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The
Commercialization
of Narnia
By Josh Golin
Mothering.com,
December, 2005
When I was
in fourth
grade, after
our class had
finished
reading C.S.
Lewis' The
Lion, the
Witch and the
Wardrobe, our
teacher
announced we
were going on
a special
trip. After a
short drive,
we arrived at
a wooded area
covered in
fresh snow. We
walked for
several
minutes
through the
woods, our
anticipation
building with
every step,
until we
arrived at a
dilapidated,
abandoned
house. Our
teacher
gathered us
close and
asked if we
knew where we
were. When no
one answered,
she paused
dramatically
and then
stage-whispered,
"Narnia!"
She didn't
have to say
anything after
that. For the
rest of the
afternoon, we
raced around
calling out
our
discoveries.
The house
became
Professor
Kirke's large
country house,
which
contained the
magic wardrobe
through which
the children
entered Narnia.
And here was
the spot where
Lucy first met
Mr. Tumnus the
faun. And look
at those
tracks in the
snow - those
could only
have been made
by the great
Aslan himself!
For one
afternoon,
thanks to an
ingenious
teacher, C.S.
Lewis'
wonderful
story, and the
power of our
own
imaginations,
a rather
unremarkable
stretch of
woods was
magically
transformed.
I've been
thinking a lot
about that
afternoon as
Disney gets
ready to
release the
film, The
Chronicles of
Narnia: The
Lion, the
Witch and
Wardrobe.
While the film
will
undoubtedly
introduce (and
reintroduce)
millions of
children to
the wonderful
world of
Narnia, I fear
the film is
more likely to
inspire trips
to the mall
than to the
woods. My
concerns have
nothing to do
with the
content of the
film (as of
this writing,
I haven't seen
it), but
rather with
all of the
excess
commercialism
linked to The
Chronicles of
Narnia.
According to
Oren Aviv,
head of
marketing at
Disney, the
film has
approximately
$150 million
in corporate
tie-ins -
an amount he
believes is a
record. Here's
a look at some
of what the
film will be
promoting:
-
At a time
when
childhood
obesity is a
major public
health
problem, The
Chronicles
of Narnia is
promoting
junk food.
McDonald's
is planning
a line of
Narnia Happy
Meals.
General
Mills is
featuring
the film on
boxes of
cereal and
touting its
"Narnia-inspired"
recipes. The
Chex website
proclaims,
"It isn't
always easy
to get to
the land of
Narnia . . .
But with
these
delicious
treats
inspired by
that magical
land, you
can get a
taste of
Narnia right
at home. Mix
up some
magic today
with Chex
cereals and
other tasty
ingredients!"
-
At a time
when child
development
experts are
concerned
about the
commercialization
of play, a
slew of
Narnia-themed
toys will
accompany
the film's
release.
Children
play less
creatively
with toys
based on
media
programs.
Because
these toys
come with
established
characters
and
storylines,
children are
unlikely to
use them to
create their
own world.
Narnia toys
include a
line of
action
figures and
several
video games.
-
At a time of
year when
many
families are
overwhelmed
by
commercial
messages and
the true
meaning of
the holidays
is often
lost in a
consumer
frenzy,
shopping
malls owned
by Taubman
Centers will
feature
Narnia
displays to
attract
customers
for even
more holiday
shopping.
While there,
families can
purchase
Narnia
porcelain
dolls, photo
albums,
toothbrushes,
and trading
cards and
can peruse
the
offerings
from the
estimated
eighty
brands that
are
partnering
with the
film.
In short,
the lesson
that Disney is
teaching
through its
Chronicles of
Narnia
promotions is
the exact
opposite of
what my
teacher taught
me and my
classmates
twenty-five
years ago -
that Narnia is
a magical
outdoor place
and entry is
free using the
power of your
imagination.
According to
Disney, entry
to Narnia is
purchased at
supermarkets,
toy stores and
malls.
That's the
bad news. The
good news is
that the
commercialization
of Narnia
offers an
excellent
starting point
for a
discussion
about the
impact of
marketing on
children. So
if you share
my concerns
about the
Narnia tie-ins
and
promotions, I
hope you'll
raise them
with other
parents. If
your child's
teacher is
using Disney's
The Chronicles
of Narnia
Educator's
Guide, help
them realize
that by
promoting the
film, they are
promoting junk
food and junk
toys as well.
If your church
has endorsed
Narnia (Disney
is actively
promoting the
film to
clergy), here
is a chance to
point out that
the film's
spiritual
messages are
undermined by
its excessive
commercialism.
Is it
acceptable for
the film
adaptation of
a children's
classic to
promote junk
food and
consumerism
while
undermining
children's
play? Should
definitions of
"family-friendly"
media be
limited to
discussions of
sexual and
violent
content or
should they be
expanded to
include the
marketing and
associated
products as
well? Is it
just up to
parents to
deal with the
inevitable
nagging for
Narnia
products and
food or should
we have
policies that
limit
marketing that
directly
targets
children?
These are
the questions
we must start
asking if we
hope to
reclaim
childhood from
corporate
marketers.
Here's
hoping you and
your family
spend plenty
of time in
Narnia this
holiday season
- without ever
stepping foot
in McDonald's
or a mall. |
