With thanks and a tip of the hat to reader Richo, we will hold our tongue and refrain from railing against the abject greed of our times, the predatory DNA and absence of morality of all in the FIRE (Finance, Insurance, Real Estate) sectors, and also from invoking the merits of capital punishment, as we instead merely copy verbatim the following news story from the Herald Sun, and let the words speak for themselves:
ONE of Australia’s largest real estate agencies is targeting children as young as four as the next generation of home buyers.
LJ Hooker is following in the footsteps of fast food, toy and clothing giants, planting the seeds of brand recognition in very young children.
The company makes no secret that its educational app and dedicated kids website, launched this week, are designed to encourage kids to become future LJ Hooker clients.
Georg Chmiel, LJ Hooker CEO, describes the digital pitch to kids, predominantly aged from four to nine, as an industry first and a clever initiative to raise brand awareness.
“LJ Hooker is successfully building a positive relationship with the next generation of Australian real estate tenants, buyers and sellers,” Mr Chmiel said.
The app and website’s central character Mr Hooker bear – LJ Hooker’s international mascot – could hardly fail to attract kids. He frequents community events throughout Australia, has his own range of merchandise, and Mr Hooker Bear’s suit is available for school hire.
Since it’s launch almost 2500 have signed up for the app, Mr Hooker Bear’s Letter Pop, which is designed to entertain kids, freeing up parents’ time.
“Children attending open for inspections and marketing appraisals are often bored and cranky, now they can have fun with an element of practical learning,” Mr Chmiel said.
“It’s almost like catching two fish with one rod, the app and site address the distraction element with modern technology to keep kids engaged while at the same time building brand awareness in a nice way.”
The app is available for free.
LJ Hooker said it began cultivating brand recongnition in children with the Next Barbie Dream Home campaign last month.
Marketing experts say brand loyalties can be established as early as age two, and by the time children head off to school, most can recognise hundreds of brand logos.
Digital technology is one of the most desirable marketing mediums to target children as it is part of youth culture, and parents generally do not understand the extent to which kids are being advertised to online.
Barnaby Is Right 
Hi BI
As a licensed real estate agent myself i would like to suggest a difference between single office agencies and franchise groups. The typical stereotype of a real estate agent is derived from the high flying top 3%. There is no doubt there are some wankers in the industry. The rest that I know are hard working good people who support families and employ staff of 10 to 15 on average. That goes for many of the offices within franchise groups.
Since 2008 I have stood back and looked at the industry a bit differently. I have recognised that most real estate agents have no idea that it is bank credit expansion that causes house prices to rise. Or as Steve Keen explains actually “growth” in credit expansion.
This is only possible due to legislation allowing private banks to use housing equity as security to create credit. We just continue to do this as that appears to be the way it always was. (IMO housing should be a consumable not an asset.)
BTW hat tip on your recent article exposing those who foster the continuation of the “housing industry” as a financial derivative.
Back to the franchise groups and franchises in general. (Parasites!!!) this is not unlike usury or rent seeking. They take franchise fees from hard working small businesses and promote corporate ideals. The lJ Hooker promotion is revolting IMO.
I keep returning to your story of the used car salesman. Most people just keep doing what they know to do to get by or maybe get ahead. We are all preyed on by those who control and promote the FIRE structure.
As one who is now seeing the reality of this I feel a responsibility to speak. Much as you do. I tend to do this even as it makes me an outsider. Strange that huh?
Thank you for those comments Phil. Really. I agree 100% with what you have written here, and sincerely applaud you for having the personal courage to say it, publicly. God bless you for that.
If you are willing, I’d like to republish your comment here as a separate blog post; an example to others in the industry, of courage, intellectual honesty, and integrity. Would you be ok with that?
No problem with that, although i think you see greater value in my words than i do. 🙂
Reading that list of vested interests in your Malcolm Turnbull article made me ill, however, it is another piece in clarifying who controls the direction of policy. Chose red team or blue team or green with white spots and no matter, the vested interests keep the ball moving in the right direction. For them.
Happy to have a link to your agency included?
Thanks for the offer, however, would prefer to keep my opinions separate from the business. I enjoy working with current clients rather than needing to promote to the general public. It’s nice to choose who you work with. Cheers Phil
No worries 🙂