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Cultural Diversity through

Online Visual Communication

Aalborg University
English and International Studies – BA Project
Sisse L. Christensen
Mathies Brinkmann Jespersen

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Cultural Diversity through Online Visual Communication

Introduction .................................................................................................................. 3

Methodology ................................................................................................................ 5

Tourism and Online Communication ....................................................................... 9


Visual Online Communication ............................................................................. 10
Culture and Communication................................................................................ 17
Intercultural Communication on Websites ........................................................ 18
High-Context and Low-Context by Cultures.................................................. 18

Web Usability............................................................................................................. 22

VisitDenmark ............................................................................................................. 25

Analysis ...................................................................................................................... 28
Analysis of the shared features........................................................................... 28
United States of America (US)............................................................................ 34
The United Kingdom (UK).................................................................................... 37
Germany ................................................................................................................. 39
Spain ....................................................................................................................... 42
The Addresser Outside the Product – Intensions of the Addresser ............. 46

Discussion.................................................................................................................. 48

Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 51

Bibliography ............................................................................................................... 53

Appendix 1 ................................................................................................................. 55

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Introduction
Tourism is one of the largest and most wide-ranging industries in the world and the
language of tourism is far-reaching. The concept of tourism has been around for centuries
and is one of the most important and largest financial industries in the world. The aspect of
good communication skills in the industry is an important element. By using photos, film
footages, verbal language and hidden messages, the communication of tourism differs from
other forms of communication1:

“Via static and moving pictures, written texts and audio-visual offerings, the
language of tourism attempts to persuade, lure and seduce millions of human
beings, and, in so doing convert from potential into actual clients”2.

With the rapid development of the Internet many new possibilities for advertising,
communication and promotion in this industry has evolved. An online tourist agency now
has the possibility of reaching out to many parts of the world at the same time. Within
tourism there is a new need for understanding online communication and also the cultural
assets that might follow web-based communication. One of the agents who have foreseen
these new possibilities is the tourist organization VisitDenmark (VDK). Their website,
visitdenmark.com, is aimed at promoting both leisure vacations and business trips in
Denmark. They have chosen to promote online to more than 18 specific markets, ranging
from North America to Asia, via their website.

We would like to focus on visitdenmark.com because of their communicative possibilities


through online communication. We wish to use the theories and ideas by Elizabeth Würtz
to explore the cultural assets and aspects of their online communication. To understand and
investigate the more technical and web-specific aspects of this form of communication we
wish to use Lisbeth Thorlacius’ model on visual communication.

Online communication also demands awareness of cultural understanding and, among


other things, awareness of user-friendliness and aesthetic designs within websites. User-
friendliness is in web terms also known as usability. We have therefore included a review of

1
Dann (1996): 1
2
Dann (1996): 2

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James Cappel and Zhenyu Huang on web usability and design. The aim is to answer the
following problem formulation:

How is visitdenmark.com displaying cultural diversity


through their online communication?

In relation to the problem formulation we would like to see if cultural diversity in market
segments leads to limitations of online communication. Thus, we would also like to work
with the following questions:

o What are the communicative characteristics in web communication?


o How is VDK communicating?
o Are they communicating differently dependent on the language you enter on
their homepage?
o Could they improve the communicative aspects on their web site?
o How is VDK displaying cultural values through their web-based communication?

Through this structure we wish to take a deeper look into the functions of online
communication.

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Methodology
This project is based on the wide topic of intercultural communication. We have chosen a
more specific topic - the field of web-based communication. We have chosen a case
analytical approach to this project due to the subject of analysis: the different language-
specific pages of the website visitdenmark.com.

In order to understand the relation between communication, culture and tourism, we have
chosen to give some short reviews of the relationship between communication and tourism
and also one of culture and communication. The chosen theories are one of Lisbeth
Thorlacius and one of Elizabeth Würtz. Thorlacius suggests a model for visual online
communication. Würtz proposes several assumptions on the cultural values in online
communication. Also included in the theoretical paragraph is a review of the concept of web
usability. We will introduce the organization VisitDenmark and its website before the
analysis.

After the case introduction we wish to present the six analyses. The first analysis will
investigate the shared features of some of the language versions on visitdenmark.com. The
following four analyses will be of the individual language-versions of visitdenmark.com:
American, British, German and Spanish. The different version will be analyzed by applying
the model by Thorlacius and the ideas proposed by Würtz. The final analysis will take its
point of departure in an interview with Palle Jørly Jensen. He works as web editor and
focuses on the online content of visitdenmark.com.

We have chosen an untraditional method in cultural studies: a qualitative analysis of online-


web communication3. Therefore a discussion is imperative in the structure of the project, in
which we will discuss the different points of views, perspectives, outcomes and criticism.

Comments to the Choice of Theory


The subject of this project is online web communication in an intercultural context. It was a
challenge to find theories that combined the aspect of web communication with the
influence of culture: most theories either focuses on the linguistic aspects, the technological
or design elements of online communication. Communicating visually is an essential part of
3
Yin (1994): 14-15

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any information technology interface and there are many different approaches towards an
understanding of this element4. Thorlacius argues, that a lot of the tools used when
analyzing websites are focused mainly on the functional and technical aspects and not so
much on the communication situation and the aesthetic values itself5. Thus we find the
theory by Thorlacius interesting because she focuses on the aesthetic and visual aspects of
online communication. She considers the aesthetic and visual expressions as being
‘content’ whereas other academics merely focus on content as being the written words or
technological elements. Thorlacius brings new dimensions to the aspect of content analysis
in a web-based setting. Elizabeth Würtz focuses on the cultural aspects and values and by
using both theories in coherence with one another we are able to take a closer look at the
communicative and the cultural elements in such a communication. The usability of a
website is an important element for the user, and because the model by Thorlacius stresses
the importance of the user, we have thus enclosed a review of web usability.

Data Analysis
Our empirical data will primarily be the American, British, German and Spanish version of
visitdenmark.com. These versions have been chosen selectively based on the theoretical
view of Würtz, who states that these nationalities show individual cultural differences. This
aspect will be commented upon in the theoretical paragraph of Würtz and furthermore in the
analyses and discussion.

We have included an interview with Pally Jørly Jensen, the web editor of VDK’s Danish
version, which is our qualitative data for analyzing web usability. After a long period of
conversations with different employees at VDK we finally got in contact with the people in
charge of their online site. Before they agreed to a telephone interview, we sent Palle our
pre-made questions, which was our interview guideline. Together with the emailed
questions, we also sent them our project introductory so they would have the right
knowledge, and the same context, when answering the questions. In cooperation with a co-
worker, web editor Vibeke Møller, Pally Jørly Jensen prepared good answers to our
question. The telephone interview was performed in Danish, since all parties have Danish
as native language.

4
Nielsen (2002): 1
5
Thorlacius (2002): 85

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Our intentions with the structure of the questions asked were firstly, to start with general
questions and making the questions more specific long the way, secondly, we did not want
to use any theoretical and academic rhetoric in the questions. We kept the design of the
questions somewhat clear cut and simple. We would like to stress that the content of the
website visitdenmark.com, is subject to change during and after our project period.

Definition of Terms and Concepts


The main subject in this project is online communication which is a wide topic, due to the
many definitions. We have thus included a definition of how the concept is perceived in this
project. We will also comment upon the rhetoric of the website visitdenmark.com versus the
organization VisitDenmark.

Online Communication
When we use the term ‘online’, we mean Internet-based. We will not go into the
technological details, but largely the protocols of the Internet are the framework for
communication. It reduces all communication to data exchange – thus, the model of
Thorlacius is relevant because is focuses on the data-exchange of visual elements and
aesthetics. The concept of online communication will be further explored in the theoretical
paragraph ‘Culture and Communication’.

VisitDenmark vs. Visitdenmark.com


When we refer to visitdenmark.com we refer to the website of VisitDenmark. When we,
here, merely writes VisitDenmark – without dot com, we refer to the organization
VisitDenmark.

Considerations
We felt that we could not exclude the experience of the user (client/tourist) in answering the
problem-formulation, mainly because Thorlacius’ model and the emphasis of the user, but
also because we have included interviews with the web-creators of the website
visitdenmark.com. The theory of web usability will be used as a tool for analyzing the user-
friendliness of visitdenmark.com, and we will later discuss whether the intended message
proposed by the creators (through the interview) is visible for the user of the site.
Originally we merely wanted to do several analyses of the different versions of the site
visitdenmark.com, but found that a combined analysis of the shared features of the sites

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were the most constructive structure. This would keep consistency towards the reader. The
analysis still consists of individual site analyses, but merely of the specific traits of that
particular language-version.

