Globalisation and the Evolution of Disney

Schiller believes that globalisation is a huge and ever growing phenomenon (Schiller, 1993). He believes it began in the 1960s when communication across the world became easier and it has continually become easier and faster as technology developed and the world, in a sense became smaller (Schiller, 1993). With communication, of course came massive conglomerates who also wished to speak to people over seas and sell their products and merchandise to new cultures and nations. Companies such as The Walt Disney Company which has a huge global market, whose part in globalisation will be covered in this summary. Another theorist who talks of globalisation is Dallas Smythe who looked at the comparisons between globalisation and Marxism (Fuchs, 2012). There does seem to be an argument that in a digital age, we are all aiding the growth of these global companies, by purchasing their merchandise and wearing their symbols on our clothes, we are condoning and advertising, freely for companies worth billions of pounds. In this digital age, social media plays a big part in free advertising and in turn increases the capital of these companies, by the spread of word, not locally but now globally.

Returning to Disney, whose wealth is staggering and popularity covers the whole of the globe, it is one of the most successful media companies in the world. In particular, the animated Disney movies, where seven out of the top ten selling films in the world are Disney animations (Artz, 2014.). What makes Disney such a global phenomenon? Well, merchandise is a big part of the company's profits, with stores across the world and its resorts and cruise ships which are also world renowned. But Disney is constantly thinking about its characters and story lines, whether to anthropomorphise the characters and what animated features the next film will include to promote a Disney ideology and the capitalist society that surrounds it (Artz, 2014).

                 

If we take the example of the Disney princess from their beginnings, in 1937 to one of the latest princesses in 2013 it easy to see the transformation through the years. Perhaps it can be called development or open-mindedness where princess of different races have been included but it seems to me that Disney is trying to keep its audiences engaged and connected with the characters they create. It is also noticeable that the way the princess are designed is changing through the decades, now their eyes are bigger and their faces more round, this could be that Disney has identified the growing popularity and globalisation of anime and their distinctive big eyes.

In this TedTalk, Peter Alfandary seems optimistic about globalisation. His optimism points out, where other theorists have perhaps overlooked, that our own space, our country and our own way of speaking will ground us and we can never be completely swept away by globalisation. In the case of Disney, they are simply moving with what they believe will give them the biggest audiences world wide. But it is true that there are cultural differences within one hundred miles of each other that will stop us from becoming one big mass market. I think that this is a good thing, it is important that we keep our separate identities, our cultures and our language so that we are not all tarred by the same brush however it is just as important to continue learning and experiencing cultures we know little about. Perhaps the new Disney film, Moana will do something of that nature.

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References

Artz, L., 2014. Animating Hierarchy: Disney and the Globalization of Capitalism. Global Media Hierarchy.

Fuchs, C., 2012. Dallas Smythe Today - The Audience Commodity, the Digital Labour Debate, Marxist Political Economy and Critical Theory. Prolegomena to a Digital Labour Theory of Value. Creative Commons. pp692-740.

Schiller, H., 1993. Transnational Media: Creating Consumers Worldwide. Power of the Media in the Global System. Journal of International Affairs Editorial Board. pp47-58.

Advertising Culture: Apple, Think Differently

McFall believes that there is no new or changed era in our new post-modern advertising campaigns. It is simply a development that has followed the development of politics, economics and technology. However, she argues that culture and economics are very difficult to define and therefore it is very difficult to decide whether advertising has followed suit or has forged the way (McFall, 2004). After the Second World War, advertising has been thought responsible for "false" demand and sustaining a capitalist economy (McFall, 2004). This could be true, I believe in our modern times, there has been an influx of products we "need" rather than products we desire or would quite like. We live in a culture of demand, businesses demanding our constant attention through advertising on websites, television and in cinemas and consumers demanding better, faster and more efficient products.

Take Apple as a prime example of its constant presence and development through the last five decades. Modern Apple is a very popular product and one that is a dominant company in Western society, perhaps becoming part of our culture. There is always a buzz around the new iPhone, the upgrade no matter how small has a massive hype in the media, from Apple itself and from consumers around the globe. Apple's ad campaigns, however, often do not mention the product, but the values of Apple itself.

 This speech and advertisement is from 1997.

This advertisement is from 2014. This is a perfect example of McFall's point that advertising has not made a dramatic change in the last few decades. Apple has stuck with the same message and the same kind of message, this kind of strategy could be seen by consumers as reliable, and consistent. They found a message that works and kept with it. Although things around the company have changed, the technology and politics of the company will undoubtedly have shifted with the  movement of time, however their advertising has stayed the same.

However, I do believe that culture does have some effect on advertising and the products that Apple produce. They do use the new branches of advertising such as online advertising to keep their product in the front of the consumers' mind (Akuja, Jackson, 2015). They have also tapped into the idea that cold, hard selling does not work, if advertising is going to connect to the consumer, it must have heart (Batey, 2016). Although Apple just sell technology, they must reach out to people (perhaps most importantly, youngsters) who are stereo-typically, interested in mobile phones, upgrades and new gadgets (Jackson, Ajuka,2015). Batey argues that Apple have found a way to "humanize" their technology, so that it relates to the human senses (2015).

In conclusion, I do believe to some extent that companies, especially global companies such as Apple have found a rhetoric that works and kept it, mainly to keep their identity and trust with consumers. However, I also believe that advertising does effect cultural society and vice versa, it is so intertwined that there is no knowing who influenced who first. But connecting to a global audience on a personal level has helped companies, such as Apple to use not only their own advertising but word of mouth to promote their products for them. It is possible that over the last few decades, advertising campaigns have changed their tactics to become more personal with customers, to engage with audiences in a more human way. Advertisers such as Apple do have to keep their eye on what is happening culturally and economically so that they can keep on advertising effectively to their desired audience.

