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2014/01/19 11:07:07
Subject: Re:Monster energy under attack. Supposedly marketing to Children
And yet there are tons of kids playing the game. Hell, I know more 12-13 year olds playing GTA V (also M rated) at the moment then 17+. Not only that but you just need guardian approval to buy the game for someone under seventeen, and when I worked in gaming there were parents that would buy these games for kids that age. There are also the CSR's that don't care and sell games to anyone regardless of store policy.
Amidst the mists and coldest frosts he thrusts his fists against the posts and still insists he sees the ghosts.
2014/01/19 14:49:03
Subject: Monster energy under attack. Supposedly marketing to Children
Kilkrazy wrote: Countries such as Norway and Denmark, that have banned TV advertising to children, are among the most dismal and backward places on Earth in terms of various measures of quality of life like GDP per head, happiness index, infant death rate, and so on.
Some people say that Socialism is to blame.
Denmark is a country? I thought it was one of the American states?
And yet there are tons of kids playing the game. Hell, I know more 12-13 year olds playing GTA V (also M rated) at the moment then 17+. Not only that but you just need guardian approval to buy the game for someone under seventeen, and when I worked in gaming there were parents that would buy these games for kids that age. There are also the CSR's that don't care and sell games to anyone regardless of store policy.
When I was eight, I played postal 2,
You would light police on fire and pee on them to put them out.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2014/01/19 14:51:34
*Insert witty and/or interesting statement here*
2014/01/19 14:58:52
Subject: Monster energy under attack. Supposedly marketing to Children
And yet there are tons of kids playing the game. Hell, I know more 12-13 year olds playing GTA V (also M rated) at the moment then 17+. Not only that but you just need guardian approval to buy the game for someone under seventeen, and when I worked in gaming there were parents that would buy these games for kids that age. There are also the CSR's that don't care and sell games to anyone regardless of store policy.
And most of those parents have no frakkin' idea what's in those games, at least in my experience. If they did, you can bet that they wouldn't be buying them for their kids.
And yet there are tons of kids playing the game. Hell, I know more 12-13 year olds playing GTA V (also M rated) at the moment then 17+. Not only that but you just need guardian approval to buy the game for someone under seventeen, and when I worked in gaming there were parents that would buy these games for kids that age. There are also the CSR's that don't care and sell games to anyone regardless of store policy.
And most of those parents have no frakkin' idea what's in those games, at least in my experience. If they did, you can bet that they wouldn't be buying them for their kids.
~Tim?
There are also those that do and don't think it is a big deal. I think my favorite was when a mother was fine with a game where you could graphically kill people but then balked when she found out there was some mild cursing. Shooting people in the face was OK, but her son hearing the word **** would ruin him.
Amidst the mists and coldest frosts he thrusts his fists against the posts and still insists he sees the ghosts.
2014/01/19 17:06:47
Subject: Monster energy under attack. Supposedly marketing to Children
And yet there are tons of kids playing the game. Hell, I know more 12-13 year olds playing GTA V (also M rated) at the moment then 17+. Not only that but you just need guardian approval to buy the game for someone under seventeen, and when I worked in gaming there were parents that would buy these games for kids that age. There are also the CSR's that don't care and sell games to anyone regardless of store policy.
And most of those parents have no frakkin' idea what's in those games, at least in my experience. If they did, you can bet that they wouldn't be buying them for their kids.
~Tim?
My friend who worked at gamestop made it a personal policy to tell every parent the exact content and recommended age. His boss didnt mind a loss in sales because they would have a screaming parent. So many parents just buy their kids whatever.
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2014/01/19 17:07:00
Subject: Monster energy under attack. Supposedly marketing to Children
Kilkrazy wrote: Countries such as Norway and Denmark, that have banned TV advertising to children, are among the most dismal and backward places on Earth in terms of various measures of quality of life like GDP per head, happiness index, infant death rate, and so on.
Some people say that Socialism is to blame.
I was going to make a joke about constant dismal weather and odd fish dishes, but then I realized I live in New Bedford. (Which is sort of like Innsmouth without the cool Chaos churches.)
I notice my posts seem to bring threads to a screeching halt. Considering the content of most threads on dakka, you're welcome.
2014/01/19 17:12:08
Subject: Monster energy under attack. Supposedly marketing to Children
There's absolutely nothing wrong with Monster. I've been drinking it for 8 years and have had no heart or other cardiovascular problems from it. All it is flavored caffeine.
In addition to military personnel consuming large quantities of energy drinks and caffeinated dip, physical laborers also drink quite a bit. I had a boss in the restaurant industry who went through 3-5 of the 24 oz cans a day.
