What do you think about this poster? Does it reflect a nice way to promote University’s colors and sports team? Don’t you think it is very catchy? Well, the answers to these three questions are obvious. They catch people’s attention because the goal behind it is simple: get customers. Those very nice shirts are being sold to anyone who wants to proudly wear their University’s logo. But what if we would see further than just simple pieces of clothing with writings on it? There is a certain message that promoters have intended in creating first of all the clothes and second of all, the sale. What is interesting to see with that poster is that, not only does it promote the Vert & Or’s sports team, but it unconsciously, forces the average student to buy and wear those shirts. These shirts are affordable and they match with practically every other clothing piece. Ladies and gentlemen, I present you the dominant culture effect. According to C.H. Thompson, "the dominant culture of a society refers to the main culture in a society which is shared or accepted without any opposition by the majority of a population". If we relate this theory to the present example of the Vert & Or’s clothing sale, we can clearly apply this theory to a real life context. The majority of students will accept the fact that others will wear these kinds of clothes because it is socially and greatly accepted.

 

According to Pierre Bourdieu’s concept of this theory, a dominant culture is a culture that is the most powerful, widespread, or influential within a social or political entity in which multiple cultures are present. Through all the mix of races and styles a University can promote, there is a powerful influence students are creating among each other on the physical aspect. And nowadays we cannot deny its importance. Therefore, the look chosen by students follows the path of dominant culture because nobody wants to be different or left behind. Although, if the students apply the two concepts I just illustrated, they might feel more adapted to the universal social and branding patterns the clothing have imposed over the years.