Popular/Unpopular

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It's been interesting to me to see which things from my home culture are popular here and which are completely unknown, even though in my eyes, they are comparable products. These things listed as 'popular' are well-known to people in my city; that is the average Chinese person you meet here would know and like them. The 'unpopular' category are things I consider popular in the U.S., but are unknown here.

Popular TV: Prison Break (they LOVE it), Big Bang Theory (this one surprised me), Lost, Gossip Girl, Desperate Housewives, Ugly Betty
Unpopular TV: 30 Rock, The Office, The Daily Show, CSI-type shows, Reality TV

Popular Fast Food Chains: KFC, McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Subway
Unpopular Fast Food Chains: Wendy's, Taco Bell, Carl's Junior, Quizno's

Popular Candy Bars: Snickers, M&Ms
Unpopular Candy Bars: Everything else

Popular Movies: Titanic (oh man, you have no idea), Forrest Gump, Gone With The Wind, recent action movies like Transformers
Unpopular Movies: Comedies, Indies

Popular Songs: My Heart Will Go On (it's the unofficial national anthem), Hotel California, Country Roads (Take Me Home),
Unpopular Songs: Just about everything else

Popular Singers: Celine Dion, Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Avril Lavigne, Green Day
Unpopular singers: anyone country or alternative

Popular Junk Food: Oreos, Chips Ahoy, Cheetos (meat flavored), Lays potato chips (meat,veggie and fruit flavors like blueberry, cucumber, mango, tomato, chicken and beef), Coke/Coke Zero, Pepsi/Pepsi Max, Mountain Dew, Sprite
Unpopular Junk Food: Anything cheese flavored, crackers, anything not Oreo or Chips Ahoy, rootbeer, regular diet drinks, Dr. Pepper, doughnuts, anything maple flavored, any type of corn chips

Cheese and peanut butter are not popular here. (Although in my experience, peanut butter is not popular anywhere outside of NA.)

I wish I knew the reasoning behind why these particular products are so successful; I don't know who has failed, and who simply hasn't tried to market here. Pepsi and Coke are pretty much equal here, and my students are always surprised when I tell them Coke is more popular than Pepsi in the U.S. I also find it interesting to see glimpses of Chinese clothing, decorations or backgrounds in tv series such as Ugly Betty or Prison Break; a quiet nod to their overseas market, perhaps?

Comments

Busy Bee Suz said…
Meat flavored Cheetos's?????
Your list is very interesting...Do they know Prison break is over? Or is it back on again????
Meat flavored Cheeto's? I just can't get over that one.
Sunday, November 08, 2009
The Bingham's said…
I have to agree with the meat flavored Cheetos and the fruit flavored Lays. Strange!! I think the comedies are not funny because they don't have american humor down yet. Just like some people don't get British Humor. Quite interesting list though.
Sunday, November 08, 2009
myself said…
I find the Chinese (and most of asia) don't tend to be fond of the sweetness of alot of our north american junk food, and truthfully I can't blame them, neither am I. I love cookies from China.

Ok without the melamine in them that is...
Sunday, November 08, 2009
Scarlet said…
Cool and interesting post!

What is it with the Titanic movie, My Heart Will Go On and Celine Dion?? Is James Cameron 1/2 Chinese or what???
Sunday, November 08, 2009
Little Fish said…
Dear China,

While I respect cultural differences, I must say that you are right about LOST, Ugly Betty, Gone With the Wind and Christina Aguilera. Everything else you got wrong. Sorry.
Monday, November 09, 2009
Technodoll said…
Very eye-opening post!

When I lived in Germany (early 1990's) I too noticed a big gap between what made it "overseas" and what did not. For 2 years I had to suffer through eating either plain or paprika chips, there were no other flavors, no doritos, no cheesies, no pringles. No chocolate milk, popsicles, microwave popcorn and the list goes on!

Bet you miss eating warm from the oven ooey gooey brownies :-D
Monday, November 09, 2009
Stephanie said…
It is amazing that Titanic is still so popular! And I'm sorry but I just can't fathom MEAT flavored cheetos? I think my Hubs would love love them!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Its Just Me - Daring to Dream said…
wow, that is an extensive list. I LOVE Prison Break (those brothers are hotties!)...I love Titanic too...very interesting the unpopulars....
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Unknown said…
"Unpopular Songs: Just about everything else"

ha ha, thanks for the laugh.
(living here also)
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
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