A story from The Guardian , focuses on marketing an adult brand to children. The brand is the Playboy Logo, the famous bunny ears that have been around as long as, well — Heff — just about.
WH Smith, the retailer that was targeted for protest by some London schoolgirls this summer, has been selling stationary supplies with the Playboy logo. Not that the Playboy brand is a bad thing, the bunny ears are not offensive, on their own. But to sell this brand to teens and pre-teens, is ridiculous. This isn't a question of some young thing, giving a nod and knowing glance to a clerk, asking for a condom or pack of cigarettes (or a magazine in a brown wrapper). This is merchandising a whole line right along with the Poohs, Bratz, or Hello Kittys. WHSmith or the other retailers who have similar practices know damn well what they are doing. There's a world of difference between bunny ears on Dodge Ram's mudflaps, and those same ears on a glittery pink pencil case.
I suppose the whole logo thing has been diluted somewhat. To me personally, Playboy (and the bunny ears) represent more or less, a non-stop party. I don't automatically think 'porn'. Obviously the magazine at the heart of Heffner's empire is exactly that, though I've heard there are some good articles? Anyway, I'd be the last to criticize a non-stop party, maybe I'm jealous. But porn, partying, whatever Playboy means to us, it is intended for adults and those cute little ears have absolutely no place in children's lives.
Quick edit: NB
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Mark Saleski
right, since when does anybody under the age of 40 even know what stationary supplies are?!!!
i mean, ya can't even instant message with 'em!
2 - Chris Beaumont
There is also a big difference between Playboy and porn.....
3 - Bob A. Booey
Playboy's porn. It's just well-branded, culturally accepted porn now, even if its sales are going way down.
That is all.
4 - Mark Sahm
Logos (especially a 50 year old one like the Playboy bunny) are part of our culture and exist on another level than one that sells soft-core magazines.
The Bunny itself is considered retro, a throwback to the swinger era, to which I think kids get the joke in that.
5 - Matt Paprocki
I knew the Playboy bunny probably when I was 8, and I had never seen an issue of the magazine. It's just a logo. That doesn't mean I'm going to go into a store and look for the magazine. I knew Coke and Pepsi when I was even younger. Is that a problem for people too?
6 - Bob A. Booey
What's with the recent disturbing trend of ugly and/or fat chicks who get Playboy Bunny tattoos or wear the Playboy Bunny T-shirts over their implants and considerable midriffs?
It is our duty as a society to disabuse chicks who aren't hot but think they are of the notion that they can get away with what hot chicks get away with, namely not having to do, think, or say anything to be worshipped and to have your annoying actions, thoughts, and words overlooked because of hotness.
That is all.
7 - Mary K. Williams
Ha Ha Mark(Salesky) : ) I get your point. Seriously though, kids do need all that stuff for school.
8 - Mary K. Williams
Mark (Sahm)
I know what you mean about retro. Maybe for an older teen, but not for the 10, 11, or even older who may sport the logo on their little girl purses, or pencils.
I guess this just reminds me of the Joe Camel marketing strategy of a few years ago.
9 - Tan The Man
There's a problem with brand advertising in society as a whole.
10 - Mei Flower
Regardless of what we as adults think of when we see the bunny, teenagers DO look at that and immediately go to "naked chicks." We've had to specifically forbid the Playboy Bunny as part of our school's dress code.
11 - me
playboy bunny rocks and it's totally fuc*in gay that some schools wont let you wear shirts etc with the playboy bunny. They can't stop me! I LOVE THE PB BUNNY! Just because I wear it doesn't mean I Want To Be A Playboy Model Or Think Of Naked Girls I Just The Adults Over React! So Kiss My Ass If You Think 15 Year Olds Shouldn't Wear The Playboy Bunny!
12 - your mom
think^^^^
13 - Mary K. Williams
To *Me* -
Well, 15 is still young for a lot of things, but what I was referring to was intentional marketing of adult brands to girls younger than yourself.
Yes, sometimes adults do over react. Harry Potter is a good example of over reacting. (banning in certain schools or churches because of the *occult* overtones.)
If I saw a 11 year old girl with the PB logo, would I think of her a slut? NO. Simply -- the marketing/advertising folks are the one's in the wrong.
14 - kirsty
i think the playboy logo logo is fine, just because you have something wth the logo on does not mean you like porn
15 - kirsty
i am 13 i have things with the logo on it does not mean i am going round evry store to find porn it is harmless to have the logo i have other things with diffenet logos on and i dont c outrage about that
16 - amycee
by the way the playboy logo is NOT porn it is a LOGO cant u see?? the LOGO does not have any naked girls on it!! im 15 and i have so much playboy tops bags stationary ect. but i am against porn the LOGO does not mean PORN its just a LOGO!!! My little sister aged 9 has a lot of playbpy stuff not the tops or bags but she has pencils n stuff and a pencil case and not one person has called her a slut. A SLUT IS a lassie tht walks aboot in a mini skirt n offers her self to much A NINE YEAR OLD WITH A PLAYBOY PENCIL IS NOT A SLUT so adults shut the hell up you know F'k all about kids. You think boys see playboy ears and automaticly think NAKED GIRLS they dont!! they think the person with the playboy stuff is rich because it costs lots or that you kewl because you have it THEN they think on naked GIRLS but not the person wearing it NAKED!!
