Journal Entry 1 by morsecode from Buffalo, New York USA on Saturday, December 03, 2005

Back cover text:
In this chilling and thought-provoking expose, Alissa Quart takes us on a tour of the unsettling new reality of marketing to teenagers, introducing us to the disturbingly saavy advertisers who have targeted younger and younger minds and wallets.
But beyond the most glaring examples of print ads and commercials, Quart says, are the quieter yet no less worrisome forms of teen branding: the teen consultants who work for corporations in exchange for product; the teen 'memoirist' who consider the selling of their won stories a necessary part of branding themselves; the girls obsessed with cosmetic surgery who will do anything to look like women on TV; the boys who trick themselves up as their favorite brand-covered video-game action heroes; and those teens simply obsessed with admission into the name-brand college of their (or their parents') choice. We also meet the pockets of kids attempting to turn the tables on the cocksure corporations that so cynically strive to manipulate them.
With a new afterword on the most recent development in marketing to teens, Branded brings one of the most troubling and least talked about results of contemporary business and culture to the fore--and ensures that we will never look at today's youth the same way again.

I picked this book up at the book outlet and it looks like a very interesting read. I'm probably not going to get around to reading it any time soon so I thought I'd share it as a ring.
If you are interested in joining the ring, please PM (or email--there is a link from my bookshelf profile) me with your location and shipping preferences. 

Journal Entry 2 by morsecode from Buffalo, New York USA on Thursday, December 08, 2005

Journal Entry 3 by redjanet from London , Greater London United Kingdom on Wednesday, December 21, 2005

I received this in the post today. Just in time to read over xmas, the biggest celebration of consumerism of the year! ;-)

I'll try to read it quickly, though I have a couple of books from rings and rays to get to first. 

Journal Entry 4 by redjanet from London , Greater London United Kingdom on Sunday, January 08, 2006

I finished this the other day and for the most part found it very interesting, but also quite depressing. Quart makes some very interesting points about how teenagers in the states are targeted so much by various types of marketers, from clothing to cinema to colleges, etc. I didn't find much of to be all that surprising honestly, though I thought the most interesting chapters were those about the changes in teen cinema in the last few decades as well as the chapter about the pro-ana girls, which i found very chilling and upsetting. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a lot suggested that many people can actually *do* about stopping the sorts of campaigns pointed out by Quart. Also, although I agreed with most of her points, I did find the author's smugness and sense of superiority as if she was above all of this a tad grating at times.

I will now contact Drusillamac so this ring can be continued. 

Journal Entry 5 by redjanet at BookRing in Book Ring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Tuesday, January 10, 2006

Released 6 yrs ago (1/10/2006 UTC) at BookRing in Book Ring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

This book was posted today to Drusillamac. Enjoy! 

Journal Entry 6 by Drusillamac from Glasgow, Scotland United Kingdom on Friday, January 13, 2006

Caught this book in the post today. This is around number 3 on Mount TBR due to other bookrings that have made their way to me. Once my pesky exams are out the way next week I should have more time to read. 

Journal Entry 7 by Drusillamac from Glasgow, Scotland United Kingdom on Monday, January 30, 2006

Wow, this was such a great book. I pushed this up Mount TBR after I got hooked on the first few chapters.

Although I'm Scottish, a lot of the obsession with brand names and labels exist over here. In my early high school years you couldn't go into PE without wearing shorts or a T-shirt with a 'sports' brand on it. The school did try and stamp this out but many got away with the 'plain white T-shirt' rule by having a small, subtle logo on it. I should know, I was one of them.

Another thought that came to me was the day I spent at football camp for Rangers FC. At the end of the day everyone was given goodie bags and the 'goodies' were plastered with Nike logos. I didn't think much of it at the time but hundreds of kids would have received such goodie bags.

The section about the teen films really interested me. I like the way Quart used The Breakfast Club to reinforce the points made about the labels used by kids in high school. I re-watched that film while reading this book and certain elements did jump out at me.

