Pokemon and Other Fads -- Asian Trends and their Global Impact
By: Jennifer L. Crow
(Duck adopted at the GeoCities Adoption Agency -- link located at bottom of the page.)
 |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
I. Identification
1. The Issue
The idea is to look at current trends in Asia concentrating primarily on those in China and Japan and to analyze their potentential for success in the international market place. We will examine whether, these trends are merely a regional phenomenon or if they have global impact and global implications. We will address the possibility of trends being "Orientalized" when they spread from Asia throughout the globe. We will specifically look at the case of Pokemon (Pocket Monsters)and their global impact. Lastly, we shall look at the impact trends have on culture, development and civil society. This theme can be examined from many aspects, for example by looking at issues such as psychological impact, financial impact, and marketing and trade issues, which are addressed below.2. Description
- What is Pokemon? Pokemon (or Pocket Monsters) are a group of over 150 different cute monsters that look like birds, insects, or take on more mythical appearances. These monsters have varying personalities, ways of fighting and range in physical atributes. For instance, "they range in height from a foot (that would be a Pidgey) to 28 ft. (that's an Onix) and in weight from 2 lbs. (Diglett) to 1,914 lbs (Snorlax)." The monsters also have the ability to acquire power and mutate into more powerful version(Chua-Eoan, See link below.)The most famous of the Pokemon is Pikachu a yellow, fox like creature, famous for its lightening bolt tail and the ability to generate electricity. The key to the video and the card game is to "assume the role of a Pokemon trainer. Your goal is to travel the world collecting one of every Pokemon species." You use more powerful Pokemon to subdue the weaker species and store the monsters in special containers.(Chua-Eoan, See link below.)
- Psychological Impact --We will examine the kind of impact fads have on children in the primary through secondary school level. We will then address an array of questions. Do fads have a lasting impact? Do foreign fads have a greater shock value? Do fads have a bad impact on society? Do fads influence societal problems such as increases in
youth violence?
- Fads have an impact on society by gently influencing the wants and desires of the population which in turn can effect the culture of a region. Trends help to meld the traditional with new age. In Japan, for example, you can find the Pokemon image on a childs yukata (summer kimono).The speed at which Pokemon impacted society was incredible. It became a must have item in which "more than 262,000 units sold in only 20 days" and which has created revenues in excess of $5 billion. The foreigness of the product gives it an exotic feel. The catchy slogan "gotta catch 'em all" has turned Pokemon into quite the collectors item. ("Pokemon Phenomenon Grows at Rapid Pace." Business Wire See link below.)
- Does Pokemon Promote Violence?
Pokemania sometimes leads to tragic endings. In the United States, cards and paraphanelia sometimes spark outbreaks of crime and violence. Some people have become violent int their attempt to get a hold of Pokemon trading cards. Many children across the country (primarily between the ages of 9-15) have been beaten up on the playground for their cards or have ben caught in toy stores trying to shop lift them. Even the adults have gotten ugly, over the urge to collect Pokemon; "a North Carolina man was charged with assault for punching a Burger King cashier after he did not get a Pokemon toy with his meal." Opponents to Pokemon cards say that not only promotes violence but is also a form of gambling (i.e. the cards are traded) and should be banned.(Cox, Meki. See link below). Since the erruption of these incidents, schools across the country have banned Pokemon games and trading cards. As card packages sell for around $3 but a rare card could be resold for prices as high as $50-100. The toy isn't really the problem though. For example, the violence level in the videos, movies, and video game is minimal by todays standard. Although Pokemon get into epic battles, pokemon never dies the defeated creature merely faint for awhile only to be revived later. This erruption of violence does not exude the jolly Pokemon spirit. In the majority of the videos, Pokemon actually promotes friendship and social interaction. "American Children have embraced Pokemon because of the social interactivity the characters induce -- it's something they can relate to." ("Pokemon Phenomenon Grows at Rapid Pace, Business Week Link below). The problem emerges when parents either overly support a child's obsession for a fad (ie. give in to the standard "I want it" tantrum)or fail to spend enough quality time with a child to teach the importance of sharing and other cultural values.
Can Pokemon be bad for your health? In 1997 during a televised broadcast of "Pokemon" in Japan close to 600 people predominantly between the ages of 2-20 in the greater Tokyo area suffered sezure like attacks after viewing an epesode where a child and monster worked together to flee a computer. The scene in question showed a scene in which the characters saw an explosion and pikachu's eyes flashing in a strobe like fashion. Since then, that particular episode has been pulled from the market. Doctors believe that there will be no lasting side affects and that the fits were a fluke triggered by excess optic simulation. They concluded tat when watched in moderation, Pokemon poses minimal health risks.("Cartoon triggers Seizures in Japan, Nearly 600 people taken to hospital" link found at bottom of the page.)
