Cultural icon

A cultural icon can be a symbol, logo, picture, name, face, person, building, or other image. It is easily recognized and generally represents an object or idea with great cultural significance to a wide cultural group. It has a special status as representing, or important to, or loved by, a particular group of people, a place, or a period in history.

American cultural icons: apple pie, baseball, and the American flag

In the media, many well-known examples of popular culture have been called "iconic". Some writers say that the word is overused.[1][2][3]

Icons and persons

According to Times of India:

Che Guevara, Madonna, Jim Morrison, James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, John Lennon, Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Bob Marley, Elvis Presley, Kurt Cobain, the Beatles, Elizabeth Taylor, Walt Disney — these are names that refuse to fade out. No generation gap can lower their popularity. They will always remain a symbol of youth.

— Times of India, July 1, 2009, [4]

Icons and brands

Brands can show social values and changes, but many people have become tired of them.[5] Many brands want to be cultural icons, but fail. Cultural icons are often timeless, imprinted in our consciousness. They can go through several stages, from "rumblings, undercurrents" via "catharsis, explosion" and "mass acceptance, ripple effect" to "glorification, representative value". While brands are rational and driven by features, cultural icons are emotional, free, driven by feeling, and creating emotional bonds. An example of "branding" might include the wearing of a consistent fashion look by such music stars as Michael Jackson or Elvis Presley, making them instantly recognizable. Royal or church clothing could also be understood as a form of emotional iconography.

Examples include: Andy Warhol, Budweiser, BMW, Chanel, Coca-Cola, Guinness, Harley-Davidson, LEGO, Martha Stewart, Nike, Norman Rockwell, Vuitton, Škoda Auto...

Definition

Cultural icons may be national, regional or about a city. And they can be symbols for a nation, or can show the values held by that state. For example, France uses Marianne as a symbol of the French Revolution. Bruce Lee is a symbol for the martial arts and philosophical culture of insight and knowledge in the entire world.[6][7][8] Charlie Chaplin symbolises comical action while Clint Eastwood is a symbol for strength and masculinity. Jackie Chan is a global icon of comical stunts and martial arts based action.[9] Salvador Dalí is the worldwide icon for the bizarre and eccentric.

Media overuse

Some writers say that the terms "icon" and "iconic" have been overused. A writer in Liverpool Daily Post calls "iconic" "a word that makes my flesh creep", a word "pressed into service to describe almost anything".[1] The Christian Examiner added "iconic" and "amazing" to its list of overused words. It found over 18,000 "iconic" references in news stories alone, with another 30,000 for "icon", including use of it for SpongeBob SquarePants.[2]

Icons by selected countries

Argentina

Australia

Austria

Brazil

Belgium

Canada

China

Colombia

Cuba

Czech Republic

Denmark

Ecuador

Egypt

France

Germany

Greece

Hungary

India
Further information: List of national symbols of Hindustan

Iran

Ireland

Israel

Italy

Jamaica

Japan

Korea

Mexico

Nepal

Netherlands

North Macedonia

Norway

New Zealand

Pakistan
Further information: List of national symbols of Pakistan

Portugal

Russia

Saudi Arabia

Serbia

South Africa

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

Turkey

United Kingdom

United States

Further information: Americana

Vietnam

References
  1. Let's hear it for the Queen's English Archived 2014-06-11 at the Wayback Machine, Liverpool Daily Post
  2. Modern word usage amazingly leaves us yearning for gay, old times Archived 2013-02-26 at the Wayback Machine, Christian Examiner
  3. Heard about the famous icon? We have - far too often Archived 2012-10-26 at the Wayback Machine, The Independent (London), January 27, 2007
  4. The Past Beckons
  5. "Lessons from Cultural Icons - How to Create an Iconic Brand" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-09-15. Retrieved 2013-02-14.
  6. Stein, Joel (14 June 1999). "Bruce Lee: With nothing but his hands, feet and a lot of attitude, he turned the little guy into a tough guy". The Time 100. New York: Time Inc. Archived from the original on 5 June 2010. Retrieved 7 June 2010.
  7. "From Icon to Lifestyle, the Marketing of Bruce Lee". nytimes.com. 11 December 2009. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
  8. "Dragon's Heart: A kungfu master's living legacy". chinadaily.com. 5 January 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  9. "Stuntman to Martial Arts Superstar Jackie Chan reveals the man behind the camera on CNN's Talk Asia". CNN-Asia Pacific. 9 April 2008. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  10. "American food: The 50 greatest dishes". CNN Travel. 12 July 2017.
  11. Cambridge University Press (2011). "Definition of "as American as apple pie"". Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus.
  12. "Popular Apple Sayings". U.S. Apple Association. Archived from the original on 1 July 2011.
  13. How the Reagan White House shaped ‘80s style
  14. 4 U.S.C. § 41 ("The seal heretofore used by the United States in Congress assembled is declared to be the seal of the United States.").
  15. National Bison Legacy Act, Pub. L. 114-152, 130 Stat. 373 (approved May 9, 2016), § 3(a) ("The mammal commonly known as the 'North American bison' is adopted as the national mammal of the United States.")
  16. "15 Facts About Our National Mammal: The American Bison". United States Department of the Interior. May 9, 2016. Retrieved May 27, 2016.
  17. Harris, Gardiner (May 9, 2016). "Obama Signs Law Making Bison the First National Mammal". The New York Times. Retrieved May 27, 2016.

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