Factors Shaping American Culture

We live in a world where consumerism and advertising are heavily involved in our daily lives. We are constantly surrounded by technology. Our world is constantly and quickly evolving at a daily rate. All these factors make it very easy for marketers to take advantage of consumers and sell their products. From cars to phones to sneakers to clothes… there’s always that “next best thing” out there. Humans, Americans more specifically, are almost never satisfied with the things they currently own, and are constantly pursuing things that are called “the best one yet.” As a kid born and raised in New York, I surrounded by tons of different cultures, languages, foods, music, and especially clothes. Sneakers were a big part of the culture for kids …show more content…
It discusses how the American frontier helped shape American culture. All the open space on the continent influenced the “opportunity for more.” Along with the abundance of land, it gave individuals the hunger for growth because of opportunities that they now had. This concept has haunted us until present time. Americans are always lead to believe that the newest product is the best, regardless of function or practicality. Society has lead many to think that owning these material things is a sign of high class or social status and companies and marketers use this to their advantage. Companies like BMW and Mercedes always portray the driver of their cars as wealthy and high class in their commercials. Although the price of their product isn’t necessarily unobtainable, it draws people to want it because they believe that being in that car will help give them a higher or better social image. I can also relate to this, but on a smaller scale. As a eighteen year old, male college student keen on new technology, I am always eager to obtain the newest technology available. Recently, the Apple iPhone 7 was announced and was available to preorder. Due to the fad and hype of the phone, I decided to preorder it. The iPhone was not said to make you look better or portray wealth, but it was marketed to be the “best phone ever.” This could also tie to “The Treadmill of Consumption.” They describe the treadmill to be similar to drug addiction. It’s that feeling of never being satisfied. I play football so I know how brands like Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour promote their products. They appeal not only to football player my age, but to all football players. This makes the demographic very broad. However, more specifically, college football players ages eighteen to twenty two fit even better. In my opinion, football cleats and most football gloves are the same in terms of performance. However, every single year, their is a