Globalization of Pop Culture
DIsneyfication
The Disney machine has touched us all, spreading the values of the marketplace,
colonizing the fantasy life of children and changing the world irrevocably in the process.
The Colonized Mind
American media conglomerates like Disney and Time-Warner, publishing giants like
Germany’s Bertelsmann and Australia’s Rupert Murdoch have near-monopoly control of
global news and entertainment.
Death of Diversity
Cultural diversity mirrors the biological and geographical diversity of our planet.
’Disneyfication’, like economic globalization, tends to ride roughshod over local variety.
Born to Shop
The spread of American movies, music and fashion is as much about buying as culture. In
fact the fusion of consumerism with the arts, entertainment and sport is now
widespread.
Market Culture
Efforts to open borders to ‘cultural exports’ have been at the heart of free-trade
negotiations. Western countries like France and Canada and Third World nations like
Malaysia have fought hard to restrict imports of foreign films, books and magazines to
protect their own heritage.
Four Principles Based on Alan Bryman
THEMING
DEDIFFERENTIATION OF
CONSUMPTION
MERCHANDISING
EMOTIONAL LABOUR
THEMING
Theming accomplished at least two things in this connection. First, it established
coherence to the various rides and attractions in Disneyland and the environments in
which they were located. Secondly, their designs of rides and attractions, the accent was
placed on the theming rather than on the thrill factor, which was the emphasis in the
traditional amusement parks.
DEDIFFERENTIATION OF
CONSUMPTION
EPCOT Center
The term “dedifferentiation of consumption” denotes simply the general trend whereby
the forms of consumption associated with different institutional spheres become
interlocked with each other and increasingly difficult to distinguish.
MERCHANDISING
The promotion of goods in the form of bearing copyright images and logos, including such
products made under license.
EMOTIONAL LABOUR
The workers exhibit cheerfulness and friendliness towards customers as part of the service
customer.
Mcdonaldization
McDonald’s has come to occupy a central
place in American popular culture, not
just the business world.
George Ritzer
Mcdonaldization
ELEMENTS
The optimum method for getting from one point to another.
EFFICIENCY
An emphasis on the quantitative aspects of products sold
(portion size, cost) and services offered (the time it takes to
get the product).
CALCULABILITY
The assurance that products and services will be the same
over time and in all locales.
PREDICTABILITY STANDARDIZED
Lines, limited menus, few options, and uncomfortable seats
all lead diners to do what management wishes them to do—
eat quickly and leave.
CONTROL
Advantages
People are able to get what they want or need almost instantaneously and get it far more
conveniently.
Fast, efficient goods and services are available to a population that is working longer
hours and has fewer hours to spare.
Because of quantification, consumers can more easily compare competing products.
People are more likely to be treated similarly, no matter what their race, gender, or
social class.
Coca - Colonization
The Coca-Cola Company is hardly the only enterprise to see
world events through the prism of profits, of course. But the
company's size, age and prominence give the practice
impressive sweep.
In World War II, Coke was an American imperialist symbol, a
kosher food, a fake Communist beverage and the drink of
Hitler Youth.
A chemist
removed the
soda's caramel
color, and they
put the drink in a
clear bottle with
a white cap and
red star.
When Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower introduced Coke to Zhukov, the
Russian liked it. But he also knew how Stalin would react if one of his
generals was seen drinking an American imperialist symbol.
Positives
Donates money across the globe
Ingredients are largely sourced locally.
Positives
People are connected through big corporations such as Coca - Cola
NEgatives
Environmental Problems
Adverse health effects
NEgatives
Believed to encourage cultural imperialism