America forcing it's culture on the Middle East?

[Ronn_Bman]

In 1994 when the first McDonald's opened in Kuwait City, the line at the drive through was 7 miles long.

That according to the History Channel. www.historychannel.com

[Cloudbringer]

Ronn.. check your pm's. [img]smile.gif[/img] I'm gonna go get some sleep in a few minutes.

CB

[Magness]

What does "check your pm's" mean?

[Ronn_Bman]

quote:

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Originally posted by Magness:
What does "check your pm's" mean?

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PM=Private Messages

In the top right hand corner of the screen click on "my profile", and you can send Private Messages to other members. You may even have one waiting there [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Ronn_Bman]

Muslims hate America and American things?

Capitalism or not, can anyone argue with this picture?

No one was making them stand in line, but still, a line for McDonald's that was 7 miles long?

[Silver Cheetah]

quote:

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Originally posted by Ronn_Bman:
Muslims hate America and American things?

Capitalism or not, can anyone argue with this picture?

No one was making them stand in line, but still, a line for McDonald's that was 7 miles long?

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Um, not being sarcastic here, but aren't you maybe being a bit naive, Ron_B?

The power of advertising is incredibly strong. I don't quite know how McDonalds gets known in the Middle East - perhaps someone can enlighten me? (As far as I know, it's only repressive regimes such as in Iraq and Afghanistan that don't allow advertising. Actually, I have a certain degree of sympathy with this one...)

It's obviously an advertising thing - desire for the brand and what the brand represents (which will have been carefully crafted by at huge cost by the ad agencies). You don't queue up for something you've never heard of and can't relate to, do you?

McDonalds is one of the most advertising savvy corps in the business. You can bet your boots they publicised the opening, having researched their market with the utmost care. They will have used the advertising channels most suited to penetrating the culture and crafted the ads to provoke desire.

The way advertising works is that you find out as much as you can about your target audience, find out what they most want, and most aspire to, and then pitch your product accordingly. Advertising by the big brands has nothing much to do with actual product. It is to do with selling a lifestyle, with selling aspirations. You create the desire for the product through extremely clever advertising, then you produce the product.

Let's face it, the actual product really is nothing to write home about, for anyone that still has a palate (after years of processed crap, many people lose their ability to discriminate between food products). A tasteless bun containing a round 'meat product' and some icky bits of salad and a sliver of processed cheese. Just packed with vitamins and minerals. Ooh, yummy yum yums, not.

Advertising = brainwashing. God am I glad I got rid of my TV. No longer am I bombarded by adverts selling 'lifestyle options' and umpteen brands of things I don't need, don't want and don't give a stuff about, frankly. Although we don't get as much of that here as you guys do. Not yet, at any rate.....

[Argus]

SC I couldn't agree with you more. McDonalds are truly the masters of "branding" (though Disney and the soft drink companies are right up there). If their positioning in Kuwait City was anything like it was here in Russia (and previously in Mexico)they actually target the younger generation (MTV and McDonalds...hand-in-hand).

They do slightly tweak their menu to appeal to local tastes, but generally speaking its the association of McDonalds with America and greater cultural freedom (the accuracy of that association is another discussion point in and of itself) that is used as the main attraction.

I think Ronn that Muslims don't hate America and American things. I think the majority are quite curious about America. Certainly the successful performance of such "cultural icons" as McDonalds, evidenced by the long lines to attend the McDonalds in Kuwait City and the lines that accompanied McDonalds openings in cities of the former Soviet Union, show this curiosity being manifested.

Hmmm, never thought I would refer to McDonalds as a cultural icon.

I'm really scared...

[Silver Cheetah]

quote:

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Originally posted by Argus:
SC I couldn't agree with you more. McDonalds are truly the masters of "branding" (though Disney and the soft drink companies are right up there). If their positioning in Kuwait City was anything like it was here in Russia (and previously in Mexico)they actually target the younger generation (MTV and McDonalds...hand-in-hand).

They do slightly tweak their menu to appeal to local tastes, but generally speaking its the association of McDonalds with America and greater cultural freedom (the accuracy of that association is another discussion point in and of itself) that is used as the main attraction.

I think Ronn that Muslims don't hate America and American things. I think the majority are quite curious about America. Certainly the successful performance of such "cultural icons" as McDonalds, evidenced by the long lines to attend the McDonalds in Kuwait City and the lines that accompanied McDonalds openings in cities of the former Soviet Union, show this curiosity being manifested.

Hmmm, never thought I would refer to McDonalds as a cultural icon.

I'm really scared...

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McDonalds, Nike, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, The Gap...... and so on.. ad infinitum.... Have you read No Logo by Naomi Klein, by the way? Incredible. Bit of a slow start, but once she gets going... she had me on the edge of my chair!! (Encouragingly, it's a best seller in Britain... About time people got a bit more brand savvy.... )

[Argus]

Actually, I haven't read No Logo yet, but my sister did and loved it. I tend to fall on the opposite end of the political spectrum from her (its amazing how when I read some of your posts the similarity between your views and hers')...but I trust her judgment completely when it comes to worthwhile books to read (except for the Scarlet Letter incident back in high school...blech couldn't stand that one... ).

Interestingly enough, my father who is quite politically conservative read it as well and said that it is well written even if he didn't agree with some of the conclusions drawn by the author.

I'll pick up a copy when I'm stateside for Christmas.

[Ronn_Bman]

quote:

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Originally posted by Argus:

I think Ronn that Muslims don't hate America and American things. I think the majority are quite curious about America. Certainly the successful performance of such "cultural icons" as McDonalds, evidenced by the long lines to attend the McDonalds in Kuwait City and the lines that accompanied McDonalds openings in cities of the former Soviet Union, show this curiosity being manifested.

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The majority don't, and that's what I was pointing out. It's the minority of radicals that are offended by this interest in American things. This is exactly their excuse for their actions against US.