Off to daemonwolf when I get an address. 

Journal Entry 8 by Drusillamac from Glasgow, Scotland United Kingdom on Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Sent this to daemonwolf today via second class post. 

Journal Entry 9 by AlexInLeeds from Leeds, West Yorkshire United Kingdom on Friday, February 03, 2006

Arrived in the post today! 

Journal Entry 10 by AlexInLeeds from Leeds, West Yorkshire United Kingdom on Friday, March 17, 2006

Read and reviewed on my book journal.

PM'd the next reader for their addy. 

Journal Entry 11 by AlexInLeeds at book ring in Mailed to fellow bookcrosser, Postal Release -- Controlled Releases on Thursday, March 30, 2006

Released 6 yrs ago (4/1/2006 UTC) at book ring in Mailed to fellow bookcrosser, Postal Release -- Controlled Releases

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Posting onwards. 

Journal Entry 12 by janey-canuck from Guelph, Ontario Canada on Friday, April 07, 2006

Received in the mail today - looking forward to reading it, hopefully I can start it this weekend, but I have another ring to finish up first. 

Journal Entry 13 by janey-canuck from Guelph, Ontario Canada on Monday, April 24, 2006

Oh my heavens - this book was just horrid. My main problem with it was the lack of research that went into it. Quart doesn't seem to have done her generations research - as if she did, she would have realized that this generation (which happens to be my generations) hates the tag Generation Y. We're Millennials. We're not an after-thought of Gen Xers. We are our own generation. We also didn't start appearing until 1982. Her years are also off - and there is plenty of research on that topic. It also seems that she can find one strong (or sometimes two weak) examples of her point, she states them and then moves on. What about giving more examples? One example doesn't prove what you are saying.

She also had a really bad habit of bringing up her own teenage years. What exactly is this book about? Her childhood or what is happening to today's youth? Sometimes, her flashbacks are relevant, but sometimes they seem to have no relevance at all. And while I enjoyed the chapter on movies, most of what was in that book has no relation to her book topic (as I thought this was supposed to be an expose about what is happening to today's youth). Another problem I had was her lack of explanation of various things she discussed. Sometimes she did this very well. Other times, I had no idea what group she was talking about or what various initials stood for. She also didn't really give a lot of detail about some of the teens she spoke to. Often, there would be a name and a quote and that was it. I would have liked some more context.

Quart did have some really good points, but I felt they could have been better supported and better researched. I would probably pick up another one of her books in the future.

I will be sending this out to mrsjones tomorrow afternoon. 

Journal Entry 14 by mrsjones from Hamilton, Ohio USA on Saturday, May 06, 2006

I received this in the mail yesterday and started reading it. So far, I'm a little disappointed with the textbook style of it. I feel like I'm reading someone's masters' thesis. 

Journal Entry 15 by mrsjones from Hamilton, Ohio USA on Tuesday, May 23, 2006

I have mixed feelings about this book. While some of her thoughts were intriguing, other points she tried to make didn't seem very valid. For instance, she talks a lot about young children being branded; wanting media-themed toys and items. Yes, that's true, but it's been that way for a long, long time. This isn't something new. I think back to my childhood (early 70's) when I had a Charlie's Angels lunchbox and my brother had Hong Kong Phooey. We had media-themed notebooks, too, and t-shirts, toys, etc. These things might be more in abundance nowadays, but the idea of selling to children/"branding" children isn't all that new. And I'm not sure what is wrong with kids wanting things they like...

It was alarming to think about how much influence media advertisements have on children these days. I have a 5-year-old and I could see some of the effects that the author talked about. It did make me want to be more conscious of what ideas/themes are put into her head.

