39 X°1299/5 Advertising and Global Culture Norene Janus Cultures have always undergone change, whether sumer model by restricting advertising. The big ques slow and evolutionary or rapid and revolutionary tion is whether Third World peoples are the beneficiar Sometimes these changes make people's lives better ies or the victims of this global process of change and sometimes they make them worse. Some social times change is the result of conscious efforts Planned questions,. this selection, ask yourself the following change is spontaneous and unplanned;at other As you read change can produce socially disastrous results or sig nificant social benefits Are these global cultural changes spontaneous or In this selection, noreen janus describes chang planned? Who is responsible? that are occurring on a global scale. The change agents What is the underlying value, the core, of transna -those creating the change-are transnational cor- tional culture? porations and transnational advertising agencies What do you think is meant by"consumer Through their efforts, Western goods and Western val ues are being introduced throughout the Third World ausing significant cultural transformations n Do transnational advertisers seem to have their own culture, or set of values, about the legitimacy This selection raises the question of conflicting of their work? inalienable rights among the members of our global llage. Some people believe that transnational adver n Do you think transnational advertisers have an tisers have the inalienable right to sell their products inalienable right to advertise, or should restric in a free market without worrying about the burden of tions be imposed on them long-term social consequences. Most Third World peo ple feel they have the right to access the world's con- The following terms discussed in this selection are sumer goods. But in doing so, are they aware of the included in the Glossary at the back of the book long-term consequences that buying into the Western consumer model may have on the continuation of transnational culture their cultural heritage? Some people think that Third cocial stratification World leaders should be warned of these conse- quences and have the opportunity to reject the con- ues and attitudes about time, consumption, work rela o one can travel to Africa, Asia, or Latin America tions etc. Some believe glob ulted nd not be struck by the Western elements of urban from gradual spontaneous processes that depended life.The symbols of transnational culture-automo- solely on technological innovations--Increasec biles,advertising, supermarkets, shopping centers, national trade, global mass com tions, jet travel hotels, fast food chains, credit cards, and Hollywood Recent studies show that the processes are anything movies-give the feeling of being at home. Behind but spontaneous; that they are the result of tremen- these tangible symbols are a correspond ding set of val- dous investments of time, energy and money by transnational corporations. This"transnational culture"is a direct outcome of the internationalization of production and accumula From Cultural Survival 7(2): 28-31, 1983. Reprinted with permission tion promoted through standardized development of Cultural survive models and cultural forms 281
282 CULTURAL CHANGE AND GLOBALIZATION The common theme of transnational culture intensification of violence in rural Guatemala, for consumption. Advertising expresses this ideology of example, farmers gathered around the only television consumption in its most synthetic and visual form set in their village to watch an advertisement for Advertisers rely on few themes: happiness, youth Revlon perfume showing a blonde woman strolling success, status, luxury, fashion, and beauty. In advertis- down Fifth Avenue in New York-the same advertise- ing, social contradictions and class differences are ment shown in the U.S. and other countries masked and workplace conflicts are not shown. Adver Transnational firms and global advertising agen tising campaigns suggest that solutions to huma cies are clearly aware of the role of advertising problems are to be found in individual consumption, creation of a new consumer culture in Third World presented as an ideal outlet for mass energies... a countries. A top Israeli advertising executive says, socially acceptable form of action and participation which can be used to defuse potential political unrest Television antennas are gradually taking the place of Consumer democracy"is held out to the poor around the tom-tom drums across the vast stretches of Africa Catchy jingles are replacing tribal calls in the Andes of the world as a substitute for political demo Latin America. Spic-and-span supermarkets stand on all, as the advertising executive who transformed the the grounds where colorful wares of an Oriental Bazaar U.S. Pepsi ad campaign "Join the Pepsi Generation"for were once spread throughout Asia. Across vast conti- use in Brazil as"Join the Pepsi Revolution"explains, nents hundreds of millions of people are awakening to most people have no other means to express their need the beat of modern times Is the international advertiser for social change other than by changing brands and fully aware of the magnitude of this slow but gigantic increasing their consumption Transnational advertising is one of the major rea- har ess? Is he alert to the development of these poten markets? Does he know how to use and apply the sons both for the spread of transnational culture and powerful tools of modern advertising to break