The Globalization Of American Popular Culture

The economic dominance of the United States that we have seen nowadays was predicted beforehand in the mid-nineteenth century. American Popular Culture however, is estimated to have been relevant throughout the world ever since the 1950’s. It is often said now that globalization (the integration of markets, trade, finance, information and corporate ownership around the globe) is a predominantly American influence. Thomas L. Friedman states that globalization is nothing else but a high degree of Americanization (Big Mac II). This enquiry topic encompasses the influence of American culture worldwide, more specifically, the role of American corporations in foreign societies. It not only acknowledges how fast food chains have made their way into

foreign cultures, but also, the gradual de-culturization and social controversies that have been originated from this phenomenon. As an end result, the discussion of how American culture is being impulsed by the U.S. but not imposed, and claims of American imposition are inaccurate.
1. The state of worldwide de-culturization: “Americanization”.
Some say that Americanization promotes cultural acceptance and brings a sense of likeliness between cultures. But how so? Accepting cultures as they are is distant from influencing other cultures to resemble our own. For example, fast-food restaurants are well-known trends by which the influence of American culture reaches the rest of the world. An accurate manifestation of such is the insanely successful trend in Japan “Kurisumasu ni wa kentakkii!” (Kentucky for Christmas!) originated by a KFC marketing campaign in 1974. According to “Why Japan is Obsessed with Kentucky Fried Chicken on Christmas”, Thousands of Japanese families anticipatedly feast at KFC restaurants, often ordering their boxes of “finger lickin” with months of anticipation, to avoid the restaurant's lines for about 2 hours long (Smith). The catchphrase “Christmas=Kentucky”, is a prominent example of pure Americanization impacting more than just the taste of food in Japan. In addition, Smith claims: “Christmas isn't a national holiday in Japan—only one percent of the Japanese population is estimated to be Christian—yet a bucket of “Christmas Chicken” (the next best thing to turkey—a meat you can't find anywhere in Japan) is the go-to meal on the big day.”
In a similar fashion, McDonald’s, the most relevant American fast food franchise in the world has also had it’s fair share of popularity in Japan, similar if not greater than KFC.

“McDonald’s Japan, a.k.a “Makdonaldo,” is the biggest McDonald’s franchise outside the U.S... The McDonald’s folks even renamed Ronald McDonald in Japan “Donald McDonald” (Friedman). Also worth mentioning is the 1998 McDonald's snoopy fever in Hong Kong, where thousands of customers all ages rushed to collect 28 snoopy figurines offered with the Happy Meal. Keith B. Richburg states the following in his article: “Of course, very few people actually ate the food, especially after four weeks of daily visits. Some simply bought the meals to get the Snoopies, and then threw the food away or gave it to strangers. The homeless and the poor of Hong Kong began gathering near McDonald's to take the unwanted

food.”
(Washington Post).
At this point you might be thinking: McDonald’s is big in Asia, perhaps also the rest of the world. Why is this relevant? Think about this: To an average American, McDonald’s is not the first choice when dining out, yet, it has been for many years the biggest fast food franchise in North America (just behind Subway) and surely the most iconic American fast food restaurant. How did they achieve such success? In part because McDonald’s utilizes incredibly effective marketing strategies. For instance, advertisements of the golden arches everywhere, we see it on TV, on Billboards, in the streets and the Internet. McDonald’s has excelled due to its ability to successfully deliver their favorable messages by integrating the customer’s perspective in its products and operations in a simplistic manner. However, none of the before mentioned is the main reason why McDonald’s has succeeded overseas. The franchise owes its success to structural flexibility; a “multi-local” company, which adapts certain elements to local cultures as well. Just as Thomas L. Friedman describes it, by doing this, they have avoided tremendous cultural setbacks. “The way McDonald’s has packaged itself is to be a “multi-local” company. That is, by insisting on a high degree of local ownership, and by tailoring its products just enough for local cultures, McDonald’s has avoided the worst cultural backlashes that some other U.S companies have encountered…” (Big Mac II). Even the late James Cantalupo, former head of McDonald’s International stated: “You don’t have 2,000 stores in Japan by being seen as an American company… It's how you package it and the experience that counts”
Friedman also believes that countries now “feel at stake” due to McDonald’s manipulating the sources of localities, by gradually moving from local sourcing of its raw materials to global sourcing.

This is the main cause that led several French farmers to protest against McDonald’s in 1999: According to an article in The Times (London), José Bové, a southern farm activist and leader of the protest became quite a hero with his campaign against American trade sanctions on Rocquefort cheese and other traditional French fare. He was arrested subsequently after leading a squad of farmers that ransacked a McDonald’s site at Millau, in the Aveyron départment. The region had been hit by Washington’s punitive duty on ewe’s cheese, imposed as part of the retaliation for Europe’s ban on hormone-fed American beef. “I am a hostage to global commercialisation” said Mr. Bove at the Montpellier courthouse during his trial. Accordingly so, Guy Kastler, another farmer, said: “We are here to defend the right of people to feed themselves with their own food in their own way against the determination of the United States to impose their way of eating on the whole planet.” (The Times [London], 1998.) Besides this, the farmers also protested against low prices, low-cost industrial methods and genetically modified crops. They feared the increasing domination of big retail distributors like McDonald’s. “José Bové has fulfilled every ecologist's dream: dismantling a McDonalds” [4] said Denis

Baupin, spokesman for the Green Party, also a partner in the Government of former Prime Minister of France, Lionel Jospin.[4]
Nonetheless, James Cantalupo would have not agreed that McDonald’s forms part of Americanization. In 1996, he claimed that McDonald’s was culturally sensitive: “McDonald’s stands for a lot more than just hamburgers and American fast food… Cultural sensitivity is part of it too. There is no “Euroburger”... We have a different chicken sandwich in England than we do in Germany.” (Big Mac II). If only he knew that cultural sensitivity is much more complex than simply having different sandwiches on the menu’s. Furthermore, if McDonald’s policies have been culturally sensitive since 1996, then, the French protests three years later were essentially in vain.
One is to think that international corporations originated from the United States are accountable of imposing American pop culture. Perhaps in a not so intrusive way, otherwise, the masses would immediately realize it is re-shaping their day to day culture. Or perhaps... the vast majority of consumers are in fact aware, hence, not opposing but embracing Americanization. The question is as follows; Does the U.S impose itself? Or is it’s culture willingly adopted by other societies? A logical answer could be that other nations become influenced by the U.S, just as much as the U.S is influenced by other nations... Yet, this is only true to an extent. It is literally impossible to overlook or deny the prominent presence of our Popular culture in other nations. As our world becomes increasingly globalized, most people interact with predominantly westernized media, which has created inaccurate depictions of our culture for decades, thus, providing these corporations optimal conditions to thrive in places where the U.S is so favorably viewed. Successfully so, food-chains like McDonald’s and KFC have placed themselves in such ideal foreign localities, becoming the stereotype of American restaurants. To these corporations, cultural sensitivity has never been a priority. McDonald’s, like most ambitious businesses, is accountable for expanding at all costs pursuing financial gain. It is understandable that the evident lack of sensitivity towards the French culture per se, where the quality of food and produce is highly appreciated, sparked such protests… but I must point out that McDonald’s would’ve most likely withdrawn its business from French territory had it lacked customers to make profit. To the consumer with freedom of choice, the concept of “American food” is so simple and appealing, much like all sorts of American brands which have come to represent “The good life” in many foreign cultures. The “American Dream” is almost subconscious, yet, the people who follow its principles were never forced to do so. With that being said, Americanization is willingly acquired by individuals, not nations. Americanization is certainly impulsed by the U.S, but not imposed.