On the flip side, I've worked for companies that target teens and had never really thought anything bad about it. You'll have to remember that I read this book through the perspective of someone who has deliberately sought out the insights of teens so that we could better produce and market products that they would buy. I have always approached it more as a service to them because we're giving them what THEY want rather than ignoring the fact that they will be purchasing cosmetics/grooming products anyway. But, this book did make me stop and think (not for the first time) -- are we giving them what they want? Or telling them what they want? It's a fine line.

Overall, the book was good. It definitely brought out an awareness of branding that I hadn't thought much about before.

PMing karenlea for her address. 

Journal Entry 16 by Karenlea from Glendale, California USA on Monday, June 05, 2006

Caught!!! This looks like it's going to be an interesting read. Thank you for sharing!!! 

Journal Entry 17 by Karenlea from Glendale, California USA on Monday, July 03, 2006

I first want to say that I read a majority of this book on two of my lunch breaks. I work for Universal Studios and I took my break at a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf on city walk. I was consuming a "brand" and surrounded by teenagers that were fully "branded." I kept looking around the room as I read this book and thinking of how the various people related to what I was reading.

Another thing, this book reminded me of my niece, Morgan. Morgan is eight and visited us last summer. She was obsessed with clothes and celebrities - specifically Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan. Morgan constantly asked me what brand of clothing/make-up/shoes/ect...I liked and what I wore. She was completely preoccupied. Also, for holidays she only wants clothes. I thought it was odd behavior for such a young child, but the behavior mirrors waht Quart discusses in the book. It's scary.

Even as an adult, I find myself paying attention to brands. I think I buy into the hype more now that I did as a teenager. I know that it's ridiculous, yet I find myself doing it. I think this book made me a little more aware of media tactics and manipulation.

Another good book on the subject of advertising, is " Can't Buy My Love" by Jean Kilbourne. It specifically discussed the ways that women are targeted by advertising.

I will have this book mailed out tomorrow. Thank you for sharing!!! 

Journal Entry 18 by cosmicflurk from San Diego, California USA on Tuesday, July 11, 2006

This has just arrived in San Diego, CA. I'll start this book once I finish, "I Hate You, Don't Leave Me," which should be soon. 

Journal Entry 19 by cosmicflurk from San Diego, California USA on Sunday, August 20, 2006

"Behold the horror of the unchecked free market!" Well, duh. I think our teens need to be made to realize that corporations are marketing to them because they are only interested in their money. So when a teen has a brand showing, they've lost and the corporation has won. (Rather like the protagonist of Pattern Recognition.) Otherwise, this culture is just paving the way for America to become a fascist state. You see, we all know that our elected representatives will sell us individuals out for campaign contributions from big business. And as we all know, this is totally wrong. But to a brand-oriented culture, having (say) a Senator brought to you by Coca-Cola would be completely acceptable. (And I suppose only then, could said Senator at last be honest about his agenda.)
 

Journal Entry 20 by cosmicflurk at by mail in By Mail, BookCrosser -- Controlled Releases on Sunday, August 20, 2006

Released 5 yrs ago (8/21/2006 UTC) at by mail in By Mail, BookCrosser -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

On its way to Dawgmycat in Oak Hill, WV. 

Journal Entry 21 by Dawgmycat from Oak Hill, West Virginia USA on Monday, September 04, 2006

Received this Saturday. Will be starting it tonight. 

Journal Entry 22 by morsecode from Buffalo, New York USA on Monday, October 30, 2006

This book returned home today.
Thanks so much to all of you who participated in the ring. 

Journal Entry 23 by morsecode from Buffalo, New York USA on Saturday, November 04, 2006

I'm mailing this book out today to BookMooch member christy747.
I hope she enjoys it.
 

Journal Entry 24 by christy747 at -- Mail or by hand-rings, RABCK, meetings, trades, Minnesota USA on Friday, August 13, 2010

While going through the books on my shelf, I discovered that this one has a BCID! I wasn't a member of BC when I received it. It was one of the very first books I received via BookMooch, in November of 2006, and has been living on my shelves this entire time. I plan to keep it, because I enjoyed it.