000-07:00

Shop Assistants Mary-Kate And Ashley Olsen

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen will work on the cash registers at the launch of their pop-up Elizabeth + James shop in New York on September 10.

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen will man the tills at the launch of their pop-up shop in New York.

The fashionable twins are opening a pop-up branch of Elizabeth + James in the city's West Village during New York Fashion Week, and will work on the tills for one hour, ringing up customers at the registers from 7pm until 8pm on September 10.

The range - named after Mary-Kate and Ashley's brother and sister - features a number of looks the twins are fan of, including oversized shirts, ankle boots and belted waists.

Recently the 24-year-old sisters - who have three fashion collections; The Row, Elizabeth + James and Olsenboye - recently revealed they would love to dress US First Lady Michelle Obama.

Ashley said: "I'd love to get Michelle Obama in The Row. The simple suits and things. It's all made in America, so why not?"

Discussing their own style inspiration, Mary-Kate added the twins were taught to look elegantly from an early age.

She said: "When we were growing up, our mother taught us never to have your belly button exposed."

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you

2010-08-24T11:39:00.000-07:00

Highly recommend the Marie Claire article to anyone interested in MKA. No huge revelations, just some nice honesty. It was what it was. The idea that they were little business women making their own decisions at age 6 is just not realistic...and now MK gives us her own insight about it all.

EXCERPT (Click on Title Above for full article)
Mary-Kate Olsen has opened up about her extraordinary childhood in the September issue of US Marie Claire, saying: 'I wouldn't wish my upbringing on anybody.'

One half of the world's most famous twin-set, Mary-Kate and sister Ashley grew up in front of the lens, after finding fame on kids TV show Full House.

'I look at old pictures of me, and I don't feel connected to them at all,' says the 24-year-old, describing her and her sister as 'little monkey performers.'

'But I wouldn't take it back for the world,' she adds.

notes to self

2010-06-04T12:01:00.000-07:00

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice....plus Chemical X..is it power?

2010-06-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

Bill Hicks on Marketing

2010-04-27T09:51:00.001-07:00

Fallen Angel

2010-03-04T19:01:00.000-08:00

Cover your ears! Miley gets racy
By Courtney Hazlett (The Scoop)
msnbc.com
Mon., March. 1, 2010

Tween music queen Miley Cyrus continues her campaign toward maturity, this time by doing a very un-Disney duet with Poison frontman Bret Michaels.

Michaels, star of “Rock of Love,” penned the song “Nothin’ to Lose,” which includes lyrics such as: “We both know better than this/Still we can't resist/Slowly get undressed.”

The chorus isn’t much less controversial, especially when you consider Cyrus is 17 and Michaels is 46: "Won't you fall down on me/So close I can feel you breathe?”

Michaels told Us Weekly that he has been made aware of the controversy but insists that there’s nothing to be upset about.

“It has no reference to her and I. It’s not even (meant to be) a duet,” Michaels said. (Michaels originally recorded the song on his own.)

Michaels told Us he got “very positive comments” on the finished track, which will appear on his solo album “Custom Built,” out in late May.

“As God is my witness, there is nothing I have to be defensive about," he says. "I'm a good dad. I just thought it was a beautiful song. "

welcome lauren!

2010-02-24T11:32:00.001-08:00

just wanted to welcome my research assistant lauren to the blog. you'll see her first post below. great work!
shannon

The big six

2010-02-21T21:44:00.000-08:00

The companies that already own the whole world are intertwined so much that if there was a need to literally take over the world they would be able to do it.
General Electric- $183 billion revenues per annum- specializing in home electronics from light bulbs to washing machines, with their main revenue coming from the military services they control building F-16 fighter jet engines to U2 Bombers. This would be enough but no they also own Television channels NBC and Telemundo, as well as many Film Production companies including Working Title Films, and Universal studios, which brings with it the revenues from all the theme parks, film production and distribution, and consumer products.

Walt Disney- $37.8 billion Revenues per annum- The biggest children entertainment company in the world that do not only have 6 Disney channels for their children’s movies and shows, but also own all ABC channels, and ESPN, with both Production and distribution for all of the channels but ABC has 226 affiliated channels, and they reach a total of 99% of all American Households, therefore all marketing for Disney products is easily reachable to all audiences. Touchstone pictures, Pixar Animation Miramax films and many more are also owned by Disney, and all of the websites for all of their ownership which means more advertising income. Not to mention the 15 theme parks based all around the world

News Corp.- $33 Billion Revenues per annum- main focus in publishing and book publication, as well as Fox television and therefore all of the channels connected to Fox and 20th century Fox television and movies, News Corp. owns 27 stations in the Us, and all Sky satellite television which controls satellite television in Europe. Magazines and newspapers all over the world, with The times, The Sun and the Sunday mail, in the U.K, Wall street Journal, the New York Post and Ottoway group of community Newspapers in the Us, and The Australian in Aus.

Time Warner -$29.8 Billion Revenues per Annum- controlling the Us Cable channels, TW also owns CNN, HBO and all distributions and channels connected as well as boomerang, cartoon Network and many local c. They control all Warner brothers’ studios, New line cinema, Cinemax, channels. AOL Internet services, wireless, music, and McAfee virus. CNN Mobile, AT&T.

Viacom- $14.6 Billion Revenues per annum- 10 MTV channels and Nickelodeon that are distributed all over the world, Paramount comedy, VH1, BET, and therefore all of these channels distribution. Film production for MTV, Nick Movies, and Paramount Pictures, as well as MTV mobiles and BET mobile, just incase there were to many other Phone networks.

CBS- $14 Billion Revenues per annum- All CBS Networks, Showtime, CBS Paramount Network television, and Flix. A Profitable Publishing company, Simon & Schuster, and all consumer products connected to CBS.

Alone these 6 huge companies own everything we see on Television, at the movies and what we see in our supermarkets and stores. This would be simple people have to own the companies but these companies are all intertwined, they share their products, keeping each other friendly so that they can rely on others they are not competition they are partners. General Electric and News Corp. share control of National Geographic, The weather channel and The History channel. News corp. Shares ESPN with Walt Disney, and Walt Disney Shares A&E Networks with General Electric. Walt Disney airs Warner Bros Programming and Movies which is owned by Time Warner, also News Corps. Universal owns Rights on Harry potter which Is Warner Bros and therefore Time Warner. Time Warner Share The CW with CBS and NASCAR with Walt Disney. CBS owns MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, Walt Disney owns the MGM theme Park that is know called Disney Studios. Viacom Owns Paramount Pictures which includes Steven Spielberg’s DreamWorks Production company which recently struck a deal with Disney where they will market 6 DreamWorks Movies a year, Therefore both Disney and Nickelodeon are owned through connection by the same company, no competition, just clever marketing. Nickelodeon also Owned by Viacom, works in conjunction with Universal studios to produce and market their products, therefore connected to News Corp. In order to Produce and Distribute all of the 6 companies film sectors are intertwined as they work together to get there films made and distributed, for example General Electrics Working Title have worked with News Corp. 20th Century Fox.

Every single one of these Companies have Products being sold for them By Mattel, General Electric owns Universal and Consumer Products (CP) with Sponge bob to the hulk, Walt Disney has all consumer products, from Hannah Montana to Wizards of Waverley place, News Corp. has all 20th century Fox CP for Power rangers dolls and vehicles to Batman dolls, Time Warner CP has Harry Potter dolls to NASCAR products which are Shared with Walt Disney, Viacom has all nickelodeon Products = a lot of children’s toys, and CBS own NFL.com and sell their CP dolls and toys through Mattel.

To let you know where MKA fit in all of this they were originally aired through ABC which is owned by Walt Disney, ‘Two of a kind’ was aired on Nickelodeon which was owned by Viacom, their first movie ‘Billboard Dad was released by Warner brothers Home videos therefore with Time Warner, their albums were released by Universal Music group and General Electric, The new book ‘influence is Published by CBS, ‘When in Rome’ was 20th century Fox, which is News Corp. whom have also been keeping MKA in news print for all of their lives.

More Suri Fun

2010-02-17T13:59:00.000-08:00

click on above title to go to original article

Courtney Hazlett
The Scoop
Suri Cruise continues to rewrite the book on toddler fashion.

The 3-year-old daughter of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes was spotted in Boston last fall wearing high heels, and recently, lipstick. Now, she’s toting around another grown-up accessory — an $850 Salvatore Ferragamo“Sofia” handbag, as identified by Us Weekly.

The family was in Jamaica when a photographer spotted Suri’s Sofia, which is a miniature version of the same bag Holmes was also carrying, the $1,850 Sofia purse.

Holmes hasn’t spoken out about Suri’s pricey accessory, but in the past she defended Suri’s footwear, saying, “She, like every little girl — she loves my high heels,” and that they are “ballroom dancing shoes for kids.”

Noah Cyrus launching Lingerie Line for girls

2010-02-03T14:29:00.000-08:00

I dont even know where to begin with this stuff. Good lord. Link on the above title to get to the full article.

*********
Miley Cyrus' little sister the new face of kiddie 'lingerie' line
BY LEAH COLLIN, CANWEST NEWS SERVICEFEBRUARY 3, 2010 1:03 PM

For every little girl who wants to give her parents a heart attack but can't be bothered waiting until puberty to rebel, both Miley Cyrus' kid sister and her former co-star are here to help.

Eight-year-old Hannah Montana: The Movie actress Emily Grace Reaves, along with Noah Cyrus, 9, are shilling a new line of kiddie lingerie, ninemsn, MSN's Australian news site reports. And while it's technically Grace's fashion line (it's called the Emily Grace Collection, after all), whoever's in charge of marketing obviously couldn't resist associating Cyrus — a nine-year-old so far most famous for dressing like a dominatrix, pole-dancing and "Smackin' That" — with their "trendy, sweet, yet edgy" brand. The two kids will be modelling looks from the collection in videos on big sis Miley Cyrus' website.

The collection is produced by something called Ooh! La, La! Couture, and is described by a company press release as including "versatile styles that can be worn with sweet ballerina slippers, funky sneakers or paired with lace stockings and boots for more of a rock and roll look."

Just to hit it one more time.

2010-01-25T13:15:00.000-08:00

Suri in the City

2009-11-25T09:13:00.000-08:00

Its just too Carrie Bradshaw for words.

Suri in Heels...Really?

2009-11-24T18:55:00.000-08:00

Im not really focusing on the sexiness angle for my film, other critics have that well covered, but age compression is definitely an interest for me and this picture illustrates a prime example. It just blows my mind that a mom would want to dress her three year old in adult clothing. She's not a doll or a mannequin...she's a kid.

But again, who repeatedly tells the tale of how they took adult clothing and made it child size because they didnt like what was offered in regular kid lines? You got it...MKA. And thus, their Walmart line was launched. And the rest...is history.

See the article below to read more about Suri and her heels.
click on above title for original post
*********************
Suri looks adorable, that's why her heels are horrid
By Jan Moir

A step too far: Tom Cruise's daughter Suri in her grown-up shoes

On a wet Boston pavement, a chic young lady steps out in a red coat, tight black leggings and peep toe sandals with high heels. At one point she stumbles and loses a shoe.

It's all right, darling! Mummy is here to pick you up. For the girl tottering along in her grown-up silver shoes is no coltish teen or young adult. She is three-year-old Suri Cruise, the daughter of film stars Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes.

She is an adorable child, but there is something deeply unsettling and inappropriate about a little girl in high heels. It looks all wrong - because it is wrong.

For more than any other item of dress, high heels are a form of display.

Yes, women love the curve and lustre of a fabulous pair of empowering skyscraper shoes.

However, the main reason we wear heels is to look better and sexier.

Heels accentuate the natural curve of calf and thigh and also semaphore sexuality; their significance as a weapon in the war of the sexes should never be underestimated.

This is just one reason why heels look so aberrant on children. Were it not for her pigtails and Elmo doll, Suri could be a dwarf chorus girl on her way to can-can rehearsals. Or an adult put through a boil wash.

Heels for tots? It is so wrong on so many levels, another indication of the creeping sexualisation of young girls.

Of course, in her specially made Christian Louboutin heels, Suri Cruise is an innocent abroad in all this. She is the indulged offspring of millionaire parents who live so deep within the celebrity bubble that real life rules do not apply.

Yet it sends out an invidious message, amplified by the kind of fashion and celebrity magazines that heap praise on Suri's wardrobe of designer clothes and her 'fabulous style'. She is only three years old, for God's sake.

Elsewhere, whatever happened to the purity of girlhood? These days it seems to be a flat-out sprint from toddlerhood to full-blown puberty, without a second to spare for sugar and spice and everything nice in between.

One minute little girls are Shirley Temple; five seconds later they are in the Temple of Teenage Doom, getting their navels pierced, drinking superlager and fantasising about having hot sex with Zac Ephron.

From an early age, the pressure upon them all is tremendous. Little girls read magazines. They watch celebrities on television and long to be famous themselves.

Day after day, they drink up the sexual imagery in pop videos, in fashion and in advertising. Every summer, there are little pre-pre-pre-teen tinies in bikinis on the beach.

Department stores sell padded and plunge bras for eight-year-olds. There are mothers who eagerly hothouse the whole girly project; who cannot wait for their first mother-daughter manicure. Or to get their girl fitted for her first brassiere, her first makeover, her first pair of pierced earrings.

Much of this, of course, is done with a good heart. Yet it is becoming clear that ever younger girls are becoming sexualised by society, by peer pressure, by the entertainment industry and then - inevitably - just by habit.

Against this backdrop, it comes as no surprise to learn that the latest figures for teenage pregnancy show that it is rising again, as is the number of 14-year-old girls having abortions.

You have to ask why, despite all the sex education and government initiatives, girls are having unprotected sex - any sex! - at such a young age.

Or why wraith-like pre-teens log onto anorexic websites for slimming tips and study the customs and habits of supermodels as if they were exam modules.

'Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels,' said Kate Moss this week, echoing the battle cry of the dedicated anorexic. That's one thing about Kate. She never did have a sense of responsibility or duty of care towards her vulnerable young fan base.

All she wants them to do is buy her teeny tiny clothes and try not to die of starvation before next season, so they can buy them all over again.

It is now not uncommon for ten-year-old girls - and younger - to obsess about their weight and appearance. And more than half the nation's teenagers would, according to surveys, be willing to go under the knife to improve their looks.

It is so sad that they feel like this, but it is hardly surprising. Everywhere they look, beauty and sexiness take precedence over achievement. They see that being hot is what attracts all the light and the heat.

Cute girls get all the attention. High heels get you noticed. Personality comes second.

Young girls think that having a perfect bottom like Kate's is an ambition in itself. Or that bleached teeth and hair extensions will bring them the same success as Cheryl Cole.

They see designer tots like Suri Cruise and they want to be pretty like her. Well, in many ways, that's entirely natural. Little girls have always wanted to be pretty. Yet now they want to be sexy, too. And that's not pretty at all.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1229393/Suri-looks-adorable-thats-heels-horrid.html#ixzz0Xptp848U

Still Family After All These Years

2009-11-10T14:24:00.000-08:00

Wake up San Francisco because it's time for a "Full House" reunion! The John Stamos, Bob Saget, Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen, came out to support the on-time Danny Tanner's Cool Comedy Hot Cuisine stand-up night at Caroline's. (Nov 9, 2009)

Twilight Barbies

2009-11-02T07:55:00.000-08:00

Starting today, you can buy the Twilight fanatic in your house an Edward Cullen or Bella Swan Barbie doll. The dolls are modeled after Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart -- the actors who play the on-screen lovers -- and cost $25 each.

