The Downton Abbey effect
Over the last couple of years, I have stumbled upon articles that explained the broad range of effects of Downton Abbey on our everyday life. Firstly, I thought I liked more the glamorous British TV series than necessary and unfortunately, Google knows me too well. I realized then it is not about me but the widespread influence of the period drama. Downton Abbey’s writers and creators made a big impression on not only me but the rest of the world and took part in reviving the 1920s with bringing the so-called splendid atmosphere back even if that was not their purpose.
The most astonishing consequence of the popularity of Downton Abbey is the increasing demands of butlers. The occupation referred to the last dinosaur before extinction by the servants and the lords in the series is flourishing now. Between 2010 and 2012, the demand for British butlers has more than doubled, and over 2 million butlers and valets work nowadays all around the world.
Butlers are most wanted in the rich countries in the Middle East, and especially in China. China’s boosting population of new millionaires longs for having a visible appearance of being wealthy, and employing a butler gives that image. Moreover, butlers can help improve the manners of their principals and prepare them for the etiquette of the cosmopolitan upper-class life. The strong desire for well-trained butlers indicates that multiple butler schools were opened in China recently. One of them, The International Butler Academy runs eight-week courses where the students can learn house and table management, furthermore, are given practical lessons on “how to deal with a greedy guest”. The tuition fee for the training is pricey, 13,750 Euros, including essential attire and tools like a traditional, 3-piece butler uniform, a shoeshine kit, and a pocket watch.
Beyond the modern butlers, British nobility can take advantage of the fame of Downton Abbey. Since the period drama has become widely admired, many tourists would like to see the historic houses in the British countryside. These history tours are particularly popular among American visitors, as the TV series is a major hit in the US. The premiere of the fourth season of Downton Abbey drew a record audience with 10.2 million viewers for PBS, the American public broadcaster. Historic houses like Wilton House or the Highclere Castle have impressive art collections that interest visitors. Besides, tourists can meet with owners and discuss their life and the past of the house. For such special event, you have to pay around 2500 Euros.
In addition, the scope of the “Downton Abbey effect” is not restricted to the UK; there are signs even in Italy. Maintaining and preserving the old mansions and castles is a challenge for renowned Italian families, who are affected by the long recession, and struggling with increasing costs of living and changes in property taxes. Not surprisingly, they are thus inviting tourists at their home but for less money than their British fellows. A quick tour, a decent dinner with the owners and an overnight stay will cost between 350–650 Euros per head if the tourist shares the experience with other group members. In this case, the business opportunity also came up along with the success of Downton Abbey.
If you followed up mainstream news over the last years, you found many articles about the “Downton Abbey effect”. For example, I guess alcohol suppliers wondered when sales of British gin to America hit record levels in 2015. According to industry figures, gin export increased by nine percent on the previous year and by almost 50 percent in five years. From the revival of the 1920s aesthetic in fashion through to the popularity of elegant girls’ and boys’ names like Victoria and William in Britain; we see many aspects of the cultural impact of the drama.
How ironic is that an outdated feeling surrounded the whole series, the characters declared many times that they lived in a fast-changing world and even at the end of a particular historical era. Once, I remember that Lord Crawley reflected on the fleetingness of time; and with concern their own future, he expressed the necessity of change. By the way, this approach is a fine example of how naive the series was because no one can see his life from an external point of view and no one can know that his life is connected with the end of a period. Moreover, only historians draw the line between two periods of time to examine the series of political actions. Otherwise, I am confident that the aforementioned old-fashioned feeling and naivety were the secret elements of the success.
Since the beginning of the series, thanks to the fans of Downton Abbey, this old-fashioned milieu has turned to trendy. The clothes, the spots, and the drinks are fashionable now as lots of viewers are eager to act like the characters they adore. The cultural impact of the drama provided entrepreneurs with new business opportunities that consequently helped fans to imitate the nobles’ life.
So, the question is, when will “Downton Abbey effect” decline?
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