Cultural icon - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A cultural icon can be a symbol, logo, picture, name, face, person, building, or other image. It is easily recognized and generally represents an object or idea with great cultural significance to a wide cultural group. It has a special status as representing, or important to, or loved by, a particular group of people, a place, or a period in history.

In the media, many well-known examples of popular culture have been called "iconic". Some writers say that the word is overused.^[1]^[2]^[3]

See World Heritage Site #Cultural_criteria

Icons and persons[change | change source]

According to Times of India:

Che Guevara, Madonna, Jim Morrison, James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, John Lennon, Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Bob Marley, Elvis Presley, Kurt Cobain, the Beatles, Elizabeth Taylor, Walt Disney — these are names that refuse to fade out. No generation gap can lower their popularity. They will always remain a symbol of youth.
— Times of India, July 1, 2009, ^[4]

Icons and brands[change | change source]

Brands can show social values and changes, but many people have become tired of them.^[5] Many brands want to be cultural icons, but fail. Cultural icons are often timeless, imprinted in our consciousness. They can go through several stages, from "rumblings, undercurrents" via "catharsis, explosion" and "mass acceptance, ripple effect" to "glorification, representative value". While brands are rational and driven by features, cultural icons are emotional, free, driven by feeling, and creating emotional bonds. An example of "branding" might include the wearing of a consistent fashion look by such music stars as Michael Jackson or Elvis Presley, making them instantly recognizable. Royal or church clothing could also be understood as a form of emotional iconography.

Examples include: Andy Warhol, Budweiser, BMW, Chanel, Coca-Cola, Guinness, Harley-Davidson, LEGO, Martha Stewart, Nike, Norman Rockwell, Vuitton, Škoda Auto...

Definition[change | change source]

Cultural icons may be national, regional or about a city. And they can be symbols for a nation, or can show the values held by that state. For example, France uses Marianne as a symbol of the French Revolution. Bruce Lee is a symbol for the martial arts and philosophical culture of insight and knowledge in the entire world.^[6]^[7]^[8] Charlie Chaplin symbolises comical action while Clint Eastwood is a symbol for strength and masculinity. Jackie Chan is a global icon of comical stunts and martial arts based action.^[9] Salvador Dalí is the worldwide icon for the bizarre and eccentric.

Media overuse[change | change source]

Some writers say that the terms "icon" and "iconic" have been overused. A writer in Liverpool Daily Post calls "iconic" "a word that makes my flesh creep", a word "pressed into service to describe almost anything".^[1] The Christian Examiner added "iconic" and "amazing" to its list of overused words. It found over 18,000 "iconic" references in news stories alone, with another 30,000 for "icon", including use of it for SpongeBob SquarePants.^[2]

Icons by selected countries[change | change source]

Argentina[change | change source]

Australia[change | change source]

Austria[change | change source]

Brazil[change | change source]

Belgium[change | change source]

Canada[change | change source]

China[change | change source]

Colombia[change | change source]

Cuba[change | change source]

Czech Republic[change | change source]

Beer
Hradčany
The Good Soldier Švejk
Knödel
Václav Havel
Prague astronomical clock
Škoda

Denmark[change | change source]

Ecuador[change | change source]

Egypt[change | change source]

France[change | change source]

Germany[change | change source]

Flag of Germany
Beer Stein
Tracht Garments
Lederhosen: traditional Bavarian clothing
Adidas
Puma
Hugo Boss
Oktoberfest
Cuckoo clock
Brandenburg Gate
Hansel and Gretel
Brothers Grimm
Martin Luther
Beethoven
Rammstein
Angela Merkel
Knights Teutonic
Berlin Wall
Pretzel
German Bread
Friedrich Nietzsche
Goethe
Efficiency
MP5
Walther firearms
Audi
BMW
Mercedes-Benz
Porsche
Smart Automobile
Volkswagen
Procession of Princes mural
German Alps
Neuschwanstein castle
Berlin's Victory Column
Reichstag
Pariser Platz
Landeck Castle
Trabant cars: icon of former communist East Germany
Werner Herzog

Greece[change | change source]

Hungary[change | change source]

India[change | change source]

Indian Freedom Fighters: Bhagat Singh, Shivaram Rajguru, Sukhdev Thapar
Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh
Chandra Shekhar Azad
Ram Prasad Bismil
Ashfaqullah Khan
Durgawati Devi (Durga Bhabi)
Batukeshwar Dutt
Shaheed-i-Azam Udham Singh
Subhas Chandra Bose
Dr. B. R. Ambedkar
Rabindranath Tagore
Gandhi
Anti-imperialism
Decolonization
Indian National Congress
Jawaharlal Nehru
Gandhi Family
BJP
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Narendra Modi
Indian Cuisine
Naan
Curry
Samosa
Indian Spices
Tea
Laddu
Indian Clothing
Taj Mahal
Bengal Tiger
Lotus flower
Mango
Banyan Tree
Bollywood
Dilip Kumar
Amitabh Bachchan
Shah Rukh Khan
Aamir Khan
Priyanka Chopra
Yoga
Turban
Lion Capital of Ashoka
Flag of India
Hinduism
Buddhism (historical Birthplace)
Dalai Lama (refugee in India)
Jainism (historical Birthplace)
Sikhi (Historical birthplace is Punjab region)
Field Hockey
Indian Cricket Team & Cricket
Sachin Tendulkar
Yuvraj Singh
MS Dhoni
Holi (festival)
Diwali
Royal Enfield Motorcycles
Tata Group
Indian Classical Music

Ireland[change | change source]

Israel[change | change source]

Italy[change | change source]

Jamaica[change | change source]

Japan[change | change source]

Flag of Japan
Sushi
Ramen
Emperor Akihito
Samurai
Geisha
Kimono
Ninja
Karate
Sumo Wrestling
Bonsai
Mount Fuji
Anime
Hentai
Manga
Gojira
Pokemon
Nintendo
Hitachi
Sony
Uniqlo
Acura
Honda
Infiniti
Isuzu
Lexus
Mitsubishi
Nissan
Subaru
Suzuki
Toyota
Cherry blossoms
Kiyomizu Temple, Kyoto
Todaiji Temple in Nara
Great Buddha at the Todaiji Temple in Nara
Japanese language in kanji and hiragana, and also katakana (not shown)

Korea[change | change source]

Korean Unification Flag
Korean peninsula
Flag of South Korea
Flag of North Korea
Hanbok (female and male)
Taekwondo, Korean martial arts
Gyeonghoeru (Royal Banquet Hall) at Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul
BTS (Kpop group) boy band
Blackpink (K-pop girl group)
Korean drink, Soju
Korean Kimchi
Korean Metal Chopsticks
Samsung
Hyundai Motor Company
Kia motors
Hyangwonjeong (Winter, 2013) - Korean snowy winters
Chosŏn'gŭl/Hangul, Korean native alphabet
Hangul (native alphabet of Korean language) and Hancha (Chinese characters used to write Korean language)