The release of the dolls coincides with the release of the movie New Moon on Nov. 20.

Walmart and Barbiecollector.com are selling the dolls...

No surprise there.

Adding Sunglasses to The Row

2009-11-01T08:11:00.000-08:00

Click on above title to link to original article.

Add a new project to the list of things Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have taken on – sunglass designing.

Vintage-inspired sunglasses will be introduced on their luxury label, The Row, this spring, according to WWD.com.

The tiny 23-year-old twins are often seen hiding under giant shades, so it's only natural they'd be interested in adding them to their collection.

While the rest of us still have to wait a few months to try a pair on, Mary-Kate has been spotted sporting a square frame that's part of the line during London Fashion Week. It's reportedly one of four different styles in the collection.

Round shades, a classic metal aviator, and a vintage-inspired brow-line round out the line-up, reports WWD.

They'll range in price from $325-$390, and will be sold in high-end department stores.

"We're testing the market first and obviously these are four very different silhouettes, so we're seeing what people are responding to and we'll open up a couple more silhouettes for fall," Ashley said.

On top of their acting careers, the twins already design jewelry and shoes, but that doesn't mean making sunglasses came easy.

"Designing eyewear was definitely more complicated than we thought, and of course, we wanted to be extremely hands-on," Mary-Kate told WWD.

Olsenboye JC Penny Commercial Teaser

2009-10-30T16:29:00.000-07:00

More on the Olsenboye line

2009-10-30T16:20:00.000-07:00

Click on Above Title to link to original LATIMES article by Max Padilla.

A celebrity fashion collection doesn’t have to be an oxymoron (we’re still waiting to see how Lindsay Lohan’s future as artistic advisor to Paris house Ungaro will pan out -- regular readers of All the Rage may recall that it didn't begin well). Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s forays into the rag trade have been met with kudos from the industry. In July, the 23-year-old sisters were inducted into the prestigious Council of Fashion Designers of America, along with Alexander Wang, Jason Wu and J. Crew’s Jenna Lyons, on the basis of their design work on luxury label the Row and the contemporary-priced Elizabeth and James collection.

Now the Olsen twins have set their sights beyond the racks at Barneys and specialty boutiques and targeted the suburban closets of American teens and tweens with their exclusive collaboration with JCPenney, called Olsenboye.

Olsenboye, an Olsen family name, follows the theme of an oversized-sunglasses-wearing globetrotter who gleans wardrobe ideas from young women in fashion capitals. In keeping with the theme, the department store visuals will feature travel trunks, passport stamps and luggage stickers.

The Olsenboye prelaunch lineup, which premieres Nov. 6 in 50 select Penney’s and online, features cropped blazers, jean leggings, oversized peace-sign graphic T-shirts, a striped waffle-knit thermal, hooded sweatshirts, bags and footwear. A full ensemble will debut in February, including handbags and shoes. The pattern-heavy collection is meant to be mixed-and-matched -- florals, plaids and stripes -- in the trademark Olsen boho style.

Olseboye follows Penney’s reasonable price points, retailing from $20 to $50, and arrives in a wide size range, from 0 to 15.

Last Thursday (Oct. 22), when the Council of Fashion Designers of America celebrated its newest members at New York’s the Four Seasons, Ashley Olsen told the organization that she and her sister got their first taste of design by altering adult-size clothes to fit their then-preteen frames: “That’s really how we got into tailoring,” said Ashley. “We always loved it.”

Slaying Miley...making room for the next Chosen One

2009-10-29T14:09:00.001-07:00

Click on title above to link to original posting.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Miley Cyrus, one of Disney's hottest stars of the past three years with hit records and hit films, has been voted the worst celebrity influence of 2009 by the very people who made her a star, tweens and teens, according to an online poll on Wednesday.

Cyrus, 16, took 42 percent of votes in the poll for AOL's JSYK.com (Just So You Know) website aimed at 9-15 year-olds, pushing Britney Spears and rapper Kanye West into second and third places, respectively, in a section on worst celebrity influences of the year.

No reasons were given for the poor showing of the singer-actress and the popular star of Disney Channel's "Hannah Montana" television series.

But the ranking follows a year which has seen Cyrus controversially dating a 20 year-old model, making "slant eyes" in an informal snapshot criticized as mocking Asians, and being accused of pole-dancing on a teen awards show.

Cyrus also came in No. 4 in the category of favorite female artist, behind 19-year-old country sensation Taylor Swift, "I Kissed a Girl" singer Katy Perry and R&B star Beyonce. The poll attracted almost 50,000 votes.

"I think Miley is in an interesting space where she is trying to graduate from being 'Hannah Montana' and a Disney channel celebrity and coming into her own and having a career beyond Disney," said Stephanie Cohen, editor of JSYK.com.

"I think her fans still want her to be the sweet Hannah Montana and she is trying to age up...Parents are definitely resisting it," Cohen told Reuters.

Cyrus has been one of the biggest teen idols in the world since 2006, selling more than 7 million albums, starting her own fashion line, and taking $154 million at the worldwide box-office for "Hannah Montana: The Movie" in 2009.

West, whose interruption of Swift's acceptance speech at a music award show in September was deemed the most shocking moment of 2009, took 19 percent of votes in the worst celebrity influence section.

Swift, the best-selling U.S. artist of 2008, has risen again in popularity this year.

"I think Taylor Swift has done a great job of showing her true self and coming across as very sweet and down to earth. A lot of her songs are about the underdog and teens can really relate to her," said Cohen.

Elsewhere, the stars of vampire movies "Twilight" and its forthcoming sequel "New Moon" dominated the JSYK.com poll. Kristen Stewart was voted favorite female movie actress and Taylor Lautner surged past Robert Pattinson in both the favorite male movie star and "cool guy you'd like to hang out with" categories.

MKA Juniors Line Coming to JC Penny

2009-10-26T16:49:00.000-07:00

Click on Title of this post to get to the original post on MTV.com

Mary-Kate And Ashley Olsen Take Their Fashion Sense To J.C. Penney

MTV News in Fashion & Style
By Nuzhat Naoreen

Look out fashionistas, the Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen are coming to another store near you. The duo, who already have two high-end clothing lines, Elizabeth & James and The Row for men, are hitting the mass market with a junior's collection for J.C. Penney.

The line, Olsenboye, which is apparently Mary-Kate and Ashley's ancestral last name (although we're still inclined to think it's Tanner!), will mostly feature casual sportswear and accessories, including tops, dresses, handbags and shoes, priced from $20 to $50.

“It’s very fun, fashion driven, trendy and wholesome at the same time,” Liz Sweney, Penney's executive vice president and general merchandise manager of women's, told WWD . Of course, we wouldn't expect anything less from the Olsen girls, who recently became members of the Council of Fashion Designers of America.

The clothes will range in size, from 0 to 15. “It’s really important that Olsenboye serves lots of girls,” Sweney said. “It’s not just about girls size zero or one.” We can definitely appreciate that.

JCP plans to roll out the collection in its 500 stores in February, but eager fans can get a sneak peak online at jcp.com and at select stores, including the Manhattan flagship, starting November 6th for a limited time.

The 23-year-olds, who are far from new to mass marketing — they've been selling products including makeup and furniture to major retailers, like WalMart, for years through their company Dualstar Entertainment Group — actually approached JCP with the idea of a clothing line.

“Mary-Kate and I watch current trends and see our partnership with J.C. Penney as an opportunity to add something unique to the marketplace, especially in the current retail climate,” Ashley told WWD .

Whether or not the line will boost Penney's sales remains to be seen, but we certainly have high expectations for the fashion forward twins.

Laying Out the Structure and Themes

2009-10-25T08:48:00.000-07:00

So my BIG CORK BOARD is being installed in my office early this week. Im stoked. I find this is a very nice way to organize the film into themes and begin to figure out the structure. So far I have five main themes (that I won't outline here just yet) and Im anxious to begin organizing footage and research within those areas.

So, progress on the editing front. Yes!

Walmart b-roll...fabulous

2009-10-01T17:45:00.000-07:00

Yay Emily. One of my assistants, Emily, just did a little recon and brought back a fabulous tape of Walmart B-roll. Nice. Always love when we can outsmart the man.

Post - Production Begins

2009-09-22T16:17:00.000-07:00

So, not to say that there will be no other interviews to collect, but post-production has now begun on the film. I have a feeling that the process of narrowing down the footage is going to reveal some holes and create some needs, but isn't that the fun of it all?

Also, the script continues to develop for the animation. Ive been avoiding the scripting of the marketing expert, but with some encouragement from my animation director and a local filmmaker who has turned me on to some excellent actors Im feeling excited (despite the new territory and fear that comes with the unknown).

So, all this said...I'll try to keep everyone updated on a regular basis with the ups and downs as editing progresses.

For now click on the title to this blog post to read a recent New York Times article on the twins successful clothing lines:

Good Things Do Come in Pairs

Great Article About Marketing and Tweens (click on title to go to original source)

2009-04-21T21:56:00.000-07:00

Individuality.com: Empowering youth through consumption?

By Erika Shaker
Our Schools / Our Selves, July 2001
Issue Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

There are few places better than marketing conferences to find out what's really going on in the hearts and minds of corporate players. How they really feel about independence or critical thought...or, more accurately, how they deal with it. And this takes on a somewhat chilling edge when the topic of this marketing conference is youth.

Which was how I found myself at the Toronto Hilton for the Understanding Youth conference the beginning of May, surrounded by alarmingly well-groomed, shiny-toothed, youthful individuals, all sporting the latest trends (black capri pants, stacked heels, cell phones and beepers, wide collars and artfully-touseled hair) and all eager to share and glean information about the youth market.

The day began with the complimentary gifts--it's about marketing, after all--WWF keychains (shaped like teeny tiny folding chairs), logo-ed stationary, luggage tags, Chupa Chups suckers, calculators shaped like cell phones, and YTV pens. Lunches were sponsored by YTV and WWF, ice cream snacks by Hagen Daas, breakfasts by Kelloggs (individual boxes of Frosted Flakes and Rice-Crispie Snacks). I also came away with stacks of marketing literature describing in detail the shopping clout of this target market (aged anywhere from 2 years to early 20s) and industry ads ("Jessica--just one of 1.9 million kids you can reach with YTV--available in all shapes and sizes...the biggest collection of kids").

Conferences of this sort really do present an alternate reality, one where criticism of consumer culture and the direct targeting of children is called "Commie-Pinko crap" (and I didn't realize that people still used that term seriously) from people who are "so behind the times."

After all, we're told, youth are cool. They're aware. They're savvy--"much smarter than I was at their age," lament the speakers with apparent envy and admiration. Kids know what they want. And it's the duty of advertisers to listen, and give kids what they want, what they will buy, what they will put their financial clout behind. This is an $1.8 billion/year market--which impacts the spending of 10 times that amount. That's not small potatoes. Furthermore, this is a market that has a much greater longevity than one made up of older consumers--simply put, they will be around longer to spend more. That's why market research organizations prefer to call themselves" a youth market consultation and fulfillment house."

The message for marketers is clear. This is all about democracy. Give kids a platform to discuss issues important to them. Let them express themselves. It's not really about marketing to youth--it's all about empowering youth, giving them a sense of ownership and pride they can take in the media they create and the fashion they drive. The successful marketing campaigns that target youth are about respecting these young people, and recognizing that it's about fulfilling their needs--their need to feel important, to be treated as individuals, to be in control--not simply selling a product.

The irony--perhaps obscenity is a more accurate word--is constant reinforcement of the simple and erroneous equation of freedom with the Pepsi Challenge. Entire legions of kids, all rebelling from an uncomsumer-culture--all rebelling together, that is. But I digress.

Empowerment through commodification. It's an intriguing concept, really, and one that virtually guarantees lifelong support and consumption. After all, it's much more difficult to dis Reeses Peanut Butter Cups after they've acknowledged our ability to look beyond their logo and prefer them simply because they taste better than a homemade concoction of peanut butter and chocolate ("You're a slave to corporate logos!" "It's the taste, loser!"). And isn't that what's really important? Kids are apparently beyond the influence of logos and advertising, and advertisers are more than happy to inform kids of this revelation; ads are now simply the vehicle through which kids find humour and product information.

The trick for marketers is to reinforce this message: "we know that you know that we want you buy our product. Let's have a knowing giggle about this. You're past that. You're smarter than that. So buy our product because we acknowledge your superior market savvy." And to complete the illusion of respect, marketers must be creative--in their message, and in their advertising vehicle. The more interactive--sorry, empowering--the better.

Which is why companies like Alloy.com develop ad campaigns with a comprehensive approach--a vehicle (perhaps an ad in a teen magazine) to drive kids to a web site where they will participate in a contest or survey that prepares them for an upcoming radio advertisement for an actual product. Quizzes are very useful tools in marketing campaigns because they engage kids, and give them the illusion that companies are listening to what they think and feel. Plus, there's the added bonus of kids returning to the web site to see the results of the quiz or context...and the sponsor's name is well-profiled throughout the experience.

Take TIMEX for instance. Alloy launched a contest where kids were invited to choose between two possible designs for a new upcoming TMEX watch. The web site recorded between 40-50,000 responses from kids thrilled to be consulted on designing a "real" product. Of course there were prizes involved at all ends of the process; when TIMEX went with the more popular watch, kids who spread the message most "virally" (through a corresponding postcard campaign) were rewarded with more merchandise.

("Viral" is the latest catch word for marketing campaigns spread through word of mouth or on the street--campaigns successful at spreading the "buzz" of excitement surrounding a new product. Believe me, it caused quite a giggle during the Trojan Condom's marketing presentation.)

In other words, instead of logging on to a company web site, the kids tell Alloy what they want. And Alloy tells their corporate clients. Corporate messages are reinforced without kids actually having to visit a company site. Kids are more likely to play the "Hamburgler Pac Man game" on Alloy's website than they are to go to McDonalds.com for al little direct corporate interaction. And in return for developing and implementing these campaigns Alloy makes a pile of cash: the company will do $150 million in revenue targeting teens this year alone.

Sponsorships are another effective way of piggybacking on popular events--for example, aspects of the school day. Showbiz Productions has done this very effectively, "by going to schools, writing down all their important events, and corporatizing them--well, maybe not corporatizing them...maybe just making them better."

Showbiz has two major "vehicles" for getting corporations into schools: StreetBeat (a video dance party on wheels) and FashionShowToGo.com (coming this fall). These Trojan Horses as they're called, without a trace of irony, are designed specifically to make use of the dollars students represent and the desire for corporations to reach them.

Streetbeat is the moveable dance party/Trojan Horse that gets companies into schools using the vehicle of music. Schools already have to compete with cooler after-school activities to get kids to come to school dances (which have become an important form of fundraising), so it's actually much more logical for a student council to contact a production company like Streetbeat to put on a production/dance.

Streetbeat will bring in the sponsors, provide sampling products, print posters and tickets--and assemble a mailing list of potential customers for the sponsors. Isn't that less fuss for students who are busy with jobs, homework and dating? And, really, faced with the choice between a "professional" DJ and video dance party (where commercials will be viewed by the wildly dancing student audience as NIKE shirts and packs of Juicy Fruit gum are hurled off the stage) and "Bob and Carol's" DJ business down the street, what's a cool-conscious teen going to pick? No contest.

But it's not just high school dances that are up for grabs. Showbiz has determined that the two most popular events for schools are dances and fashion shows. (Actually, the prom ranks up there too but it's too emotional an event to consider corporatizing it...at least, for now. But the URL www.PromInACan.com is still available so who knows?)

