Globalization: Toms a Commodity Fetish
Alysa Sharp
12/12/12
Carla Jones
Final Project
TOMS: A Commodity Fetish Globalization is the international influence, change, and interaction within or between countries and or nations. This creates an idea of connectedness between the facilitating nation and the nation being influenced. Within this interaction and influence on another nation there becomes this desire to become a “trendsetter” through the use of products and other various commodities throughout the world. One such example can be seen through the United States which is associated with so many different types of brands such as Coca-Cola or Nike. These influences and trends though cannot be simply placed anywhere, rather they are developed and strategically thought of where they would be best placed and as well alternated to fit within a new environment for optimum consumption. These changes can either hinder a product or can help it through the way in which it is advertised and accepted into the local market. Such an example can be seen through TOMS shoe company where their goal is “to show how together, we can create a better tomorrow by taking compassionate action today” (Toms.com). TOMS’ business model of buy a pair give a pair is marketed to the U.S. in a way that plays with people’s emotions so that their product becomes a fetish through the idea that once a pair of shoes is bought people are doing good for another person; in particular children in other countries without shoes. This correlates with both Marx’s commodity fetish theory, the cultural imperialism theory and Mazzarella’s idea of the impact of imagery through the direct way TOMS is directed to the consumer and as well how there is an indirect influence from the TOMS shoe company onto the other various countries that they take their shoes to through the positive imagery that is created through the global impact that the company is trying to make. TOMS was started by founder Blake Mycoskie in 2006 after he had gone to
12/12/12
Carla Jones
Final Project
TOMS: A Commodity Fetish Globalization is the international influence, change, and interaction within or between countries and or nations. This creates an idea of connectedness between the facilitating nation and the nation being influenced. Within this interaction and influence on another nation there becomes this desire to become a “trendsetter” through the use of products and other various commodities throughout the world. One such example can be seen through the United States which is associated with so many different types of brands such as Coca-Cola or Nike. These influences and trends though cannot be simply placed anywhere, rather they are developed and strategically thought of where they would be best placed and as well alternated to fit within a new environment for optimum consumption. These changes can either hinder a product or can help it through the way in which it is advertised and accepted into the local market. Such an example can be seen through TOMS shoe company where their goal is “to show how together, we can create a better tomorrow by taking compassionate action today” (Toms.com). TOMS’ business model of buy a pair give a pair is marketed to the U.S. in a way that plays with people’s emotions so that their product becomes a fetish through the idea that once a pair of shoes is bought people are doing good for another person; in particular children in other countries without shoes. This correlates with both Marx’s commodity fetish theory, the cultural imperialism theory and Mazzarella’s idea of the impact of imagery through the direct way TOMS is directed to the consumer and as well how there is an indirect influence from the TOMS shoe company onto the other various countries that they take their shoes to through the positive imagery that is created through the global impact that the company is trying to make. TOMS was started by founder Blake Mycoskie in 2006 after he had gone to
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