From commodity fetishes to symbols: Danny Boyle’s simulations of British culture in the London Olympic Games Opening Ceremony.

International audienceHosting the Olympic Games in 2012 was a wonderful opportunity for Britain to advertise for itsposition as a hub in the global leisure economy. The Games Opening Ceremony, which waswatched by millions of viewers nationwide and billions worldwide, whether on television or viadigital applications, presented a great opportunity for the mediatisation of British culture inways appealing to domestic and global consumers. A film director, producer, screenwriter andtheatre director with international recognition, Danny Boyle was well-positioned to create ashow that both conformed to Olympic ethos and presented evolving images of British culturaland technological contributions down to the digital age. Moreover Danny Boyle’s simulations inthe show can be interpreted as investigations into consumerism, especially in the leisureindustry. While Danny Boyle featured the network of signs surrounding consumers – fromemblematic tourist hotspots to British musical and cinematographic hits –, he also suggestedpersonal and collective re-appropriations of products to counter the commodification of goods.Thus he chose to present products crafted by human labour as symbols – rather than fetishes –for human values such as solidarity, social rights and the promotion of ethnic diversity. The useof digital technology in the show was effective to spread those values, presented as part of Britishnation-building, across cultural borders. Though sometimes viewed as an implied criticism of theFrom commodity fetishes to symbols: Danny Boyle’s simulations of British cult...InMedia, 7.1. | 201818Conservative government’s policies, the Opening Ceremony was generally praised by the Britishpress, which was responsive to the collective symbols Danny Boyle chose to present of Britishculture