"High School Musical" Just Got a Whole Lot Sexier!
A member of the Disney show “High School Musical” recently had to apologize for nude pictures of her that have begun circulating on the Internet. As a result, Disney has had to go into damage control high-gear, since the HSM show has been a big money maker for them. (Read the story here.) Is Disney’s concern over this warranted? Are nude pictures of an actress before she got a gig really that bad? Given the number of people who don’t care about the show, could this turn out to increase the brand awareness of the show? Is it silly that we are still so puritanical as a society that we’re still wringing our hands over nude quasi-celebrities 23 years after Vanessa Williams had nude pictures of her appear in Penthouse? Here are the responses of the employees of Off Madison Ave and Mighty Interactive...
The lesson in the HSM nudie debacle for all pre-teens and their parents is to have an open and honest discussion about the prevalence of private photos the Web. I always thank my lucky stars that I went to college pre-Internet days as fraternity party photos would certainly prevent any future run at public office! Perhaps the “Just Say No” talk of my generation should be replaced with the “Expect It To Surface at Some Time,” conversation. C. Klimas Deputy director of public relations My personal feeling is that Disney is ecstatic. This is exactly the kind of thing that would garner interest from the type of audience that would automatically think such a show is completely lame. I can see it now – all the guys who normally watch reruns of American Gladiators during that time slot switching over to “High School Musical” just to see if she is hot. Due to their brand history and position as a child and family-oriented conglomeration (theme parks, movies, television, etc), they HAVE to at least save face by at least feigning concern. Chris Sietsema Associate Director of Online Marketing
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3 comments so far
Ellen Stevens says:
I think another reason this situation has become so talked about is because of her age. She is only 18 now, so those pictures must have been taken while she was underage. Yes, she should have known what she was doing would surface somewhere, sometime on the Internet.
J. Fishman says:
Of course Disney is happy. As the news hits mass media a whole group of a specific type run to their computer and turn on their televisions. You can identify who that would be by going to this website which will give you an instant demographic for your neighborhood. http://az.gov/webapp/offender/searchZip.do
Tiffany Clayton says:
I have a 6 year old daughter that happens to love High School Musical and I do hope that Disney remains focused on being family-orientated and kid friendly. These shows can generate a huge following and I would like to think there is still something safe out there for my kids to follow.
As far as what adult attention this now creates, to each there own. The show was meant for kids and that is the role this actress is playing, Disney should be concerned.