A Call for Representation: Investigating Inclusive Marketing through Multimodal Discourse Analysis and the Notion of Stereotypes
Author
Sindalsen, Martina
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2020
Submitted on
2020-06-02
Pages
69
Abstract
Dette speciale undersøger inkluderende markedsføring i vestlig kultur. Målet er at identificere, hvad der kendetegner markedsføringsindsatser, som opfattes som succesfulde i at være inkluderende. Undersøgelsen bygger på konkrete eksempler: ASOS’ reklame Collusion “For the Coming Age” (2018) og uddrag fra ASOS’ Instagram-profil; Aeries præsentationsvideo Your 2020 #AerieREAL Role Models (2020) og uddrag fra Aeries Instagram-profil; AXE’s reklame “Find Your Magic” (2016); samt Google Pixel 2-reklamen “The Picture Perfect Life” (2018). Teoretisk tager specialet afsæt i forståelsen af stereotyper og deres brug i reklamer samt perspektiver på, hvad inkluderende markedsføring indebærer. Analysen anvender multimodal diskursanalyse og social semiotik – det vil sige en metode, der ser på, hvordan billeder, ord, lyd og andre tegn arbejder sammen og skaber mening i reklamerne – for at finde og tolke kendetegn ved brands’ inkluderende tiltag. Resultaterne peger på, at disse tiltag typisk viser mangfoldige modeller og formidler et inkluderende, positivt og styrkende budskab, der henvender sig til mange forskellige mennesker. Dermed repræsenterer og taler brandene til en bred målgruppe. Samtidig viser analysen, at få eksempler er fuldt inkluderende, fordi nogle marginaliserede eller underrepræsenterede grupper ikke er repræsenteret. Endelig rejser specialet en diskussion af, om man kan anvende en inkluderende markedsføringsstrategi uden at koble budskabet til en grundlæggende positiv vinkel.
This thesis explores inclusive marketing in Western culture. It aims to identify what characterizes campaigns that are seen as successful in using an inclusive marketing strategy. The study analyzes specific cases: ASOS’s advertisement Collusion “For the Coming Age” (2018) and excerpts from ASOS’s Instagram profile; Aerie’s presentation video Your 2020 #AerieREAL Role Models (2020) and excerpts from Aerie’s Instagram profile; AXE’s advertisement “Find Your Magic” (2016); and the Google Pixel 2 advertisement “The Picture Perfect Life” (2018). The theoretical framework draws on the concept of stereotypes and their use in advertising, as well as perspectives on what inclusive marketing entails. The analysis uses multimodal discourse analysis and social semiotics—that is, a method that looks at how images, words, sound, and other signs work together to create meaning in ads—to locate and interpret the features of the brands’ inclusive efforts. Findings show that these efforts typically present diverse models and communicate an inclusive, positive, and empowering message aimed at many kinds of people. In this way, the brands represent and speak to a wide audience. At the same time, few examples achieve complete inclusivity, as some marginalized or underrepresented groups are not represented. Finally, the thesis discusses whether it is possible to pursue an inclusive marketing strategy without linking the message to an inherently positive outlook.
[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]
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