Source Criticism
The method used by Elizabeth Würtz can be criticized for its narrowness – lack of
substantial empirical data, and it can be argued that the model by Thorlacius could improve
its definitions of certain terms and concepts. This will be further commented upon in the
discussion.

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Tourism and Online Communication
In the following section we wish to investigate the field of tourism and tourists in relation to
the aspect of communication.

As stated in the introduction, tourism is one of the largest industries in the world. It is said
that “travel industries as we know them today will disappear6” and that “[…] most travel
bookings are likely to move online within a decade7”. Hence the context of tourism is
becoming even more far-reaching due to the Internet. The conventional travel agencies are
becoming less important because the virtual travel agencies can deliver almost the same
services, such as providing general information, accommodations, entertainment and
reserving and purchasing tickets8.

Tourism is characterized as a trip, and tourists are characterized as persons. The tourist is
someone who visits a place or country for more than 24 hours, whereas the trip can consist
of being a international trip, domestic trip, business trip, pleasure trip or other forms of trips9.
The tourist can be measured in terms of both a person and a trip. Tourism supplies the
tourist with either information, transportation, accommodations, food or beverage,
attractions and so on10. The industry of tourism must constantly be in focus of their
communicative behaviours, because it is the communication from tourism that attracts the
tourist. The communication of tourism can be described as when “the language of tourism
gently talks to them [tourists] about the possible places they can visit by introducing various
pull factors or attractions of competing destinations”11. Today, the communication of tourism
can reach even further with the help of e.g. the Internet. Also tourists can go further than
before; they can now move and travel all over the world.

Online communication differs from other forms of communication12. The visual aspects,
such as the use of images and the design of the website are also included in this form of
communication. To investigate how VisitDenmark communicates with their consumers

6
Turban (2006): 95
7
Turban (2006): 95
8
Turban (2006): 95
9
Smith (1995): 21
10
Smith (1995): 20
11
Dann (1996): 2
12
Wood et al. (2004): 3

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online, it is relevant to narrow the field of communication. The following will thus focus on
visual web-based communication, which will later be utilized on visitdenmark.com.

Visual Online Communication


In order to analyze the different language-specific pages of visitdenmark.com and their
visual content, we wish to present Lisbeth Thorlacius’ approach to analyzing online and
visual content. We will later apply Würtz’s cultural characteristics of online communication
to the model, and some analytical tools described within the field of web usability.

Thorlacius focuses on the visual aspects of communication and she takes her point of
departure in Roman Jakobson’s communication model, which focuses on the linguistic
aspects of a communication situation. Thorlacius has transferred the analytical concept of
Jakobsons’s model into a contemporary, visual and web-based context. Thorlacius’ aim of
the paper is to establish an analytical framework for analyses, and also construction, of web
sites. In the following, we wish to describe the six elements, as illustrated below:

Illustration from Thorlacius (2002): 87

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1. Addresser: the expressive function and the emotive function
The term ‘addresser’ covers the feelings and opinions the addresser expresses in the
product and via this term it is possible to “analyze this aspect of the product regardless of
whether the addresser is conscious of these sentiments or not”13. In other words, it is
possible to look at the addresser’s emotions and expressions without the involvement of the
actual addresser - analyzing the intensions of a product without the involvement of the
addresser.
There are two different types of emotive communication functions; intentional
communication, which the addresser is aware of and unintentional communication, which
the addresser is not aware of14. When the addresser chooses to use specially designed
buttons and search options there is defined a personal expression, which enables it to
distinguish itself from other sites of the same kind. This expression can also be with or
without intensions, but is not something, which is analyzable without the involvement of a
physical addresser.

2. Addressee: the conative function and the interactive function


The conative function is a central part of the navigative and interactive functions, as it is the
conative function, which encourages the user to act. In a web-based context, the conative
function is most likely to occur in a visual situation, rather than linguistic15. Thorlacius
exemplifies the conative function as a manual, for instance an installation instruction, which
encourages the user to get something installed. When transferring this into a web-related
context, this could be the element of have a button saying “Search”, encouraging the
addressee to perform an actual search.

The interactive function refers to the physical interaction from the user towards the product
and is defined as a collection of different design functions - four interactive and one non-
interactive16:
The transmitative (non-interactive) function is one-way communication and is the type of
communication design that a user is exposed to in for instance movie theatres, where there
is no possibility to interfere in the communication from the film17.

13
Thorlacius (2002): 88
14
Thorlacius (2002): 89
15
Thorlacius (2002): 90
16
Thorlacius (2002): 91
17
Thorlacius (2002): 91

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The conversational (interactive) function is two-way communication and is the only of five
functions where mental interaction takes place. This could be the function of e-mail or chat18
and is seen on many websites through a “Write Us” link. Some websites also enables users
to chat with a technical supporter for instant, online help and advice.
The consultative (interactive) function is two-way communication and is the type of
communication where information is mutually exchanged between the user and the
computer. This could for instance be the opportunity to choose from a variety of different
languages for the content of the site. The user is given the opportunity to make a choice
and this choice will determine the content of the website.
The transactive (interactive) function is two-way communication and is the type of
communication that takes place through the functions of booking of tickets and online
shopping19.
The registering (interactive) function is two-way communication and is the type of
communication where the addresser is collecting information about the user visiting the
website20. This could for instance be a poll determining the interest in the content of the site
or a chart of which sites that are more popular than other.

It can be argued that having a greater amount of the interactive functions included on the
website will increase the level of involvement from the addressee.

3. Message: the formal aesthetic function and the inexpressible aesthetic function
The formal aesthetic function is something related to the mental function and something
that can be classified and described. This could for instance be a certain minimalistic web
design or colour, which appeals to many visitors, as it is simple and easy to recognize and
assess. The inexpressible aesthetic function is the visual language communicating “the
aesthetic experience that originates in the senses and feelings”21 and an element that is
more difficult to classify and describe. The term ‘aesthetic’ covers experiences that
“involves, and appeals to, our senses”22 and is divided into a ‘formal’ and an ‘inexpressible’
category. An example of this is the design of a website, the composition of all the colours

18
Thorlacius (2002): 91
19
Thorlacius (2002): 92
20
Thorlacius (2002): 92
21
Thorlacius (2002): 93
22
Thorlacius (2002): 93

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and the choice of shapes and sizes. All these elements are communicating inexpressible
aesthetic values and something that is perceived, but still difficult to explain and describe.
Within visual communication it can be difficult to differ between the two different types
aesthetic functions, but most important is the notion that aesthetic elements are
communication functions that play a role within the message of a situation.

4. Context: the referential function and the intertextual function


The referential function is “a reference to the core of the content in the message”23 and
connected to sign and symbolic theory. Thorlacius states that “the iconic sign looks like the
object it refers to”24. However, symbolic signs have no direct connection between sign and
object, for example “a peace sign does not visually resemble ‘peace’”25.
The intertextual function contains reference to “other contexts outside the content of the
sign”26. An intertextual function could appear by having a celebrity appearing on the site or
something that refers to a common context. This is in particular seen with the Harry doll and
the website of the Danish National Rail Road Services27.

5. Medium: the phatic function and the navigative function


The phatic function is dominating when the focus is on the contact between the addresser
and the addressee. The phatic function is furthermore described as the “connection thread
that makes the product consistent and coherent”28. By being consistent in their design in
different communication situations, a company will strengthen its phatic function: using the
same fonts, layout of the text and colours for the design could strengthen a phatic
communicative situation.
According to Thorlacius, the navigative functions are closely connected to aesthetic as they
have to build logical structures, making the user able to navigate easily on the website or
through a product29. Thorlacius argues, that links on the website is crucial, as “the links on
the website also maintain the contact with the user”30 and minimizes the risk of the user
getting lost on the different sites attached to the main website. Furthermore, “the user
always has to be able to return to the front page and to other central navigation spots of the

23
Thorlacius (2002): 94
24
Thorlacius (2002): 94
25
Thorlacius (2002): 94
26
Thorlacius (2002): 94
27
Thorlacius (2002): 94
28
Thorlacius (2002): 95
29
Thorlacius (2002): 95
30
Thorlacius (2002): 95

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site easily”31.

6. Code: The meta-communicative function and the inter-semiotic function


The meta-communicative function is when “a media product reflects on another media
product”32 and the example given by Thorlacius is when a commercial refers to or reflects
on another commercial. A keyword associated with meta-communication is ’paraphrasing’ -
the repetition of a text/product to make it easier to understand.
Thorlacius states that the inter-semiotic function distinguish between “languages” (either
code, visual or linguistic language). This could be when a text is describing a picture or
advertisement. Having these code functions transcending cultural and national border can
be difficult, as many sign and expression are interpreted differently in different countries.

The function and language of “Code” and “Medium” can be linked to the forthcoming
paragraph on ‘web usability’ where the element of navigation and easily understandable
content is important.