Enter fashionshowtogo.com, a fully staged fashion show complete with retail and production. The popular kids in school act as models and organize the show. Students can even go to the web site and purchase products through the on-line shopping feature. And it's funny, but because all professional fashion shows have logos and commercial products and sponsors, students don't see fashionshowtogo.com as evidence of corporate sponsorship in schools--it's just like another "real" fashion show. Seems the key is to make sponsors not look like sponsors, a goal that Streetbeat has met admirably, setting what was termed by one admiring listener "the gold standard of sneaky."

Streetbeat has enjoyed massive growth and has used the "cool factor" well to its advantage in becoming a part of the school experience. All this amounts to big bucks, and "outreach to over a 1/2 million kids." And this doesn't even include the impact FashionShowToGo.com will have on Canadian schools, or the potential profit to corporations targeting this market.

The Showbiz representative led us in a brainstorming session (at a breakfast roundtable complete with complimentary Rice Crispie Square Treats and Kelloggs Frosted Flakes) to find new ways that cereal companies could get in to schools. This would be a trickier proposition as, unlike Streetbeat, the cereal industry was interested in younger grades and therefore a more impressionable--and controversial--audience. This in spite of the fact, as the corporate representative charmingly explained, that sugary cereals are in fact good for you "and have more vitamins than an apple."

(At this point we were also informed by another participant that potato chips aren't really bad for you--and it's just been extraordinary how parents have been subjected by teachers to the peer pressure of packing healthy lunches for their kids.)

Mr Showbiz suggested that the trick was not to sell cereal...but to sell breakfast. And within seconds he had devised a new marketing strategy. How about a breakfast party sponsored by the corporation? What if parents were told to bring their kids in to school 15 minutes early one morning, after the company had made arrangements with the principal that corporate support-staff would be available to oversee the event. And kids would all get their cereal, and some sort of "prize" of a pin which advertised the event. And then when Mom took the pin to the local grocery store she would receive a discount on that cereal.... Lots of media hooks, lots of potential, and lots of longevity. Sounds like a winner to me! I wonder if Campbell Soup saw similar sparks when they devised their soup kitchen for Toronto schools.

All very feel-good and media-friendly. All claiming to want nothing more than to help out kids and schools in their time of financial need. But it's no coincidence that the title of this roundtable session is "Trojan Horse marketing and sponsorship programs in schools...Finding an effective way to get your product or promotion into Canadian schools."

I've never been quite clear why the Trojan Horse is the descriptor of choice for corporations trying to target the school market--it being a symbol somewhat weighted in history and mythology and all. Ironic, given the insistence of the private sector that these initiatives are win-win. But I'm pretty sure the Trojans wouldn't have described the Greeks as "partners" in their civilization. And they sure wouldn't see the Trojan Horse as a win-win proposition. So why should schools see a dance party in a box, or a soup kitchen--a soup kitchen!--as anything other than what they are--the "gift" of corporate manipulation? In the case of Troy, it meant the destruction of a civilization. In the case of education, it is no less devastating.

Tween Dora - Coming Your Way

2009-03-16T19:56:00.001-07:00

Parents upset over tween Dora the Explorer

If you have young children, there's no doubt you're aware of Dora the Explorer.

Kids love her cartoons and moms and dads love the character's bilingual lessons.

But toy-maker Mattel is upsetting some parents, who say Dora is growing up too fast.

Mattel plans to unveil a new, more grown-up Dora "tween" doll this fall. The toymaker gave parents a hint at what she'll look like in a press release, which featured a silhouette with long flowing hair and long legs.

Mattel also says the tweenaged Dora doll has "moved to the big city" and "has a...new fashionable look."

That worries some bloggers who say Dora will soon be "bratzed" out, sexualized like the Bratz dolls and become "obsessed with boys" like Barbie.

Others are organizing petition drives urging "no makeover for Dora."

The St. Petersburg Times' parenting blog, whoamomma, is demanding Mattel listen to their concerns. They they want a doll that isn't concerned about physical beauty. Some of the concerns folks have always had about Barbie.

Mattel and Nickelodeon are listening and want to assure parents that tween Dora does not remotely resemble Barbie. Instead, Mattel and Nickelodeon say she's the anti-Barbie.

Gina Sirard with Mattel says, "The reason we did this is to offer an alternative doll to moms who want their little girls to stay younger longer."

Mattel says tween Dora will still use her brains, but as an older girl. She'll use her adventurous spirit to solve mysteries with her new friends.

Sirard says, "It's not about the fashionista Dora, instead it's about Dora being able to go incognito so she can solve mysteries."

Mattel say children can hook up the Dora tween doll to a computer and take her into a virtual world where she can change her appearance to solve those mysteries.

The doll will be unveiled this fall.

48 Hours Special

2008-12-30T14:46:00.001-08:00

PETA Protests MK and Ashley Outside Book Signing

2008-11-13T13:50:00.000-08:00

CLICK ON ABOVE TITLE FOR ORIGINAL ARTICLE

The fur was flying—albeit peacefully—at the Olsen twins' Los Angeles book signing last night.
On hand to promote and sign copies of their new photo-driven coffee-table tome Influence, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were met not only by a flock of their style-conscious fans but by a mob of PETA protesters.
"The Olsen twins support an industry that forces animals to live in tiny wire cages their entire lives and electrocutes and kills them for vanity," PETA rep Ashley Byrne told E! News.
The animal-rights activists' beef, as it were, is not only due to the Olsens' frequent donning of fur and animal skins, but their use of both materials in their higher-end clothing line, the Row.
Eschewing their traditional headline-grabbing tactic of hurling red paint on the offending billionaire moguls, PETA, which has been campaigning against the so-dubbed "Trollsen Twins" since 2007, resorted instead to more calm, but equally disruptive, tactics.
At last night's event, PETA supporters wore doctored Olsen masks and held signs reading "Trollsens: Fur Hags From Hell" and "Hairy-Kate and Trashley Olsen: Fur Tramps."
The 22-year-olds, who did not immediately comment on Wednesday's protest, have long been easy targets for the animal-rights campaigners.
PETA previously launched an entire website dedicated to condemning the fashion plates' decision to use animal materials in their personal and professional lives. A video section on the site, dubbed "Full House of Horrors," also features edited video clips of the girls in their Michelle Tanner heyday interspersed with graphic footage of animal cruelty.
PETA has also launched a billboard ad campaign against the dynamic duo, featuring the twins' visages along with the tag line, "Fur is worn by beautiful animals and ugly people."
A rep for the Olsens has yet to comment on the incident.
—Additional reporting by Ashley Fultz

Grade-school Lolita: ‘So Sexy So Soon’

2008-10-01T16:22:00.000-07:00

CLICK ON THE ABOVE TITLE TO LINK TO THE FULL ARTICLE

The sexualized childhood and how it affects kids younger than you think

What should the role of schools be in helping children (and their parents) deal with the sexualized media culture?

Dualstar mastermind Robert Thorne Represents Snoop Dogs New Clothing Line

2008-09-17T15:35:00.000-07:00

Snoop Dogg to unveil new clothing line this week

(click on title above to link to snoop dogs clothing website)
Snoop Dogg
Rich & Infamous will showcase in Las Vegas
Aug 25, 2008
Snoop Dogg is set to unveil a line of clothing this week in Las Vegas, and will promote the brand through every entertainment project with which he’s involved.

The line which is called Rich & Infamous, will showcase at the Magic Fashion trade show in Sin City, and will be promoted through Snoop’s E! reality TV show ‘Father Hood’ as well as in his music videos, on his world tour and on his CD packaging.

The brand, which is aimed at men aged 18-35 will be streetwear-based and will include accessories and grooming products, says Variety.

"The Rich & Infamous brand is sculpted from Snoop Dogg's trend-savvy classic vision," Robert Thorne, CEO of the Robert Thorne Co. brand management firm told Variety.

“For Snoop Dogg, the name represents "a fraternity of sorts -- from presidents to gangsters -- who've been able to endure the burden of gaining wealth at any cost. Garnering equal parts admiration and disdain, these men savor the fruits and relish the spotlight," Thorne said.

A pioneer in tweens before they even called it tweens...a possible interviewee?

2008-09-09T10:36:00.000-07:00

'Queen of tween' opens shop in her hometown
Boutique will be the first for veteran fashion designer
BY JESSICA SMITH Staff Writer

Fashion designer Sally Miller will open her first boutique tomorrow on North Main Street, Milltown. Miller has over the past 20 years established herself as a leader in the ever-evolving niche of tween, or size 7-14, girls clothing.
Milltown area tweens can go back to school in style, now that Sally Miller has come to town.

The six-year borough resident and award-winning fashion designer is opening her first retail shop on North Main Street in Milltown.

“I couldn’t be more excited,” Miller said. “Milltown has been really generous in helping me move on this project, and just getting it done.”

Though the store is a first, it is far from Miller’s initial foray into the fashion world. The New York City transplant has spent more than 20 years establishing herself as a leader in the ever-evolving niche of tween, or size 7-14, girls clothing.

“I’ve been a pioneer in tweens before they even called it tweens,” Miller said.

While creating, designing and building brands, Miller got a finger on the fickle pulse of what tween girls want to wear. Before launching Sally Miller and Sally Miller Couture 19 months ago, she created Sally Mack, which won her the Fresh Face Award.

In November 2005, soon after being divorced, Miller woke up one morning and realized she wanted to be in business on her own, she recalled. By January, she was incorporated, and her namesake brand was born.

Since her unique line of fashion-forward clothing was released last fall, it has made its way to 375 specialty stores across the country. High-end department stores like Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Lord & Taylor, among others, quickly jumped on board, and the brand reached retail outlets as far away as Canada, Europe and Japan. In less than a year, the trailblazing designer’s wholesale volume surpassed $2 million.

“I’m really humbled by the industry and my customers really embracing the brand,” said Miller, who has been referred to as the “Queen of Tween Fashion.”

Miller’s success was far from a fluke. Her knack for fashion came at a young age, and she nurtured it over the years. A trend-spotter even as a young girl in her hometown of Philadelphia, Miller was babysitting by the age of 12 in order to earn funds for the clothes and accessories for which she pined. One purchase that stood out in Miller’s mind was a pair of tan, thigh-high boots that struck her fancy.

“It was something I always had a sense of at a very young age,” Miller said. “I knew pretty early.”

Her family provided a solid basis for Miller’s future career choice. With a mother who handmade outfits for Miller and her sister, Ellen, and a father who marched to the beat of his own style drum, it would seem only natural that the young designer-to-be would head in the direction she did.

Her grandmother, Isabelle Lazarus Miller, was a mentor for the young Miller. A fine artist and jewelry designer, her works have been exhibited in the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

“No matter when you went to visit her, she always looked like she just stepped off the pages of Vogue — all of her outfits, makeup and jewelry put together in a modern, creative way,” Miller said. “She was very influential in my life as an artist.”

Inspiration also came from another wellknown fashion maverick who stood the test of time.

“I remember watching the Sonny and Cher show when I was a kid, and just being mesmerized by Cher,” Miller said.

Seeing Cher perform her final song of each show clad in fabulous designs by Bob Mackie only served to feed Miller’s desire to create such works of artistry herself someday.

Attending the camp her family owned in the Berkshires of Massachusetts also had a hand in shaping Miller’s future. She spent the first 23 summers of her life there, eventually becoming a counselor for the girls who attended.

“My interest in helping children celebrate who they are started at Camp Danbee,” Miller said. “As a counselor, I got very involved in dance and created an annual Dance Festival that still runs today. Running that program and helping all these girls find selfexpression through movement was very important to me.”

Miller went on to attend the Rhode Island School of Design for four years, honing her skills. For her senior thesis, which involved collaborations with a number of departments throughout the school, she won the Veteran’s Textile Award.

Her first big break came in the early 1980s, when she showed up at Karl Lagerfeld’s New York City office dressed in one of her own designs, portfolio in tow. While she did not meet with Lagerfeld that day, she did make a connection that got her a job working under Dana Buchman at Liz Claiborne. There she learned all the ins and outs of a major fashion operation, skills that would prove invaluable down the line.

After gleaning five years of experience there, Miller spent five months in Greece, exploring her love for dance as a performer and instructor, then returned to the U.S. to forge on in the fashion world. She was offered a job with a company specializing in the girls’ 7-14 niche, and she never turned back.

A single mother of two tweens of her own, Miller has a good handle on addressing the wants and needs of the age group. Of course, it does not hurt that she gets the inside scoop from Katie, 10, and Lilly, 9, along with that of their friends.

“When [Katie] was 8 years old, she designed her own outfit for her birthday party,” Miller said.

Though Lilly is more of a sporty type, Miller said she has been getting more involved recently, giving her feedback about her designs.

Miller uses her daughters and their friends as fit models and informal focus group participants, bartering their willing services for clothes and accessories from her line. A group of them marched in the Milltown Fourth of July parade wearing Sally Miller designs to introduce residents to the brand.

“My clothes are really age-appropriate, they’re really comfortable, they’re trendy and they’re hip,” Miller said.

Beyond looking good, Miller’s creations have a deeper philosophy behind them. She stresses the importance of giving the youngsters looks that will empower them by fostering attributes like self-confidence and positive decision-making.

“It’s really about nurturing their spirit, the tween spirit,” Miller said. “I actually had a mother say, ‘I feel so safe with your clothes.’ The girl has to want to wear it, but it has to be parent or guardian approved.”

In a world where high-profile tween idols are being marketed as sex symbols and engaging in risqué behavior, it is likely a breath of fresh air for parents to find clothing both they and their daughters can feel good about.

It seems no wonder that the demand for Miller to expand her collections to fit fashionable females of all ages grew enough to warrant the creation of Sally M, a brand for size 14 and up. The new line, which will hit her store and others Aug. 30, will include similar hip looks to fit a larger population.

“I don’t put an age range [on it],” Miller said. “It’s all about spirit.”

Jewelry Line for MKA

2008-08-27T14:20:00.000-07:00

"First clothing lines The Row and Elizabeth and James and now a jewelry collection? The fashion gods must be listening! Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have teamed up with CFDA award-winning jewelry designer and sculptor Robert Lee Morris to create bling for the masses under a line dubbed Robert Lee Morris for Elizabeth and James. Well, the price point of the line will determine how much mass appeal it will have, but I can't wait to see the pieces. The trio has been hard at work for a few months, digging into archives in Morris' headquarters in downtown Manhattan. So what can we expect from the petite sisters? Why, nothing short of silver and brass dagger necklaces, knuckle rings, and cool earrings. Bring. It. On!

Start saving money — Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's jewelry line is due to hit stores in September. The Robert Lee Morris for Elizabeth and James collection will consist of over 80 gold and silver pieces. Staying true to their unique style (see Mary-Kate's little bedecked hands below), look forward to seeing abstract earrings, necklaces, metal cuffs, and rings embellished with crosses and daggers along with beading.
Commenting on the collaborative collection, Ashley states, "We liked the idea of having playful elements along with timeless and ageless pieces. The symbols are attachable and you can take the jewelry and make it your own. There are solid silver and gold pieces to wear forever and comfort pieces that you'll put on and wear everywhere."

The pieces will retail from $65 to $700, and be sold at Intermix stores nationwide, Holt Renfrew, Lane Crawford, and On Pedder. The dynamic duo have also hinted to an upcoming shoe and bag collection.

