Play-Doh! Italy vs. America
I decided to research Play-Doh. The websites were basically the same. The top has the same banner with Play-Doh and the phrase Imagination taking shape. I’m assuming that it is the same on the Italian site, because it looks like the word imagination. The fonts on the Italian site are much smaller and not child-like unlike the American site which has bubbly letters.
The main picture on the American site is a product, an ice cream making machine. There’s cursive script that tells what the toy is. When you go to the Italian site there two children playing with Play-Doh together. They have a play doh gadget as well, but I don’t know if it is described.
To the right of that main picture there are two boxes for things you can do online. On the Italian site these boxes are here but nothing is in them. When you scroll down it is mostly all the same. The fonts are the same and the pictures are the same as well. The only thing different is the language.
I think the part that really gets me is that there is a section of play doh things to try making. On the American page the things to try making are multi-colored, and actually pretty complicated looking (a dalmatian with a fire hydrant and a bone). When you go to the Italian site the Play-Doh created sculptures are very simple ( a hot dog).
I just found that odd. Look for yourself!
September 30, 2008 at 3:36 am
Oh man I forgot how much I miss Play-doh! They had the craziest machines! It actually doesn’t surprise me that the US site is more “advanced”…I feel as though for the Italians it’s like “Okay, they like family, so let’s get kids playing. It’s entertaining. Let’s show them how to make some foods, and they can recreate Italian dishes Mom makes”…and then the Americans are like “colors! gadgets! ice cream–we love food! lets have them make some ice cream! kids need to make hard stuff so they can buy more gadgets-a dalmation!”…hahha, just my opinion. Good work though!
December 2, 2008 at 9:12 pm
I wonder if the two sites are designed for child use. I know in the U.S. the internet is not truly regulated at all, especially for child-use. It is basically up to the parent of the child to decide if they can or cannot visit the site and poke around. The Italian site may be a bit more informative, boring, and less creative because maybe it is meant for adult-only view. I know I did a project on Sweden, and although it is an example of a highly regulated media country, many European countries regulate child products, advertisements and marketing. Just a thought!