Western University Scholarship@Western Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository 5-13-2019 10:00 AM Glocalization in China: An Analysis of Coca-Cola’s Brand Co- Creation Process with Consumers in China Yinuo Shi The University of Western Ontario Supervisor Alison Hearn The University of Western Ontario Graduate Program in Media Studies A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the equirr ements for the degree in Master of Arts © Yinuo Shi 2019 Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd Part of the Communication Technology and New Media Commons, Critical and Cultural Studies Commons, Graphic Communications Commons, Public Relations and Advertising Commons, Social Influence and Political Communication Commons, and the Social Media Commons Recommended Citation Shi, Yinuo, "Glocalization in China: An Analysis of Coca-Cola’s Brand Co-Creation Process with Consumers in China" (2019). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 6177. https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/6177 This Dissertation/Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by Scholarship@Western. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository by an authorized administrator of Scholarship@Western. For more information, please contact [email protected]. i Abstract In contemporary marketing, corporations often work to induce consumers to participate in co- creating their brand value. Consumers, therefore, can be considered marketers, who are then used by marketing managers to create competitive advantage and market opportunities. Through processes of co-creation, companies also obtain valuable information about consumer preferences and values, which, in turn, can lower production costs. This thesis uses Coca-Cola as a case study to explore the ways international companies work to incorporate elements of Chinese culture and employ Chinese social media platforms in their promotional messages and activities in order to encourage Chinese consumers to co-create their brand value. The thesis contends that the brand value co-creation process has many implications for Chinese society, including accelerating transformations in Chinese consumers’ cultural values and identities. KEY WORDS: Coca-Cola, China, glocalization, co-creation, brand value, immaterial labour ii Dedication This thesis is dedicated to the memory of my grandfather, Wuli Shi, who taught me so much and always believed in me. Your belief in me made this journey possible. I will always miss you. iii Acknowledgments There are so many people to thank for helping me during the past two years. Therefore, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all of them. First and foremost, of course, is my supervisor, Dr. Alison Hearn. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for being such a wonderful and inspiring supervisor, and for sharing your time and knowledge with me on the project. It would never have been possible for me to take this work to completion without your incredible support and encouragement. I would also like to thank my second reader, Dr. Daniel Roberson. I benefited greatly from the many fruitful discussions we had. I cannot forget the valuable help and motivation from you. I also want to thank my cohort for many stimulating conversations. It was a pleasure to meet with you and to work with you. It is going to feel so different without you guys next year. Special thanks to my best friends Sophie for accepting me as part of your family, and supporting me all the way, and Lidia for always having my back, and letting me pet your Corgi. I would also like to thank Sherman for going on countless food/bubble tea trips with me this year, and for making me hotpot when I was homesick. I can’t imagine my life without friends as fantastic as you. To Mom and Dad, I cannot come up with words to express the full depth of my gratitude and love. You have given me so much, and have supported and loved me through all the difficulties. It has been so easy for me to attain my goal knowing that you two will always be there for me and cheer me on. My final thank-you is to a special person in my life, Siyuan Liu. I want to thank you for encouraging me to take on the internship opportunity at McCann Shanghai last summer, for taking care of me while I was in Shanghai, for helping me become a better person, and for all the good times we had together. It wouldn’t be the same without you. iv Table of Contents Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... i Dedication ...................................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgments ........................................................................................................................ iii Table of Contents ......................................................................................................................... iv Table of Figures............................................................................................................................ vi Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 1 Overview .................................................................................................................................................. 1 Research Questions................................................................................................................................. 2 Chapter Overview................................................................................................................................... 2 Chapter One .................................................................................................................................. 4 1.1 Overview ............................................................................................................................................ 4 1.2 Literature Review ............................................................................................................................. 4 1.3 Theoretical Framework ................................................................................................................... 9 1.3.1 Mythology and Symbolic Consumption ...................................................................................... 9 1.3.2 Immaterial Labour ..................................................................................................................... 12 1.3.3 Immaterial Labour 2.0 ............................................................................................................... 17 1.3.4 From Globalization to Glocalization ......................................................................................... 18 1.4 History of Advertising in China .................................................................................................... 21 1.5 Coca-Cola in China ........................................................................................................................ 23 1.6 Chinese cultural values .................................................................................................................. 26 1.7 Methodology .................................................................................................................................... 27 Chapter Two ................................................................................................................................ 28 Appropriation of Cultural Elements in Advertising................................................................ 28 2.1 Overview .......................................................................................................................................... 28 2.2 Chinese Lunar New Year ............................................................................................................... 28 2.3 Chinese New Year Campaign 2017 ............................................................................................... 30 2.4 A Fu and A Jiao: Chinese Folk Art and the “Chinese Dream” .................................................. 32 2.5 Critical Analysis .............................................................................................................................. 36 2.5.1 Methodology ............................................................................................................................. 42 2.5.2 Application ................................................................................................................................ 44 2.5.3 Brand Co-creation ..................................................................................................................... 45 2.6 Transformation in Chinese Cultural Values ................................................................................ 46 2.7 Globalization or Glocalization? ..................................................................................................... 48 2.8 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................... 50 Chapter Three ............................................................................................................................. 52 Co-creating Brand Value with Consumers through Weibo .................................................... 52 3.1 Overview