The different elements of Thorlacius’s model allow one to take a closer look at the visual
aspects of a web-based communication situation33. Apart from Jakobsen’s six original
elements, Thorlacius has added two new elements and these elements will also play an
important role in the analysis of the communication situation of VisitDenmark. In the
following we illustrate Thorlacius’ model once again, this time with the two additional
elements - described as being ‘outside the product’.

Addresser and Addressee - Outside the Product


In a communicative aspect, the two elements outside the product are communications that
can be analyzed without interfering with the virtual world. When analyzing the six elements
inside the product one must interfere with the product virtually and this is the opposite
situation with the two elements outside the product. It is worth mentioning that Thorlacius
does not provide any guidelines for how to complete an analysis of the intensions from the
addresser or the reception from the addressee.

31
Thorlacius (2002): 95
32
Thorlacius (2002): 96
33
Thorlacius (2002): 86

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To illustrate the division between virtual and non-virtual world we have inserted vertical lines
in Thorlacius’ model.

Illustration from Thorlacius (2002): 87

The first of the two additional elements is the intensions of the addresser (the addresser
outside the product – illustrated to the left in the model above), which is an element to be
analyzed through dialogue and interview with the addresser behind the product. This
element is relevant when analyzing what the intensions have been behind different
elements on visitdenmark.com and why specific pictures and objects are used in the
context of the website. We wish to take a closer look at the intensions from the addresser
by interviewing Palle Jørly Jensen, web editor of the VDK website. By interviewing the
addresser, we hope to get insight of the intentional and unintentional communication of
visitdenmark.com.
This type of addresser distinguishes itself from the addresser inside the product by being a
physical addresser, and not a virtual, web-based addresser, which defines the addresser
inside the product.

The second element is the reception of the addressee (the addressee outside the product –
illustrated to the right in the model above), which is an element to be analyzed through

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evaluation and observation of the receivers of the product34. This type of addressee
distinguishes itself by being a physical addressee, not a virtual, web-based addressee. This
addressee is a physical addressee and it is possible to observe and evaluate its perception
of the communication received. We will be able to evaluate the reception of the different
language-specific to a certain extent, but the proper way to do this is, as mentioned,
through observation of receivers.

Thorlacius stresses the fact that it is no longer possible to sell a product on the basis of the
facts alone. There is also a need to sell a product through communication of experiences
and stories to which the product is linked and this thesis is valid in the context of web-based
communication - internet surfers will look for beautiful and innovative packaging and
determine there purchases and level of satisfactory hereafter35.

As we have been stating in the paragraph above, visual and aesthetic communication plays
an essential role of web-based communication, both intentionally and unintentionally. Many
websites choose to ignore these facts and Thorlacius insists to take visual communication
on the internet seriously, because no matter whether the visual aspects have been casually
or carefully considered, they play a large role in the receiver’s perception of the visited
website36.

One of the advantages in Thorlacius model is the opportunity to analyze visual content in an
online situation without interfering with the actual addresser and addressee. Though,
Thorlacius still states that elements on the inside of the product are not fully analytical
without interfering with the addresser on the outside of the product37. This could turn as a
weakness in the model, but we still believe the model is relevant in the context of
VisitDenmark. Thorlacius furthermore argues that one of the functions in the model may be
more dominant than others38, which will create a situation with one element having a more
central role in the analysis. It is important to be aware of this before initializing an analysis.

34
Thorlacius (2002): 87
35
Thorlacius (2007): 6
36
Thorlacius (2007): 1
37
Thorlacius (2002): 89
38
Thorlacius (2002): 86

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Some of Thorlacius’ elements from the analytical model can be linked to the aspect of ‘web
usability’, an element we will describe in a later paragraph. In order to analyze the cultural
differences within online communication, the following theory by Elizabeth Würtz will be
applied to the analytical perspectives by Thorlacius.

Culture and Communication


The concept of culture has long proved indefinable in the academic world, and with the
increased contact we experience through the Internet, “globalization, increased
interconnectedness across international boundaries via electronic media, and hybridization
of cultural content and identity further problematize the notion of culture”39. When a person
goes online, he/she is considered an online interlocutor and “live in the physical world and
are grounded in offline cultures, defined by national, ethnic, religious, and other
boundaries”40. Thus, the online communication process consists of cultural components.
The inherent cultural values in people affect the fact that humans are predisposed to
behave in certain ways41. Therefore, the aspect of culture in online communication is
relevant in order to prevent generalization or simplification of the communicative methods
used by VDK.

Culture can be understood as “a complex frame of reference that consists of patterns of


traditions, beliefs, values, norms, symbols, and meanings that are shared to varying
degrees by interacting members of a community”42. These patterns are relevant when
communicating and interacting with others. Elizabeth Würtz has investigated in the cultural
characteristics of online communication, and the following is a review of her idea of high-
context cultures and low-context cultures and how these groups of cultures differs in their
communicative styles.

39
Danet et al.: (2007): 7
40
Danet et al.:(2007): 7
41
Klopft (1991): 16
42
Ting-Toomey (1999): 10

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Intercultural Communication on Websites
The Internet is, according Elizabeth Würtz, a largely low-context medium which is used for
communication and marketing purposes43. Würtz has studied intercultural communication
on websites through a cross-cultural analysis. She investigated the visual methods used on
websites and if these varied from communication styles in different cultures. Würtz based
her study on Edward Hall’s high- and low cultural dimensions and thereby analyzed the fast
food chain McDonald’s different websites. It is the common traits that she found in the
analysis, by which visual communication is used to support high-context communication,
which we also will adopt in our analysis.

Her method of choice by merely analysing the websites of McDonald can be criticised for
not being broad enough. We will return to this aspect of critique in a later discussion. The
characteristics of HC and LC cultures found by Würtz will also be placed in the model by
Thorlacius which was previously mentioned. The following will illustrate cultural influences
on communication.

High-Context and Low-Context by Cultures


Edward Hall stated that “all cultures can be situated in relation to one another through the
styles in which they communicate”44. Hall observed that emphasis should be on meaning
and context together with the code (this could be the words in itself). The context is the
environment, situation or background, which is connected to an individual or a situation45.
Würtz has modified Edward Hall’s earlier parameters, created to help place cultures, and
his categories expanded from high-context/low-content category to low-context/high-content
category46. The image below illustrates how some countries are characterized according
the HC and LC parameters. Their place on the scale is focused upon cultural differences in
the communication process; the differentiation between the specific countries was made on
the basis of the communication that predominates the culture.47

43
Würtz (2006): 274
44
Würtz (2006): 274
45
Wûrtz (2006): 274
46
Würtz merely refers to the two groups as high-context (HC) or low-context (LC) cultures, and we will follow her
example.
47
Gudykunst et al. (1992): 44

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A high-context communication or message is “one in which most of the information is either
in the physical context or internalized in the person, while very little is in the coded, explicit,
transmitted part of the message”48.

A low-context communication or message is in return


defined as “one in which the mass of information is HIGH-CONTEXT CULTURES
49 JAPAN
vested in the explicit code ” and “members of low-
ARAB COUNTRIES
context, individualistic cultures tend to communicate in GREECE
SPAIN
a direct fashion, while members of high-context, ITALY
ENGLAND
collectivistic cultures tend communicate in an indirect FRANCE
fashion”50. The communication of LC cultures is NORTH AMERICA
SCANDINAVIAN COUNTRIES
straight to the point and HC cultures are more indirect. GERMAN-SPEAKING COUNTRIES
LOW-CONTEXT CULTURES
An example is that the Scandinavians and Germans
mainly communicate through explicit statements in text Source Würtz (2006): 277

and speech, thus they are categorized as low-context cultures. The Japanese and Chinese
employ certain messages into their body language or the use of silence; these are therefore
considered to be high-context cultures, because HC communication is characterized by
“implying a message through that which is not uttered”51.

Würtz also offers an alternative to the HC/LC dimensions, that LC and HC cultures are
characterized with individualistic and collectivistic values. Würtz has used these
descriptions from the famous cultural academic Geert Hofstede. The individualistic-
collectivistic dimensions are used to explain cross-cultural differences in behaviour. In
individualistic cultures emphasis is put on individual goals, whereas group goals come
before individual goals in collectivistic cultures52. The individual values include personal
time, freedom, and challenge53.
The individualistic-collectivistic cultures affect communication because it has influence on
group identities and the difference between ingroup and outgroup communication.
However, even though a nation can be predominantly individualistic, there can still be

48
Gudykunst et al. (1992): 44
49
Gudykunst et al. (1992): 44
50
Gudykunst et al. (1992): 45
51
Würtz (2006): 274
52
Gudykunst et al.:(1992): 42
53
Würtz (2006): 274

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subcultures which are collectivistic. In relation to HC and LC cultures this can be related to
e.g. the United States (which is predominantly individualistic):

“The (North) American way of life […] affords little room for the cultivation of
ambiguity. The dominant (North) American temper calls for clear and direct
communication. It expresses itself in such common injunctions as “Say what you
mean,” “Don’t beat around the bush,” and “Get to the Point””54

This illustrates that both individualism-collectivism and high- and low-context


communication exists in all cultures, but that one might dominate the other55.
The different communication styles across cultures can prove challenging when implying a
message online. The interesting aspect of this, in relation to VDK, is to see if their website
shows characteristics of being a low-context culture and how this might be perceived by
both HC and LC cultures. Würtz used the cultural variables of individualism-collectivism with
the HC/LC dimensions and found online-communication differences in the following areas:
animation, values, transparency/usability, and navigation around the site and web design.
These differences of HC and LC cultures will also be related to the model by Thorlacius.