into the breakdown of traditional cultures. Depicting the these vast areas of emerging consumers despite the bar racy foreign lifestyles of a blond jetsetter in French or riers of illiteracy, tribal customs, religious prejudices English, it associates Western products with moder and primitive beliefs? How great is the potential, and nity. That which is modern is good; that which is tradi- how promising are the prospects of the pioneer indus- trialist, marketer or advertiser who will venture into tional is implicitly bad, impeding the march of this vast Terra Incognita? [Tal, 1974] progress. Transnational culture strives to eliminate local cultural variations. Barnett and Muller ( 1974: 178) Increasingly advertising campaigns are aimed at discuss the social impact of this proces: the vast numbers of poor in Third World countries. As one U.S. advertising executive observes about the What are the long range social effects of advertising on Mexican consumer market, even poor families, when people who earn less than $200 a year?(Peasants, living together and pooling their incomes, can add up domestic workers, and laborers) learn of the outside to a household income of more than $10,000 per year. world through the images and slogans of ad vertising One message that comes through clearly is that happi- He explains how they can become an important mar- ess, achievement, and being white have something to keting target do with one another In mestizo countries(sic)such as The girls will need extra for cosmetics and clothes, but still bear strong traces of their Indian origin, billboards Jaime needs date money and, of course, something is depicting the good life for sale invariably feature blond going into the bank to send Carlito to the university Once all day-to-day expenses have been covered there blue-eyed American-looking men and women. One will come the big decisions that change lifestyles from effect of such"white is beautiful"advertising is to rein month to month force feelings of inferiority which are the essence of a ly immobilizing colonial mentality.. The sub First will probably be a TV set. Nobody can visit politica Latin america and not be shocked at the number of le message of the global advertiser in poor countries is antennas on top of shacks. And once the Tv set goes to "Neither you nor what you create are worth very work the Fernandez family is like a kid in a candy much; we will sell you a civilization"(emphasis added) store. They are the audience that add up to five and But global culture is the incidental outcome of one-half hours of viewing a day. They are pounded by some 450 commercials a week. They see all the beauti transnational marketing logic more than it is the result of a conscious strategy to subvert local cultures. It is ful people and all the beautiful things. And what they see, they want [Criswell, 27 October 19751 marketing logic, for example, that created the"global dvertising campaign, one single advertising mes- an important characteristic of trans sage used in all countries where the product is made culture is the speed and breadth with which it is trans- r distributed. This global campaign is both more effi- mitted, communications and information systems play cient and less expensive for a firm. Thus, before the an important role, permitting a message to be distrib-
ADVERTISING AND GLOBAL CULTURE uted globally through television series, news, maga- ing of Coca-Cola and Heineken portrays drinking as zines, comics, and films. The use of television to an individual act rather than a collective one spread transnational culture is especially effective with A study carried out in Venezuela explores the rela illiterates. Grey Advertising International undertook a tionship between television content and childrens worldwide study of television to determine its useful- attitudes. Santoro(1975)analyzed a week of television ness as an advertising channel and reported that programming and interviewed 900 sixth-grade chil- dren. The children were asked to invent a story by Television is undisputedly the key communications drawing the characters in a television screen and then development of our era. It has demonstrated its power to describe what they had drawn. The imaginary to make the world a global village; to educate and inform; to shape the values, attitudes, and lifestyles of scenes were primarily stories about violence, crime generations growing up with it. In countries where it physical force, and competition, and the large majority operates as an unfettered commercial medium it ha of them depicted destructive actions motivated by proven for many products the most potent of all con- greed. The"good"characters were primarily from the sumer marketing weapons as well as a major influence U.S., white, rich, of varied professions and English in establishing corporate images and affecting public surnames. The "bad"characters were mostly from opinion on behalf of business IGrey Advertising Inter other countries including China and Germany, of national, 19771 black color, poor, workers or office personnel, and with English or Spanish surnames. Santoro concluded What do we know about the impact of transna tional culture on Third World cultures? Personal the same ones to be found in typical Venezuelan televi observations are plentiful. Anyone who has heard sion and advertising contents children singing along with television commercials In another study carried out in Mexico by the and introducing these themes into their daily games ational Consumer,s Institute in 