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References

Apple, 2014. Apple - Perspective. [video online]. Available at: <www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJ1SDXbij8Y&t=3s> [Accessed 19/02/2017]

Batey, M., 2nd ed. 2016. Brand Meaning: Meaning, Myth and Mystique in Today's Brands. London: Routledge.

Brokop, R., 2013. Best marketing strategy ever! Steve Jobs Think different / Crazy Ones Speech (with real subtitles). [video online]. Available at: <www.youtube.com/watch?v=keCwRdbwNQY>. [Accessed 19/02/2017]

Jackson, G., Akuja, V., 2015. Dawn of the digital age and the evolution of the marketing mix. Journal of Direct, Data and Digital Marketing Practice. London: MacMillan Publishers. pp 170-186.

McFall, L., 2004. Advertising a Cultural Economy. London: Sage Publications.

Cultural Industry: Hamilton

David Hesmondhalg's theory of cultural industries focuses on "core" cultural industries which he feels have the biggest social and cultural influences in today's society, he uses the term "peripheral" cultural industires for industries such as art, music concerts and theatre (Hesmondhalg, 2006). However, for me, the change I have noticed most within the cultural industry is in the theatre "industry" or "business". Theatre companies have a hard job on their hands because their business is based on artistic choices but need financial support (like everything else). I believe that the theatre business is bigger than ever and theatre owners have to think about how they will bring the money into the company but also how to make audiences feel like they are watching art, not just contributing to a cold, hard business (Phillips, 2002). I will discuss how a new Broadway show "Hamilton" has taken the world by storm and how they have been able to do so in an every changing technological world.

"Hamilton" is the story of America's Founding Father, Alexander Hamilton. It is already one of the most successful Broadway musicals of all time and most of its fan base have not even seen it yet (Runchie, 2017). This is mainly because of its soundtrack which has caught the imagination of musical lovers across the globe, and it tells the story through the songs (Runchie, 2017). But that is just as well, because the West End version of this new musical has sold out and it hasn't even opened yet! And the next lot of tickets will go for hundreds of pounds.

"Hamilton" has become so famous because of the amount of publicity it has gotten, even from seven years ago when the composer and writer of the musical, Lin-Manuel Miranda sang a draft version of the opening song at the White House for the President and First Lady.

 And of course, in recent times the story of "Hamilton" seems to be resonating with many Americans after President Trump's victory. In fact there is a famous video of one of the cast members addressing Vice-President Pence before votes were announced (BBC, 2016). All this publicity can only mean good things for the creator and the theatre company of "Hamilton".

Theatres as a whole industry has been able to adapt its output to suit a modern audience. For example, websites for shows when they used to simply sell tickets, now sell merchandise to promote the show (Coleman, 2011). The content is also highly important, especially its soundtracks that they can release before the first production of the show (Phillips, 2002). This certainly seems to be the case when it comes to "Hamilton" as the soundtrack is in a hip-hop style, however it has big hit songs to engage with musical fans.

It seems that musicals and theatres have to survive by thinking of what the larger public will enjoy, even if that audience will never see the show because they are not in the same country or because they simple cannot afford the rising cost of a single seat. The idea that the theatre is not a big influence around the world is constantly being proven wrong. It is a changing arena as more films are turning into musical shows such as "Shrek" and "Sister Act" more biographies of musical talents are turned into stage productions "Thriller", "Beatlemania". For Broadway and for the West End in particular, it is a massive tourist market and finding songs that follow a story and engage with as many people around the world that is possible is essential to keep tourists coming to the spectacle. Therefore it is important for this cultural industry to keep influencing people within society. "Hamilton" has been an unprecedented success, it was nominated for 16 Tony Awards and won 11 (Tony Awards, 2016). The timing of the first shows as Trump began to run for President and the soundtrack as well as all the videos on YouTube and across the internet shows how, now a stage show that is produced for one room, one theatre can have a massive cultural impact.

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References

BBC, 2016. Trump locks horns with Hamilton musical cast over Pence booing. BBC News. [online] 19 November. Available at: <www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38039286> [Accessed 20/02/2017]

Coleman, B., 2011. New horizons: the musical at the dawn of the twenty-first century. The Cambridge Companion to the Musical. Cambridge University Press. pp 284- 302.

Hesmondhalg, D., 2006. The Cultural Industries. London: Sage. 

Phillips, L., 2002. Understanding Cultural Industries. Journal of Management Inquiry. Sage. pp430-441.

Runchie, C., 2017., What is Hamilton? a 12-step Guide to your new musical obsession. The Telegraph. [online]30 January. Available at: <www.telegraph.co.uk/theatre/what-to-see/what-is-hamilton-a-12-step-guide-to-your-new-musical-obsession/> [Accessed 20/02/2017]

The Obama White House, 2009. Lin-Manuel Miranda Performs at the White House Poetry Jam. [video online]. Available at: <www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNFf7nMIGnE> [Accessed 20/02/2017]

Tony Awards, 2016. Tony Awards Hamilton. [online]. Available at: <www.tonyawards.com/en_US/nominees/shows/201509271443330008934.html> [Accessed 20/02/2017]

Wavy TV 10, 2016. Cast of "Hamilton" has message for VP-Elect Mike Pence. [video online]. Available at: <www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJaWGUoeQLk> [Accessed 20/02/2017]