A message that we all share: A research of the campaign ‘All that we share’ released in 2017 by TV 2 Denmark. In addition, an understanding of the Danish viewers interaction with the message hereof and a view of the campaign in an international context.

Voicu, Cristian ; Stenumgaard, Ida Marie

4. term

Culture, Communication and Globalization, Master

2020

2020-06-01

150 pages

Today companies employ increasingly more complex branding strategies as they try to keep up with the competition and with the evolving needs and behaviours of consumers. Brand managers are turning to using cultural or ideological principles as the core of their branding efforts. This research study aims to shed light on that strategy, dubbed as cultural branding, by conducting a case study of a branding campaign by TV 2. The campaign ‘All that we share’, from 2017, sends an intercultural message of diversity and connectedness in an ever more interconnected, yet increasingly divisive world. The meaning of the campaign is analysed using an approach that takes into account the sender’s perspective, the receivers’ perspective and the context that shapes both perspectives. The receivers’ perspective is further composed of both Danish and international recipients. For these we devise an interpretative analysis that looks at data collected through a focus group, an expert and several semi-structured interviews, as well as data from secondary sources such as social media and online news articles. We conclude that viewers engage with, and positively receive, the message of connectedness, despite social tensions regarding the increasing heterogeneity of cultures. This can be linked with the ‘soft’ approach of the commercial and the pre-existent perception of TV 2. Furthermore, we can observe that the credibility of the message is considered outside of the credibility of the commercials themselves. The viewers display a critical attitude towards the campaign and its elements, confirming the idea of a post-modernist sceptical consumer. The observed congruence between the brand identity portrayed by TV 2 and the brand image created by the viewers is evidence of TV 2’s success at creating an effective communication campaign and shows the potential of creating a brand identity using authentic cultural claims. Moreover, the influence that cultural context has on the way viewers perceive meaning is underlined by the slight differences observed in the perspectives of the Danish and international viewers. Finally, we have noticed a perception that the campaign also functions as an advertising for the Danish way of life, which shows that commercials can take on a broader meaning than initially intended, whether the company behind meant it to do so or not.

cultural branding ; diversity ; international ; intercultural ; connectedness ; community ; branding campaign ; public service

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