Webcast Gadgets Inspired by iCarly for girls 9-14

2008-08-26T16:29:00.000-07:00

An iCarly-inspired camera: what do you pink...err, think?
(Credit: Nickelodeon)
Nickelodeon, Viacom Consumer Products, and Imation announced Monday that they're expanding their already choice-intensive line of youth-friendly electronics under Nickelodeon's Npower line to include Webcast gadgets inspired by iCarly.
That popular Nickelodeon show and Web site follow its characters as they host a Web show and grapple with everyday tween problems and adventures along the way (maybe one of those problems should be parsing out which gadgets to buy?).
Npower's iCarly line of electronics, which are being marketed to girls ages 9 to 14, include a $79.99 Webcam; a $24.99 iCarly action cam accessory that includes a steady cam mount, on-camera lighting, and detachable reporter-style mic for interviews that might inspire the next generation of CNET journalists; and a $39.99 iCarly 3-in-1 digicam that's also a PC, Web, and video camera.
The devices come with iCarly Digital Diary Software, which makes it easy to add photos, videos, and music, and text to a digital diary or journal. The iCarly program also lets kids upload videos and images to sites like iCarly.com.

iCarly in bed with AT&T

2008-08-25T05:26:00.000-07:00

(click on title above to link to original article)

Nick Dials in Wireless With iCarly Buy
AT&T is buying time on Nick’s hybrid hit, iCarly, the show within a show that incorporates user-generated content into its linear narrative.
Aug 25, 2008
-By Anthony Crupi

Nickelodeon has signed its first wireless client, AT&T, to a multiplatform deal that coincides with the brand’s foray into the tween space.

AT&T is buying time on Nick’s hybrid hit, iCarly, the show within a show that incorporates user-generated content into its linear narrative. Speaking to Nick viewers in their own voice, custom-branded spots demonstrate how smartphones let kids be a part of the media mix while they connect with friends. The first spot will run on Nick next week.

In courting nonendemic advertisers, Nick over the last three years has redefined the kids market, expanding its roster of usual suspects to accommodate more than $100 million in automotive, consumer electronics and travel business. This summer, the net took its game up a notch with the AT&T/iCarly pact

Building off one of iCarly’s popular interactive segments, young actors in the ad use their Samsung Palm Centro phones to watch, shoot and share “Random Dancing” snippets. A call-out then directs viewers to an AT&T microsite hosted by Nick.com.

AT&T will highlight other smartphone models in the campaign, with plans to incorporate Sony Ericsson’s W350 Walkman into the creative later this fall.

According to AT&T’s youth marketing expert, Mimi Chan, tweens represent a vast untapped market for carriers, as usage rates among the iCarly set skyrocket. Of the 20 million in the 8-12 demo, nearly one-third own mobile devices.

While kids increasingly drive demand for wireless products, Chan said, they won’t accept just any phone model. “They see what their older siblings have, and they want that same functionality, the texting and the video,” said Chan, director of national marketing at AT&T.

“That’s why Nickelodeon is such a good fit for us. Kids are early adopters, and iCarly really connects with them on that level.” While iCarly delivers reliable reach, drawing 3 million viewers per episode, it also ranks as cable’s No. 2 live-action series among tweens.

“We’ve had our share of nonendemics before, but those were adult-facing campaigns,” said Jim Perry, executive vp of 360 brand sales for Nickelodeon and the MTVN Kids and Family Group. “This is big because they’re targeting the tween market directly.” The deal, representing a “seven-digit commitment,” Perry said, was set up by the $300 million upfront pact Nick closed with GroupM in May.

Buy their coffee table...and then their book..wait, do they sell coffee tables? Surely they do.

2008-08-21T08:41:00.003-07:00

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen explain it all
01:00 PM CDT on Monday, August 4, 2008

The Philadelphia Inquirer
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen are, in the words of People magazine, "gearing up to take the literary world by storm" with the publication of their joint memoir, the 272-page Influence, which purportedly charts the Olsens' spiritual and artistic maturation. (And to think they're just 22 years old.)

The sisters "take readers on a journey through their celebrated young lives, pausing to reflect on what has helped shape them into who they are today," a news release reads. The Olsens include interviews with the 20 people who have helped shape them the most, including fashion designers Karl Lagerfeld, Diane Von Furstenberg, John Galliano and Christian Louboutin and model-actress Lauren Hutton. (Curiously missing are such trendsetters as Leo Tolstoy, the Dalai Lama, Jane Austen, Adam Smith and Patti Smith.)

"We want to explain culturally how ideas evolve," Mary-Kate said. The book also features drawings and photographs, and would go beautifully with most standard coffee tables.

Hannah's So Over...It's iCarly now...same idea...another package.

2008-07-17T11:16:00.000-07:00

After my shoot with my tween experts (five amazing girls ages 9-12) a few weeks back it was brought to my attention that Hannah's popularity with tween girls is lessening quickly (it seems her Jonas Bros. fling didn't help any). Apparently Miley Cyrus is being replaced by Miranda Cosgrove from the show iCarly as the coolest of the tween tv girls. Who knew? Well, not me.

Unfortunately iCarly doesn't come out on DVD until Sept. so for now im having to use youtube to research. I was relieved to see that Im not completely out of the loop though. Turns out Miranda Cosgrove played Summer in School of Rock so Ive at least seen this kid.

Finally, two more quick notes:

1) Carly Shay's being raised by her 26-year-old brother Spencer. Dad is an absent Navy Seal. Mom...died maybe? No one seems to be quite sure on the message boards. No matter..as usual the shows lead has no mom.

2) Miranda Cosgrove is also a singer releasing songs now.

Using "Paparazzi" style photographs to sell identification...and merchandise

2008-06-03T16:03:00.000-07:00

I was just looking at the Elizabeth and James website and found it interesting that MKA is using a paparazzi style of photos to sell their collection. Argue if you like, but most of these images could be Us or OK material. Not all...but most.

There's an interesting push and pull happening...stars seeming to want to be left alone by the paparazzi and yet using the photographic style to imply that wearing this clothing line will get you paparazzi attention and, one could read, fame.

I suppose its business as usual, stars keep finding ways to push their goods with the "buy this and be like us" concept.

Mary-Kate And Ashley Olsen Venture Into Jewelry Designing

2008-06-03T15:58:00.000-07:00

Mary-Kate And Ashley Olsen Venture Into Jewelry Designing
June 2, 2008 7:54 a.m. EST

Anne Lu - Celebrity News Service News Writer
New York, NY (CNS) - Power twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen are expanding their empire with a new designing venture. The pint-size moguls are set to create a collection of jewelry designs.

The 21-year-olds have collaborated with the Council of Fashion Designers of America award-winning jewelry designer Robert Lee Morris to create a range of accessories for their Elizabeth and James clothing company.

According to reports, the twins are working closely with Morris, whom they are both admirers. They have been visiting his headquarters to search through his archives for inspiration before they would decide on which design to add in their collection.

The line will consist of "silver and brass dagger necklaces, amorphous knuckle rings and edgy earrings," as per WWD.

The line "Robert Lee Morris for Elizabeth and James" is set to launch within a few months.

Because their greatest concern is to get a prince and be Hollywood's Cinderella....

2008-05-20T06:59:00.000-07:00

Below is Elizabeth Snead's commentary from the LA Times on MKA's recent fashion choices. Im not saying I disagree with the fact that they look a mess, Im more put off by the last sentence.

Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen: Double homicide, haute couture ruthlessly murdered

With her cutout midriff retro '80s gown and scraggly hair, Ashley Olsen looks like a part-time cocktail hostess working at a joint outside Vegas, albeit in a Dress Barn variation of Azzedine Alaia circa 1986.

Meanwhile, sister Mary-Kate "Auntie Mame" Olsen looks like someone's crazy, unkempt, tipsy grandma, who's bound to spill her drink and repeat back what you just said a little too loudly.

The richest twentysomething twins on the planet and this is how they dress for the Metropolitan Museum's Costume Gala, the biggest fashion ball of the year?

I say: No handsome princes for these girls, who look more like the evil stepsisters than Hollywood's Cinderellas.

Hannah Montana "True Friend" Lyrics

2008-05-12T21:13:00.000-07:00

[VERSE 1]
We sign our cards and letters BFF
You've got a million ways to make me laugh
You're lookin' out for me; you've got my back
It's so good to have you around

You know the secrets I could never tell
And when I'm quiet you break through my shell
Don't feel the need to do a rebel yell
Cause you keep my feet on the ground

[CHORUS]
You're a true friend
You're here till the end
You pull me aside
When something ain't right
Talk with me now and into the night
'Til it's alright again
You're a true friend

[VERSE 2]
You don't get angry when I change the plans
Somehow you're never out of second chances
Won't say "I told you" when I'm wrong again
I'm so lucky that I've found

[REPEAT CHORUS 1]

[BRIDGE]
True friends will go to the end of the earth
Till they find the thing you need
Friends hang on through the ups and the downs
Cause they've got someone to believe in

[CHORUS]
A true friend
You're here till the end
You pull me aside
When something ain't right
Talk with me now and into the night
No need to pretend
You're a true friend
You're here till the end
Pull me aside
When something ain't right
Talk with me now and into the night
'Til it's alright again
You're a true friend [3x]

Dr. Spears - Oh, How I Need You...for my film.

2008-04-22T20:03:00.000-07:00

Below is a media release (click on above title to go to the source) about Dr. Barbara Spears...who I would very much like to find a way to interview for my film. Ive got some ideas on how I might accomplish this. #1 being that I have two doc exchange students that will be in Australia as of late summer and Im thinking about asking them to perform the interview in my absence. Stay tuned on this one!

********************
GIRLS TREAD A FINE LINE BETWEEN FRIENDSHIP AND BULLYING

Girls’ peer relationships often tread a fine line between protective and aggressive or bullying behaviours when it comes to preserving friendships, a University of South Australia study shows.

Friendships and peer relations are very important to girls and many have the social intelligence to manipulate and use these friendships to their own advantage, sometimes using unfriendly and excluding behaviours, according to Dr Barbara Spears from UniSA’s School of Education.

Dr Spears has been undertaking research to explore girls’ understanding of their friendships and peer relationships, and the tension between the friendship and aggressive and bullying behaviours.

Almost 1000 middle school girls in years 6 to 9 from five single sex and two co-educational schools in metropolitan Adelaide participated in the study.

“In both school settings girls have a very idealised view of friendship, with positive elements such as acceptance, caring, sharing, loyalty, trust, honesty and kindness. These positive aspects bond the relationship, and sharing secrets and disclosing personal details are the cement that holds the friendship together.

“Girls also have a clear boundary about what friends don’t do – they don’t tell secrets, talk about someone behind their back, attack someone verbally, steal someone’s friend or take someone’s boyfriend,” Dr Spears said.

“When building friendships and consolidating them, girls often use behaviours that protect and preserve their friendship, like shutting others out who might be considered a threat to their friendship. But when a friendship falls over, information that was exclusively and intimately shared in the sanctity of the friendship often becomes the weapon that girls use against the former friend. They attack each other verbally, targeting their reputations and use the peer group to support their action. When the intent to harm the other girl comes into play, girls see it as bullying.

“While bullying is repeated and ongoing across all ages, the older girls are more aware that power is an aspect of bullying and they know how to use it.

“Girls understand very clearly that direct aggression is bullying but when it comes to indirect aggression, definitions and opinions are divided,” Dr Spears said.

“While 85 per cent of the girls said that getting others to gang up on someone was bullying, only 56 per cent said that shutting someone out of a group was bullying. Even more surprising, only 42 per cent of the girls thought that telling someone not to speak to a particular girl (deliberately excluding) was a bullying behaviour.

“When challenging their views on exclusion, the girls say they are only joking, and from their point of view they may be, but they are not considering the impact that their behaviour is having on the person who is being victimised,” Dr Spears said.

“Teachers should challenge that behaviour by asking the girls, ‘If you are only joking, who is laughing?’ and put the onus back on the girls to analyse what they are doing. These actions could shift attitudes and lead to change in the school group.

“The girls need to be taught skills in managing conflicts, that friendship is not ownership and conflict is a normal part of friendship. Ultimately, friendship and bullying are concerned with relationships, and so any solution must examine the interplay between the two.”

Friendship Research from Stanford

2008-04-08T16:47:00.000-07:00

(click on above title for full article)
The Nature of Friendship

Friendship essentially involves a distinctive kind of concern for your friend, a concern which might reasonably be understood as a kind of love. Philosophers from the ancient Greeks on have traditionally distinguished three notions that can properly be called love: agape, eros, and philia. Agape is a kind of love that does not respond to the antecedent value of its object but instead is thought to create value in the beloved; it has come through the Christian tradition to mean the sort of love God has for us persons as well as, by extension, our love for God and our love for humankind in general. By contrast, eros and philia are generally understood to be responsive to the merits of their objects—to the beloved's properties, especially his goodness or beauty. The difference is that eros is a kind of passionate desire for an object, typically sexual in nature, whereas ‘philia’ originally meant a kind of affectionate regard or friendly feeling towards not just one's friends but also possibly towards family members, business partners, and one's country at large (Liddell et al., 1940; Cooper, 1977a). Given this classification of kinds of love, philia seems to be that which is most clearly relevant to friendship (though just what philia amounts to needs to be clarified in more detail).

For this reason, love and friendship often get lumped together as a single topic; nonetheless, there are significant differences between them. As understood here, love is an evaluative attitude directed at particular persons as such, an attitude which we might take towards someone whether or not that love is reciprocated and whether or not we have an established relationship with her.[1] Friendship, by contrast, is essentially a kind of relationship grounded in a particular kind of special concern each has for the other as the person she is; and whereas we must make conceptual room for the idea of unrequited love, unrequited friendship is senseless. Consequently, accounts of friendship tend to understand it not merely as a case of reciprocal love of some form (together with mutual acknowledgment of this love), but as essentially involving significant interactions between the friends—as being in this sense a certain kind of relationship.

Nonetheless, questions can be raised about precisely how to distinguish romantic relationships, grounded in eros, from relationships of friendship, grounded in philia, insofar as each involves significant interactions between the involved parties that stem from a kind of reciprocal love that is responsive to merit. Clearly the two differ insofar as romantic love normally has a kind of sexual involvement that friendship lacks; yet, as Thomas (1989) asks, is that enough to explain the real differences between them? Badhwar (2003, 65–66) seems to think so, claiming that the sexual involvement enters into romantic love in part through a passion and yearning for physical union, whereas friendship involves instead a desire for a more psychological identification. Yet it is not clear exactly how to understand this: precisely what kind of “psychological identification” or intimacy is characteristic of friendship? (For further discussion, see Section 1.2.)

In philosophical discussions of friendship, it is common to follow Aristotle (Nicomachean Ethics, Book VIII) in distinguishing three kinds of friendship: friendships of pleasure, of utility, and of virtue. Although it is a bit unclear how to understand these distinctions, the basic idea seems to be that pleasure, utility, and virtue are the reasons we have in these various kinds of relationships for loving our friend. That is, I may love my friend because of the pleasure I get out of her, or because of the ways in which she is useful to me, or because I find her to have a virtuous character. Given the involvement of love in each case, all three kinds of friendship seem to involve a concern for your friend for his sake and not for your own.

