National identity and Americanization in Israeli advertising. Obama to Trump

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

Theoretical Background

2. Nationalism and National Identity

National Identity in the Era of globalization/Americanization.

National Identity, Mass Media and Advertising

3. Trump & Obama: the change in the paradigm of U.S.-Israel Relations

Methodology and research methods

The codebook

The national sphere

The geographical sphere

The economic sphere

The cultural sphere

Findings: The Resurrection of the American Myth in Israeli Advertising

The National Sphere

The Geographical Sphere

The Economic Sphere

The Cultural Sphere

Conclusion and Discussion

4. Works Cited

5. Appendix

6. Codebook

Research Objectives and Themes

This study investigates the role of advertising in mediating, constructing, and preserving Israeli national identity, specifically focusing on the influence of changing U.S.-Israel relations during the presidencies of Barack Obama and Donald Trump. It examines how the American myth is utilized, abandoned, or readopted in Israeli advertising to align with the country's national narrative and political climate.

• The relationship between advertising narratives and national identity construction.
• The impact of Americanization on Israeli societal and cultural values.
• The paradigm shift in US-Israel diplomatic relations and its reflection in media discourse.
• The use of semiotic elements (flag, language, territory, cultural heroes) in Israeli commercial advertising.
• The transition from "the Green Myth" during the Obama era to a resurging "American Myth" during the Trump presidency.

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

1. Introduction: Outlines the research objective of examining how Israeli advertising constructs national identity through the lens of the American myth during different U.S. presidencies.

2. Nationalism and National Identity: Discusses the theoretical foundations of national identity, globalization, and how mass media contributes to the formation of symbolic realities.

3. Trump & Obama: the change in the paradigm of U.S.-Israel Relations: Analyzes the political shift between the Obama and Trump administrations and how this influenced the adoption of American motifs in Israeli advertising.

4. Works Cited: Provides the academic references used throughout the study.

5. Appendix: Lists the specific YouTube links to the advertisements analyzed in the study.

6. Codebook: Details the methodology and variables used for the semiotic analysis of the advertisements.

Keywords

National Identity, Americanization, Israeli Advertising, U.S.-Israel Relations, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Semiotics, National Narrative, Globalization, Mass Media, Cultural Symbols, American Myth, Consumer Culture, Political Discourse, Social Construction Theory.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the core focus of this study?

The study examines how Israeli advertising reflects and constructs national identity by utilizing or abandoning the American myth, specifically in relation to shifting U.S.-Israel political dynamics between 2009 and 2021.

What are the central thematic fields?

The core themes include nationalism, the influence of Americanization on local cultures, the role of media in shaping societal discourse, and the semiotic analysis of advertising as a tool for national narrative preservation.

What is the primary research objective?

The goal is to determine if and how the invocation of American imagery in Israeli ads changed during the presidencies of Barack Obama and Donald Trump, and what these changes signify regarding Israeli national identity.

Which scientific methodology is applied?

The research employs a qualitative semiotic analysis of 30 selected YouTube advertisements, utilizing the "Narrative Spheres of Performed National Identity" framework developed by Avraham and First.

What does the main body of the work cover?

It provides a comprehensive analysis divided into four spheres—national, geographical, economic, and cultural—to evaluate how signs like the American flag, the English language, and American celebrities are manipulated in advertising.

Which keywords characterize this research?

Key terms include Americanization, Israeli national identity, U.S.-Israel relations, media narrative, and semiotic advertising analysis.

How did Israeli advertising change during the Obama presidency?

The study found a significant decrease in the usage of American symbols and imagery, with a shift toward "the Green Myth" and more localized Israeli narratives, reflecting political friction.

What characterizes the shift observed during the Trump presidency?

During the Trump administration, there was a noticeable resurgence of American themes, colors, and the English language in Israeli advertisements, indicating a strengthening of the perceived American-Israeli bond.

How does this study treat the concept of national identity?

Following Stuart Hall, the work treats national identity not as a fixed state, but as a fluid process of "identification" that constantly adjusts to political and social circumstances.

Why are YouTube advertisements used as the primary data source?

YouTube is utilized as a contemporary, ubiquitous medium that effectively reflects modern media consumption and provides a broad, accessible collection of recent commercial content for semiotic analysis.