May 6, 2008
Pocket Shots + Prom Season = Nervous Parents, Media Frenzy
Remember when prom night meant spiking the punch bowl, renting a hotel room on Lincoln and packing it with liquor, then drinking until sunrise and taking what was left to Great America? Good times.
There's this new thing out called Pocket Shots. As you can see from the photo above, it's a single serving of alcohol in a tiny flask-sized plastic pouch. The target audience is most likely folks who want to sneak their own liquor into places, avoiding the price markups of bars, nightclubs and sporting/concert events. Naturally this also makes it appealing to teenagers.
Just in time for prom season and road trips to Wisconsin (where Pocket Shots are available), CBS2 filed a report on the dangers of teenagers getting their hands on these. In true Seduction of the Innocent fashion, this will lead to public outcry, more media coverage and Father Pfleger donning his technicolor dreamcoats to march his St. Sabina's flock in the streets.
We've said it before, we'll say it again. They're teenagers. If they want to get their hands on some alcohol (Pocket Shots or a case of beer), they'll find a way. If it's that much of a concern, keep an eye on them and - for you less scrupulous sorts - don't buy them alcohol.
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Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the age to purchase alcohol 21 and above? That's the barrier from purchase, right? Pulling it off the shelf will help no one, as if they can buy these, they can purchase alcohol and put it in flasks or ziplock bags or whatever.
@Iamgray... they can't put it in little baggies if we ban the baggies too!
Without the kindness of strangers, I would have spent the better years of my youth sober. Many a summer night was spent "pegging" for beer in front of one local liquor store or another until somebody reluctantly caved. And at age sixteen, I probably looked closer to thirteen...
I highly doubt it's that simple these days. I sure as hell wouldn't risk buying alcohol for a minor. At any rate, I could see these pockets shots coming in handy for street festival season...
Perhaps we should ban clothing at prom. . .just so we limit the places they can stash booze!
I would risk buying booze for a teenager, if by buying you mean "stealing their money and running away".
What always makes me laugh are the parents wringing their hands and losing their minds over issues like this would be much better served spending time with their children. Kids who have happy home lives are far less likely to get blitz drunk every night of the week.
Parenting or Panic?
I say let the kids try gin out of a plastic bag that's been warming in their back pocket for an evening. They'll probably be put off of alcohol for the rest of their lives.
Chicago media loves "what about the children stories"
Kind of like how teenage parties in northbrook get front page on the tribune once a year.
gah.
@AlbanyParkist:
This is very true. I had loving, stable and supportive parents that threatened me up and down if I ever so much as THOUGHT of taking a drink. I turned out just fine.
*twitch twitch*
And yes, Pinko, I need to get me some pocket shots for street festival season. Hurling on the Tilt-a-Whirl, here I come!
ahh ... liquor out of a plastic bag. it's so much classier than liquor out of a brown paper bag.
These are much less cool than the tiny alcohol bottles, and nothing is replacing my hip flask.
What I would love to get my hands on are the "Creative Briefs" of whoever does the advertising for this product.
What is the positioning? What do the want the advertising to do?
Who are they 'talking to' and what insights do they have about them? (i.e. target market).
That would be some pretty entertaining reading.
But I would still like to know how kids today get alcohol? Back in the day it was so easy...but like previous posters have stated, in today's atmosphere, who in the hell would even risk buying/giving alcohol to minors?
And another question, now that we're on the subject of subversive teens...buying alcohol isn't really that expensive because you can get cheap stuff, but how do they afford to buy pot these days? Talk about inflation!!
They really have to work so much harder then we did for this stuff...back in the day.....
...buying alcohol isn't really that expensive because you can get cheap stuff, but how do they afford to buy pot these days?
Good question. I will add, however, that pot is way better now than it was back then. At some point, "kind" became the new standard...
Pinko, you don't read Savage Love, do you? I liked the booze when I was a kid, but I was certainly not willing to "peg" or be "pegged" for it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pegging
This brand might be new (not even sure about that much, but I'm too lazy to check), but shot-sized pre-packaged shots of alcohol have been around for at least a few years. I doubt they've made drinking at prom any more prevalent. It's just more convenient for those who were going to drink anyway. Also more expensive -- so I'm betting these aren't popular with kids, anyway. Maybe the dumb ones.
To those asking where kids these days get alcohol: I'd be willing to bet that most of them get it at... the store. There's always a place that doesn't card that one friend who looks like he's old enough (some boys hit six feet tall pretty young)... Either that or they steal it from their parents, steal it in general, have an older friend, have parents that actually give it to them... It might be more difficult to get from a stranger now (wouldn't count on it, actually), but I know that I definitely never had to go to such lengths when I was 13. My experience is a little different, since I'm from Canada where the drinking age is 18 or 19, but I've been able to buy liquor reliably (meaning success almost every single time) without getting carded since I was 15 or 16. When I was younger, we'd just get a slightly older friend to ask his slightly older friend, etc... They charged a percentage. It was, and probably still is, good business.
Great pictures on that site. Iespecially like the girl who's fishing in skin tight jeans and a half shirt with a "Pocket Shot" hanging out of her butt pocket. I always fish in jeans.
I guess they're actually cut offs. There's a better shot on another page. I'd go fishing with her.
I liked the booze when I was a kid, but I was certainly not willing to "peg" or be "pegged" for it.
I guess it just goes to show that some teen-agers are willing to go that extra mile for a warm six-pack of Milwaukee's Best, doesn't it? That's right, I did it! And I'd goddamned do it again if I had to!! You think you're better than me?!
Seriously though, that's good stuff. You really do learn something new every day (though I much prefer to look up smutty words and phrases here)...
Now please excuse me while I go register on Second Life and see if I can't find some adventurous women into the idea of some hot pegging action...