Hats off to the marketing gurus at Dunkin’ Donuts, Home Depot, Target, Toys “R” Us and Lowe’s.
Yes, hat’s off.
You have successfully captured your brand – logo, colors, images – in my 21 month old son’s head.
Should I thank you? I’m just not sure…
Whenever (and wherever) we’re driving, Alex can spot the orange and pink flags (Dunkin’ Dounuts), the orange box (Home Depot), the red target all lit up (of course, Target), the mutli-colored letters (Toys “R” Us) and the blue letters on the beige building (Lowe’s) a MILE AWAY! Yes, a MILE AWAY!
So I get to hear in the backseat…
“Mommy, Dough-doughs!! Dough- doughs!!” (Dunkin’ Donuts)
“Mommy, Homa’ Depot'” (Yes, Home Depot – thanks Daddy on this one too!)
“Mommy, Toy Store! Toy Store!” (Gotta love Geoffrey… !)
“Mommy, Tar-git! Tar-git!” (That red target can light up the night sky in Warwick, RI!)
“Mommy, Wood! Wood!” (Lowe’s – He remembers getting wood for our attic there… and therefore, we must “stop” there every time we pass!”
So yes, it’s commercialism at its finest.
I never thought in a million years my 21 month old son would know these places… and yes, sometimes they are necessary places to stop. After all, Mama needs her daily coffee! And her daily weekly Target run!
My question to all you marketing gurus – because, after all you’re helping my son talk better and better with each passing day – can you work on some number/letter flashcards for your outside signs??
Maybe that way Alexander will start to know his ABC’s and 123’s before he’s 2!!
OMG, I so knew what you mean. My oldest was the same way. At first we were starting to wonder if he was a super genius with all of the signs he could read, than we realized it was the advertisers that were super geniuses not our son…lol!!!!
That is SO cute!!
Steph
Isn’t that amazing?! That always blows me away. Shows you how important branding is!
At that age my daughter recognized Bob Villa from “This Old House.” – That is thanks to her daddy.
Thanks for sharing that was very enjoyable to read about your son. Funny the things kids pick up.
that’s so cute!! And so TRUE!
For my son, it was McDonald’s…
Still to this day (and he’s 4, lol) he will scream out “Ronnies!”
So, now we don’t even call it McDonald’s, he’ll just say, “are we going to Ronnies?”
My kids recognize the brand logo but make up their own names for the stores. We have the hamburger store, the Tire store (Les Schwab), the movie store (Hollywood Video), the Bullseye store (Target), and Home Depot is our wood store. But oh, they recognize Old Navy (Mama’s addicted), and Walmart, and ROSS (?–they’ve never even been there). I’m glad it’s not just my kids!
what a smart cookie! my little niece madison will say these comments that make her sound like a little adult. she is able to understand the things that her mother says and say them herself in the appropriate context for her feelings and her perception of the world. it never ceases to amaze me. she was telling me about her day at the beach a few weeks ago and she was really excited and talking too fast for me to understand until the end when she said, “it’s okay though because it all worked out.”
This is so true… Those marketing companies for these stores have it all figured out!
Kids take it all in don’t they. I especially love it when they say something that we have said. I have made the mistake of getting popcorn at Target, A free cookie at Wal-mart etc. So, whenever we go to the store, they always want that thing we have gotten in the past.
I used to love it when my daughter would say “oh, Mommy there’s Panera Bread – when can we go there again” and then proceed to do that everywhere we were. My husband thought that all we did during the day was go out for coffee.
(((((((((((((( Smart ALEX ))))))))))))))))))
his brain is like a sponge soaking up everything around him. =)
Everything is so commercialized! Alex is sharp! I am pretty sure I am headed for the same problem with my 16 month old. He already likes car commercials… screaming “Ca! Ca! Ca!” when he sees one.
He doesn’t recognize the big golden arches yet?
My two year old would start singing, “ba da ba-ba-ba” everytime he saw them and then say, chikie noodits? (chicken nuggets)
cute cute cute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂
How funny! So true too! My kids think any light tan building with darkened windows is the ‘spooky cave’. Spooky cave is the parking garage at the mall. So if they see a building that matches said description they begin chanting ‘Mom, I really really really want to go to the spooky cave so we can go to the mall.’ Of course my son just says ‘spooky cave’ over and over. 🙂 Not a marketing issue but still a nuisance! 🙂
Same here… My kids favorites were “JJ Maxx” and Lowe’s, now the only places they know here are Wal-mart, McDonalds and Applebees, and they forgotten to ask for them, since we never go to any of them. Oh yeah, and Starbucks of course, which is conveniently next to Cold Stone Ice Cream bar 🙂
What I hate more is the TV commercials.
I had skipped lunch one day and said I was starving at 3 o’clock – my daughter says “if you are hungry between meals, there is a 1-800-number you can call and they’ll send you a milkshake” – same with all the cutters and kitchen utensils they sell..
Haha that’s BRILLIANT!!! Yes indeedy, you are onto something with that ABC thing….
Dunkin Donuts, as you may or may not know from previous posts, are my absolute favorite–and their coffee is the best I’ve ever had! You are so lucky to live near one–I have to travel an hour and a quarter north to get my fix! Funny post! xo Stacey
Don’t kids just blow your mind with this?
BTW, I am so happy living in suburbia again…EVERYTHING only five or ten minutes away I tell you! My wallet and credit cards may soon not be so happy.
At my house Target is, and will always be, known as simply “The Big Red Store.”
What I hate is that Chuck E Cheese ‘sponsors’ PBS shows- best $ they ever spent on advertising!
I remember pulling up to the DD drive through once when my oldest was just over a year old. As I rolled down my window to order a cup of coffee, she suddenly woke up and yelled, “JELLY DONUT!” at the top of her lungs.
My middle daughter, who is now 4, calls Finding Nemo, “Home Depot”. I’m not sure why except they both are orange????
Cutie! 🙂 I again, agree with you, maybe those advertsiing gurus can come up with something huh? THat would be fun AND interesting!