The genius that is capitalism and religion have paired up to offer the Talking Jesus doll at Wal-Mart and Target (Source). Indeed, I just heard about it on NPR…
Of course, the easy media angle is whether Jesus will out compete traditional toys, i.e. will kids play with it? Some even call it the next religious Tickle-Me-Elmo. Whatever…too easy. Softball news garbage. The next easiest controversy is whether it’s some kind of heresy to make a Jesus doll in the first place. Another whatever.
What I immediately thought of is whether Talking Jesus was made in China, whether he was made of plastic (PVC - poly-vinyl-chloride), and if he would be dogged by the lead controversy.
Wouldn’t that be fitting? It’s cheap toy crap, no matter what veil you put on it…And the religious do-gooders couldn’t think ahead of short-term cheapness.
In fact, he is made of PVC and is made in China. I can’t answer the lead question without an independent laboratory test, but it wouldn’t surprise me one bit…The toy recalls for plastic toys made in China are an obvious source to base that on (NYTimes).
Who cares about PVC? Well, to start it’s not exactly safe to produce (Building Green). And PVC can contain phlalates to make it flexible/pliable, which course aren’t very good to ingest, ala BPA plastic concerns.
This isn’t new, just newly discovered. A few years ago I bought a measuring tape at Target that was plastic and a sticker on the box, saying it contained lead and I should wash my hands after using. I returned it.
So how about it? Can someone test Jesus to see if he’s made of lead?
The “Coalition for Affordable and Reliable Energy” (CARE), a coal lobby marketing firm, has decided that laptop discoveries about coal will incite women to spontaneously shriek out loud about “American Energy”.
No spontaneous support shrieks have been reported on the Washington DC metro, where the advertisement is running. Our good friends at CARE are keeping the “coal is exciting-and-good-for-you” marketing campaign going by targeting kids in Phase 2…
…no running in the halls! Your coal will still be there after recess.
Apparently kids also love coal because it’s “American Energy” (it also comes with “American Mercury,” “American Soot,” “American Carbon Dioxide” and “American Mountain Top Mining”). No word on whether Joe Camel is willing add a side of mercury to the cigarette tars or join forces with Lumpy Carbon, the mascot in waiting.
There is a lot of support for “American Energy” these days, including “American Energy Independence,” “American Energy Security,” and my favorite, “Americans for American Energy” (as opposed to Russians?!). The biggest “American Energy” front runners are wind energy, biofuels, and coal. No word yet on whether the European wind energy industry is thinking of changing their name in light of this development.
Minnesota energy historians (of which there are a lot in DC) may remember a similar “energy-excitement” marketing genre from the Padilla Speer Beardsley marketing firm (lesser known as Vanilla Pears and Birdseed), which was hired by the MN Department of Agriculture for their 2004 MN State Fair booth, which featured renewable energy.
Nothing says environmental stereotype like white people in birkenstocks (and that lady second from the right is really whooping more than shrieking). And no marketing campaign is cheaper than when you gather everyone in the office for a photo. No word on whether the Dept of Ag feels shorted that they weren’t in the picture.
Contrast that with the opposite trend for this Latin American wind energy campaign.
Now we’re talking enthusiasm. There’s a wind turbine. There’s a guy. Wind energy.
Details of the emerging energy marketing genre wars are unknown at this time, but will no doubt be vetted in future advertisements at other random locations where people are fairly oblivious to the point.
Get in line though - there’s a 12-15 month waiting list and an extensive interview process. According to the Chief Executive, you’re not just buying a cat but a “medical device that replaces shots and pills.”
I’m surprised the drug companies haven’t bought the naming rights. “This is Binkie, my Allegra Cat.” “Claratin Sam isn’t feeling well today.”
What if it turns out that the allergy-free cats are allergic to humans?
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Environment, Health, Money, Religion, Washington DC | 
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Posted by solarkismet
