“But it opened onto a roof terrace that looked out over the market and was, when the electricity had not gone out, bathed in the soft and shimmying glow of a large, animated neon sign that towered nearby in the service of a zero-calorie carbonated beverage” (Hamid, 28).
The description of the drink evokes the image of an aluminum can with familiar script reading Coke Zero written upon it. In this excerpt from Exit West, Mohsin Hamid describes Nadia’s apartment. Though her parents are against her moving out, she does so anyway signifying her defiance of tradition and more modern approach to life. In a way, the luminescence of the neon sign (which I assume to be for a Coca-Cola product) demonstrates Western ideals influencing the people of other nations, just as Nadia is influenced by Western independence for women. The phenomenon of “Coca-colonization” and consumerism culture surrounding Coca-Cola is astonishing. Products and advertisements have some of the biggest power in today’s day and age and Coca-Cola leads that charge. Though the carbonated drink was developed in Europe, Coca-Cola was created in Atlanta in the late 19th century. Though the recipe has changed over the years, it has remained a favorite for the public and people even tend to tie parts of their own identity to the company, claiming to be a “Coke” person instead of a “Dr. Pepper” person, though the concepts are essentially the same. In some ways, Coca-Cola can be seen as even more “American” than apple pie. Therefore, the products’ existence in countries across the world (and some countries’ displeasure at that) signifies its place as a constant American presence. More than just selling a few drinks here and there, Coca-colonization is an extension of Americanization and according to the World Heritage Encyclopedia, “cultural imperialism.” It’s hard to believe a simple drink could have such incredible influence but in a world where products define people, maybe it’s not such a far-fetched idea after all.
Citations:
http://self.gutenberg.org/articles/eng/Cocacolonization
https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Coca-Cola-Company