There is an apparent tension here between the idea that friendship essentially involves being concerned for your friend for his sake and the idea of pleasure and utility friendships: how can you be concerned for him for his sake if you do that only because of the pleasure or utility you get out of it? If you benefit your friend because, ultimately, of the benefits you receive, it would seem that you do not properly love your friend for his sake, and so your relationship is not fully one of friendship after all. So it looks like pleasure and utility friendships are at best deficient modes of friendship; by contrast, virtue friendships, because they are motivated by the excellences of your friend's character, are genuine, non-deficient friendships. For this reason, most contemporary accounts, by focusing their attention on the non-deficient forms of friendship, ignore pleasure and utility friendships.[2]

As mentioned in the first paragraph of this section, philia seems to be the kind of concern for other persons that is most relevant to friendship, and the word, ‘philia,’ sometimes gets translated as friendship; yet philia is in some ways importantly different from what we ordinarily think of as friendship. Thus, ‘philia’ extends not just to friends but also to family members, business associates, and one's country at large. Contemporary accounts of friendship differ on whether family members, in particular one's children before they become adults, can be friends. Most philosophers think not, understanding friendship to be essentially a relationship among equals; yet some philosophers (such as Friedman 1989; Rorty 1986/1993; Badhwar 1987) explicitly intend their accounts of friendship to include parent-child relationships, perhaps through the influence of the historical notion of philia. Nonetheless, there do seem to be significant differences between, on the one hand, parental love and the relationships it generates and, on the other hand, the love of one's friends and the relationships it generates; the focus here will be on friendship more narrowly construed.

In philosophical accounts of friendship, several themes recur consistently, although various accounts differ in precisely how they spell these out. These themes are: mutual caring (or love), intimacy, and shared activity; these will be considered in turn.

How Nice To Santa Would A Girl Have to Be?

2008-04-06T16:32:00.000-07:00

(This article was from Dec 07, but Ive only come across it just now. Always nice to come across research that's useful to the film and also screws Walmart at the same time. )

Suggestive pink Santa panties targeting young girls are being removed from Wal-Mart stores after parents objected to the offensive undergarments.

The panties, which were sold in the juniors department, seemed to suggest that girls don't need money, they just need a sugar daddy — in this case Santa Claus.

The hipster briefs — carrying the slogan "Who needs credit cards ..." on the front and "When you have Santa" on the derriere — caused an uproar among parents, who called for the $2.96 drawers to be pulled off the racks.

"We have directed our stores to remove this merchandise from our shelves," Linda Brown Blakely, a spokeswoman for Wal-Mart, told FOXNews.com Wednesday.

The undergarments had caused a stir on some blogs prior to Wednesday's announcement. Scarlett, a reader of Feministing.com, alerted the blog to the holiday-inspired undies, which she found on a rack in the juniors department of a Wal-Mart in Cary, N.C.

"There's nothing quite like telling adolescent girls that they don't need to worry about finances since they have their very own moneypot between their legs," Jessica Valenti, the executive editor of Feministing.com, wrote on the panty blog post.

Scarlett was so incensed by the message on the front of the panties, she didn't even see the Santa kicker in the rear, she wrote on the blog.

"I still think that the entire thing is messed up. This isn't just a cute T-shirt that says 'Just ask Santa,'" she wrote. "This is a pair of panties. Exactly how nice to Santa would the girl have to be in order to get stuff?"

Growing Up Too Fast Article from Wall Street Journal

2008-04-06T16:26:00.000-07:00

Kids Today Are Growing Up Way Too Fast
Wednesday, October 28, 1998
By Kay S. Hymowitz

Marketers call them "tweens": kids between eight and 12, midway between childhood and adolescence. But tweens are becoming more like teens, leaning more and more toward teen styles, teen attitudes and teen behavior at its most troubling.

"The 12- to 14-year-olds of yesterday are the 10- to 12-'s of today," says Bruce Friend, a vice president of the kids' cable channel Nickelodeon. The Nickelodeon-Yankelovicht Youth Monitor found that by the time they are 12, children describe themselves as "flirtatious, sexy, trendy, athletic, cool." Among the products targeted at this age group is the Sweet Georgia Brown line from AM Cosmetics. It includes body paints and scented body oils with names like Vanilla Vibe and Follow Me Boy. Soon, thanks to the Cincinnati design firm Libby Peszyk Kattiman, your little darling will be able to slip into some tween-sized bikini panties.

The tweening of childhood is more than just a matter of fashion. Tweens are demonstrating many of the deviant behaviors we usually associate with adolescence. "Ninth and 10th grade used to be the starting point for a lot of what we call risk behaviors," says Henry Trevor, who heads a middle school in Brooklyn, N.Y. "Fifteen years ago they moved into the eighth grade. Now it's seventh grade."

The data supporting this trend are sketchy, since most studies of risk behavior begin with 15-year-olds. But the clearest evidence is found in crime statistics. Although children under 15 still represent a minority of juvenile arrests, their numbers have grown disproportionately in the past 20 years. According to a report by the office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, "offenders under age 15 represent the leading edge of the juvenile crime problem, and their numbers are growing." The crimes committed by younger teens and preteens are growing in severity, too: "Person offenses, which once constituted 16 percent of the total court cases for this age group now constitute 25 percent."

Tweens are also becoming more sexually active. Between 1988 and 1995, the proportion of girls saying they had sexual intercourse before 15 rose to 19% from 11%. (Boys remained stable at 21%.) "We're beginning to see a few pregnant sixth-graders, "says Christy Hogan, a recently retired middle-school counselor in Louisville, Ky.

Equally striking, though less easily tabulated, is the increasing prevalence of sexual contact short of intercourse. Michael Thompson, co-author of the forthcoming "Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys," says he hears from seventh- and eighth- graders a lot of talk about oral sex, which they, like a certain prominent role model, don't think of as sex. "For them, it's just fooling around," Mr. Thompson says.

Drugs and alcohol are also seeping into tween culture. The past decade has seen more than a doubling of the proportion of eighth-graders who have smoked marijuana (10% today) and of those who no longer see it as dangerous. "The stigma isn't there the way it was 10 years ago," says Dan Kindlon, Mr. Thompson's co-author. "Then, it was the fringe group smoking pot.... Now the fringe group is using LSD. "

Other troubling trends: Although the numbers remain small, suicide among tweens more than doubled between 1979 and 1995. Therapists say they are seeing a growth in eating disorders — anorexia and obsessive dieting—even among girls in late elementary school, doubtless an outgrowth of a premature fashion-consciousness.

What change in our social ecology has led to the emergence of tweens? In my conversations with educators and child psychologists who work primarily with middle-class kids nationwide, two major and fairly predictable themes emerged: absentee parents and a sexualized and glitzy media-driven marketplace. What has been less commonly recognized is the way these two influences combine to augment the authority of the peer group.

With their parents working long hours away from home, many youngsters are leaving for school from an empty house after eating breakfast alone, then picking up fast food or frozen meals for dinner. Almost without exception, the principals and teachers I spoke with describe a pervasive loneliness among tweens. "The most common complaint I hear," says Ms. Hogan, "is, 'My mom doesn't care what I do. She's never home. She doesn't even know what I do.' "

The loss of family life invariably expands the power of the peer group. By late elementary school, according to "Peer Power: Culture and Identity," a recent study by Patricia Adler with Peter Adler, boys understand that their popularity depends on "toughness, troublemaking, domination, coolness, and interpersonal bragging and sparring skills." Girls derive status from "success at grooming, clothes, and other appearance-related variables; . . . [their] romantic success as measured through popularity and going with boys; affluence and its correlates of material possessions and leisure pursuits."

Both parental absence and the powerful peer group are intricately connected to the rise of a burgeoning tween market. Tweens began to catch the eye of marketers around the mid-1980s, when research found that more and more children this age were shopping for their own clothes, shoes, accessories, drugstore items—even for the family groceries. Today's tween ads reflect this sensibility: Kids are on their own, goes the premise; flatter them as hip and aware almost-teens rather than out-of-it little kids—as independent, sophisticated consumers with their own language, music and fashion.

Anyone who remembers high school will recall many of these dynamics. But it is important to recognize that the combination of isolation from adults, peer cruelty and fantasies of sophistication, though always a danger to the alienated teenager, is especially taxing to the fragile ego of the preadolescent. With less life experience and less self-awareness, preadolescents have fewer internal resources to fall back on. "These kids have two years less time to become a firm person," says Helen Colvin, a middle-school science teacher from Harrisburg, Pa. "That's two years less time to discover what they are, what they believe, to experiment with identity. Instead, they want to be like their friends."

Tweens, far from being simply a marketing niche group, are the vanguard of a new, decultured generation, isolated from family and neighborhood, shrugged at by parents, dominated by peers, and delivered into the hands of a sexualized and status- and fad-crazed marketplace.

Hannah Montana, Miley Cyrus Hysteria Hits Oprah

2008-03-19T18:12:00.000-07:00

(click on above title for full article)

Miley Cyrus, otherwise known as Hannah Montana, has created one of those pop culture phenomenons like the Spice Girls, New Kids On the Block, or even the Beatles. It's "Miley Mania, Hannah Hysteria," Oprah said on her March 19th show. As Miley came onto the stage, the middle aged women in the audience even yelled like little girls, jumping up and down. Cyrus is in the middle of a North American tour, and said on the show that her sister and mother are on the tour with her. An insider's glimpse showed parts of the tour bus: Miley's sister's bunk in a dizzying array of Hannah Montana products, and Miley's bunk, with a Hello Kitty theme.

Billy Rae Cyrus, country music star and Miley's dad, made an appearance on the show as well, and they talked about Miley and boys, keeping her grounded, and how to handle all this fame. One example is when Oprah asked about Miley's income -- how much of that money she gets. Miley admitted losing a credit card in her name in only two days, and that her mother keeps track of how much she spends.

Mk in The Wackness - Audience Award At Sundance

2008-03-11T11:35:00.000-07:00

Kingsley’s ‘Wackness’ one of Sundance’s 7 best
Oscar-winning actor stars opposite Mary-Kate Olsen in the comedy

“The Wackness”
It’s 1994 and psychologist Ben Kingsley, a product of the 1960s, is telling his marijuana-selling college-age patient Luke that it’s OK to chase girls and leave all responsibilities at the door in trying to figure out who he is — as long as he pays him in weed. Problem is, Kingsley doesn’t realize that the girl Luke (Josh Peck) is lusting after is his own stepdaughter. The film, which had audiences rolling, felt as fresh as any movie screening in Park City and took home the prestigious audience award. Late Saturday night, just as the trophies for the fest were being handed out, Sony Pictures Classics bought the film. It should prove to be a wise investment.

What's So Great About Being A Twin? (Part 1)

2008-02-06T07:39:00.000-08:00

(click on title above to go to original article)

Partners for Life: The Experience of Being a Twin
by Linda Marks

As a single-born person, I have always imagined it would be really great to have a twin. A twinship is a partnership for life with its origins at conception or moments thereafter. How amazing to have another person with a complete history of shared experience in the world commencing with birth and ending when death do you part! To get an inside look at the experience of being a twin, I interviewed five twins — four identical and one fraternal, two siblings of twins, a mother of twin toddlers and a friend of mine who worked with twins among the children she taught...

The Ultimate Soulmate

The twins who I interviewed for this article described their relationship with their sister or brother as the most intimate relationship in their lives. While intuitive knowing or psychic awareness is something we all possess, this experience is heightened when you are a twin. Even when twins are out of touch and out of verbal contact for a while, one twin can get an intuitive knowing it’s time to touch in because something important is happening in the other’s life.

Derek Beckwith, 43, has an identical twin brother Geoffrey born ten minutes apart. “I feel very close to my brother. We were extremely close when we were growing up. We gave each other comfort and support, and intellectual stimulation. Ever since I was a small child, I always knew he was there. In some ways it feels like he is still an arm’s length away. I can always talk to my brother at anytime about anything that is happening to me. I have always felt the closeness with him that cannot be replicated in any kind of friendship or the bond with my sister.”

The level of intimacy and connection commonly experienced between twins is a foundation on which to build other relationships. It both provides a model of closeness and may be hard to replicate in even a love partner.

Anne and Liz Keliher, 37 are identical twins, born just three minutes apart. “I probably feel less alone in the world because I am a twin,” reflects Anne. “I have more of a sense of home. I have a sense there will always be someone who understands me — how I feel, how I think and even shares my thoughts and feelings. As long as Liz is here, celebrating special occasions, talking to someone who will really listen and care about me...I am guaranteed to have that in my life.”

“On the other hand, on your birthday it’s about you and someone else,” notes Liz, “so, you’ve never had the experience of it being all about you.”

Dhyanna Noble, 54, is an identical twin and a psychotherapist and educator specializing in twins and multiple births. She and her sister were born ten minutes apart. “Being a twin is having a bond that last forever,” says Dhyanna. “The individuation process, becoming distinctive, lasts forever too. People often say to me ‘I wish I had a twin...or felt I had a twin.’ On some level we all do. You call that person a soulmate.”

Yani Batteau, 45, has a fraternal twin brother born seven minutes before she was. They were the youngest of six children. “I loved being a twin. I loved the fact that I always had someone to play with that was in my own family. I never felt alone or lonesome. There was someone I could rely on. We each had different strengths, one being a boy and one being a girl. There was a sense of balance.

“I think, being twins, we knew each other pretty well. We always played off each other in terms of making jokes. We were pretty understanding of each other’s strengths and weaknesses. He relied on me as being the social person. I’m outgoing. He is shyer. Yet he’s a musician and does performance. I am shyer about that. I am better at social events. I like to have parties. He’d rather just be with a few people.

“As adults we’re not as close as we were. But we still love each other dearly. We call each other periodically to check in. I think I’m more emotional than he is. If he tells me something important to him, I’ll support him no matter what he wants to do. To have someone on your side all the time is really important. And as a twin it is even more important. I want him to be proud of me as I want to be proud of him.”

Connection and Individuation

In her work with twins, Dhyanna has found a continuum of connection and individuation. On one extreme are twins like the eighty-something-year-old twins who live down the street from me. These sisters, like little girls, still live together and dress alike with seemingly no desire to separate or individuate. Never married (to anyone else), for years I have watched them walk down the street to Newtonville village for their morning walk dressed in matching outfits with matching sneakers. On the other extreme are twins that want nothing to do with each other, with no relationship with their sibling. In the center of the continuum are twins who either consciously or unconsciously have chosen to individuate to some extent.

Anne and Liz have worked hard to define who they are both as individuals and in relationship to their twin. “Even though we come from the same genetic code, as soon as we were born, we started to live separate experiences,” comments Anne. “There were nature and nurture. We were impacted by how we were treated by family, in classrooms.... The different experiences changed me both emotionally and physically. And while we look a lot alike, even physically there are many differences. My face is longer and narrower. I weigh less. We have different smiles and different color eyes. Some people think we look like regular sisters although a lot of people think we look like twins.”

Liz acknowledges, “Defining my identity and working on individuation have taken a lot of my energy. It has been a big focus for me. Being a twin was a nice base to have. I don’t think I have wrestled with my twinship being a source of identity confusion as much as Anne. The only times I’ve wrestled with it are when people have negative perceptions.”

“Being a twin has been the impetus to explore my identity,” says Anne. “I’m a very reflective person. There’s so much more to explore, to reflect on because I’m a twin. The world puts the question to me — how are you different from your sister if you look so much alike? I take that cue from the world and reflect on it.”

Derek also recognizes the work he has had to do to individuate and define his own sense of self. “Being a twin made it harder for me to have my own clear sense of self. It was harder for me to have a sense of deserving — I need this, I want this, I’m going to get this. My life was more about the WE than about the I. I think, overall, it meant that my sense of self developed later than it would have if there weren’t a twin.

Derek continues, “Being a twin has accentuated what I think is people’s natural desire to work together, to communicate with people and to be in synch with folks around them. Because I always had my brother there to count on, it did have an impact on my independence, my individuality. I had a sense of self but I also had a sense of the two of us that was intertwined. This was more so when I was a child than now. It impacted my risk taking. Because my brother was there for me I could use him to help me solve problems, to think about things. The two of us as a unit helped each other through difficulties growing up. Because I didn’t have to do those things on my own, I developed a different set of skills than I think would have as a single-born person. We would balance and work with each other even when we didn’t realize we were doing that. We understand that more now looking back than when we were in it.”