Animation
Animated effects is one way of communicating on a website and “Animated effects on Web
sites tend to be more prominent and elaborate in HC cultures than in LC Web sites”56. In
relation to the model by Thorlacius, the animated effects on websites can be placed as the
addressee. Animation is placed under the addressee because animated effects are
somewhat a conative function which encourages the user to interact.

Promotion of Collectivistic and Individualistic Values


When promoting a product, Würtz found that values are often portrayed along with the
product: “Values prevailing in HC cultures are generally tied to collectivism and those in LC
cultures to individualism; hence we can assume that HC and LC culture Web sites manifest
different values according to their ideologies”57. In relation to the model by Thorlacius,

54
Gudykunst et al. (1992): 45
55
Gudykunst et al. (1992): 45
56
Würtz (2006): 283
57
Würtz (2006): 286

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cultural values are visible in all aspects of the model, but they are most dominant through
the “message” in the model by Thorlacius.

Transparency
The issue of transparency is similar to that of usability, and “transparency refers to the
extent to which the users are required to make an extra effort in order to find the information
they are looking for”58. This point is important in relation to the theory on the next page of
web usability and this idea will therefore be elaborated in the following section. Usability can
be placed in Thorlacius’ model under the medium, because usability is about the contact
between the addresser and the addressee.

Navigation around the site


Also navigation can be placed in the model under the ‘medium. To navigate on a web page
is an important topic in relation to online web communication, but also to that of usability.
Würtz found that “…the Scandinavian sites are tabular and functional in their design …
[whereas] the Asian sites rather seem to take a montage/layer-upon-layer approach in their
layout, using many bright colors, fonts, and shapes”59.
Würtz used the above-mentioned communicative characteristics of a website in an
illustration of the differences between HC and LC Cultures:

Parameter Tendency in HC cultures Tendency in LC Cultures


Animation High use of animation, especially in Lower use of animation, mainly
connection with images of moving reserved for highlighting effects,
people e.g. of text
Promotion of values Images promote values Images promote the values of
characteristic of collectivistic individualistic societies
societies
Individuals separate or Features images depict products Images portray lifestyles of
together with the product and merchandise in use by individuals, with or without a
individuals direct emphasis on the use of
products or merchandise
Level of transparency Links promote an exploratory Clear and redundant cues in
approach; processoriented connection with navigation on a
website; goal-oriented
Linear vs. parallel navigation Many sidebars and menus, opening Few sidebars and menus,
on the website of new browser windows for each constant opening in same
new page browser window
Illustration from Würtz (2006):295

58
Würtz (2006): 291
59
Würtz (2006): 293

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The collectivistic-individualistic characteristics are reflected in the values that the images of
a website portrays, “such as images of individuals versus images of groups, products
placed together with individuals, [and] the situation in which the individuals are placed
[…]”60

By examining the above-mentioned areas of visitdenmark.com it will be interesting to see if


they differ in their web design and communicative strategies dependent on which country of
residence/nation they communicate with/to. The following will be an elaboration of the term
usability. Usability is somewhat a tool for understanding the user of a website – and not so
much a model for analysing the communication on a website.

Web Usability
Web usability is a very broad concept and consists of many different aspects of designing
websites. As described earlier, web usability has its focus on web design and not on the
communication itself. Whereas Thorlacius’ considerations and her analytical model is
providing the basis for an analysis of a communication situation and the elements and
people involved, web usability is much more a tool one can apply to a website and calculate
the specific level of usability61. It has its focus on a whole different aspect of the
communicative situation, but in regards to analyzing visitdenmark.com as thoroughly as
possible, we find it relevant to draw upon some thoughts on web usability, as usability is
concerning the experience of the user and how different elements on a site are easily
accessible.

In many ways, ‘web usability’ has split the technology of web designing in two parties: one
believing in the aesthetic websites and another, purely functionalistic group, who believes
that it does not matter what color a website is in “as long as it was functional and user
friendly”62. One of the functionalistic proponents is the web-guru Jakob Nielsen, who is
named by many web theorists as the founder of the term ‘web usability’ and user-friendly
web design. Even though many still today acknowledges his ideas on the very simplistic

60
Würtz (2006): 294
61
http://www.usability.gov/basics/measured.html#what
62
Thorlacius (2007): 2

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web design, a lot also find him a bit extreme and Thorlacius is one of the critics who is left
questioning why Nielsen does not focus on visual communication and aesthetics in his
design theory63.

According to a recent article on web usability by Cappel and Huang, essential keywords are
‘learnability’; the ability to perform basic tasks for the first time, ‘efficiency’; how quickly the
tasks can be performed, and finally the ‘user satisfaction’; the level of satisfaction with the
interaction with the website64. Cappel and Huang argue that, when designing a website the
following elements have to be in focus when concerned about the usability: the presentation
of the website, the features for navigation, the functionality and usefulness towards the user
of the website. For instance, if a site is irritating in its design and if the users get frustrated
from using the functions on the site, the chances are that the users will find another sites
that matches the needs better65. These three elements play a key role when working out
questions for analyzing websites, and Cappel and Huang furthermore mention three
different elements that will promote and increase usability on websites. The first one is the
‘breadcrumb trail’, which is the trail showing the path from the current screen/site and back
to the home page66. It allows the user to easily navigate between pages and therefore it
improves the usability. The second element is ‘site search capability’ which is the availability
of a search engine on every different site of the entire website:

“... if a website does not provide a search box (or search link) on the home page,
it risks alienating those users who prefer to find information in this mode and they
may go to competitors’ sites instead”67.

We also see this element of keeping the user interested in Thorlacius communication model
in the section “Medium”, where it is said that links are crucial in order to keep the user
interested.
The third element mentioned by Cappel and Huang is a ‘FAQ or Help Option’. This helps
users that are lost, and “improve users’ understanding of the information and services
offered and reduce demands on your support staff”68. To ‘improve understanding’ is related

63
Thorlacius (2007): 1
64
Cappel et al. (2007): 117
65
Cappel et al. (2007): 117
66
Cappel et al. (2007): 118
67
Cappel et al. (2007): 119
68
Cappel et al. (2007): 120

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to Thorlacius’ model and the section on “Addresser” in which it is stated that personal
expressions enables a site to distinguish itself from other sites. The code language
connected to web usability is the codes of a technical definition and as Thorlacius mentions
in her model, the language of codes can interpreted differently depending on the country.

According to Cappel and Huang, proponents of usability have in the last decade suggested
several different guidelines on how to create usable websites and there is still today “a need
to investigate this issue using a wider, systematic approach”69. Website usability is in some
ways related to Thorlacius’ model and ideas on the communicative situation of web-based
communication. We can use the definitions on web usability to discuss how well
visitdenmark.com is designed and consider some of the overall design considerations on
each of the language-specific sites.
Though we have found the theory on web usability too technical and focused on data
collection, we still find it relevant to analyze the design situation of visitdenmark.com and
the elements described in the above-mentioned will enable us to evaluate some design
considerations on visitdenmark.com.

69
Cappel et al. (2007): 117

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VisitDenmark
In the following, we wish to establish sufficient knowledge about the organization
VisitDenmark and furthermore the basic contents of their website, visitdenmark.com.

VisitDenmark – The Organization


VDK is the official organization for Danish national tourism. The organization works closely
together with the Danish tourism industry to ensure a high level of competitiveness on the
international market. VDK strive towards their vision by providing detailed information for
tourists whether they are coming to Denmark for a holiday or business trip. VDK’s vision
states:
”We wish to make Denmark world known for present and easy accessible experiences
all year round” 70.
In business relations, the organization is furthermore capable of providing “marketing
support, assistance and information for any company or association planning an event in
Denmark”71. VisitDenmark is a travel service company that provides the tourists with
different information. The information given to the tourist varies from accommodation,
attractions to general knowledge about the Danish countryside.

