When watching the film "Merchants of Cool" in my critical thinking class, the topic that appealed to me the most was the creation of "Mooks" and "Mid-Rifs". These terms define as the dumb guy that everyone laughs at for doing stupid things. He is obnoxious, stupid, but funny. The MidRif is basically like a female sex symbol. Both of these characters that are created by marketers expand the media's influence on teens and how it appeals to this generation.
I believe that these characters are almost somewhat abused in the sense of advertising for brands in the media. Yes, they may try to come across as jokes in the campaigns, but these characters have influenced behavior in not only teens but society overall in media. For example, if a kid were to see a character like Mooks on TV, they are automatically assumed to believe that the kind of image and behavior the Mook is conveying is acceptable and "cool". And for a Mid-Riff, it takes a toll on both genders. Not only will it impact teen boys that see a sex symbol at a younger, inappropriate age, but teen girls are going to think that this is what they are supposed to look like and how they should present themselves. Media is only worsening this irresistible influence because it makes the progress more severe. Because of media, these ideas will reach more than just kids watching TV, but through apps like Instagram and Snapchat. I have seen this firsthand in my "media landscape" when scrolling through my Twitter feed, and a sponsored ad for a sports drink came up. It was of a female model just drinking the energy drink-that was it? The whole ad was purely based on this "Mid-Rif", just to sell products. In my opinion, this is an insufficient way to advertise because though it does work in the money aspect purely wrong projection of how teens are supposed to act in implicted upon the young society. I will say that us teens are vulnerable, and that is why we are the main target of all ad campaigns to companies.
I believe that these characters are almost somewhat abused in the sense of advertising for brands in the media. Yes, they may try to come across as jokes in the campaigns, but these characters have influenced behavior in not only teens but society overall in media. For example, if a kid were to see a character like Mooks on TV, they are automatically assumed to believe that the kind of image and behavior the Mook is conveying is acceptable and "cool". And for a Mid-Riff, it takes a toll on both genders. Not only will it impact teen boys that see a sex symbol at a younger, inappropriate age, but teen girls are going to think that this is what they are supposed to look like and how they should present themselves. Media is only worsening this irresistible influence because it makes the progress more severe. Because of media, these ideas will reach more than just kids watching TV, but through apps like Instagram and Snapchat. I have seen this firsthand in my "media landscape" when scrolling through my Twitter feed, and a sponsored ad for a sports drink came up. It was of a female model just drinking the energy drink-that was it? The whole ad was purely based on this "Mid-Rif", just to sell products. In my opinion, this is an insufficient way to advertise because though it does work in the money aspect purely wrong projection of how teens are supposed to act in implicted upon the young society. I will say that us teens are vulnerable, and that is why we are the main target of all ad campaigns to companies.
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