The American Way, Irish-style

Back at work we're doing employee peer assessments in the belief that the view of your co-workers will improve your general professional demeanor in the fulfillment of your fuller career path within the wider company.

While this might work in a utopian workplace, I thought about how this might work in real life - and I found a more apt symbolism... grocery store aisles. Well more specifically, a take on another culture's goods as represented by a large discount chain.

This week in Ireland, Lidl (think Aldi) has "USA Week!" - a special section for Americanized goods suited for a cross-Atlantic audience. And while I liked to browse "McEnnedy" products (see they even "re-Gaelic-ize" an already popular Irish name - Kennedy) - their catalogue consisted of dried cranberries (Craisins!), authentic marshmallows, and chilli mixes... this however, popped out of the aisle...

You like? Not only Hot Dogs - but canned hot dogs!

Not to say I am an expert in American culture, but if this were a workplace, I'd be bringing this up in a peer-assessment form. In a quiet Irish country town untouched by obvious global industry (a lone Subway flies that flag, imagine - no Starbucks OR MickeyD's - the closest one is an hour away. I will however be corrected since Magee's up the road provides Donegal tweed to Burberry) - the idea that Americans buy hot dogs in a can (vaccuum sealed no?) must be normal.

That being said, American industry has for decades misrepresented other cultures in their grocery aisles (and those countries that import them, case in point - the Philippines where SPAM is part of the local fare)... and yet another (my sister's favourite, she eats it with rice)...


I wonder what the Austrians think of that?