And The Cold War: The French Face Of Americanization By Richard F. Kuisel

In “Coco-Cola and the Cold War: The French Face of Americanization,” Richard F. Kuisel argues that the American marketing tactics, rumored health concerns, anti-communist presence, and threat to French economic prosperity of Coco-Cola in post-World War II France reflected cultural, political, and economic controversy between the United States and France. This argument is important to Kuisel because it demonstrates the ability of a product to influence international relations and symbolize culture and ideals. Following World War II, France was reliant on the United States to boost its economy through the Marshall Plan. However, this relationship with the American government and American companies seemed to threaten the French way of life and

The company advertised with painted trucks, free tastings, celebrity endorsements, and large posters and signs. One primary example of the American marketing tactics Kuisel presents is the slogan “A Pause That Refreshes.” In the essay, the slogan can be seen accompanying a picture of a French worker taking a break by the Seine. Kuisel presents this as an example of how Coca-Cola represented itself to the French people as an American drink. The ideas of hard work, idolizing celebrities, and large and obnoxious advertisements reflect capitalism and American

Kuisel implies that because the U.S. supported France economically, it expected a return in support of its expansion of Coca-Cola. According to Kuisel, the U.S. government aggressively lobbied within the French government in support of Coca-Cola, threatening that France showed little gratitude for the Marshall Plan and that American Congress could pull economic aid if the attempt at banning the beverage continued. This supports Kuisel’s argument that the beverage symbolized the economic strife between France and the United States. Kuisel contends that the economic relationship between the American and French governments was represented by the Coca-Cola expansion.

Kuisel offers a well-crafted insight into the ways Coca-Cola’s attempt at French expansion symbolized the cultural, political, and economic conflicts between the United States and France. The failure of the American marketing tactics represented the differences in American and French culture, while the rumored health concerns and anti-Communist presence testified to the political differences between the two countries and the threat of American interference with French businesses represented the economic