Urban dwellers in the Western world have witnessed a change of their cityscapes recently. Small independent stores, restaurants and coffee bars have been replaced by stores of multinational companies, such as Tesco, McDonald’s, Burgerking, Starbucks, H&M and The Gap. No matter if you are exploring the city centre of Leicester, London or Hamburg, you find more and more branches of large-scale business companies, attempting to attract consumers with their big, bright logos. The same process can be found in the media – global brands such as Hewlett-Packard and Coca Cola advertise all around the globe, or in terms of Barnet et al (1995: p. 164): “Marlboro country is everywhere”. While the unification of city centres has been much-discussed, further questions need to be elaborated on: In how far are these phenomena results of globalisation? Which consequences do they have for life in Western societies? Is there a global homogenisation of culture, and if so, to what extent? Which role does advertising play in this process? These and other questions are discussed in this paper.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Characteristics of Consumer Culture
2.1 Imagery
2.2 Global Brands
3. Heterogeneous homogenisation or homogeneous Heterogenisation?
3.1 Homogeneity
3.2 Heterogeneity:
3.3 Towards a global homogeneous culture?
4. Outlook
5. Literature
Objectives and Topics
This paper explores the extent to which advertising and global consumer culture contribute to the development of a homogeneous global culture, examining the tensions between global standardization and local cultural resilience.
- The role of advertising in shaping contemporary consumer culture.
- The impact of multinational corporations and global brands on local cityscapes and media.
- Theoretical perspectives on cultural homogenization versus heterogenization.
- Market strategies of transnational companies and their adaptation to local consumer tastes.
- The structural and symbolic influences of globalization on traditional societies.
Excerpt from the Book
2. Characteristics of Consumer Culture
To begin with, Western democratic culture is often circumscribed by the term “consumer culture”, meaning that many cultural processes, logic and thinking are subsumed under the primary ethic of selling. The world of goods and their principles of structuration are central to the understanding of contemporary society,
a) because goods are symbolized and used as communicators
b) because of the importance of the market principles of supply, demand, capital accumulation, competition and monopolization (Featherstone 1991: p. 84)
Featherstone stresses, that we are not consuming use-values, but signs (ibid.: 85). During the evolution of consumer culture, consumption became the dominant mode of cultural reproduction (Slater 1997: p.8). Slater highlights the power of market principles, stating that consumer culture denotes a social arrangement in which the relation between lived culture and social resources (…) is mediated through markets (ibid.), and a colonization of everyday life by consumption norms which rendered it status-driven and conformist (ibid.: 12). People became promotional signifiers (Wernick 1991). Moreover, the idea of satisfaction became dependent upon possession and consumption of the socially sanctioned and legitimate – and therefore scarce or restricted – social goods (Featherstone 1991: p. 89). It is hard to say when consumer culture evolved, but scientists agree upon the idea it is linked to Fordist mass consumption (Slater 1997: p. 10). Consumer culture also draws from the very idea of modernity: the desire to possess the latest goods is deeply rooted in our societies. During the 20th century, international trade increased in a way never seen before, and Western-style consumer culture spread worldwide (Sandikci et al 2002: p. 463). Especially the recent years of the 20th century showed an increase in multinational corporations and a growth in power of transnational companies. Multinational companies are not a phenomenon that arose after the 1980s, but the combination of de-regulated capital markets, less unionized labour markets and extended trading areas contributed to the actual state (Myers 1999: p. 57).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the observation of global brands unifying cityscapes and outlines the central research question regarding the extent of cultural homogenization.
2. Characteristics of Consumer Culture: This section defines consumer culture as a dominant mode of reproduction where goods act as symbols and status markers, influenced by Fordist mass consumption and the rise of multinational power.
3. Heterogeneous homogenisation or homogeneous Heterogenisation?: This chapter analyzes the complex relationship between global structural influence and local symbolic resilience, introducing concepts of cultural imperialism and local adaptation.
4. Outlook: This final chapter discusses future market expansions into non-saturated regions and addresses the growing demand for social responsibility in global branding.
5. Literature: This section lists the academic sources and theoretical works cited throughout the paper.
Keywords
Globalization, Consumer Culture, Advertising, Homogenization, Heterogenization, Global Brands, Multinational Corporations, Cultural Imperialism, Glocalization, Symbolic Consumption, Structural-Symbolic Construct, Modernity, Market Principles, Local Resistance, Social Signifiers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper examines how advertising and the spread of consumer culture facilitate the creation of a homogeneous global culture and to what extent this process occurs.
What are the central themes discussed in this work?
Key themes include the transformation of cityscapes by multinational chains, the role of global brands in communication, the tension between structural uniformity and symbolic diversity, and the impact of advertising on local traditions.
What is the primary research question?
The research seeks to determine if there is a global homogenization of culture, what consequences this has for life in Western societies, and the specific role advertising plays in this process.
Which scientific approach is utilized?
The paper utilizes a literature-based theoretical analysis, drawing on concepts from sociology and cultural studies, such as consumer culture, globalization, and "glocommodification."
What topics are covered in the main section of the paper?
The main section covers the evolution of consumer culture, the importance of imagery and global brands, the complexities of "heterogeneous homogenization," and the strategies corporations use to adapt to local markets.
Which keywords best characterize this study?
Important keywords include Globalization, Consumer Culture, Glocalization, Cultural Imperialism, and Symbolic Consumption.
What does the term "glocommodification" mean in this context?
It describes a process where global corporations achieve structural uniformity in their operations while simultaneously integrating symbolic diversity to maintain local market relevance.
How does the author view the impact of music and media giants?
The author argues that these giants have a significant influence on local cultures by determining the types of music and content promoted, which often threatens traditional artistic expressions.
What is the "process of local resistance and renewal" mentioned in the outlook?
It refers to the observation that globalization does not result in total uniformity, as local cultures actively resist and adapt global influences to create their own unique variations.
- Citation du texte
- Christoph Behrends (Auteur), 2005, How advertising and consumer culture are contributing to the creation of a homogeneous global culture, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/75671
