The Virtual Branding of Childhood Experiences

How many of us remember scrapping our knee, or scuffing our elbow and then have Mom or Dad put a band-aide on it to make us feel better?

The band-aide industry has certainly evolved over the years with more and more branding that targets children. However, a new band-aide by Johnson & Johnson takes branding to a whole new level.

According to the Campaign for Commercial Free Childhood, there is now a digital application to alter how children and parents interact when a child gets a boo boo.

With a new app from Johnson and Johnson, kids point an iPhone or iPad at their Muppet Band Aid and a virtual Muppet emerges on-screen to offer comfort.



“When you have your first wound-care occasions—both as a child and as an adult with children—it’s emotional,” said Hugh Dineen, a vice president of Johnson & Johnson Consumer Products Company. “We like to think about Band-Aid as the magic healing brand. Mom puts the Band-Aid on and seals it with a kiss.”



If the augmented reality app is incorporated into that apply-and-kiss ritual, then “the entire experience is branded, and there isn’t another bandage brand or store brand that could bring that experience,” Mr. Dineen said.

Wow, makes you wonder if there will be a breast-feeding app down the road or maybe a lets celebrate your report-card app. How about an app for potty training? They could call it the iPoop.