Although a fraternal twin, with her sibling being a brother, Yani reflected similar sentiments as Derek. “Being a twin makes it harder to have a well defined sense of self. Some of the strengths that if I were on my own without a twin, I might have developed more or sooner. The fact that I had a brother and the strengths that he needed to develop, he did. I may not have worried about those things. I may have let go of and not developed some traits as much as I needed to. There was a unity between us from the unconscious level.”

Anne and Liz spoke also of how being a twin can simultaneously make you feel more connected and more alone. “You expect an affinity with people that isn’t achievable, at least not easily,” comments Liz. “So, I’ve experienced a sense of aloneness more deeply and a sense of connection more deeply.”

“There is a sense of separateness from other people who don’t understand or fear being a twin because it is different,” acknowledges Anne. “That’s where the sense of greater aloneness comes from.”

Twins and Partnering

How we individuate effects how we connect and merge. While the twins I spoke with had models of profound intimacy with their sibling, it was not always so easy to translate this backdrop into a close friendship with an unrelated person or a love relationship with a primary partner.

Derek and his brother are both married and have children. However, being close with other people was challenging as a twin. “I think the fact that I am a twin, growing up made it difficult for the two of us to find best friends or very close friends that didn’t include each other. I have a very close friend now, but for many years it was hard for me to have a best friend that could match the closeness that I had with my twin. I haven’t formed the kinds of friendships I have observed other people having with people outside of their family.” Both brothers are married and have children.

“There are some things I just take for granted in a close relationship — the feeling of knowing that you are secure in that relationship,” says Derek. And so, it surprises me sometimes when the person I am with doesn’t feel the underlying, natural, no-need-to-verbalize the fact that the relationship is as important as it is.”

“I haven’t yet found a soulmate,” says Yani. “It’s hard to trust that the partner I’m choosing will go deeper than my twin. I always leave room for him. I am used to a kind of intimacy that’s hard to replicate.” Yani’s brother is married and his wife just had a baby girl.

“I like partnership in that I want to be with someone, knowing that someone is there,” continues Yani. “I don’t think everyone understands that. I like to have someone around to play with, as a play partner. I think we are both very sensitive and really listen to the people we are with. I am pretty attentive and insightful with the person I am with at lots of different levels. I think he is too. I think some of that results from being a twin.”

Liz speaks to her experience. “I think you’re always looking for a bond with people that approaches your understanding with your twin with romantic relationships. I seek an intensity that most people feel is unattainable. My boyfriend thinks I have unrealistic expectations of how much he can understand me, because I have an understanding with Anne I don’t have to work for completely.”

She continues, “There are certain unique things a romantic partnership could encompass that ours can’t. In terms of shared experience, it is hard to compete with that. With Anne, the foundation is a given. There is an understanding of where the other person is coming from because you were there for all of it — the whole childhood thing. That makes communication easier.”

“Doing relationship counseling with twins is very similar to doing couple therapy,” nods Dhyanna. Some of the marriages or partnerships of the twins she has worked with have been enriched by the fact that a partner is a twin. The level of understanding and compassion the twin brings is high. “In getting a window into the psyche of twin, a partner might say, ‘Now I understand why my spouse can be so intimate with their friends or fellow employees so quickly and I can’t.”

Twins and Their Siblings

Twins create a very powerful presence in a family unit and sometimes all relationships in the family are defined primarily in relationship to the twins. Martha Harrington is 50 and has 54-year-old fraternal twin brothers born 14 minutes apart. In her family, her brothers were not treated separately.
“I got my own room. They didn’t. I got one thing. They got one thing. They were treated as one instead of as two. They were ‘the twins.’”

Sally Marcus, 48, is the youngest of four kids. She has a brother who is two years older and identical twin sisters who are six years older than she is. “I think as a kid growing up, they were always referred to as ‘the twins.’ We did see them as a unit. As a kid I didn’t know anything different. Because of the age distance between the twins and me and my brother, there were two subgroups of children. My brother and I kind of identified ourselves as twins in some way. With the specter of twinship hanging over the family, there were two twin units, so to speak.

“It is hard to know what issues were related to the fact that they were older siblings and what issues were unique to being twins. They got a lot of attention. I used to enjoy the stories of how they could sometimes trick the people in school because they did look a lot alike,” recalls Sally.

“My impression in the family dynamic was that my brothers and sister were protectors of the twins,” expresses Yani. “The youngest of six children, we were the special ones and the ends. One of my brothers would take us out go-carting. My mother referred to us as ‘the twins’ all the time. It was good and bad. It felt we weren’t individual. Sometimes I resented that.”

Anne and Liz have a younger sister Meg, who may have suffered in the shadows of the twins. “The happiness when shared with my twin is deeper, but the suffering is easier to feel as well. It’s easier to feel my twin’s suffering than my other sister’s,” describes Anne. “The biggest polarization in our family was bad cop/good cop,” adds Liz. “We were the good ones. Our sister Meg was the bad one. We got good grades. Meg didn’t. Our parents looked at us as an entity. Liz was the extroverted side. Anne was the introverted side. You need both sides for the entity to be whole.” As a single-born sibling, things were dramatically different for Meg.

Dispelling Myths about Multiples

Having specialized in working with twins for the past eight years in addition to her own experience as a twin, Dhyanna has articulated eight myths of being a twin and has also revised them. Her myths and revisions become a useful educational model.

Myth #1: Twins should always want to share.
Revision: Twins have the right to choose to share or not.

Myth #2: Twins should never be angry at each other.
Revision: Twins can expect to have a range of feelings for each other,
like they would for all human beings.

Myth #3: Twins should always want to be together.
Revision: Acknowledge the importance of physical boundaries and personal space.
Nurture time together and time apart.

Myth #4: Twins should watch out for each other.
Revision: Teach each child that care for oneself is as important as care for the other.
Parents can model this behavior.

Myth #5: Twins should developmentally be at the same stage with the
same wants and needs.
Revision: Twins will experience different needs and wants developmentally,
like any two kids.

Myth #6: Being a twin is everything a child is.
Revision: Being a twin is one aspect of who a child is, not the only aspect.

Myth #7: Twins always know what the other twin is thinking or feeling.
Revision: Our thinking, feelings, and opinions are unique to ourselves.
Celebrate the diversity.

Myth #8: Parents’ relationship with each twin should be the same.
Revision: A parent spends quality time with each child separately.
Their unique relationship can then develop.

Friendship: What Girls Want (Part 1)

2008-01-24T14:11:00.000-08:00

(link on above title to go to full media release from the Univ of South Australia site)

Girls tread a fine line between friendship and bullying

Girls’ peer relationships often tread a fine line between protective and aggressive or bullying behaviours when it comes to preserving friendships, a University of South Australia study shows.

Friendships and peer relations are very important to girls and many have the social intelligence to manipulate and use these friendships to their own advantage, sometimes using unfriendly and excluding behaviours, according to Dr Barbara Spears from UniSA’s School of Education.

Dr Spears has been undertaking research to explore girls’ understanding of their friendships and peer relationships, and the tension between the friendship and aggressive and bullying behaviours.

Almost 1000 middle school girls in years 6 to 9 from five single sex and two co-educational schools in metropolitan Adelaide participated in the study.

“In both school settings girls have a very idealised view of friendship, with positive elements such as acceptance, caring, sharing, loyalty, trust, honesty and kindness. These positive aspects bond the relationship, and sharing secrets and disclosing personal details are the cement that holds the friendship together.

“Girls also have a clear boundary about what friends don’t do – they don’t tell secrets, talk about someone behind their back, attack someone verbally, steal someone’s friend or take someone’s boyfriend,” Dr Spears said.

“When building friendships and consolidating them, girls often use behaviours that protect and preserve their friendship, like shutting others out who might be considered a threat to their friendship. But when a friendship falls over, information that was exclusively and intimately shared in the sanctity of the friendship often becomes the weapon that girls use against the former friend. They attack each other verbally, targeting their reputations and use the peer group to support their action. When the intent to harm the other girl comes into play, girls see it as bullying.

“While bullying is repeated and ongoing across all ages, the older girls are more aware that power is an aspect of bullying and they know how to use it.

“Girls understand very clearly that direct aggression is bullying but when it comes to indirect aggression, definitions and opinions are divided,” Dr Spears said.

“While 85 per cent of the girls said that getting others to gang up on someone was bullying, only 56 per cent said that shutting someone out of a group was bullying. Even more surprising, only 42 per cent of the girls thought that telling someone not to speak to a particular girl (deliberately excluding) was a bullying behaviour.

“When challenging their views on exclusion, the girls say they are only joking, and from their point of view they may be, but they are not considering the impact that their behaviour is having on the person who is being victimised,” Dr Spears said.

“Teachers should challenge that behaviour by asking the girls, ‘If you are only joking, who is laughing?’ and put the onus back on the girls to analyse what they are doing. These actions could shift attitudes and lead to change in the school group.

“The girls need to be taught skills in managing conflicts, that friendship is not ownership and conflict is a normal part of friendship. Ultimately, friendship and bullying are concerned with relationships, and so any solution must examine the interplay between the two.”

Its All About the Merchandising and Brilliant Marketing Strategies...but we knew that didn't we? Didn't we?

2008-01-15T14:28:00.000-08:00

(click on title above to go to article)
Miley Cyrus pulls in the big bucks
By Joe Burris
Boston Sun Reporter
January 8, 2008

When Miley Cyrus' concert tour ends this month, the teen pop sensation will discover whether her meteoric rise to fame culminates in a payday that puts her earnings on a par with that of American Idol winner Carrie Underwood, Harry Potter series star Daniel Radcliffe, singer Avril Lavigne and other celebrities under 25.

Cyrus, better known as the star of the Disney original series Hannah Montana, might just be the hottest young entertainment figure today. Her accomplishments include a widely popular television show, two albums that have sold millions of copies, a merchandise line and a concert tour that's been a hotter draw than Bruce Springsteen's or the Rolling Stones'.

So why is she ranked 17th on Forbes' list of the 20 highest-paid celebrities under 25?

Much of that has to do with timing: The list examined artists' earnings from June 2006 to June 2007, and Cyrus' stardom has climbed steadily since.

She made $3.5 million during the period, just behind the supporting stars of the Harry Potter series, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, as well as actress Dakota Fanning ($4 million each), but well behind Radcliffe (in sixth place with $15 million), Lavigne (eighth place with $12 million) and Underwood (11th place with $7 million).

"It's an amazing thing that we've reached a place in the entertainment industry where a 15-year-old Disney firecracker could outsell 'The Boss,' that the kid who plays Harry Potter could make more money in a year than Jennifer Aniston and Sandra Bullock," said Lea Goldman, senior editor of Forbes. "Kids are where it's at today. Tweens wield mighty, mighty power in the marketplace."

Like many others in entertainment, Cyrus is probably better known for her character's name, Hannah Montana, than her real name. However, the name "Hannah Montana" is owned by Disney, which controls all aspects of its use and pockets much of the earnings.

"Miley is unusual in that much of her earnings are under a Disney-owned brand, that of Hannah Montana," Goldman said. "This is a Disney property. That means Disney enjoys ownership of all the rights and royalties associated with the brand."

Syracuse popular culture professor Robert Thompson agrees.

"Miley Cyrus as Hannah Montana is the huge phenomenon it is, not because she's a brilliant actor or an extraordinary singer," he said. "The reason it is a phenomenon is because of the incredible industrial complex that Disney has in control. The way the concert was promoted, the handling of Hannah Montana is a phenomenon created out of a brilliant set of marketing strategies."

That's why the teen star whose full name is Destiny Hope Cyrus - Miley is a nickname - is known more as Hannah Montana. On her second music recording, a two-disc follow-up to her Hannah Montana soundtrack, Cyrus uses her full name on the second disc. Beyond that, her official Web site (mileyworld.com) and her live television appearances as herself, Cyrus is Hannah Montana to the public.

Goldman said that Disney is well aware that Hannah Montana would not exist without Cyrus, "and she is well-compensated. But Miley wouldn't be Miley without Hannah."

Surely she wouldn't be at the center of a concert tour that has sold out nationwide in minutes, leaving anxious parents scrambling for tickets that are now being scalped at more than 20 times face value.

Not bad for a star whose TV show debuted in March 2006. Her first album, the Hannah Montana soundtrack, was released seven months later, debuting at the top of the Billboard Hot 200 chart. Her two-disc second album pretty much acknowledges that the real girl is lesser known than her TV persona: Hannah Montana, Vol. 2: Meet Miley Cyrus. That album also debuted at the top of the Billboard Hot 200 after its release in June.

Her 69-venue concert began in October. Forbes' Goldman and others say that her income will increase significantly once tour revenues are tabulated. She added that having a hit show on a cable network like Disney "isn't on par of the pay scale with, say starring in a hit series on NBC."

The highest-paid entertainers on the Forbes list are the 21-year-old twins Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen ($17 million each), who fashioned a multimillion-dollar empire by appearing on television since infancy, then added a popular film series as well as a clothing line.

Today, they're scarcely known for their acting, having made millions merchandising their image. They also own Dualstar Entertainment Group, which makes movies, video games and hair-care products. Forbes listed them 11th among the top 20 richest women in entertainment, with a net worth of $100 million.

Thompson said that even if Cyrus is always most well-known as Hannah Montana, she can still branch out and continue to have a lucrative career. He pointed to Montana's predecessor on the Disney star throne, Hilary Duff, who was once synonymous with the character she played on the Disney show Lizzie McGuire. She has since had a successful career as an actress and singer, enough to place seventh on the Forbes list with $12 million.

"If I had to bet on which star would succeed beyond her character, between Miley of Hannah Montana and James Gandolfini escaping the Tony Soprano character of The Sopranos, I'd put my money on Cyrus," Thompson said.

joseph.burris@baltsun.com

Buying Into Sexy: The Sexing Up Of Tweens

2008-01-07T18:39:00.001-08:00

(click on title above for full article)

When you were nine, what did you want? A Barbie doll? A train set?

These days, young boys and girls are hungry for something else: padded bras and flirting tips, video games with bikini-clad babes and music videos that feature plenty of sexual innuendo.

Sex has always sold, but now it’s children that are buying. Tweens, kids aged eight to 14, are a hot target for companies. And now more than ever, sex is being used to get their dollars.

Tweens are being bombarded with sexy images by the makers of clothes, toys, video games, music videos -- all aimed at getting this freshly- coveted demographic to buy, buy and buy some more.

1994 Olsen Christmas

2007-12-24T09:45:00.000-08:00

Middle Schoolers Most Affected by Jamie Lynn Pregnancy...How to Talk About It

2007-12-19T10:54:00.000-08:00

Let me start by saying I have no judgement for the youngest Spears. Im not shocked and sure as hell not appalled by her news. I don't think this is a celebrity thing. Rich families, poor families, single parent families, two parent families, close families, estranged families...all sorts of families...have experienced teenage pregnancies. Its not new to this generation. This is a real situation that many real girls have found themselves in. These things happen. Its not the end of the world. Its not the end of her world. Many women have been in her shoes and have overcome the challenges and obstacles coming her way. All the best to her and her family right now.

That said, I am pretty disgusted that one of the first things the press wanted to let us know was that we could all rest assured that Jamie Lynn's pregnancy wouldn't have any affect on Nick's show Zoey 101. Since the final fourth season has been pre-recorded the show will go on.

Who cares? We've all got bigger fish to fry.,

My bitching about marketing aside, I found this article online that I thought was more useful than all the other mindless tabloid junk out there and so thought I would repost it so we could focus on what all this might have an impact on...other kids.

