The other day while in a Bangkok department store, I noticed this odd pairing of shops: Playboy Intimates is located adjacent to the Hello Kitty boutique. In face, about half of this floor sells lingerie and a quarter of it is the children’s toy department. I’m certainly not a prude but at the same time I have to wonder what messages are received by young children, especially girls, about self-image.
Same thought I had, it is an odd pairing!
Maybe the person in charge was thinking in reverse. Maybe he or she thought the lingerie caused the children.
It could possibly be an Asian thing. I know in Japan there are as many, if not more, young adults into the hello kitty stuff as kids. BUT, that said, it is indeed an odd pairing!!
Dear Chris,Hel-lo Kitty!It would all make more sense if Hentai were displayed across the aisle, I guess.Michael F. Nyiri, poet, philosopher, fool
A bit odd… I guess they are hoping the kids don’t cross over to the other aisle.
Chris, you are very observant. Maybe bunny will make babies someday? Lol
yes, it is odd now that you mentioned it. here, department stores place kids stuff on the top floor together with stationaries, and sometimes, household goods.
The old saying “The Media is the Message” so start your target area young.
Very odd indeed. Maybe the Prorective nature toward children is not part of the store owner’s instinct or they just do not care about being PC?
WOW, very interesting. Could always just be fluke placing but now a days who knows!
That is true.
The only thing I can think of is that a lot of young women and teens love Hello Kitty but if still is weird as I’m sure they still have children coming to that section.
Yes that is odd and does give the wrong message. I wonder how the parents explain this to the children.I think I would be saying that store is for Mama and this one is for you to the child.
well they put a brand new Mc Donald’s across from a BT stripper joint(we think B is for butts and T is for tits) in south freeway of Ft.Worthmy husband said,”the Topless place was there first.
Am I the only one that thinks that those two mannequins are having a super awesome in-store slumber party, but didn’t invite anyone else?
I’d be more worried about the Hello Kitty image. So submissive she doesn’t even have a mouth to speak with.
It typifies an attitude.
Are the Thai as tuned to this kind of blatant exposition, and as protective of their children? If they are, then they should complain to the managerial custodians of the Mall to remove one or the other from the same area.
@seedsower – @Grannys_Place – @AllTrades – Many thanks for the recommendations!@Ricardo98 – Wasn’t it Margaret Cho who pointed that out in one of her routines?@angelwingfive – Ha ha ha! Good observation.@christine24666 – @MOM2_4 – You have a good point that Hello Kitty doesn’t only target children. You have plenty of adult women who are buying HK merchandize.@ZSA_MD – @awoolham – Like most cultures, you see in Thailand vast contradictions. There are dozens of “Turkish Baths” in Bangkok, prominently located with pictures of scantily-clad women outside. Sex is obviously for sale but these businesses are owned or backed by powerful people, so a blind eye is turned. At the same time, a young transgendered woman (male to female, pre-op) was dancing topless at the water festival this April. It was caught on film and there was an indignant outrage from many of the powers that be and the woman was forced to apologize publicly and pay a 500 baht (US $17) fine. Contradictions…@jillcarmel – I guess you can always ask to what extent should society try to control these things.@baldmike2004 – I had to go look that word up…@TheTheologiansCafe – You mean, “Which came first, the kitty or the bunny?”@stevew918 – A kitty-bunny cross breed?@ElusiveWords – That supposes that there was any level of thought to it. Probably not.@Inciteful – @angys_coco – @Fatcat723 – Yes, on the one hand I think we shouldn’t be overly sensitive to something like this. But on the other hand, I see it as a subtle and insidious form of sexism that encourages the objectification of women.@rudyhou – The thing I figure is that since most of the time, a woman is more likely to be shopping with the children than a man is, that the children’s business can be more easily captured if their items are sold close to the women’s items. While mom goes and shops for a new bra, the children see the toys and cry out, “Mommy! Mommy! I want a…”
I agree it does lead to the objectification of women.
yes, it makes an ugly scene to me but maybe one will close down
Interesting combo but I can see how this goes together esp. since these Hello Kitty things are not just for children. Maybe it’s a plot to turn the kittens into cat women?? *miaow*
@jillcarmel – I’d put my money on Hello Kitty for the win! =D@beowulf222 – AAAAH! Good theory.
Interesting! Two days ago I was in Ayuthaya and we stopped by the “Premium Outlet Mall” just out of curiosity. And guest what! Next to the children’s toy store (Hello Kitty was prominent) was the Playboy Lingerie shop.Perhaps they’re represented by the same (or related) companies? So when they negotiate rental plan with the mall operators they just said “just put them next to each other..”