17 - Mary K. Williams
Dear Amycee -
You really should go back and actually read through my post. I plainly state that personally - to me -- those bunny ears are not porn.
Many adults, including this one, DO know f*ck all about kids. (and i know, some don't.)
I am not now, nor ever was I calling the young girls who sport the Playboy logo sluts.
However, it is wrong for this merchandise to be directed to the very young age group that the retailers have been targeting.
The people who design these marketing campaigns also know f%ck all about kids - they know the appeal of the PB logo. They know it looks like money, as you put it. They don't care why the kids buy the stuff, just so they buy it. The business people don't care that very young girls are wearing something way too adult for them.
For an older teenage girl to wear this stuff, is a little questionable, IMHO. Still I would NOT automatically assume a 17 yr old is a slut, any more than I'd assume your or your 9 yr old sister is a slut.
It all goes back to the old Joe Camel adverts (before your time perhaps?)
Go Google RJ Reynolds, or Joe Camel, and you'll read some astounding stuff.
Now obviously, PB ears are a great deal less harmful than cigarettes, but the sales strategy is similiar, and the result is exposure to grown up brands wayy too early.
18 - Leslie
I think that the playbot logo is cute. I see no problem with younger girls wearing this logo. I am 16 and i love the pb bunny. I do not however, like porn. I think that small mindedness is the case. If someone said not to eat at Burger King or Hardees(not sure which) because Paris Hilton was on the commercial and looked like a slut, what would you do? Stop eating there, i highly doubt it. Thats what i think of when i think of those places. I see no harm in a lil picture of a bunny. I know for a fact alot of the people i know that sport the logo would never think of doing porn. I see it as a feminine accessory. The only people that should worry about who wears it should be parents. If the parents do not fond it appropriate let them handle it. -Leslie
19 - Jade
I love playboy stuff but just because I love it it doesn't mean I fucking love seeing naked woman showing of their tits to boys. I have a boyfriend and he's always asking me to show my tits and shag him ride him give him a bj and it really annoys me i had to before. he gets jealous when i'm around other boys incase i get really close to them but hi just because i love playboy stuff doesn't mean you have to do what they do so wise the fucking head.
20 - Mary K. Williams
Jade -
I think if this really concerns you, you might want to go back and actually read my original post. I'm assuming that you are older than the age group I was referring to, which was 10-13 or so.
No one is accusing someone who likes the Playboy brand of being sexually active or not. That is not the point.
I'll state again -
This is was directed at the idea of business people deliberately marketing this ADULT brand to children.
Of course, this will probably just boil down to readers like yourself just seeing what they want to see. Good luck with that.
21 - Kimberley 15 belfast
hiya i am 15 and complety love playboy i think the logo is so cute n girly. My room is completly playboy i have a playboy tattoo on my back and i have bags , purses , tops , hotpants bikinis the lot. So all you people who are slagging of Mary K Williams she has a point i mean the playboy logo stands for playboy its self but sales persons and marketers make things that teenagers and even younger kids want because they do it in a way that appeals to them eg : making a purse with a cute pink n black bunny on the front taking it from ADULT PORN OR MAGIZINS. do you get the point . no one is calling anyone sluts. By the way people do realise that when a young teenager wears a playboy top that she does not work in the porn industry.!! GET ME
22 - Kimberley 15 belfast
hiya i haverote a commentjust above by the way Mary i agreed about the whole sales thing but i COMPLETELY disagree with kids should not have it near them kids wear it because it is cute we bunny or its girly or whatever they dont see it and go ohh lets go find out what playboy is they get the stuff and use it there is no harm in that they dont know it is suppose to stand for "porn" and "never ending partys" i mean one day tehy might just find out but does it really matter?? they eill not stop buying it because they no what it is.! cant you agree on that ?
23 - Mary K. Williams
Hey Kimberly:
Thanks for your comments, and also thanks for defending me somewhat. You know..that bunny is cute. I definitely get why it is appealing.
But you are 15. I think that is young for many things, but again, the age group I was really concerned about is much younger.
It'd be nice for kids to be kids for a while longer.
Again, thanks for your comments. You have definitely put some thought into it.
Cheers!
24 - carol
It's not really about pLayboys or pLaymates. It's all about PAYboys and PAYmates. It's pimping and prostitution and if you buy it you are being a 'trick'.
25 - Shadow
I'm glad to find this blog entry. I recently was looking throught my Sunday morning fliers, and saw some Playboy stationery advertised along with some obviously little girl/young teen items, such as mirrors w/fuzzy pink stuff around them. Is this the message that we want to send to our girls? That a company that exploits women and peddles sexual imagery is appropriate for their little dressers???!!!!