The only way we can ever solve anything is to look in the mirror and find no enemy
2014/01/19 17:36:25
Subject: Re:Monster energy under attack. Supposedly marketing to Children
CthuluIsSpy wrote: How are they marketing to children? The article does not make that clear.
You ever see how Monster endorses the feth out of extreme sports, video games like call of duty, and pretty much anything "cool" that a 10-17 year old male might like?
That's how they advertise to kids. They're not directly advertising on Cartoon Network, but I'm sure they're smart enough to realize that the foul mouthed 12 year olds of Call of Duty are a major market waiting to be tapped.
Of course, Monster can deny this is their strategy all they want, since those kids just "happened" to stumble across advertising meant to go to older people. It's a similar trick that cigarette companies used to use, back before being a smoker was considered the ultimate social evil. The kids still see it, Monster becomes associated with "coolness" thanks to its name in proximity to things that kids like (video games, extreme sports, etc.) and they start to buy it whenever they think about that kind of thing. They also use stuff like sponsoring major gaming events and competitive gaming to get their image out there.
Call of Duty is 'M" Rated game. No one under 17 can buy a copy of it, so that doesn't really hold water. Video games are for children anyway, but..
I'm not sure if this is serious or a very well done joke post... I'm going to completely ignore the "video games are for children" bait and just go for what's relevant to the topic.
I worked in the video game department for Toys R' Us a few years ago during the Christmas season. You are absolutely correct in that a kid under 17 cannot buy an M rated game, in the sense that he cannot walk up to the counter, hand the cashier money, and walk away with GTA V or CoD Ghots. You know who can buy that game though? The kid's parents, his uncle, his older brother, some random guy he ran into on the way to the checkout counter (yes, I actually watched this happen once), etc.. You know that handy little M on the video game case? Turns out most parents have no idea what that stands for. Probably half the parents that were even aware that it existed thought it stood for the difficulty level (as in M rated games are harder than T or E rated games) I cannot count the number of times I had to explain what M meant, even though we had a poster explaining everything not 10 feet from the video game cabinets. This isn't so much that the rating system doesn't work (they try really hard to get the word out) so much as a failure of parents themselves. They should be paying attention to what they're buying for their kids, and they only have themselves to blame if they ignore a well implemented and clear cut rating system.
Many parents had no idea what Call of Duty Black Ops or GTA IV was about, they just pointed at it, said "my son wants that one for Christmas", and then forked over the money. When I explained it was an M rated game and was recommended for 17 years and older, many parents had no idea why. I remember having to explain to one particularly stubborn woman that yes, Call of Duty absolutely deserved the rating. She refused to believe me since she had already bought the other 3 before it for her 14 year old son. I had to explain some of the most gruesome scenes in detail before she finally would believe me. And she still bought it.
Long story short, being rated M really only succeeds in making a kid go through one extra step in order to buy the game. If they've got Steam, they can just lie about their birthday and all they need their parents for is the credit card. I don't believe for a second that Monster, Activision, or anyone else truly believes that the only people playing Call of Duty or other M rated games are 17 years or older. They would have to be idiots not to see it. Literally 5 seconds of online gaming would prove that there are kids as young as 10 playing these games on a regular basis. As an extension of that, with Monster and other companies doing marketing with these kinds of games, they know that their message is reaching a very impressionable market of those 10-17 year olds. That's a major market just waiting to be tapped that loves caffeine and sweets anyways. Monster would have to be crazy from a business standpoint to not at least consider trying to reach that market.
'I've played Guard for years, and the best piece of advice is to always utilize the Guard's best special rule: "we roll more dice than you" ' - stormleader
"Sector Imperialis: 25mm and 40mm Round Bases (40+20) 26€ (Including 32 skulls for basing) " GW design philosophy in a nutshell
2014/01/20 02:41:08
Subject: Re:Monster energy under attack. Supposedly marketing to Children
About te video game stuff:
I played POSTAL 2 where you literally could throw scissors at someones head and then pee on their brain when I was 8. I played halo (it's a shooting game) when I was 9, I played/play COD when I was twelve, there are probably some I missed but meh.
And granted I am autistic, but at 14 I am now quite fine, asides from being sociopathic.
*Insert witty and/or interesting statement here*
2014/01/20 14:08:54
Subject: Monster energy under attack. Supposedly marketing to Children
Kilkrazy wrote: Countries such as Norway and Denmark, that have banned TV advertising to children, are among the most dismal and backward places on Earth in terms of various measures of quality of life like GDP per head, happiness index, infant death rate, and so on.
Some people say that Socialism is to blame.
