anyone who knows my daughter knows that she is a gigantic fan of dora the explorer - she has the most ridiculous collection of dora-related things that i have amassed her. i love the show for its multicultural, worldly approach to entertainment for children - it is both educational and fun but not in the hokey sense. it also has that interactivity where dora (and her cousin diego) break the fourth wall by getting the kids involved in the show.

i came across this article in slate where it discusses the actual marketing strategy behind the show. it rightly places the control of the television into the parents’ hands, therefore the total marketing package that i mentioned above is really no accident. the crossover appeal between parents and kids is a brilliant and well-planned one. dora has surpassed barney in terms of merchandising and ad revenue, and while i was too old for barney i still remember the scope and size of his reign of terror in his heyday. an interesting excerpt from the article:

The show and its licensed goods—paper plates, wallets, miniature moonbounces—have brought in an estimated $1 billion since Dora premiered in August of 2000. And Dora the Explorer: Silly Fiesta debuted atop Billboard’s Kid Video chart this week, knocking Dora the Explorer: It’s a Party out of the No. 1 spot.

oh well, until you are a parent, i don’t think any of this matters.