VDK has its head office in Copenhagen and their market offices are located in Germany,
Norway, Sweden, Finland, United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Italy, The United States of
America and Asia. The offices in Asia are a joint venture together with the tourist boards of
Sweden and Norway (Innovation Norway and VisitSweden); their cooperation is called the
Scandinavian Tourist Board (STB). The STB has offices located in big cities in the Asia-
Pacific region and it focus is on promoting the Scandinavian region to especially Japan and
China, but also the rest of the region. VisitDenmark (former Danish Tourist Board) set up
the first office in Tokyo in 1967 and it was not until 1986 that Sweden joined the venture,
with Norway following one year later72.

The structure of the organization is illustrated below. The department of transnational


marketing is, among other things, concerned with the visual identity of VDK and the
branding of Denmark and development of the concept of communication used for branding.

70
http://www.visitdenmark.com/danmark/da-dk/menu/danskturisme/omvdk/visionmission/vision_mission.htm
71
http://www.visitdenmark.dk/uk/en-gb/menu/mice/services/om-visitdenmark/aboutvisitdenmark.htm
72
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scandinavian_Tourist_Board

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The department of online media is operating visitdenmark.com73, and we have performed
an interview with Palle Jørly Jensen who works within the branch of online media.

Source: visitdenmark.com/danmark

As mentioned in the methodology, our analyses will solely focus on the information given to
tourists. The important aspect in this project is not on the linguistic and verbal aspects in
their promotion to the tourists, but on their use of images, design, colors and many other
elements, on their website.

VisitDenmark - the website


When you enter visitdenmark.com you have the following
choices of countries to choose from (see image). The site
does not ask what language you wish for the website but
ask “Where are you traveling from?”. We wish to consider
this linguistic choice and its communicative purposes in our
analysis. When choosing your country of residence through
the “Welcoming Page” you enter the site of the specific
country, and thereby language, chosen.

The information range from Inspiration, Accommodation,


Travel & Transport, Tourist Information, Activities, Map,
Newsletter and many other subjects of information (see Source: visitdenmark.com

73
http://www.visitdenmark.com/danmark/da-dk/menu/danskturisme/omvdk/ledelseorganisation/ledelse-og-organisation-med-
diagram.htm

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image below). These information topics can be described as following: Tourist – is directed
towards leisure and family vacations, Meeting Planner – is directed towards professional
business trips; Press – is directed towards giving public information and provides marketing
people with information about Denmark, for instance ideas for stories to write about
Denmark; Travel Trade – is directed towards giving the site’s visitors more official
information and elaborates on the contact possibilities interested visitor has. Travel Trade
also describes the official activities of VisitDenmark, such as workshops around different big
cities in Europe.

UK Version, source: visitdenmark.com/uk

It is obvious that these topics are also mostly aimed at the tourists – either on leisure or
business holiday. The irregularities on the different language-versions of the site will be
illustrated in the analyses. In this case introduction we have introduced the main areas of
VDK and visitdenmark.com and we wish to include this in our following analyses.

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Analysis
We have chosen to analyze the following language versions of visitdenmark.com: North
America, United Kingdom, Spain and Germany. The communication model by Lisbeth
Thorlacius presented in our theoretical paragraph will be applied to the different versions in
order to investigate the problem formulation and answer our working questions. To maintain
an overview, the analysis will be constructed in the same order as the six elements on the
inside of Thorlacius’ communication model; 1) Addresser 2) Addressee 3) Message 4)
Context 5) Medium and finally 6) Code. They will be specified during the analysis and will
be supplemented by the contributions from Würtz’ theory on high-context and low-context
cultures. In order to analyze the element of the addresser outside the product, we have
conducted an interview with the people responsible for the online content of
visitdenmark.com. This interview will be analyzed after the case analyses of the four
countries and furthermore be a part of the discussion. Before analyzing the four countries,
we wish to show the similarities of the different sites/version.

Analysis of the shared features


1. Addresser: the expressive function and the emotive function
The expressive function is in the upper left corner, with a heart and
letters saying “Denmark”, which is an attempt to create a correlation
between a heart and the country of Denmark. VisitDenmark uses this Source: visitdenmark.com

logo as their “home”-button, and when clicking on this image one can return to the front
page of the version one has chosen. This is an attempt to, what Thorlacius refers to as the
addresser inside the product, put positive feelings and denotations to their product:
Denmark. The overall design consists of the same main menu and elements as the other
language-specific sites, but the written content differs (see images below).

Source: visitdenmark.com
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2. Addressee: the conative function and the interactive function
The conative and the interactive functions includes design elements which encourages the
user/consumer to interact and can be divided into the following five characteristics:

The conative function exists in the map on the left with the zoom option is one of the
elements on the website and encourages interaction. The visitor will only discover zoom
function by pressing [+] or [-] and it is an encouragement from the addresser to the
addressee to interact. The map is furthermore an animated effect, which encourages the
user to interact. According Würtz, such effects are related to certain cultures; this aspect will
be commented upon in the individual analyses.

The transmitative function is in the active banner on the top of all the different language
versions. It switches between different images and is an action that can not be interfered
with74.

The conversational function, which is two-way communication between the addresser and
the addressee, is through the link for contact on the bottom of every page and the display of
an email (info@goscandinavia.com). This encourages the users, who are in doubt with any
of the content or who have questions, to email VisitDenmark.

The consultative (interactive) function is implemented where the users of all the sites have
the possibility to change the language version and therefore also change the content of the
website. Furthermore, it is possible, on all the versions, to choose different images of
Denmark and a link to a “Denmark film”. The film is, however, in English on all the sites.
This is also a consultative function made visible, as there is a possibility for the users to
exchange something with the addresser.

74
These images can be stopped if the user has a browser blocks active-x objects

29 / 60
The transactive (interactive) function is in the element
of letting the user to search for a preferred holiday.
This means that it is possible for the tourist to book a
flight (via Momondo.com) and also book a hotel room,
holiday home or a stay at a hostel. In the search
engines the point of departure is, on all the different
versions, preset to destinations within the given
country. For instance, on the U.S. version the point of
departure is “New York”; it makes the search less Source: visitdenmark.com/usa

complicated for the user (see images on the right).


The online search engine in the search for
accommodation and experiences, which appear on
Source: visitdenmark.com/usa
the British, Spanish and German versions, does not appear on the US version.
There are only registering interactive functions on some of the sites, and these will thus be
specified in the individual analysis.

3. Message: the formal aesthetic function and the inexpressible aesthetic function
On the different versions of the site, the same shifting images are used on the British and
the Spanish version, whereas the German and American both have different images shifting
continuously. The sites thereby display different messages, which will also be specified in
the individual analysis.

In the promotion of a product, Würtz believes that it is possible to relate specific values to
such a promotion. The images on the “Welcoming Page”75, portrays examples of such
values. These images will portray some typical images of Denmark, according to the belief
of VisitDenmark, and these images will therefore also communicate a specific set of values.
These images are portrayed to all the first-time visitors and in accordance with Würtz these
values are used to promote something specific (see images below).

75
The page one enters when visiting visitdenmark.com for the first time and have to select a country of departure

Source: visitdenmark.com
30 / 60
The pictures are displaying a blond boy playing in the classical Danish meadows; a happy
family with the grandparents; a couple walking along side the sea; a happy couple in each
other’s arms and a boy jumping into a dock by the harbour. The images portray a Danish
lifestyle as being happy and content. This portraying of images is a tendency seen in LC
cultures, and emphasizes the fact that Denmark is a low-context culture and therefore
supports Würtz theory. As will we touch upon in the discussion, the images, however, show
the lifestyle in Denmark as being both an individualistic culture and a collectivistic culture.

4. Context: the referential function and the intertextual function


The use of a heart as the “home” button is a referential function. The image of a heart
should be familiar to all people, no matter country of origin, and is therefore what Thorlacius
refers to as ‘iconic’. The referential function is also created in the symbolism of love and
happiness, which VisitDenmark wish to evoke in the thoughts of their online-visitors. The
heart also portrays the image of the Danish flag, which is also a referential element trying to
establish a connection between these two.
Another referential function is the small flag next to “Change version”. This is a symbol of
the country/language chosen. Thus, if you enter the Spanish site, the Spanish flag will
appear.

5. Medium: the phatic function and the navigative function


Visitdenmark.com uses many bright colours and images, which, according to Würtz, are the
characteristics of a HC culture and often seen on Asian sites: “[…] the Asian sites […] seem
to take a montage/layer-upon-layer approach in their layout, using many bright colors, fonts,
and shapes”. This could influence the LC cultures perceptions of the site, but will be
discussed later.