Could I get a source on that? It would be some handy info to whip out when the anti-US plebs jump on my case.
Well, I'l finally give my opnion.
Monster is descent (green) red bull sucks, V sucks, mother is good, coke (LA ice) is dominate.
I was drinking a monster a day for a month, mum said stop, I havnt had one since, addictive my ass.
*Insert witty and/or interesting statement here*
2014/01/20 14:22:59
Subject: Re:Monster energy under attack. Supposedly marketing to Children
the shrouded lord wrote: Well, I'l finally give my opnion.
Monster is descent (green) red bull sucks, V sucks, mother is good, coke (LA ice) is dominate.
I was drinking a monster a day for a month, mum said stop, I havnt had one since, addictive my ass.
When you stopped drinking Monster did you stop drinking caffeine altogether?
You know you're really doing something when you can make strangers hate you over the Internet. - Mauleed
Just remember folks. Panic. Panic all the time. It's the only way to survive, other than just being mindful, of course-but geez, that's so friggin' boring. - Aegis Grimm
Hallowed is the All Pie The Before Times: A Place That Celebrates The World That Was
2014/01/20 14:25:51
Subject: Monster energy under attack. Supposedly marketing to Children
The only problem I have with energy drink is when I've been at the gaming store and had to listen to some 12 year old slurping the fething thing down like there's treasure at the bottom and talking 90 miles a minute.
But then, if he had a coke, he probably would be doing the same thing.
I find them vile and would rather have coffee.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2014/01/20 14:26:17
DA:70S+G+M+B++I++Pw40k08+D++A++/fWD-R+T(M)DM+
2014/01/20 14:29:03
Subject: Re:Monster energy under attack. Supposedly marketing to Children
the shrouded lord wrote: Well, I'l finally give my opnion.
Monster is descent (green) red bull sucks, V sucks, mother is good, coke (LA ice) is dominate.
I was drinking a monster a day for a month, mum said stop, I havnt had one since, addictive my ass.
When you stopped drinking Monster did you stop drinking caffeine altogether?
Well, I have an ice BREAKA once a week, but I did that anyway.
*Insert witty and/or interesting statement here*
2014/01/20 14:40:04
Subject: Monster energy under attack. Supposedly marketing to Children
CthuluIsSpy wrote: How are they marketing to children? The article does not make that clear.
You ever see how Monster endorses the feth out of extreme sports, video games like call of duty, and pretty much anything "cool" that a 10-17 year old male might like?
That's how they advertise to kids. They're not directly advertising on Cartoon Network, but I'm sure they're smart enough to realize that the foul mouthed 12 year olds of Call of Duty are a major market waiting to be tapped.
Of course, Monster can deny this is their strategy all they want, since those kids just "happened" to stumble across advertising meant to go to older people. It's a similar trick that cigarette companies used to use, back before being a smoker was considered the ultimate social evil. The kids still see it, Monster becomes associated with "coolness" thanks to its name in proximity to things that kids like (video games, extreme sports, etc.) and they start to buy it whenever they think about that kind of thing. They also use stuff like sponsoring major gaming events and competitive gaming to get their image out there.
Call of Duty is 'M" Rated game. No one under 17 can buy a copy of it, so that doesn't really hold water. Video games are for children anyway, but..
I'm not sure if this is serious or a very well done joke post... I'm going to completely ignore the "video games are for children" bait and just go for what's relevant to the topic.
I worked in the video game department for Toys R' Us a few years ago during the Christmas season. You are absolutely correct in that a kid under 17 cannot buy an M rated game, in the sense that he cannot walk up to the counter, hand the cashier money, and walk away with GTA V or CoD Ghots. You know who can buy that game though? The kid's parents, his uncle, his older brother, some random guy he ran into on the way to the checkout counter (yes, I actually watched this happen once), etc.. You know that handy little M on the video game case? Turns out most parents have no idea what that stands for. Probably half the parents that were even aware that it existed thought it stood for the difficulty level (as in M rated games are harder than T or E rated games) I cannot count the number of times I had to explain what M meant, even though we had a poster explaining everything not 10 feet from the video game cabinets. This isn't so much that the rating system doesn't work (they try really hard to get the word out) so much as a failure of parents themselves. They should be paying attention to what they're buying for their kids, and they only have themselves to blame if they ignore a well implemented and clear cut rating system.
Many parents had no idea what Call of Duty Black Ops or GTA IV was about, they just pointed at it, said "my son wants that one for Christmas", and then forked over the money. When I explained it was an M rated game and was recommended for 17 years and older, many parents had no idea why. I remember having to explain to one particularly stubborn woman that yes, Call of Duty absolutely deserved the rating. She refused to believe me since she had already bought the other 3 before it for her 14 year old son. I had to explain some of the most gruesome scenes in detail before she finally would believe me. And she still bought it.
