By CASEY ROGERS
'Enjoy Coca-Cola Classic,' is a slogan often seen plastered on billboards, sung in jingles and flashed before eyes in 30-second TV spots in any of the 50 states and across the globe.
This July, two BYU students will travel halfway around the world to film short documentaries on the influence of American culture in Thailand.
The project will also include the creation of an interactive Web site to highlight the documentaries as well as provide information and facts on traditional Thai culture and the influence American society has on it.
The two students, Chris Coy, a graphic design major from Eagle River, Alaska, and Scott Christopherson a film major from Sandy will leave July 1 and film until their return, July 28. The pair's goal is to document the influence of name-brand American products, particularly the influence of Coca-Cola in an objective manner.
'We don't want to go in with any preconceived notion that the influence is bad or good,' Coy said.
A Thai Coca-Cola tee shirt owned by Christopherson piqued Coy's interest in going to Thailand and creating the project. Thailand has a unique heritage yet embraces western culture and I'm interested in seeing the daily interaction between the two, Coy said.
Christopherson, who served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Thailand, said the country's religious diversities interested him in going back and filming there. He compared the two nations as similar in their mixed cultures.
'Thailand is a melting pot of religions, there's Buddhism, there's Christianity, there's Islam, and they all tie together because they are all Thai,' Christopherson said.
To show the diversity, the duo plan to film five or six short documentaries comparing and contrasting the lives of people with unique backgrounds and hailing from different regions of the nation. Christopherson said he plans to film a rice farmer, primitive tribes that live in the mountains, the people who live in the surrounding suburban areas, a taxicab driver and a former DJ for MTV Thailand. He will do a short documentary on the growth of the LDS church as well.
BYU's Best of Final Cut screened Coy's last documentary, 'Remembering Vinnytsa' and the Anti-Defamation League recognized it at the 17th Annual Dore Schary Awards.
Linda Sullivan, professor of graphic design, has worked closely with Coy during his studies at BYU.
'Chris is unique in that he combines several qualities that any faculty members want in a student,' Sullivan said. 'He's smart and a hard worker and self-motivated. If anything, he's constantly engaged in finding new projects to work on and interesting people to work with.'
Initially, Coy planned to do the project alone until he learned that Christopherson, who was already planning to film in Thailand, failed to receive any funds and the two decided to work together. Coy said Christopherson's knowledge of the language, culture and customs will add depth to the project and will be a great asset.
'I feel lucky to have him on board,' he said.