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Source: visitdenmark.com/usa

The image above is the front page of the US version of visitdenmark.com and illustrates
many of the shared features. The consistent use of the same logo and the flags are all
phatic functions. The text/links also have the same colors no matter which language/country
one enters, and is therefore also a phatic function, which is characteristic for all the
versions. According to Würtz, the site should also communicate in a functional way and, as
we will return upon in our discussion, this is of course very subjective to who might look at
the specific site.

The navigative functions on the different sites are the many links, which, according to
Thorlacius, will assure a good contact between the addresser and the addressee. Another
navigative function is the possibility to select pages as “favorites”, which will make them
appear on the “My Pages” page – displayed in the upper right corner on all sites. It is
symbolized with a small heart, just as the link in the right corner is a heart.

When a user enters the ‘Welcoming Page’ for the first time, he/she has to choose the
preferred language. The browser will then remember the chosen language for the next time
the user wishes to enter the site, which can be argued to be a good navigative feature.

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However, if the user clicks on the wrong version it might become annoying to the user of the
site. The disadvantage is that the user then has to continuously press “change version” to
find the right version.

The menu bar on top of the banner, which continuously displays different images, is
consistent through all the versions and this creates a good overview of the site and the
visitor is always able to navigate between the different pages. This is, according Würtz, also
characterized as good transparency.

6. Code: The meta-communicative function and the inter-semiotic function


Basically, the inter-semiotic function is whenever the technical HTML language is used. In
all web-based communicative situations, HTML is of the basic tools for establishing the
ground for communication. There are no common features of meta-communicative
functions visible on the sites and the examples hereof will therefore be described in the
individual analyses.

The analysis of the mutual characteristics of the German, Spanish, British and American
version has shown the following:

o The site portrays both individualistic and collectivistic values


o The overall design is shared by all the versions
o Their logo is also the same and puts positive feelings to their product
o There is a good navigation on all the sites: they all have search engines and
many (different) links.

The analysis has shown that the different versions all share specific features and elements.
In order to illustrate the differences of the versions, the following will be individual analyses
of the Spanish, German, American and British sites.

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United States of America (US)
VisitDenmark offers two English language versions of the website, one for the American
market and one for the British market. The following paragraph will contain an analysis of
the specific part of VisitDenmark’s website concerning the US market.

1. Addresser: the expressive function and the emotive function


An expressive function is evident in the text in the banner on the top of the page, displaying
different pictures with an interval of a few seconds: “Spending your holiday in Denmark
means experiencing history and culture in a beautiful combination with gastronomy, trendy
cafés and exciting shopping”. This creates an image of Denmark as being cool and modern,
but in touch with its tradition and history.

2. Addressee: the conative function and the interactive function


On the US version of visitdenmark.com there are both conative and interactive functions
visible, which all encourages the visitors to interact with the website.

The registering function is where the visitor enters the US website,


as a questionnaire pops up and asks the visitor to take time for an
evaluation. To the right, the US version of the questionnaire is
illustrated. The questionnaire is used on several other language
version, but there is no clear consistency as to what countries get
the chance of evaluating the content of the site.

According to Würtz, the US is above the Scandinavian countries


among the low-context countries, but is still considered a low-
context country. Animations and other effects should therefore not
occur as much as on a website directed towards the UK market
and national markets of even higher context. As we have
mentioned above in both an analysis of the message and Source: visitdenmark.com/usa

addressee, animations are visible on the US website.

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3. Message: the formal aesthetic function and the inexpressible aesthetic function
Even though the US version contains several images and different colors, they are kept in
simple variations and this gives a very harmonic visual experience. According to Thorlacius,
harmonious pictures prevents confusion when looking at a website. The pictures represent
Denmark from an aesthetic perspective, reflected in the images of the ocean, the overview
of Copenhagen and the cooking picture with the red onion in focus. This function as a visual
description of Denmark, giving the visitor a possibility to get a picture of and experience
what Denmark might look like.

Source: visitdenmark.com/usa

The red color used for linked text is coherent with the color of the heart and the “Denmark”
text in the upper left corner. This consistency in the choice of text color provides a good
transparency and makes the design of the images easy recognizable.

On the front page, in the box “Inspiration” a lot of links to


further reading is given. For instance, you can go on and read
about “Gay Travel”, “Viking!” (give notice to the exclamation
point) and “The Good Life in Copenhagen” (see illustration on
the right).
As described in our theoretical paragraph on individualism and
collectivism, it is argued that North American cultures are
increasingly individualistic and calls for a clear and direct
communication. The direct communication tends to support a
liberal open-mindedness and visitdenmark.com communicates
very directly to the US market. The US version is more open
Source: visitdenmark.com/usa
towards a topic like sexuality, since they mention “Gay Travel”
twice on their front page. The direct approach does not try to cover up a topic like sexuality,
but does confront the visitor with the topic right away. It may be discussed whether it is valid
to assume individualistic cultures as being more open-minded than cultures of more
collectivistic character.

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4. Context: the referential function and the intertextual function
The ability to recognize iconic signs might be decreased on the US site, as the Danish flag
inside the heart might loose its referential function on the US website since many
Americans might not know how it looks like. There are not appearing any celebrities or any
other kinds of intertextual references on the US website. It could for instance be possible to
display a famous actor or actress and connecting this person to Denmark in some way.

5. Medium: the phatic function and the navigative function


The navigative elements, such as the use of links, are easy to use on the US version, just
as they are assumed to be on all the other language-specific pages. In the bottom of the
front page there is a link to the sitemap and also to a page on ‘accessibility’.

The many links and the amount of text on the front page ensure a high level of transparency
and the visitor can easily find the needed information.
Würtz notes that Scandinavian sites tend to be more functional in their design compared to
a more montage-like approach from Asian sites. It might be argued that the US version of
VDK’s website is functional and easy to use - it has all of easy-to-use navigational elements
and applies well with some of Thorlacius’ notions on usability.

6. Code: The meta-communicative function and the inter-semiotic function


When SAS is advertising on the front page of the US version there is an element of meta-
communication and VDK describes the picture with three words: “Convenience. Comfort.
Choice.” With the words VDK establish an image of flights being more comforting and
convenient than in other places of the world and it might be argued how this works and why
it is used towards the US market. Furthermore, the advertisement is a link to another VDK
site where you can get flight information and also book flights – a transactive function.

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The United Kingdom (UK)
The following will be an analysis of the UK version of VisitDenmark.com, which is the other
English version.

1. Addresser: the expressive function and the emotive function


The emotive function of the UK version is constructed in the text next to the shifting images:
the text encourages the user to explore further on the site. The text says “Find Inspiration
for Your Next Holiday” and this will also be commented upon under “Message”.

2. Addressee: the conative function and the interactive function


There are not any animated effects on the UK version. The only almost animated effect is
the shifting images. The addresser successfully meets the expectations of the British
addressee as to the use of animated effects on web, because: “Animated effects on Web
sites tend to be more prominent and elaborate in HC cultures than in LC Web sites”, and
Britain is characterized as a LC country.

The registering function is implemented on the UK version through element such as


competitions and game-quiz. These functions engage the interactivity of the tourists. There
are for instance two competitions on their site: one is with the
image of an elderly couple where the online guest can win a
cruise for two. This seems focused on, as the image
illustrates, the more elderly addressee. Whereas the other
contest the price is tickets to Legoland Windsor, more
focused on the families with children.
On the UK version is even already a British town entered in
the field where the tourist is travelling from, and a Danish
city is even also entered as the choice of destination (see
image). These effects are a good service to the tourists and
are interactive functions. Source: visitdenmark.com/uk

3. Message: the formal aesthetic function and the inexpressible aesthetic function
The UK version is a very colourful website. The text on the site is mostly in the colour red,
with the exceptions of the text in images and search engines. Almost one-third of the site

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portrays interactive images. The images show Danish people
all around Denmark, but they also illustrate Danish food,
places, monuments and similar. The same images can be
found on the Spanish version, but they differ from the images
on the American and German version.
Next to the images we see the text “Welcome to Denmark!
Find Inspiration for Your Next Holiday”. These words have the
function of reaching out to the senses and feelings of the user
who is the potential tourist in Denmark. The words however,
are not as expressive as on the Spanish and American
version.
Source: visitdenmark.com/usa

The United Kingdom is placed almost in the middle of the HC and LC cultures illustration;
this means that it is a country which holds both collectivistic and individualistic values, but
that the individual culture predominates. The UK version promotes for bed and breakfasts,
castles and manor houses (see illustration): castles play a vital role in English culture and
are symbols of great wealth and protection76. These attractions are e.g. not mentioned on
the US version.

4. Context: the referential function and the intertextual function


The British people have, due to historical reasons, a context of reference when seen the
Danish flag, thus the referential function is present in the heart on the British version.

