The Merchants of Cool 2/6

They spend their days sifting through reams of market research data. They conduct endless surveys and focus groups. They comb the streets, the schools, and the malls, hot on the trail of the "next big thing" that will snare the attention of their prey--a market segment worth an estimated $150 billion a year. They are the merchants of cool: creators and sellers of popular culture who have made teenagers the hottest consumer demographic in America. But are they simply reflecting teen desires or have they begun to manufacture those desires in a bid to secure this lucrative market? And have they gone too far in their attempts to reach the hearts--and wallets--of America's youth?

Category:

Education

Tags:

• merchants
• cool
• pbs
• frontline
• documentary
• teen
• teenager
• youth
• kids
• fame
• popular
• commercial
• advertising
• media
• celebrity
• fashion
• society
• music
• britney
• spears
• limp
• bizkit
• sprite
• mtv

[hectorh29]

"they are selling a lifestyle." People especially the youth now think that they can become someone by shopping. My generation is so fucked.

[doublej706]

@AZtrueflow18 Rap is dying. Enter: Techno.

[ecuspies]

Sprite is a part of hip hop as baggy jeans and sneakers??? Are you kidding me??? I wonder how much they are paying her, b/c I guarandamntee she is overpaid.

Understanding kids are easy... generational fads tend to repeat themselves, just with a different packaging. Nothing is original really, just repackaged garbage that "looks" new, yet is a throwback. I need to apply to these companies.

[Leibinz]

Money destroys the good in everything.

[SpaceJamVision]

@jack101564 thanks for elaborating . check out an artist called the 6th letter ez on the motion. Tell me your honest opinion jack .

[jack101564]

@SpaceJamVision he meant that teens are a gold mine like Africa was to European country's.

[FunctionalRepublic]

We have the power to choose. Change the repetitious behavior, switch it up. Try something new and challenge yourself everyday. Soon enough, you will be the barometer and master of your life and this Government/Corporate complex will crumble leaving us the ability to shape a better galaxy.

[mrincon3792]

I cannot think of a generation that can be called inspirational. Every generation is the outcome of its previous ones. We have learned from history about other generations which lived through gender discrimination and race harrasments which at the time were completely legal. I am not saying these do not exist today but at least not to those extremes. This generation is getting better in the same amount that it is getting worse.

[mrdeeablo]

@american1476, stupid ass trying to put down "ghetto trash" yet he can't spell for shit!!!!

[browilliams]

hehe, AOL-TimeWarner... that was a trainwreck

[SpaceJamVision]

did this guy say teens are like africa , racist

[american1476]

I think I will now not buy sprite why don't you bastards try to capitilize on white culture in the suborb not ghetto trash