Turn off the TV and head outdoors this Saturday for Nickelodeon’s Annual Day of Play (an international event that encourages kids and parents to be active. While technology can positively influence kids, Nickelodeon also wants to promote a healthy lifestyle where children play games and experience good ol’ fashion fun! Nickelodeon’s programming and website will go dark for three hours to encourage this behavior. Although the event will take place everywhere, the official Day of Play will be held in DC with Michelle Obama and 20+ Nickelodeon stars. WebKinz, the leading children’s virtual world, will also turn off its site to support the effort) (NY Times)
The must listen to music of the moment is Demi Lovato’s new album ‘Unbroken’ (which sends a positive message to Millennials about finding strength and overcoming obstacles. Sure Demi’s had a rocky past, but she’s turned around to become a role model. Her recent single “Skyscraper” was number 10 on the Billboard 100 and “Unbroken” is already number 1 on iTunes. Talk about a comeback!) (AOL Music) (MTV)
Facebook is expanding yet again (as part of its ongoing effort to stay ahead of Google+. This time, the site will unveil “read,” “listen,” “watch,” and “want” buttons on the wall along with the “like” button. We imagine Millennials will “like” these new features and they’ll certainly benefit marketers as well) (TechCrunch)
NASCAR is at full speed with its marketing effort to Millennials (this school year. Besides launching a college ambassador program, the company teamed up with Mercury Insurance to launch a “Don’t Text and Drive Pledge.” Along with social media efforts to promote the campaign, Mercury is sponsoring fourteen-year-old Andrew Murray, the youngest NASCAR driver ever, in his upcoming races and has arranged for him to speak to high school students about the cause) (MediaPost)
Aldo shoes is implementing a smart gaming strategy (with its “Aldo Shoes for Life” campaign. The promotion lets digital savvy shoppers play games to win discounts or as the name suggests, shoes for life. Well 2 pairs a year for 25 years, but still…sign us up! This type of marketing and interaction appeals to Millennials and the lottery like reward certainly doesn’t hurt either) (Mediabistro)
Amazon launched a children’s toy site today called YoYo (which like Amazon itself, features a wide selection of merchandise and provides personal recommendations. The site also offers a “Toy Finder” search engine to browse toys by age, gender, and price. Amazon is one of Millennials’ favorite online retailers and we’re guessing the simplicity of this site will win over a younger generation as well. Speaking of toys, major retailers including Toys ‘R’ Us and Kmart provided predictions about the best-sellers this holiday season, and Elmo, Barbie, Moshi Monsters, and Monster High products are among the top picks) (Mashable) (Kidscreen)
‘Avatar’ had such an impact on moviegoers of all ages (that Disney is building a “land” inspired by the film at its Orlando theme park! This won’t happen for a few years because Disney wants to implement 3D technology, but consumers can look forward to this expansion along with the upcoming sequels) (The Hollywood Reporter)