Globalization

     Globalization can be quickly and simply defined as growth to a global or worldwide scale. In involves the deep connections formed between nations, cultures, and people across the globe. Globalization increases world communication through various means that allow people who have perhaps never met or nations that are miles apart  to interact in an easy and timely way. Commercialization, digitalization and overall growth in all markets are just few ways that globalization occurs. Media plays a big role within this globalization as media content and technology is able to be shared and as people of the world can easily consume this media.
     Cultural imperialism involves an imbalance of global power in terms of direction and volume, meaning certain nations, cultures or people have more power within global realms than others. For example, a limited number of media conglomerates are the dominating forces within global media flow, and most of them originate in the United States. This creates an imbalance of power with the US much more heavily represented in the global market. US culture pervades other cultures and American media is more frequently shared and consumed. In this way, a non-American teen might be just as familiar with Friends or The Office as the average American. American TV shows, music and movies are easily accessible across the globe, diminishing the need and desire for large non-Western media sources by global citizens.

Old Spice Ad

     Recently, the series of Old Spice ads is one that everyone has noticed, making in particularly effective in the realm of promoting (and selling) the men's deodorant. The advertisements feature a buff, somewhat cocky man who encourages women to get their men smelling like real men (like himself) by buying them Old Spice body wash and other Old Spice products. The man's witty and fast-paced monologues are highly memorable and capture both the male and female audience: men who can buy the product for themselves and women who can buy the product for "their man."
     Undoubtedly, the Old Spice ads are using sex to sell their product. In this instance, the sexiness of the ad is toned down by the comedy, but the shirtless man is what catches the viewers' eyes first and foremost. Using sex to sell a product is a technique that has been used since the dawn of advertising and will be used until its end. Sexy men or women featured in ads are used to draw in buyers by showing them what they could have or what they could look like if they simply buy a certain product. The "sex sells" mantra is tried and true and won't likely be abandoned any time soon.
     As previously stated, the "sex" used in the Old Spice ad is a bit different from, say, a photo of a lingerie-clad girl lying sensually on a bed to sell perfume. This is due to the commercial's comedic tone. Many people will certainly be attracted to the shirtless man and wish their own man was more like him, but his overly masculine approach to things a man should say/do/wear are more humorous than alluring. In this way, the Old Spice ads have a satirical nature, parodying the innumerable other sexy ads on the market.