The Real Life Influence of Downton's Drama

This afternoon I sat huddled in front of my laptop in an upstairs hallway of the student union building. Naturally, I was scarfing down a cheap calzone. I probably should have been concerned that I’d choke with how fast I was eating, but I was busy watching Downton. Yesterday, Downton Abbey season 4 premiered in the US. I have lit’rally been dying trying not to read online spoilers. Luckily Downton was available online through PBS.

I love Downton for many reasons, maybe I’ll make that list: The 47 reasons why I’m addicted to Downton Abbey. While I obviously love Downton, I wondered if my obsession is affecting my reality (besides my admitted panic when the wifi connection is down). I did a little research and can now discuss with a citation and source how TV shows like Downton are able to affect us.

I’m an informed consumer, can TV shows really affect me? Um, yeah. In the realm of clothing, popular culture is now trumping the fashion runways according to those in the know at a marketing research company (Mohn). Catwalks are glamorous and have oh so avante guard fashion designs, but they’re distant and removed from the average jane consumer. TV shows are in our reality. We watch TV at home, we talk about it at the hairdresser and we pin their witty quotes to our “humor board.”

But what makes one TV series more influential than another? Leonard Lee of Columbia Business School explains that “emotional resonance, not logic” is the “underlying psychological process” influencing consumers (qtd. in Mohn). Do you have an emotional connection to Downton? Maybe you say no, but did you not experience some feeling when Sybil or Matthew (or perhaps even Lavinia) died? Seriously, I’ll say it, I am emotionally invested in Downton and I don't care (I love it). 

Source

Mohn, Tanya. “’Downton Abbey’ boosts interest in products inspired by ‘bygone era.’” Today.com. NBCNEWS.com, 28 Jan. 2013. Web. 23, May 2013.

Upcoming post: Downton’s cultural influence: fashion and manners