*******************
How to talk to your kids about Jamie Lynn Spears' pregnancy
By Bronwyn, CBB Fashion/Gear/Reviews Editor

Jamie Lynn Spears, 16, has confirmed that she is 12 weeks pregnant. The pregnancy came as a surprise to both her and her family, as she's only a teenager. And she's decided to take responsibility for the baby and continue with the pregnancy.

In her interview she had the following statement to other teens:

I definitely don't think [teen pregnancy is] something you should do; it's better to wait. But I can't be judgmental because it's a position I put myself in.

A lot of parents are reeling with the announcement as Jamie Lynn is the star of a very popular 'Tween show, Zoey 101, with a large following of fans, most of whom are in middle school, themselves. The question a lot of parents are grappling with is how to talk to their children about the news.

Click below for some ways to discuss the news with your child.

*The first thing to do is to make sure you bring the topic up with your children. Don't assume that they're already working it out with their friends or that they don't know. Be involved and use this opportunity to have a heart-to-heart discussion with your young and probably impressionable child about teen sex.

*The typical age range of Jamie Lynn fans is 8-15 years of age. If your child is younger or you're not sure how much they know about the news, ask them what their friends are saying about Jamie Lynn.

*Once you have found out what your child knows about the news, you should clear up any information they might be missing. This is not the time to let them wonder about random speculation or other rumors, ensure they have the facts straight and that they understand as much as they can.

*The way you address the news will be contingent on how much previous information you have already shared with your children about sex. If you haven't had the "talk," now might be a good time! Even teens can benefit from a frank discussion about sex and how to process this news.

*Unfortunately, the group that will be most affected by this news will be middle schoolers, according to the American Psychological Association. Especially those with low self-esteem and lower identity issues.

*With teenagers the key to hit home is that they're not invulnerable, these things can and do happen and pregnancy, and even STDs, can happen to anyone engaging in sex.

*Lastly, don't forget the boys. Your sons are just as likely to be engaged in sexual activity and can benefit from the same conversations and insight that you might provide your daughter!

Remember, children respect their parents who stay involved and connected in their lives. You, as a parent, are very influential as long as you stay on top of the situation. They may act like they don't want to hear you, but research has show that what you say does stick with them.

After you've addressed the news with your child, you have to assess your involvement as a parent.

*The first place a child is likely to engage in sexual activity is in their own home, when they're not being supervised.

*Know your child's friends and boy/girlfriends and what they're doing when they're not with you.

*Pay attention to age ranges. letting a young teenager date someone several years older can sometimes spell trouble. Relationships with older people can come with adult expectations that many teens just aren't ready for.
Sexual activity is most likely to occur between the hours of 3 and 6 in the afternoon, before many parents get home from work.

*It's important to set parameters that your child can understand. Give them clear rules on who can come to the house when you're not there and who can't.

*Giving your child your trust is also important, let them show you they can handle the rules you have set out. If they show they can't handle the rules though, make sure they understand the consequences and enforce them at all costs.

Mary-Kate and Ashley labelled 'The Trollsen Twins' by Peta

2007-12-12T12:20:00.000-08:00

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have been labelled "The Trollsen Twins" by PETA.

The 21-year-old stars have angered the animal rights group by continuing to wear fur and including it in their clothes lines.

PETA fumed: "Mary-Kate and Ashley have ignored pleas to stop wearing fur and are still using it in their fashion collection."

The group has now launched a campaign against "fur fiends" like Mary-Kate, who they have dubbed "Hairy Kate" and Ashley who they refer to as "Trashley".

PETA have designed a poster featuring the superstar sisters along with the tagline, "Fur Is Worn by Beautiful Animals and Ugly People".

The "Trollsen Twins" poster will be unveiled today next to their Hollywood Walk of Fame star in Los Angeles.

De Ja Vu - Aly and AJ, musicians and actresses

2007-12-06T10:17:00.000-08:00

Now where have I seen these images before? Sort of funny, sort of sad. Another set of sisters. Another set of pop tween/teen stars. Another product to sell. Im not super familiar with them, but looking at their bios and website Im very interested in the similar photo representation of the girls to MKA shots from past years. I guess when a certain packaging strategy is successful you don't bother fixing what isn't broken.

Got Milk Photo Shoot

2007-11-29T14:52:00.001-08:00

Hannah Montana/Jonas Brothers Concert Insanity

2007-11-29T13:55:00.000-08:00

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

2007-11-27T19:27:00.000-08:00

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

2007-11-26T06:52:00.001-08:00

MK Hospitalized - Kidney Infection

2007-11-20T11:41:00.000-08:00

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

2007-11-18T12:40:00.000-08:00

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

2007-11-17T11:10:00.000-08:00

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

2007-11-14T13:30:00.000-08:00

Ashley and Mary Kate Olsen

Paris and Nicky Hilton

Ashlee and Jessica Simpson

Haley and Hillary Duff

The Gold Sisters

2007-11-14T13:19:00.001-08:00

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

2007-11-09T09:22:00.000-08:00

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...."

****************
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

2007-11-06T19:36:00.000-08:00

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

2007-11-05T11:49:00.000-08:00

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.

Those Teen Millionaires...They'll Get You Everytime.

2007-10-31T12:18:00.000-07:00

From Yahoo News, By KEVIN SITES (click title above to link to full story)

Not so long ago, teen Ashley Qualls lived in a one-bedroom apartment with her mom and sister. But with her computer and savvy business sense she made a better life for all of them.

Ashley Qualls doesn't sound like a typical high school student. Maybe that's because the 17-year-old is the CEO of a million-dollar business.

Ashley is the head of whateverlife.com, a website she started when she was just 14 — with eight dollars borrowed from her mother. Now, just three years later, the website grosses more than $1 million a year, providing Ashley and her working class family a sense of security they had never really known.

This teenage CEO bought her family a 4-bedroom house and built herself an office in the basement.
It all started with capitalism 101, the law of supply and demand. Ashley became interested in graphic design just as the online social networking craze began to catch fire.

When she saw her friends personalizing their MySpace pages, she began creating and giving away MySpace background designs through Whateverlife. The designs are cheery, colorful and whimsical, with lots of hearts, Ashley's favorites.
She also pulled quotes from popular songs and built backgrounds around those themes. "Teenage girls love quotes," Ashley says, scrolling through some of her site's 3,000 designs, more than a third of which she made herself.

Rights of Publicity Article

2007-10-30T17:55:00.000-07:00

There's nothing we can do to stop you.
By Torie Bosch (slate.com)

A new survey reveals that of all the 2008 presidential candidates, Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani would make for the scariest Halloween costumes. Last-minute shoppers can still pick up Halloween masks of Dick Cheney, Laura Bush, Donald Rumsfeld, Bill Clinton, the Rev. Al Sharpton, and other famous people who probably didn't give manufacturers permission to market their mugs. Could Hillary Clinton order the companies to stop selling her face?

Not really. She and her lawyers could make a case, but it's hard for public figures like politicians to sue and win in these situations. Depending on state laws, private individuals can control how their image is used under the "right of publicity," the legal principle that applies if someone uses your name or likeness to sell a product. (For example, a Texas teenager has sued Virgin Mobile for using a picture of her without permission in an Australian advertising campaign.) But when it's a politician or other prominent public figure, the right of publicity comes into conflict with the First Amendment, and our right to speak about—and mock—our leaders.

A politician or movie star does have some control over where her face appears. For example, Hillary Clinton or Hilary Swank could sue a company for using her face without permission to advertise a product—just like the Texas teenager. But unlike private individuals, prominent public figures are fair game when it comes to posters, T-shirts, and other products that make a statement. A comical and distorted Halloween mask has even greater protection; its "transformative" nature makes it a creative work protected by the First Amendment. The less the mask looks like the actual person, the weaker the potential lawsuit. For example, there's no mistaking this Michael "Wacko Jacko" Jackson mask for a genuine likeness. And there's no suing the manufacturer.

The right of publicity falls under state law and varies widely—in some states it applies only to public figures, for example, and not every state uses the "transformative" standard. Clinton's home state of New York is famous for ruling against right-of-publicity claims in favor of free speech arguments. In the 1960s, Pat Paulsen, a TV comedian engaged in a mock campaign for president, sued the manufacturers of "Paulsen for President" posters. The company won on First Amendment grounds. California, where Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger settled out of court after suing a bobblehead-manufacturing company in 2004, recently passed an even more expansive right-of-publicity law. The new legislation gives post-death rights of publicity to any celebrity who passed away before 1984, so that the heirs can continue to protect their forebear's image.

Sometimes, a public figure can protect her image with just the threat of a lawsuit. In 2004, a small T-shirt company began to sell "Save Mary-Kate" T-shirts featuring Mary-Kate Olsen, who had recently sought treatment for an eating disorder. Olsen's lawyers sent a cease-and-desist letter to stop selling the shirts, citing the right of publicity. Though the two people selling the shirts could probably have won in court, their small operation didn't have the money to fight Mary-Kate's legal team.

Insights on Celebrity Branding from Dualstar CEO - Harvard Business School Article

2007-10-25T15:07:00.000-07:00

CEO of Dualstar Entertainment Group visits HBS
Insights on Working with Celebrity Brands
By Brenda Vongova, A&E Editor
Issue date: 10/22/07 Section: A&E

Media Credit: Brenda Vongova
On October 15, 2007, Diane Reichenberger, CEO of Dualstar Entertainment Group, visited the Harvard Business School.

On October 15, Diane Reichenberger, the CEO of Dualstar Entertainment Group, visited the Harvard Business School to discuss the distinctive aspects of building and marketing celebrity brands. Dualstar Entertainment Group is an international corporate group that was founded in 1993 to leverage the universal appeal of Ashley Olsen and Mary-Kate Olsen. The group is wholly-owned by the two brilliant actresses / designers / global fashion icons. Dualstar manages the billion-dollar, international "mary-kateandashley" brand, which encompasses not only its original focus of books, music CDs, videogames and fashion dolls, but also fashion apparel, beauty cosmetics, fragrances, and home décor. Its products are targeted towards girls and young women (aged five to twelve 'tweens" and teens). Additionally, the brand has been expanded into the digital media with the launch of the e-commerce site, mary-kateandashely.com.

Reichenberger joined Dualstar in 2005, shortly after Ashley Olsen and Mary-Kate Olsen turned eighteen. She embodied all the qualities required to successfully rejuvenate and launch the "mary-kateandashley" brand: successful experience, passion, intelligence, and compassion. Prior to joining the company, she managed the women's division of Joe Boxer, and held key management positions at the Gap, North Face, Levi Strauss, and Esprit.

During Reichenberger's visit, HBS students soaked up insights on the Dualstar Entertainment Group and on the intricate nature of working with celebrity brands.

On Patience
According to Reichenberger, it takes approximately five to ten years to build a brand. Patience is paramount. The "mary-kateandashley" brand occupied tween space, which included furniture, makeup and apparel. It took three years of pounding on doors before the Ashley Olsen and Mary-Kate Olsen successfully secured interest. It was Wal-Mart who was willing to accept the "mary-kateandashley" brand.

On Dualstar Consumer Products
Dualstar Consumer Products was established in 2000. This division holds the most significant financial position within the entertainment group. Approximately forty-six products were initially added to the Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen brand. Their clothing line, The Row, is a high-end couture clothing line that has been featured in Vogue USA (November 2006). The media line is equally successful. Today, the Ashley and Mary-Kate book series is the largest-selling book series after Harry Potter.

On the Global Nature of Branding
Globalization, whether or not one likes it, is inevitable. Since one cannot escape globalization, any successful businessman understands the importance of embracing and working with globalization. Today, the company has evolved into a global boutique company with offices in Culver City (in Los Angeles County) and New York. Dualstar Consumer Products have expanded to fifteen countries, including the UK, France, and Australia.

On Identity
In the past, Ashley Olsen and Mary-Kate Olsen struggled to maintain their brand identity. With the help of Reichenberger, they expelled categories in their product line (e.g. toothpaste) that did not fit into the image they wished to present. They are both well-respected fashion icons in the celebrity world.

On Licensing
Most of the deals are one-year-deals. Surprisingly, it was not always easy to convince longer deals to be made due to the doubts that young women care about fashion. In fact, the opposite is clearly true. Today, young women are more fashion-conscious.

On Film Producing
Dualstar Entertainment Group produces DVDs. The company holds a ten million dollar distribution agreement with Warner Brothers Entertainment. Dualstar films include Getting There, The Favorite Adventures of Mary-Kate and Ashley, and When in Rome.

On Work-Life Balance
Understanding the importance of aligning personal goals with professional goals, Reichenberger invites a coach to Dualstar to provide monthly coaching sessions to its employees. In order to achieve the ideal HBS work-life balance, both personal and professional goals must be clear.

On Sensitivity
The Olsen twins are blessed to have Reichenberger as their CEO. She truly cares for the reputation and security and safety of the Olsen twins and their family. She also understands that she is working with a company where the average age is twenty-six years - an age where one thinks s/he knows everything about the world. This has only taught her to conduct business intuitively and to always present many options to the company.

On Celebrity
In the USA, celebrity is taking on a creepy addiction. According to Reichenberger, celebrity branding has swept the county. For example, Sheryl Crow will be launching her own denim line. Other examples of celebrities who have launched their own lines include Hilary Duff, Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Simpson, Britney Spears, and Shania Twain.

On Security
Celebrity branding is an extremely complicated business includes the following three elements: the legal, the PR, and the security elements. The Security Company within Dualstar deals with paparazzi-reporting, fan mail, threats, security of the stars, and security of the family of the stars.

On Doing Business With Celebrities
Ashley Olsen and Mary-Kate Olsen wholly own Dualstar Entertainment Group, 50%-50%. According to Reichenberger, the Co-Presidents of Dualstar Entertainment Group hold integrity, intelligence and incredible business acumen. They developed their entrepreneurship skills because they were surrounded by entertainment moguls since the very young age of six years when that started acting on the television series, Full House. In 2007, Forbes collectively ranked the young Ashley Olsen and Mary-Kate Olsen as the eleventh-richest women in entertainment, holding an estimated combined net worth of $100 million. Unlike many young celebrities, they are responsible and careful not to over-expose themselves. Together with Reichenberger, they are not afraid to turn down deals that seem only lucrative in the short-term and that hold neither integrity nor longevity.

Reichenberger holds an addictive attitude of resilience and passion for the company. She is intelligent, positive, and caring. Ashely Olsen and Mary-Kate Olsen are smart business women not only due to their natural entrepreneurial skills but also due to the fact that they hired one of the outstanding female executives in the nation to be the CEO of their billion-dollar international company.

Reichenberger's visit to the Harvard Business School was a distinguished speaker event sponsored by the HBS Entertainment and Media Club (EMC), the HBS Marketing Club, and the HBS Women's Student Association.

Seen, but Not Heard, Seen, but Not Heard...

2007-10-25T05:57:00.000-07:00

So Im going through a serioulsy tired phase. It happens. Its a long project. You have times when you're stoked and times when you're frustrated. After a recent conversation with a fellow girl culture researcher I had to face a hard fact about an interviewee Ive been trying hard to get. She assured me, in no uncertain terms, that despite stringing me along...he just isn't going to let me interview him. She knows him, you see.

Ive also grown a bit tired of reading books and feeling there's always a bit more research to do. Of trying to work on the script, only to find that we've still got so much more to do before it can be finalized. And realizing finalized is what we need.

