Whenever I go to Target, I usually just spend my time at the DVD section, usually in the animated section where some of the best titles out there for kid and adult alike are forced to share shelf space with the latest live action Disney movie. I think if I could sum up my personality with one example, it would be this one.
Our commercial society definitely knows their stuff when it comes to dealing with products for adults, kids and teenagers, but I think a fourth demographic should be considered—the space between teenager and adulthood. I'd call it the "man/woman child" but I'm pretty sure that's more synonymous with child predators and "young adult" is just so vague, combining the same people that stay up to DVR "Camp Rock" with the same people that are trying so hard to sell every bit of their precious childhood memories to help pay off for college tuitions. With this entry not really able to go much of anywhere else without something of a name for the topic itself, you'll have to forgive me for having to come up with a phrase to explain this long overlooked stage in life: the "early nostalgia stage," or "ENS" for short.
Especially in this day and age, we've got quite the amount of things being released banking on the nostalgia factor, and thus being marketed towards ENS'rs. However, since it's nostalgic things we're talking about, they typically end up being bunched together with the present day's kids' stuff and ends up either being overlooked except for the long-time fans, or just lost in all the jumble. A really good example of this would be the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise. As old as the series is, it was still able to have a successful revival with a new series, as well as maintain the older fanbase with releasing the original series on DVD. Include things like 25th anniversary movie box sets (even being considerate enough to speak of the latest film to be the fourth movie) graphic novel compilations and a good number of retro apparel and video games and well... you've got all the qualities of a series that someone in the ENS may consider.
With exception to CIassic Disney movies, ENS-oriented series are usually rather difficult to come by in your typical stores, and thus a hobby is made, spanning from Beanie Babies to He-Man figurines. When you think about it, most if not all facets of any geekdom have the basics of ENS at its core, wanting to re-live things from your not-so-distant past if only for the sake of nostalgia. Now, if only such a facet were better acknowledged, maybe things like comic shops and novelty stores wouldn't be so looked down upon and even glanced over by the mainstream.
Long story short: I seriously want my CIassic Nickelodeon shows easily available at your local retailer now. Don't gimme none of that made on demand amazon.com releases or iTunes downloads; I want a tangible object that I may proudly display on my bookshelf with the rest of my crap.
(Now if you don't mind, I gotta prep my b*tch slapping skills in the case that tomorrow's trip to SF Japan Town takes a nosedive.)
Monday, Sep 7, 2009
