Smoke Like an American

Smoke like an AmericanThe emergence of the United States in public discourse in the Netherlands, 1890-1990MELVIN WEVERS / [email protected] UNIVERSITY, THE NETHERLANDS

Monday, September 9, 13

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Reference Culture(s)


Reference Culture(s)Mental constructs or ‘cognitive maps’ by the receiving cultures in asymmetrical cultural exchanges



Historical examples: Byzantium, Roman Empire, Dutch Republic, 19th Century England, 20th Century US, China?




Addition to theories of empire, nation, cultural creolization





Transnational, extra-temporal (historical, futuristic), extra-territorial





Transnational, extra-temporal (historical, futuristic), extra-territorial

How were ideas, products and practices associated with the United States valued in Dutch public discourse between 1890 and 1990?



Public Discourse(s)


Public Discourse(s)

Reference cultures emerge in collective discussions


Public Discourse(s)


Digitized collection of the National Library of the Netherlands


Public Discourse(s)



Magazines (De Groene, Elsevier, Commercials)


Public Discourse(s)



Magazines (De Groene, Elsevier, Commercials)

How does public discourse(s) reflect and influence the emergence and impact of reference cultures?


Digital Humanities


Digital Humanities

Digital technologies (i.e. Cultural Text Mining -> Digging for meaning)


Digital Humanities


Named Entity Recognition (NER), Sentiment Analysis, Word Cloud


Digital Humanities


Named Entity Recognition (NER), Sentiment Analysis, Word Cloud

How can digital technologies be used to map historical trends and changes in relation to the economic power, cultural acceptance, and scientific and technological impact of the United States as a reference culture?


Consuming America


Consuming AmericaThe United States as ‘Market Empire’ (De Grazia, 2005)



Dutch consumer society shaped by America




Consumerism as Americanization??





“...it is the local context of consumption which ... finishes up commodities and their meaning (Sassatelli, 2007: 115)





“...it is the local context of consumption which ... finishes up commodities and their meaning (Sassatelli, 2007: 115)

The understand of self in society through goods


Case Study: Cigarettes


Case Study: CigarettesCultural icon of American entrepreneurialism. (“the product that defined America”)



Advertisements as contextual point-of-departure in which “the product is symbolically charged and inserted in wider lifestyles” (Sassatelli, 2007: 126)




How is America perceived as part of the brand identity of cigarettes sold in the Netherlands?





Do moral and social values associated with cigarettes or smoking in Dutch public discourse reflect or effect the cultural position of the United States?





Do moral and social values associated with cigarettes or smoking in Dutch public discourse reflect or effect the cultural position of the United States?

What role do reference cultures play in the gender aspects of the cigarette and/or smoking?


The Modern Cigarette


The Modern CigaretteAmericanness of the cigarette:



the leafs and curing techniques originated in the US [Tobacco associated with the new world]




packaging and branding is based on American marketing techniques





the production technique is often associated with the United States [Mass machine-produced] -> Bonsack






American tobacco industry dominates the global market






American tobacco industry dominates the global market

Military presence important in spreading American cigarettes


American national identity


American national identityCigarettes were marketed as national brands: American blend, “America’s most popular cigarette”, “Welcome to Marlboro Country”, “American Blend”



Country-of-Origin effect




associated with global and local icons -> labeling as exotic or national offers a moral picture of consumption





Values: independence, autonomy, pleasure, leisure, health, price, everyday life as a sign of modernity





Values: independence, autonomy, pleasure, leisure, health, price, everyday life as a sign of modernity

GOAL: Chart the values associated with cigarettes both in advertising and wider public discourse


Cigarettes in the Netherlands


Cigarettes in the NetherlandsRussian cigarettes popular in the beginning of the 20th century. First Dutch produced cigarette ‘Encore’ showed an Indonesian girl with palm leafs on the packaging.



British prisoners-of-war introduced Virginia cigarettes in the Netherlands (1914)




British American Tobacco grew in NL -> More American brands that use Native Americans, movie stars, and oriental (!) imagery




British American Tobacco grew in NL -> More American brands that use Native Americans, movie stars, and oriental (!) imagery

In 1967, 65% of the smokers prefers American (filter) cigarettes


Cigarettes in the Netherlands - Statistics


Cigarettes in the Netherlands - StatisticsBetween 1923-1940 steady increased from 274 cigarettes per person per year to 596



After war a short dip and then a steady increase up until 1964 (1.460) - Surgeon General Luther Terry’s announcement that smoking is harmful



After war a short dip and then a steady increase up until 1964 (1.460) - Surgeon General Luther Terry’s announcement that smoking is harmful

Shortly afterwards, increase until 1977 after which consumption decreased


Digital Humanities


Digital HumanitiesPrinciple uses: generate hypotheses & spot continuities and discontinuities



Query: “Sigaret AND Virginia”




The “pure” Virginia blend is sometimes associated with England, whereas blended cigarettes (burley) are associated with the United States.





Goal: Chart this shift in the connection between nation and blend






Texcavator & SPSS - Text analysis, sentiment analysis






Texcavator & SPSS - Text analysis, sentiment analysis


Close-reading


Close-reading

1932: article in “Het Vaderland”, reaction on possible tax increases on consumption goods in the United States


Close-reading


“There is a clear difference with European cigarettes.”


Close-reading



“zenith of simplicity”


Close-reading




“circular instead of smashed flat”


Close-reading




“circular instead of smashed flat”

“we [Europeans] are not at the point that women smoke as regular in public as men”




Thank you!Questions?

[email protected]

Twitter: @melvinwevers

Sources:De Grazia, Victoria. Irresistible Empire: America’s Advance through Twentieth-century Europe. Cambridge, Mass: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2005.

Sassatelli, Roberta. Consumer Culture History, Theory and Politics. Los Angeles: SAGE Publications, 2007.




Education

Smoke Like an American