"Cool"

Today in marketing class, we watched the second half of a movie called "The Search for Cool" or something to that effect. It made me sad. It was talking about the teen segment that marketers go after. There was a girl on there who said, and I quote, "I have to look good for people. I NEED to look good for people." It made me sad. And then I thought about myself... I like to make myself look good. Do I do it because I know people are going to see me? Because I certainly don't try to look nearly as good here at home when I'm by myself. I know that looking good does make me feel better about myself... but... I don't know... Am I programmed to feel better because I'm wearing a certain outfit or have my make-up on just right because that's how marketers are telling me how to look? Or do I feel better because I actually look how I want myself to look? I don't know...

And then there were parts of the video on MTV's spring break specials with all the sex and nudity and drinking, which also made me sad... as well as on "rage rock" with features on Limp Bizkit and the Insane Clown Pose, which just scared me. It was eye-opening. I'm not even really sure what all I think. I do know, however, that I am saddened by it... saddened and disgusted. I'm glad that the course is in non-profit marketing... I think that is hugely more worthwhile than the private sector marketing that was in the video. I wonder what spin the prof is going to take on it next week... I wonder if he's going to talk about how teens are being exploited by huge corporations or if he's going to talk about how good a job these marketers have done and how their campaign ideas should be used in the non-profit sector. Hmm... well, there will be an update next week on how this turns out for sure.