Kers, Kyra-Tiana
(2019)
“Share a Coke with Christ”.
Master thesis, Master Theologie Religiewetenschappen.
Abstract
The use of secular products by Evangelicals is commonly interpreted as simply a tool to communicate the Evangelical message to the broader public. I argue that the common interpretation is insufficient as regards the use of Coca-Cola’s imagery by Evangelicals in the United States, because the meaning of Coca-Cola’s imagery cannot be adjusted, or ‘Christianized,’ by Evangelicals. The purpose of this research is to shed light on the complexity of this specific use of imagery by approaching the case from different angles.
The use of theories about identity and sacrality allows me to analyse Coca-Cola’s identity extensively. It is created both by advertising campaigns and the consumers. Where advertising connects the brand to specific values, consumers consider the brand to be sacred in various ways. I show how Coca-Cola’s multi-layered identity is transferred to the Evangelical identity.
I conclude that Evangelicals who use Coca-Cola’s imagery aim to control which elements of Coca-Cola’s identity they will re-use to complement their own religious identity. But Evangelicals cannot freely determine or change the meaning of Coca-Cola’s imagery, and this decreases their control when it comes to both forming and communicating their own identity, which is partly created with elements from Coca-Cola. This specific re-using of secular imagery brings a new dimension to the identity of Evangelicals: a sacred dimension that is recognized globally due to the Coca-Cola identity.
However, whether Evangelicals desire Coca-Cola’s sacredness to be part of their identity as well, needs to be researched further.
Keywords: Coca-Cola, Evangelical Protestantism, United States, visual culture, religious sacrality, secular sacrality, totemic religion, identity, pick and choose, bricolage, poaching, appropriation.
| Type: |
Thesis
(Master)
|
| Supervisors (RUG): |
| Supervisor | E-mail | Tutor organization | Tutor email |
|---|
| Irving, A.J.M. | A.J.M.Irving@rug.nl | | | | Weir, T.H. | T.H.Weir@rug.nl | | |
|
| Degree programme: |
Master Theologie Religiewetenschappen |
| Academic year: |
2018- 2019 |
| Date of delivery: |
28 Jun 2019 |
| Last modified: |
28 Jun 2019 07:57 |
| URI: |
https://ggw.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/508 |
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