Mother sells advertising space on her (as yet unborn) baby on eBay

424 Views 16 Replies 13 Participants Last post by Itlbokay, Jun 6, 2005

tboroson

Discussion Starter · Jun 2, 2005

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/n...y/11783106.htm

(use bugmenot.com for a password)

Quote:

A Web-based casino that likes to bid on weird stuff - like paying parents to name their baby after the company - was the (in retrospect, predictable) winner of a Langhorne woman's online auction to sell ad space on her newborn.

So for the month of July, Michele Hutchison will clothe her second child, Devon, due to arrive via cesarean section Tuesday, in logoed baby togs provided by GoldenPalace.com.

Ok, on the surface, this sounds repulsive. However, I have to give her credit for this:

Quote:

Hutchison said she has received very little negative feedback - her defense is that moms promote companies all the time for free by dressing their children in branded clothing for the Gap and the like.

So, now I can't decide if I hate it, or if she's brilliant. It's a thousand bucks, *plus* she mocks all the people who *pay* good money to advertise for designer brands.

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TiredX2

· #2 · Jun 2, 2005

I think it's great.

For once the place is actually paying HER to advertize instead of her paying them.

mermommy

· #3 · Jun 2, 2005

It asked for an email address and password ...

I had horrible images of what the ad space might have been - clothes I don't care about * shrug* she gets free clothes with a logo on them - good for her. It's no different from nike or gap or old navy being written all over a child's clothes except the casino paid her.

shishkeberry

· #4 · Jun 2, 2005

I came in here expecting the mom to tattoo her newborn

: Glad that's not what this story is about :LOL
Eh, I think she's clever. Clothing comes off, you know?

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thismama

· #5 · Jun 2, 2005

Ooooh! Baby tattooing. Rushing off to Ebay!

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girlndocs

· #6 · Jun 2, 2005

Well dang. Wish *I'd* thought of that.

mamajama

· #7 · Jun 2, 2005

Since I'm going to be completely judgmental about something that's pretty much none of my business, I might as well go whole hog: I find it totally tacky. I find Nike, Gap etc. displayed on babies tacky and I find this tacky too. So there. So because other people do it she's smart for doing it too?

When did this become a sound philosophy. Her baby isn't even born yet and she's tossed into the pit of commercialism. Yuck.
And for a casino, no less. I'm sure there are lovely and intelligent and tasteful ways to make $1000.00 cash. Now I'm off to try to think of one.

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merpk

· #8 · Jun 2, 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by shishkeberry
I came in here expecting the mom to tattoo her newborn

:

:LOL I thought that, too ... :LOL

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tboroson

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jun 2, 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by mamajama
Since I'm going to be completely judgmental about something that's pretty much none of my business, I might as well go whole hog: I find it totally tacky. I find Nike, Gap etc. displayed on babies tacky and I find this tacky too. So there. So because other people do it she's smart for doing it too?

When did this become a sound philosophy. Her baby isn't even born yet and she's tossed into the pit of commercialism. Yuck.
And for a casino, no less. I'm sure there are lovely and intelligent and tasteful ways to make $1000.00 cash. Now I'm off to try to think of one.

I agree with you that it's utterly tacky. I think kid's wearing Baby Gap and Old Navy clothes are utterly tacky, too. I don't think this is tasteful... but I am amused by it. I am amused by the fact that she's earning money for doing something that 99% of parents pay their own money to do. I think it's clever, but not in a "what a great way to pick up cash" kind of way. It's clever in a "what a great way to mock all the folks who 'brand' their kids" kind of way. But, then, I'm fond of absurdity, complicated and obscure social commentary, and anything that feels sardonic in some twisted way...

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juju's mom

· #10 · Jun 3, 2005

:LOL

clever, but I don't think I could do it.

Jenn

sweetest lil babe

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Itlbokay

· #11 · Jun 5, 2005

I go out of my way to obtain clothes for my children that DO NOT advertise company names (Gap, etc.) I'm so sick of the over commercialization of everything.

I guess one can make an educated guess as to what I think of this woman's idea.

CookieMonsterMommy

· #12 · Jun 5, 2005

As long as the money is going to something "good" (ie not crack for mom or booze for dad...preferably for baby supplies or a trust fund, etc) I think it's very clever!

It's not like the baby knows what's going on or has to be inconvenienced in any way. (where are all the moms coming down on the Quizno's Sub baby, or other babies in commercials? They're being "sold to commercialism" and having to put time in to the system! This is much more benign, IMO)

And I think this casino is really getting MUCH more advertising from stuff like this (people TALKING about who/what they're advertising on) than the actual advertising itself.

Just MO

Kelly

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mamajama

· #13 · Jun 5, 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by CookieMonsterMommy
where are all the moms coming down on the Quizno's Sub baby, or other babies in commercials? They're being "sold to commercialism" and having to put time in to the system! This is much more benign, IMO)

And I think this casino is really getting MUCH more advertising from stuff like this (people TALKING about who/what they're advertising on) than the actual advertising itself.

I think the Quizno's thing is tacky too. :LOL I'm not 'coming down' on the moms. though. Just proclaiming my opinion as a matter of taste.
I don't understand what part of it people think is "clever", the Mom or the Casino?

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captain crunchy

· #14 · Jun 5, 2005

Quote:

Since I'm going to be completely judgmental about something that's pretty much none of my business, I might as well go whole hog: I find it totally tacky. I find Nike, Gap etc. displayed on babies tacky and I find this tacky too. So there. So because other people do it she's smart for doing it too? When did this become a sound philosophy. Her baby isn't even born yet and she's tossed into the pit of commercialism. Yuck.
And for a casino, no less. I'm sure there are lovely and intelligent and tasteful ways to make $1000.00 cash. Now I'm off to try to think of one

I completely agree...

...but then again so many people on here came down so hard on me when I was against the mother who SOLD her baby's NAME to "goldenpalace.com" for $15,000....

I think "tacky" just scratches the surface.

TiredX2

· #15 · Jun 5, 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Itlbokay
I go out of my way to obtain clothes for my children that DO NOT advertise company names (Gap, etc.) I'm so sick of the over commercialization of everything.

I guess one can make an educated guess as to what I think of this woman's idea.

Not fully.

I am very against eh commercialization of childhood. We do not watch TV and watch limited videos/dvds. I steer my kids towards the less commercialized toys, etc... We avoid clothes that have brand names on them (which is hard). But...

I think: way to earn $1000. Won't hurt the child (I would probably feel differently if this was a 6 year old) and you could put that $1K in a 529 plan.

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heldt123

· #16 · Jun 6, 2005

I'd do it if it was for something worthwhile other than a casino. Like advertizing for MDC or something would be kind of cool! Or how about organic veggies or some good book store....keep dreaming! Get paid to put free clothes on a baby, not a totally horrible idea although it is a bit tacky.

Itlbokay

· #17 · Jun 6, 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by TiredX2
Not fully.

That's what I get for rushing through my post.

I don't like the idea of making a baby a walking (so to speak) advertisement.

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