1981, more than 900 ns to see the impact. There are more extensive sixth-grade children were quizzed on the contents of nalyses as well. Pierre Thizier Seya studied the their textbooks and the contents of commercial telev impact of transnational advertising on cultures in the sion. They knew more about television personalities Ivory Coast. He notes that transnational firms such as than about national heroes and recognized more Colgate and Nestle have helped to replace traditional rademarks for snacks, soft drinks, chewing gum and products-often cheaper and more effective-witn so on than national symbols such as the flag, a map of industrialized toothpastes and infant formula the country, the major partys symbol, etc. They knew By consuming Coca-Cola, Nestle products, Marlboro, much more about soap operas and action series than Maggi, Colgate or Revlon, Ivorians are not only fulfill- researchers concluded that advertising and the televi- quashing their authentic world outlook in favor of the sion medium are far more effective teachers than the transnational way of life[Seya, 1982: 17] public school system. If children are learning about consumption, soap operas and transnational symbols, Advertising of skin-lightening products persuades their parents must be als the African women to be ashamed of their own color In another research project, seven-year-old Mexi- and try to be white. can children from different economic backgrounds were interviewed to determine the role of the mass In trying to be as white as possible, that is to say, in media-primarily television-as sources of informa- becoming ashamed of their traditional being, the lvo- ion, the relationship established between children and rians are at the same time relinquishing one of the most television, and the degree to which the children have powerful weapons at their disposal for safeguarding internalized transnational consumption patterns their dignity as human beings: their racial identity. And advertising is not neutral in such a state of affairs [Seya, 1982:18] Children were shown pictures of the same man three different settings--family, nature, and luxury He also mentions that advertising is helping to possessions and asked to choose which of these three change the Ivorian attitude toward aging, making was the happiest. The question was meant to show the women fear looking older and undermining the tradi- degree to which the children accept the fundamental assun ption of advertising: consumption brings happi The consumption of soft drinks and hard liquor ness. While slightly more than half of the children points to another social change. Traditionally drinks chose the family scene, poorer children were signifi- are consumed only in social settings, as evidenced by cantly more likely to associate the luxury possessions the large pot where they are stored. Yet, the advertis with happiness than the rich children
284 CULTURAL CHANGE AND GLOBALIZATION In the same study, children were shown a series of culture have on the poor for whom luxury lifestyles industrial products along with the traditional prod- are not possible? How do they deal with the daily con- ucts they had replaced Tang and fresh orange juice addictions that this awareness implies? How much Wonder bread and traditional rolls, Nescafe and coffee will they accept and how much will they reject? How beans. The question was designed to determine the can they maintain their own identities in the face of degree to which these children actually thought of transnational culture? the industrialized product as the principal form of the food. Again, poor children more often answered that Nescafe is coffee and Tang is orange juice Perhaps the most interesting result of the study REFERENCES concerns the ability of children to analyze consump- tion in terms of class. They were shown different cate- Barnett, R. and R Muller, 1974. Global Reach. New York: gories of consumer products such as cigarettes and Simon and schuster. television sets, and asked which a rich person could Criswell, R. 1975. Keeping up with the Fernandez. "Adver buy and which a po erson could buy. virtually tising Age. October 27 every child showed an acute awareness of the different Grey Advertising International. 1977. "Survey of Interna access to these products by class. They knew very well tional Television. " Grey Matter that a rich person could buy any or all of the products Instituto Nacional del Consumidor (INCO). 1981. La televi- whereas the poor could buy only the cigarettes, the sion y Los Ninios: Conocimiento de la"Realidad Televisiua Coca-Cola, the snackfoods, and the lipstick vs. Conocimiento de la Realidad Nacional, "Mexico City These results, while very tentative, suggest that the impact of transnational culture is greater among Janus, N. 1982. "Spiderman Drinks Tang: Television and the poor-the very people who cannot afford to Transnational Culture in Mexican Children. " Mexico buy the lifestyle it represents. The poor are more likely Instituto latinoamericano de estudios transnacionales to associate consumption with happiness and feel that Santoro, E. 1975. La Television Venezolana y La Formacion de made ones. But at the same time they are painfully Estereotipos en el Niro. Caracas: Universidad Central de aware that only the rich have access to the lifestyle Seya, P. T. 1982. "Advertising as an Ideological Apparatus of This leads us to the most important questions Transnational Capitalism in the Ivory Coast, Mimeo- What political impact does the spread of transnational graphed copy