Long story short, being rated M really only succeeds in making a kid go through one extra step in order to buy the game. If they've got Steam, they can just lie about their birthday and all they need their parents for is the credit card. I don't believe for a second that Monster, Activision, or anyone else truly believes that the only people playing Call of Duty or other M rated games are 17 years or older. They would have to be idiots not to see it. Literally 5 seconds of online gaming would prove that there are kids as young as 10 playing these games on a regular basis. As an extension of that, with Monster and other companies doing marketing with these kinds of games, they know that their message is reaching a very impressionable market of those 10-17 year olds. That's a major market just waiting to be tapped that loves caffeine and sweets anyways. Monster would have to be crazy from a business standpoint to not at least consider trying to reach that market.
Those games and energy drinks also appeal to 18-30 year old males, as do many of the things teenagers like, such as motor sport and extreme sports. In fact they appeal to 18-30 year old males, who have much more discretionary spending than teenagers. Without proof they are picking those because areas to advertise to kids all you have is conjecture and market overlap. It's not down to the publishers, its down to the people selling the games. CoD or GTA is going to do far more damage to a teen than a can of energy drink, and suggesting the companies who make them, and put age restrictions on which are ignored are at fault is nothing more than "THINK OF THE CHILRUN!!!".
Or do you have another way of stopping parents buying inappropriate games for there kids?
insaniak wrote: Sometimes, Exterminatus is the only option.
And sometimes, it's just a case of too much scotch combined with too many buttons...
1214/01/20 17:16:13
Subject: Monster energy under attack. Supposedly marketing to Children
I would've thought that someone who plays with toys for a hobby would be more open minded. Maybe I'm being trolled?
"So, do please come along when we're promoting something new and need photos for the facebook page or to send to our regional manager, do please engage in our gaming when we're pushing something specific hard and need to get the little kiddies drifting past to want to come in an see what all the fuss is about. But otherwise, stay the feth out, you smelly, antisocial bastards, because we're scared you are going to say something that goes against our mantra of absolute devotion to the corporate motherland and we actually perceive any of you who've been gaming more than a year to be a hostile entity as you've been exposed to the internet and 'dangerous ideas'. " - MeanGreenStompa
"Then someone mentions Infinity and everyone ignores it because no one really plays it." - nkelsch
FREEDOM!!!
- d-usa
2014/01/20 18:56:45
Subject: Monster energy under attack. Supposedly marketing to Children
I would've thought that someone who plays with toys for a hobby would be more open minded. Maybe I'm being trolled?
I kind of wonder if I am too at this point.
'I've played Guard for years, and the best piece of advice is to always utilize the Guard's best special rule: "we roll more dice than you" ' - stormleader
"Sector Imperialis: 25mm and 40mm Round Bases (40+20) 26€ (Including 32 skulls for basing) " GW design philosophy in a nutshell
2014/01/21 01:52:46
Subject: Monster energy under attack. Supposedly marketing to Children
gorgon wrote: I was going to ask what adult even drinks energy drinks anymore...and then I remembered where I was.
They're huge in the military, especially among us shift workers.
I don't touch them myself, but many of my coworkers do.
marv335 wrote:It's massive out in Saudi.
I have Saudis at work who drink three or four large cans of Monster every day.
Ensis Ferrae wrote:
While deployed on my second tour, there was a dude in my Bn who had this routine that I watched daily for a few months (since we generally seemed to eat at roughly the same time) At breakfast, he'd sit down, grab a cup of coffee, then 6 cans of Rip It (think condensed monster, smaller can generally same "punch") he'd drink three at breakfast and pocket the other three. Lunch, he'd grab 3 more for the table, and 3 to go in his pocket. Dinner, same thing. If one assumes that he was restocking because he drank them, then that's 9 cans of Rip It, minimum per day that this guy was drinking.
Captain Fantastic wrote:Rip It is fething horrible. The only guys I know who can stomach it are the people who were basically forced to drink it in OIF every single day.
Ensis Ferrae wrote:Agreed. The only reason I had a couple was out of necessity. Being awake and on patrol for basically 3 days straight sucks.
I actually didn't mind the Rip Its; they helped me get through those first 72 hours. We also bought "Wild Tiger", I think they were called, from a hadji 7/11. Those were terrible for us I'm sure, but they did the trick.
