The Rising Influence of Rising Affluence

[oldberkeley]

Great article, right on.

My favorite book on the subject is from 1997: Golden Arches East: McDonald's in East Asia by Harvard professor James Watson.

He studied McD's specifically, but more importantly examined it as a symbol of the Westernization of Asia, both good and bad. For example, American fast food restaurants have contributed to improving standards of bathroom cleanliness and table manners in China!

It's about the globalization of consumerism. A good quote: "It's maybe not for the older generation, but there is a feeling that if their child can eat at McDonald's then he can go out in the world and succeed."

That sums it up for me. PG, HNZ, all the top companies are very, very well aware of this mindset, and they plan on cashing in to the max.