But yesterday, I was helping some students with FCP, and this thing happened, that happens every time I teach in my office. They inspired me. We were using some So Little Time footage to go over making subclips and they used the very first episode. It starts out talking about "Cute Food" and how some foods aren't meant to be eaten in public. This section alone has so many things I can pull from it for the collage aspects of the film. Including a clip where Ashley says, "Seen But Not Heard" - which will juxtapose nicely with the a clip from the Jonas Brothers song below.

So, for the next few weeks I think Im going to switch gears a bit. Give my academic brain a break and have some fun with the project so I can revive. Work on the collage aspects. Go through and organize clips from the sitcoms.

It seems like a good plan for my sanity and for the films energy. At least this morning that's the idea.

Everyone who's ever been in this place, or who is there now, send me good vibes. :-)

It Won't Cost Much, Just Your Voice OR How does the message change when its a cute boy and not an evil witch singing the song?

2007-10-21T09:15:00.000-07:00

A hugely popular tween boy band, the Jonas Brothers, redid the Little Mermaid song, "Poor Unfortunate Souls" but my wonder is if Disney really listened to the lyrics closely in advance and thought about the impact they might have. Tween girls are CRAZY for these boys...So is this really the best message for them to be sending?

"The men up there don't like a lot of blabber
They think a girl who gossips is a bore!
Yet on land it's much prefered for ladies not to say a word
And after all dear, what is idle prattle for?
Come on, they're not all that impressed with conversation
True gentlemen avoid it when they can
But they dote and swoon and fawn
On a lady who's withdrawn
It's she who holds her tongue who get's her man"

When Ursula sings these lyrics we get that she's a witch and that her words are not to be trusted...but can todays 8 year old girl (born in 1999), who maybe has, but maybe hasn't, seen Little Mermaid (1989), process the subtext when these lyrics are sung by cute boys in a tween pop band? My gut instinct is no.

But Id love to be convinced Im wrong on this one.

Please, convince me Im wrong.

Younger Savvy Consumers, You Gotta Have a Plan - Hook 'em Young and Keep 'em

2007-10-18T11:21:00.000-07:00

Story Excerpt from USA Today online, Photos by USA TODAY (Click on above title for Full Article)

Hooking young customers early, and keeping them on the line
Tween girls are the core of Bonne Bell's customer base, but the makeup and skin-care company works hard to attract girls as young as 4 and to keep them. Here's how:

Kaela Fisch, 5, is holding flavored Lip Smacker lip balm.
4 to 6
Pre-tween girls are introduced to makeup with hundreds of Bonne Bell Lip Smacker lip balm flavors. Some start collections.

Alyssa Tsukamoto, 9, holds Lip Smacker lip gloss.
7 to 10
As they enter the tween years, girls become adept at using a lip gloss wand. For them, Bonne Bell sells glossy and often shimmery Lip Smacker lip glosses.

Elizabeth Dolan, 11, with tinted lip gloss.
11 to 13
Color becomes popular as older tweens and younger teens steer toward tinted lip balms and glosses. Bonne Bell's Pinky Lip Smacker line includes lip and nail products.

Shadi Jackson, 17, has liquid lipstick.
14 to 18 and beyond
More mature flavors such as mocha and tart berries, water-inspired and vitamin-enriched glosses and bronzers are geared to teens and young women into their 20s.

Some other tween girl traits:

•They're driven by imitation. Tweens want to look like each other but be able to call looks their own, says retail consultant Laura Evans, whose clients include Reebok and Express. Retailers that offer a lot of similar apparel — layers of shirts in a variety of colors — tend to be the most popular. Hilary Bell, executive vice president for strategy for Bonne Bell, says almost every young girl is introduced to the youth-oriented cosmetic brand through her mother, aunt or older sister, "But each generation, she feels like she discovered it herself." Tween Brands, which owns the Limited Too and Justice chains, finds its customer "doesn't want to set the trend on the playground," says spokesman Robert Atkinson. In some respects, this makes the tween retailer's job easier. It can follow popular trends from the teen market.

•They want more of everything. Whether it's lip balm or blue jeans, "More is more," says Nita Rollins, who heads marketing intelligence at the digital marketing agency Resource Interactive. "Nothing succeeds like excess." Tweens aren't aware of "social codes of restraint," says Rollins, so they see no reason why they don't need 10 American Girl dolls or several pairs of jeans or sneakers. The average number of Lip Smacker-brand lip balm and glosses owned by Bonne Bell customers is 10, but, Bell notes, "The girls who have 100 make up for the ones who don't have 10."

Therein also lies the success of the low-priced accessories store chains Claire's and Icing. Young people even have a new website, zebo.com, on which to chronicle and quantify their possessions, and millions already have.

•They are environmentally aware. Tweens start to "feel the pain of everybody. They want to know if animals were hurt in making this," says Nisch, whose clients have included H&M and Disney. They might even become vegetarians or vegans. Rollins agrees: "They have social consciousness at a very young age. They have great lives, and so they want to give back."

Bonne Bell doesn't test on animals, and Hilary Bell says the company often gets e-mails from girls thanking it. The company also uses recycled paper, cardboard and plastics in packaging where possible. The girls, for the most part, "have a caring, sharing and compassionate attitude. The Earth, plants and animals are their friends," Bell says.

•They like attention, sort of. "Our customer aspires to be like an older girl, so if she's 10 she wants to dress like a 12-year-old, and a 12-year-old wants to dress like a 14-year-old," says Atkinson. But she's also "more self-conscious" and not usually trying to attract boys, he says. She mostly just wants to appear "more affiliated with her friends."

Same Song, Different Day

2007-10-15T13:42:00.001-07:00

Ypulse Mashup

2007-10-02T16:16:00.000-07:00

Friday Andre and I drove to NY to attend the Ypulse Tween Marketing Mashup in Manhattan. Thanks to a cranky distributor we got there around noon, but were lucky enough to shoot four panels and to interview a variety of CEO's who are currently focusing on various ways of reaching tweens through online media.

Then, on Saturday, we had an ultimate interview with a super tween fan, Sam Myers. This girl is 18 and has talked to and/or met many of her favorite tween celebrities including: MKA, Amanda Bynes, Miley Cyrus and Hillary Duff. She shared her scrap books, signed photos (with her and the celebs in the image) and even let us listen to a recording she made of a phone call she got from MKA when she was 13. Sam, who sufferes from Familial Dysautonomia (FD), a rare genetic disease, was an amazingly open, excited and generous fan to share her many stories with us.

Overall a truly successful weekend.

Ashley's Growing Up too

2007-09-27T13:45:00.000-07:00

Ashley Olsen has just been cast in The Informers, a film based on Bret Easton Ellis’s short stories. Also in the cast are Billy Bob Thoron and Kim Basinger.

The story is about a group of young California adults in 1983 who confront their rootless lives, while their parents confront their rootless, disaffected children. Meanwhile, the Southland is terrorized by a series of murders committed by what looks like a vampire cult.

Also signing on for the Bret Easton Ellis adaptation are Austin Nichols ("John From Cincinnati"), Jon Foster and Lou Pucci ("Thumbsucker").

The Hollywood Reporter has at least a smidge of specific casting info, noting that Thornton will play a movie exec with Basinger as his wife, Superman's Routh will play a vampire and Olsen will play a sexually promiscuous girl.

Gregor Jordan ("Buffalo Soldiers") is directing the film, which features seven intersecting storylines taking place over one week in Los Angeles, circa 1983.

Ellis and Nicholas Jarecki adapted the "American Psycho" author's collection of stories and production will begin in October in Los Angeles, Uruguay and Buenos Aires.

MK on Conan

2007-09-22T14:38:00.000-07:00

Girls Gotta Point

2007-09-11T11:35:00.000-07:00

(Mary Kate Quotes from E!Online...)

''I don't want my picture taken. The only time I think it's okay is at a red carpet event or a photo shoot. So, every time I see paparazzi, I cover my face so they don't get a picture, and I'm just 'the mean person who doesn't smile.”

“I would love to be able to swim in the ocean in Malibu. But that is asking for a bikini shot. That's inviting something that I don't want to happen. I don't need to be on a 'Who's Skinny, Who's Fat, Who's Looking Healthy, Who's Not Eating?' list.''

"'There's definitely been times in my life when I just turned to people and said, 'I'm done, this is too much for me, this is too overwhelming.’ "

PBS KIDS Spending Smarts...Questioning Commercials

2007-09-03T11:34:00.000-07:00

When a commercial comes on, ask yourself these questions.
What sound effects or music does the commercial use? Do the sounds make it more exciting?
How do the actors using the product look? Do you think the product could make you happy or popular?
Are there celebrities in the commercial? Do you think the celebrity really uses the product?
When watching a toy commercial, is the toy pictured in a group with other toys that are all sold separately?

Questions to Ask After You Buy
Does the product look bigger or better on TV than in real life?
Does it work the same at home as it did on the commercial?

Vanity Sizing...That Store Makes You Feel Fat? Just Come to Limited Too...we'll take care of you.

2007-08-30T14:16:00.000-07:00

Tween Brands, Inc. NYSE: TWB,formerly known as Too, Inc., operates two store concepts: Limited Too and Justice. Limited Too sells apparel, underwear, sleepwear, swimwear, lifestyle and personal care products aimed at girls aged 7-14. Justice, launched in 2004, sells sportswear and accessory items for girls aged 7-14. Justice operates at mainly non-mall locations such as power strip and specialty centers. The brand currently operates 572 Limited Too and 160 Justice stores.

Vanity Sizing: While operating as The Limited Too, stores were proven to practice vanity sizing, leaving inaccuracies in clothing sizes, often making the girl feel overweight at other stores. (example: a girl who would wear a size 12 at other stores would wear a 10 or even an 8 at Limited Too stores).

Stardoll...dress up your celebrities now!

2007-08-29T13:12:00.000-07:00

Currently you can dress up a variety of paperdoll celebrities on stardoll.com, but soon, according to hollywoodreport.com, you'll be able to dress like an Olsen...

*********
Stardoll lets you virtually dress like an Olsen
Aug 23, 2007 (Hollywood Reporter.com)

Online entertainment destination Stardoll announced Wednesday a promotional partnership with Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen allowing members of the fashion-oriented site access to dress up their personally-created avatars with virtual clothing and accessories from their marykateandashley brand.

Through the collaboration, fans will also have the chance to interact online with the young stars and participate in an online fashion show and sweepstakes.

Click this entries title to link.

A DAY OF GOODNESS AND PRODUCTIVITY

2007-08-27T16:30:00.000-07:00

Today was a day of good news and even more productiveness on the film front. Donna secured the rights to the Corrie Pikul story (for one of our animation sections) and also got further in her efforts to get to Moby's publicist to discuss interveiwing him late Sept (keep your fingers crossed for us), AND we had our first animation team meeting. Taylor Gill, a UNCW junior, has joined the Silvacine team and will be assisting Andre with the films animation segments over the next two or three semesters. The meeting today went even better than I had expected..why you ask? Because it turns out that Taylor, in addition to being a fab beginning animator, also use to babysit a neighbor who was a bit of an MKA fan and so he's familar with their brand and their history.

Yeah today! Yeah Donna! Yeah Taylor!

More MK Weeds

2007-08-25T14:21:00.001-07:00

Videogame industry hopes to harness girl power

2007-08-18T10:09:00.000-07:00

EXCERPT FROM REUTERS ARTICLE (click on title above to link to full article)

Photo by Toru Hanal

Article By David Ward
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) -

Can "High School Musical" and "Hannah Montana" finally take girl gaming to the next level?

While most of the attention of teen and tween girls Friday night will be focused on the premiere of "High School Musical 2" on Disney Channel, Disney Interactive is hoping that interest eventually bears fruit in the gaming aisles of retailers nationwide.

Beginning with "High School Musical: Making the Cut" for the Nintendo DS, Disney Interactive is bringing out four titles based on the two licensing juggernauts in the coming months.

"The demand for both the 'High School Musical' and 'Hannah Montana' games has been enormous among retailers," Disney Interactive GM Graham Hopper said. "I think the industry is starting to wake up to the fact that girls play games."

Getting that female audience into video games, especially consoles, has long been a holy grail for publishers, and there have been encouraging signs. According to the Electronic Software Assn., 38% of game players are women or girls, and a Harris Interactive poll this year found that tween girls spend up to 10 hours a week playing games, compared with 16 hours a week for tween boys.

"The industry is still dominated by the male side, but we're definitely seeing not just more female players but older gamers as well," said Beth Llewelyn, senior director of corporate communications at Nintendo of America. "We've had success with DS titles like 'Nintendogs' but also with the 'Brain' games -- 'Brain Age' and 'Big Brain Academy' -- that are definitely skewing more toward females."

The problem has been that girls and women tend to be among the most casual players, interested in easy-to-pick-up social games but not consistently shelling out $30-$50 for more complex fare.

"The real key is to get girls to begin obsessing over games the way they might obsess over a boy band or shows like 'High School Musical,'" said Jessica Chiang, marketing producer at Her Interactive, which has carved out a niche making PC games based on the "Nancy Drew" license.

Chiang said the way to achieve that passion seems to be the right license, noting, "If they already like the TV show or dolls, they tend to want to get the game." (article continues, link through title of this post)

Is Anything Ever New? Or will Hollywood keep playing out these same fantasies until I go mad?

2007-08-15T20:17:00.000-07:00

A 21 year old and a 63 year old making out. Realistic? No way. Moviemaking bullshit. You bet.

Who are these films being made for? Whose fantasies are being lived out? I have loved so many of Kingley's films...but today Im just fucking annoyed.

See the yahoo news excerpt below.

NEW YORK - Brace yourself: In her upcoming movie, Mary-Kate Olsen locks lips with Ben Kingsley. Yes, the one-time adorable tyke turned teenage titan, and Gandhi. Not surprisingly, the film's a comedy. Olsen is now 21. Kingsley is 63. Their film, "The Wackness," is slated for release next year.

"There is a very passionate scene in the film, which we filmed last week," Kingsley, who won the best-actor Oscar for 1982's "Gandhi," tells the syndicated TV show "Access Hollywood" in an interview scheduled to air Wednesday.

"It went extremely well and she was very focused. She was very good, very professional. She was quite wonderful."

When asked if he thinks the scene will stir up controversy, Kingsley says: "I'm sure it will. (Her character) is this great free spirit, you know, she is equally seducing so it is a level playing field."

My Very First Credit Card....Today I am a Woman

2007-08-15T19:32:00.000-07:00

And here's another annoying message from Hannah Montana - my new favorite research subject.

THE ROW looking for UNPAID Interns on Craigslist - Times Must Be Tight

2007-07-17T09:29:00.001-07:00

Craigslist

Reply to: job-368300916@craigslist.org
Date: 2007-07-07, 12:01AM EDT

The Row is all about a classic, chic sensibility for women and
men, incorporating tailor made techniques to all of our garmets. We
sell to the best botiques worldwide New York (Barneys), Los Angeles
(Maxfield), Paris(Marie Louisa), Tokyo (Isetan, Adelaide, etc.) and
others.

This position is part-time (3-4 days a week). This internship requires
a 2-3 month commitment.

Responsibilites will include doing flat sketches, organizing inventory
for development and market samples, corresponding with local
factories, sourcing fabric,
finding inspiration material, working on excel spreadsheets, running
errands, putting together tech packs, sourcing different garment
industry vendors.

This job has a lot of responsibilites and requires someone who is
thorough and self motivated.

PLEASE EMAIL A RESUME IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO APPLY FOR THE INTERNSHIP

Compensation: this internship is unpaid, metrocard will be provided.
This is an internship job
Principals only. Recruiters, please don’t contact this job poster.
Please, no phone calls about this job!
Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.

MK - E! Interview about "Weeds"

2007-07-17T08:53:00.001-07:00