Selling A Movie To Kids

February 28, 2008

Notice the small print for kids to read. Channel One’s executives are probably bent over laughing at this trick on kids. No child can read this on Channel One’s pathetically old TV sets. If you are aiming a contest at children you should take the time to explain the rules and fine print, but alas, Channel One couldn’t care less if kids fully understand this marketing ploy.

 

Can you imagine any school wasting even one second of precious school time by showing a movie commercial to students?

Good schools don’t do anything that dumb. But if a school still has Channel One News, then they are in the "Coming Attractions" business.

Today, the marketing geniuses at Channel One aired a specially-made ad for a movie coming out this summer. Jack Black is the actor who is lending his voice to the main character in the animated movie "Kung Fu Panda." In this Channel One-made commercial, you see Mr. Black saying hello to "Channel One." He points to students, he wants them to enter a contest. Oh, brother. Teacher and principals who allowed this ad to be aired in classrooms are betraying the trust of parents. No parent sends their child to school to watch movie ads.

Students will rightfully believe their school endorses this movie. After all, the school SHOWED the ad to kids.

At the end of the ad, students are told to go to Channelone.com to enter the Channel One-run contest. Students can actually be in the movie if they win.

Why advertise a movie this far in advance? The people who run Channel One are marketing and advertising people. They want to create "buzz" about the movie. If "buzz" comes at the expense of student learning time, then, as they probably say at Channel One’s headquarters: "Tough Luck." Channel One News is not, and has never been primarily about EDUCATION. It was created for one main purpose: to make advertising revenue from forcing students to view commercials during class time.

Yeah, that’s a pretty lousy way to make a living.

STOP class time!!! You must watch this commercial for a movie.
Jack Black is using Channel One News to disrupt a class and pitch his movie. He gets a little richer. The people at Channel One get a little richer. And the students lose a little school time.

Is it any wonder that Channel One News has lost over 2 million students from its captive audience.

Schools no longer have the luxury of wasting any time with Channel One’s goofiness.