- Financial Impact -- We will then address the effect trends have on the global marketplace. For instance, how are world economic trends effected by fads? Are fad items considered luxury goods? Were trends effected by the Asian economic crisis? How much money do fad items produce for the companies who make them? What happens when overproduction/ underconsumption and hyper-capital mobility come in to play? Are any particular firms able to claim global hegemonies? Do these fads have transnational or merely regional consequences? By analyzing the answers to the above questions hopefully we will be able to predict the financial impact of trends.
Fads such as Pokemon are little effected by world economic trends. During the Asian Economic Crisis, Pokemon were popular figures for their cute appearance and affordable prices. The key to a sucessful fad, is to place the price range within the average citizen's budget. For first world countries, Pokemon achieves this. The playing cards can be purchased for about $3 and a video game is priced at under $50. Pokemon is controlled solely by Nintendo and its subsidaries and has become a multi-billion dollar business. Pokemon arrived in the U.S. in September of 1998 and by February 1999, Pokemon was a sell out. Trading cards were sold faster than they could be printed. Pokemon has generated over $5 billion dollars in revenue and American toy companies are paying for the right to market the toys. It was reported that "Hasbro paid $325 million to market the toys." (Chua-Eoan, see link below).
- Marketing -- In the fashion and pop culture industries marketing is key to the promotion of goods and new gimmicks and themes must constantly be employed to keep the consumers attention. We will attempt to examine how are fads typically marketed and whether there are issues of pirating or dumping involved. Secondly, we will look at the internet as a new market medium. For instance, are online auctions a good way to market fads? Finally we shall examine target audiences and how they are reached. In targeting consumers
what is the best approach? Is it a multimedia approach -- television, internet, magazines, etc?
Pokemon has been expertly marketed. The design of the game promotes greed and competition to collect all 150+ characters. "The more Pokemon you have, the greater power you possess (the slogan is GOTTA CATCH 'EM ALL)."(Chua-Eoan, see link below). Such a design allows for the introduction of new characters and the need to spend more to collect all of the little monsters. In analyzing the issues of pirating and dumping, I could find no dumping involved. However, there were examples of pirating. For instance, "a six-year-old logged on to a Pokemon website and printed counterfeit copies of the cards to trade with gullible classmates." (Chua-Eoan, see link below). The Pokemon television program was the key marketing ploy in Japan and was brought over to the U.S. Additionally, the internet serves as another virtually free marketing source. In addition to official web sites, there are hundreds of personal web pages and chat rooms about about the little monsters. One can buy virtually all Pokemon products over the internet, and at auction sites such as E-bay,one can find the more valuable cards up for sale to the highest bidder.
- Trade Issues and WTO
--By examining the trade issues and the WTO regulations we will attempt to measure the global impact that fads have on the global market. We will attempt to answer the following questions: What impact do fads have on global sweatshops? Are there international consequesces or policies in effect for issues of pirating or dumping of goods? Will China's entry into the WTO bring up any trade policy issues for the marketing of pop culture goods? What impact do fad items have on the environment? Are there every any resistance or protests against these trends? The answer to these questions will hopefully provide an insight into fads international reaches.
Pokemon has limited impact on global sweatshops as the majority of its products are manufactured within Japan or within Nintendo subsidiaries located within first world locales such as the U.S. and Europe. New policies with the WTO and WIPO with stricter policies against dumping and counterfeiting have made it easier for products such as Pokemon to succeed in the global environment. However, enforcement of the rules against dumping and pirating varies by country. This raises the key concern of China's entry into the WTO. China's entry into the WTO would grant it most favored nation status by other WTO members. This would open markets to Chinese products but also raises enforcement concerns in regards to pirating. China currently has a reputation for being lax and ineffective in its crackdowns against pirating. In regard to Pokemon, there has been relatively no dumping and pirating has been limited to primarily amateur attempts at forging trading cards and plush toys. Next, one finds that Pokemon has little direct impact on the environment. Pokemon however, has an indirect impact on the environment by its marketing of mass overconsumption. If this trend of overconsumption continues it could lead to detrimental effects on the environment. Lastly, there is little resistance to Pokemon products. Although opponents of Pokemon decry that it promotes violence, there have been virtually no protests or boycotts of the products and these protestations go predominantly unheard.
