...so it's time to treat yourself for the greater cause - En tekstanalyse av den diskursive kategorien samfunnsansvar og hvordan den fremstilles i reklamekampanjer

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to clarify how corporate social responsibility (CSR) is communicated and typified in advertisements. The main focus is concentrated around the advertisement means and argumentation containing the discursive category CSR. Furthermore, I wanted to research the position of the consumer, more precisely the scope of action given in the frame of the text. To maintain the complexity of the research, I have compiled to levels of research questions, hence being twofold: How is the discursive category CSR communicated and typified through advertisement, and what scope of action is given the consumer in the frame of the text? To conduct this research, I have applied the qualitative research method discourse analysis as a framework. The data material consists of a total of six marketing campaigns, of which all contains CSR related activities in relation to the product being marketed. The chosen campaigns are all collected from the major multiple stores Hennes & Mauritz, Lindex and KappAhl. The results of the study show that the discursive category corporate social responsibility is a selling point in itself. Furthermore, the arguments presented in the advertisements is based on availability, exclusiveness and high quality materials. By applying such terms as exclusivity and high quality, indirect arguments and means are established towards aspects of lifestyle involving consumption and identity. The means of advertisement are mainly based on referrals to abstract tangibles, in which these CSR activities is defined by what can be interpreted as terms related to femininity. In conclusion, we find that the scope of action indirectly given to the consumer in the frame of the text, is limited to involve gender categories in which the female consumer has been given the need of strength and also dedicated feminine colors.