Globalization is the process through which countries' economies, cultures, and socities become interconnected by trade and communication. Through the concept of globalization, some countries, such as United States, have become dominant global powers. One way in which the United States has shown dominance is by its cultural impact on other countries, what some would call cultural imperialism. An example of cultural imperialism is the Americanization of foreign television. Most countries with television access have access to American TV shows. You can even say it dominants program scheduling in some countries such as England. The channel E4 is one of the most popular television channels among British teens and young adults. If you look at their television schedule for Wednesday primetime, you will notice only 2 out of the 6 shows aired are British products, the rest are all imports from the U.S. E4 creates many of its own British shows, but chooses to air a U.S. dominant schedule. The United States has placed its own culture within another society's through its television imports. It could be one way to create a completely Westernized world.
In Professor Straubhaar's November 1st lecture, he discussed the aspects of advertising and what is required for an advertisement to be effective in promoting a product. One advertisement that came to mind when I thought of successful promotions was Apple's iPod commercial. The commercial featured black silhouettes against a colored background dancing to the music playing from the distinctive white iPod. The ad was so persuasive because it was so aesthetically pleasing; it made viewers think that you had to have an iPod to be cool and have fun like the people in the commercial.
With the bright colors, the advertisement was very successful at grabbing the audiences' attention. The simplicity of the iPod commercial influences the viewer to want to learn more. The advertisement also appeals to a broad audience since the people featured in the commercials are mere silhouettes, eliminating any racial barriers. The aesthetics including the use of color and music, makes the i-Pod product the "it" item and a must-have for consumers.
"Jet iPod Commerical'". YouTube.com. 5 November 2005. RevolutionKing2. 7 November 2010 <www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWe7wTVbLUU>.