We did have one E-6 of ours go through a whole case of blue Monster just about every week. Problem was that he stopped drinking anything else, including water. He ended up having a seizure (fortunately not on mission) and was medevac'd to Germany. He ended up recovering, but that ended his tour then and there. I don't recall if we ever found out for sure if the seizure was related to the Monster consumption or not, but it probably didn't help.
There is a fine line between genius and insanity and I colored it in with crayon.
2014/01/21 02:38:37
Subject: Re:Monster energy under attack. Supposedly marketing to Children
The blue ones have Aspartame in them, which is rumored to cause all sorts of medical issues in large doses, including seizures. While the FDA has said that there is no definite link between the two, the EFSA says further research is needed.
feeder wrote: Frazz's mind is like a wiener dog in a rabbit warren. Dark, twisting tunnels, and full of the certainty that just around the next bend will be the quarry he seeks.
2014/01/21 02:49:22
Subject: Monster energy under attack. Supposedly marketing to Children
Evil Lamp 6 wrote: I actually didn't mind the Rip Its; they helped me get through those first 72 hours. We also bought "Wild Tiger", I think they were called, from a hadji 7/11. Those were terrible for us I'm sure, but they did the trick.
.
IIRC, wasn't there in Iraqi "energy drink" that had nicotine in it?? I almost want to say it was Wild Tiger, but I honestly don't remember
2014/01/21 03:44:55
Subject: Monster energy under attack. Supposedly marketing to Children
Evil Lamp 6 wrote: I actually didn't mind the Rip Its; they helped me get through those first 72 hours. We also bought "Wild Tiger", I think they were called, from a hadji 7/11. Those were terrible for us I'm sure, but they did the trick.
.
IIRC, wasn't there in Iraqi "energy drink" that had nicotine in it?? I almost want to say it was Wild Tiger, but I honestly don't remember
Probably. I'm pretty sure they weren't legal to sell in the States for some reason, and that sounds as good as any. Would probably also explain the taste.
Automatically Appended Next Post:
Inquisitor Lord Bane wrote: The blue ones have Aspartame in them, which is rumored to cause all sorts of medical issues in large doses, including seizures. While the FDA has said that there is no definite link between the two, the EFSA says further research is needed.
Huh. Maybe it was the Monster after all. We had some of our other guys drink just about as much, but they always drank the green, and didn't exclusively drink it either.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2014/01/21 03:48:02
There is a fine line between genius and insanity and I colored it in with crayon.
2014/01/21 06:03:34
Subject: Monster energy under attack. Supposedly marketing to Children
Captain Fantastic wrote: They don't market anything. They sponsor extreme sports competitions and stuff, but I don't believe I've ever once seen an advertisement for Monster. Children probably like them, because, uh, the're children, and they like everything that they see adults doing. If children shouldn't be able to drink them, then make an age limit to buy them or something? Christ on a cross, it's like preventing children from drinking coffee or taking wheatgrass shots.
I have no knowledge of whether or not the accusation about their advertising is correct, but all this "hurr durr think of the children" and "it's just like coffee" stuff is spurious nonsense. You guys understand how much caffeine is in one of these cans of energy drink, right? Letting young teens have a half-glass of wine with a meal now and again is fine, but you wouldn't use that to justify saying that wee kids should be allowed to slug back a litre of vodka whenever they like. It's a matter of degree; a coffee or a wheatgrass shot isn't likely to do any harm, drinking a large can of energy drink that's the equivalent of several strong espressos very well could.
I'm a big bloke even when I'm not sporting a beergut, and a 500ml can of Rockstar gives me mild palpitations, what it must do to a child...christ, at that point you'd be as well just giving them a wrap of speed.
EDIT:
*Sigh* here we go again. Aspartame is fine. Watch the whole thing, it's useful information, but the specific section begins around 12 minutes.
In short: do you drink 100 litres of diet soda per-day? If yes, you might have an increased chance of a seizure, because that's what it took to potentiate seizures in rats, 20 times the safe dosage.
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2014/01/21 06:14:04
"Your society's broken, so who should we blame? Should we blame the rich, powerful people who caused it? No, lets blame the people with no power and no money and those immigrants who don't even have the vote. Yea, it must be their fething fault." - Iain M Banks
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"The language of modern British politics is meant to sound benign. But words do not mean what they seem to mean. 'Reform' actually means 'cut' or 'end'. 'Flexibility' really means 'exploit'. 'Prudence' really means 'don't invest'. And 'efficient'? That means whatever you want it to mean, usually 'cut'. All really mean 'keep wages low for the masses, taxes low for the rich, profits high for the corporations, and accept the decline in public services and amenities this will cause'." - Robin McAlpine from Common Weal
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