5. Medium: the phatic function and the navigative function


The navigative functions are important on a website because it maintains contact and it is
important that links are created in a way that the user does not get lost. There are more
than 30 links on the UK-version. This includes all from “Map of Denmark” to “Sleep Well”,
“Active Holiday”, “Tourist Information” and so on. The amount of numbers could mean that
the user will get confused of lost, but fortunately no matter which link you enter there is
always the image of the heart and flag, which the user can click on to return to the front
page. The links are, however, placed in a good practical order, so in this case the many
links attracts the tourist/addressee. With the many links and search engines the site also

76
http://castles.draconian.com/english_castles.php

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has a fairly easy transparency, which according Würtz is important so it is easy for the user
to navigate around the site. The design of UK version is tabular - another characteristic of
the site being dominated by its Scandinavian origin.

6. Code: The meta-communicative function and the inter-semiotic function


The version also portrays an interactive image with the description “Welcome to Denmark!
[…]” and also “Denmark. Enjoy”! Which is an example of the inter-semiotic function on this
version.

Germany
The following paragraph will contain an analysis of the version of VDK’s website concerning
the German market. The German version of the website is also used for the Austrian and
Swiss markets, but the three versions are separated into individual sites.

1. Addresser: the expressive function and the emotive function


Certain elements on the site for the German market have been made especially for the site.
For instance, “Camping Dana”, a virtual informative game
and the “Dänemark-jingle” are available for download. This
brings a personal element to the site and makes them more
excited toward visiting Denmark. The relationship between
the addresser and the visitor is clearly made more informal
Source: visitdenmark.com/tyskland
with the ring tones and games and therefore the sentiments
evoked in the addressee might be more positive and it may be an intention from VDK to
take this perspective.
Another notion of special attention towards the German market is the advertisement for
“Barrierefreies Reisen”. In the section “Inspiration” the German site advertises for
extraordinary conditions for disabled traveling to Denmark. Through our analyses of the
different language-specific VDK sites, it is noted that a special section for disabled people
only occurs on the German front page. There is a certain expression connected to this, but
whether it is intentional or not is not possible to analyze.

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2. Addressee: the conative function and the interactive function
“Camping Dana” is an element of interactive communication. It encourages the addressee
to interact with the website and the addresser can obtain information about the visitors, as
the game asks one for name and email address after a game if finished. The game provides
one-way communication from VDK and to the German market, as it displays several
advertisements for Danish tourist sights in the game. In relation to Thorlacius’
communication model, the element of a game would be placed both within the consultative
element and the conversational element. There is mental interaction between the
addressee and the game, plus an opportunity for the addresser to exchange information
with the addressee.

The virtual game is one of the more distinguished features of the German, which is not only
aiming at entertaining, but also does have certain aspects of information to it. Würtz states
that animated effects tend to occur more often on sites for countries of high context.
Germany is the country placed lowest in Würtz’s model ranging from low-context to high-
context, so this is a conflicting notion. Why “Camping Dana” is an essential part of the
German site and not on other country-specific sites is not analyzable.

In relation to the consultative function, it is possible to choose different images of Denmark


and watch a “Dänemark-Filme” and “20 Dänemark Kurzfilme” and therefore choose
different contents from the site.

The transactive function is found in the flight booking on the


German site. Via Momondo.com it is possible to book flights to
Denmark through VDK’s website. On the German version of the
site, the flight booking is pre-adjusted to Berlin and Copenhagen,
and if you want to choose something else than Berlin, you get the
opportunity to choose between different German airports.

An element of the conversational function is on the front page of


the German site it is possible to visit a “Gästebuch” where people
Source: visitdenmarkcom/tyskland
can post tips and information about sight to visit in Denmark. This
gives the addressee an opportunity to share information with other visitors of the site.

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3. Message: the formal aesthetic function and the inexpressible aesthetic function
The German version of the VDK website does not mention the Danish cities on the front
page map, but if one hovers the map, the different regions will be revealed. This is different
from other version of the VDK website, where the big cities of Denmark are visible on the
front page map.

“Camping Dana” is a virtual informative game focused on a camping site and the small
games included are focused on how to camp and camping equipment. In the analysis on
the ‘intentions of the addresser – outside the product’ it will be interesting to see if VDK
promotes to a camping segment.

4. Context: the referential function and the intertextual function


The Germans, maybe of historical reasons, have the ability to easily relate to the Danish
flag and therefore it should be no problem for Germans to recognize the referential element
in the Danish flag inside the heart in the upper-left corner.

5. Medium: the phatic function and the navigative function


The German site does not contain a link to ‘Accessibility’ as the UK version, but it does
have a ‘Sitemap’ through which it is possible to obtain an overview the structure of the site.
The navigative functions are easy to use on the German version, just as they are assumed
to be on all the other language-specific pages. The many links and the level of text on the
front page ensure a high level of transparency and the visitor can easily find the needed
information. According to Thorlacius, a high level of transparency and easy-to-use
navigative elements increases the aesthetics and thus the visual communication is
improved.
According to Würtz, sites from low-context cultures tend to be more functional in their
design compared to a more montage-like approach from high context and Asian sites. The
German site has all of easy-to-use navigational elements and applies well with some of
Thorlacius’ notions on usability.

6. Code: The meta-communicative function and the inter-semiotic function


All the text on the German site has been specified for the German market, so there should
not be any fear of having trouble transcending cultural borders. For instance, the virtual

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game “Dana Camping” is encoded for the German market only which is a inter-semiotic
function.

Spain
The following will be an analysis of the Spanish version of visitdenmark.com.

1. Addresser: the expressive function and the emotive function


The text next to the shifting images differs from the British, American and German versions.
It is more precise about the experiences in Denmark, but it will be further commented upon
under ‘Message’.

2. Addressee: the conative function and the interactive function


On the Spanish version there is a link to a magazine, which opens in a
new window. This is a transmitative interactive function and is a one-way
communication. There is also the search machine which, as is also
characteristic for the other sites, is already preset with point of departure
and destination.
Source: visitdenmark.com/spanien

The conversational function, is present, but somewhat more hidden than on the other sites.
On the other versions there is an email address on the “front-page” of the chosen language,
whereas on the Spanish version one has to press the link “contact” in order to get the
required email address.
As on the other sites the transactive (interactive) function is implemented in the online flight
booking option on the site. As on the other versions the engine is preset with departure,
‘Madrid’, and the destination, ‘Copenhagen’.

Spain is placed on the higher end of Würtz’s model for HC and LC cultures and is
characterized as a high-context communication culture with somewhat collectivistic values.
There are no animated effects on the Spanish site which goes against the idea that
“Animated effects on Web sites tend to be more prominent and elaborate in HC cultures
than in LC sites”. It, however, stresses the fact that HC and LC communication exists in all

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cultures, but where the collectivistic and HC cultures would be presumed to be dominating
in the Spanish version, this is then not the case.

3. Message: the formal aesthetic function and the inexpressible aesthetic function
The Spanish version has, just like the other versions, a very simple but still very colourful
design. There are the same images as on the British version, but the pictures differ from the
German and American version.
The text, next to the shifting images, differs from the British version. The British version
merely said “Find Inspiration for your next holiday”, whereas the Spanish version is more
attractive: “Denmark is vacations for the whole family, it is pulsating cities with gastronomy
[etc.]”77 The text appears very luring, in
comparison to the British version, and is a
way of sending the message that Denmark
offers things for both the family and the
young couples who want to experience
good gastronomic food in pulsating cities. Source: visitdenmark.com/spanien

Presuming that Spain is predominantly collectivistic this would mean that they consider the
values and goals of e.g. the family as the most important. It is perhaps intentional that the
text, as mentioned earlier, next to the shifting images is addressed to the family: “[…]
vaccaciones para toda la familia […]”, because of the collectivistic values within the Spanish
culture.

4. Context: the referential function and the intertextual function


When VisitDenmark chooses to use the national flag in their logo, there is the danger that
not all the receivers will understand their intentions. One must assume that most of the
public know what a heart looks like, and the feelings attached to it. However, it is not
necessary that e.g. the Spanish population know what the Danish flag looks like. If
someone does not know this, they might not understand why their logo (“home”) has such a
design because they do not have the right context, thus the referential function might be
lacking.

77
The text is merely loosely translated

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There are no famous people present on the Spanish version, the models in the pictures are
merely random people, and thus, there is no intertextual function, besides the already
mentioned shared intertextual function, on the site.

5. Medium: the phatic function and the navigative function


There is a good phatic function on the Spanish site, as on the other versions on
visitdenmark.com. The use of photos are almost the same, they are all square or
rectangular. The content of the images differs from some of the other versions, as
mentioned and explained under “message”. As noted by Würtz, the Scandinavian sites
tend to be more functional in their design, but the Spanish version has the same phatic and
navigative function as the other (chosen) language-versions, therefore the aspect of
functionality according to the different cultures might be argued.

