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Uniquely portraying the effect of media on teenagers, PBS' Frontline made The Merchants of Cool in 2000. This program grasped my attention, revealing the strategies and methods of teen culture and marketing on myself and my peers; this show makes you face it: teenagers are a key demographic in marketers' eyes. From Seventh Heaven to Cruel Intentions to Insane Clown Posse, this show leaves no media trends untouched.
The segmented chapters make The Merchants of Cool easy to learn about a specific topic, or you can watch the entire 53 minute show. Not only can you watch the show, but the Frontline site makes researching more about this topic simple and informative through interviews with teens, media executives, market researchers, and others.
It's a "mainstream marketing machine," and we are part of it. That is what Frontline is trying to portray, and they do it very effectively.