6. Code: meta-communicative function and the inter-semiotic function


On the Spanish version there is also a commercial for SAS it is, however, not as expressive
as the SAS-commercial on the American version. The text on the Spanish version merely
states “Vaccasiones en Dinamarca – vuela con SAS”, so the meta-communicative is not
present at the Spanish version.

The individual analyses have shown the communicative functions of the website
visitdenmark.com, according to Thorlacius and Würtz’ models for communication analysis.
The following is the highlights within the analyses of the American, British, German and
Spanish versions. The analyses illustrated that:

o The overall design is generally the same for all the versions
o The North American version portrays more values of individual character (e.g.
the element of “Gay-travel”)
o The British version uses communicative functions to reach out to certain market
segments: e.g. families and couples
o The German version seems to focus on the market segments of camping tourists
and families
o The Spanish version does not portray as many specific visual communicative
functions as the other analyzed versions

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In the following we wish to analyze the actual intentions of the addresser, VisitDenmark, by
investigating the relationship between the above-mentioned analytical data and the
intended communication on the website visitdenmark.com.

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The Addresser Outside the Product – Intensions of the Addresser
The analyses conducted to this point have been performed in accordance with the
analytical tool of Thorlacius’ model “inside the product”. The following will be an analysis of
the intensions of the non-virtual addresser: the intentions of the organization VisitDenmark.
This analysis has been enabled due to an interview with Palle Jørly Jensen, web editor at
VisitDenmark. As mentioned in our theory, Thorlacius does not clarify the intended
approach when analyzing the ‘intentions of the addresser’, thus, we have chosen to make a
comparative analysis. This analysis will investigate the features found in the previous
analyses compared with the intended communication of visitdenmark.com (all the versions).

The previous analyses found that the overall design and layout of the four websites is the
same. Jensen confirmed this during the interview because it became clear that the main
office in Copenhagen is in charge of the design layout of all the versions. The various
versions all use the same template, and thereby the overall design structures are the same.
The content of the different versions is however not the same which is because, as Jensen
commented upon, the respective VisitDenmark offices around the world are each
responsible for the content of the specific country’s website, (e.g. the German office has the
responsibility of updating the German version with new information). Their intention of
outsourcing this responsibility is to make sure that the different versions suit the local
culture. Jensen furthermore explains that the organization try to gather all the different
countries’ web editors every year and update them with relevant information to stay up-to-
date.

The individual analyses illustrated that the US version is the only version promoting the
Danish capital as “Gay Copenhagen”, and “Gay Travel”; the US version displayed great
focus on homosexuality. Jensen explains that the intended communicative aspect of
promoting ‘gay travel’ towards the North American market is due to market analyses and
research. Their market research has found that the North American, and especially the gay
segment in North America, is rather wealthy and also a segment of high cultural awareness,
therefore it is a communicative function with clear intentions.
The individual analyses also found that the German front page has its primary focus on
camping and the site contains, among other things, an informative camping game. The

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German version is the only version with such an interactive function implemented. Such an
interactive function is, according Palle Jensen, a definite intended act by the web editors;
“Al information på siderne er gennemtænkt, fra artikler til temaer, dette er med hensigt på
at møde brugernes krav og forventninger/ønsker”, Jensen states. VisitDenmark
continuously performs market analyses and research to meet their customers’ demands.

Jensen elaborates and says that the focus on markets geographically close to Denmark is
on families with children and their focus on individuality is apparent the more geographically
distant markets. This correlates well with the individual analysis of the US version that found
the focus on the US market more towards the individual whereas the focus on the German
market is towards the family segment – the camping family.

The British version also illustrated communicative functions aimed at certain segments.
Again, this is an intended function of the British website; VisitDenmark tries to adapt their
websites to suit the culture in question. The Spanish VDK site does not show any significant
or specific elements that stand out from the other versions. Jensen explains this by saying
that VisitDenmark has years of empirical knowledge about the Southern European
countries and how they prefer information about Denmark to be in their own language. We
will discuss this aspect alongside other points of discussion as found in the analyses.

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Discussion
The theoretical section on web usability illustrated that functionality of a website is important
to the users. One can argue that the organization VDK believes in both the aesthetics of
their website but also the functionality. However, they do not differ between the two
functions but tries to combined them, as their web editor states about their choice of colours
on the site: “Through our use of colours, we would like to illustrate Scandinavia as being
bright and airy – but the main office in Copenhagen will not instruct the other offices to
follow this criteria, it is up to the individual department to decide on their use of colours” 78,
states Jensen.
Likewise, they stress the importance of good accessibility. Jensen states that their job is to
make sure their visitors can easily find the information required79. All the versions of
visitdenmark.com provide a wide range of topics of information to the user, and they also
offer a search box, in which the user can search for any needed information. These
intended services are visible through their communicative functions, and are in accordance
with Cappel and Huang’s notions on web usability.

Web usability is, according Cappel and Huang, also about ‘user satisfaction’ and VDK is
aware of this element: “We have a high level of user satisfaction”80, says Jensen about their
knowledge of user experiences. The use of interactive images and other visual functions
establishes good contact with the user and thus their statistics on user satisfaction is
understandable. One can, however, argue that there are certain functions of their site that
are not taken into account and which might be improved. For instance, the use of rhetoric
on their front page could be improved: the text on the first page states “where are you
travelling from?”, instead of e.g. “which language do you prefer” or similar. According
Cappel and Huang, one must avoid such ‘irritating’ elements because the user might loose
interest and find another site. Jensen acknowledges this aspect: ”it is not unproblematic,
some misunderstand the question asked and some even leave the site because of the
confusion. We are aware of the problem, but we have not yet found a good alternative81” he
states in the interview. We recognize their problem and thus agrees with Cappel and Huang

78
Appendix 1: Question 7
79
Appendix 1: Question 2
80
Appendix 1: Question 4
81
Appendix 1: Question 5

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on the fact that there is still today ”a need to investigate this issue using a wider, systematic
approach”82.

In regards to the cultural aspects in the communicative functions of the sites, Würtz stated
that “…the Scandinavian sites are tabular and functional in their design … [whereas] the
Asian sites rather seem to take a montage/layer-upon-layer approach in their layout, using
many bright colours, fonts, and shapes”. One can however argue that her argument for
characterizing the Scandinavian sites as being functional and the Asian (and high-context
cultures) as not being functional is somewhat ambiguous. Würtz does not illustrate the
arguments for such a statement, thus the functional aspect of the sites can be said to be a
subjective perspective. As mentioned in the analysis of the US version it may be discussed
whether it is valid to assume individualistic cultures as being more open-minded than
cultures of higher collectivism, and the concepts of individualism and collectivism in regards
to online communication might be in need of a redefinition. The use of individualistic and
collectivistic cultures, when designing a website and communicating online, might not be
appropriate.

The analysis of the German version showed that the communicative focus was primarily on
camping which was a specific feature made only for the German market. Through the
interview with Palle Jørly Jensen we learned that VDK base their online communication on
market research and analyses:

“We regularly analyze our market segment in the country in question. It is not
without any consideration that we e.g. focuses on camping/holiday houses/active
holidays in Germany, this is a conscious choice since we, through our regular
analyses, experience that these forms of holidays are what the Germans prefer” 83.

The above statement by Jensen confirmed the analysis of the German version: the German
version had more expressive functions and interactive elements than some of the other
versions. The concept of visual communication is a fairly new concept in the academic
world of communication and Jensen acknowledges that the visual communication is not

82
Cappel et al. (2007): 117
83
Appendix 1: Question 3

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something they consider of high relevance84, which might be because the visual functions
on the website are limited due to their template, which is a technicality aspect. But should
VisitDenmark take the ideas of visual communication more into consideration in their
communicative functions of their website? The analyses illustrated that the visual functions,
such as the aesthetics and design of a website, also are communicative functions. Thereby,
the use of colour and graphics could be more included in their design considerations.

The theoretical paragraph of Würtz also illustrated that there are cultural values attached to
visual communications, which is verified in the way VDK outsource the design and content
responsibilities. Overall the aspect of visual communication is an important notion in online
communication and in achieving good intercultural communication. VDK does not have to
stick to the design conventions by Thorlacius and Würtz, but it might be a good idea to put
more emphasis on the visual content of their website.

84
Appendix 1: Question 9.2

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Conclusion
The increased use of the Internet brings vital attention to the concept of online
communication. Communication in an online setting is transcending geographical and
cultural boundaries, but there is still a need for understanding of the influence of culture in
regards to online communication. Our intensions with this project have been to show how
culture influences the communicative processes in a web-based context, and also to see
how websites relate to cultural diversity.

Through our theoretical paragraphs we have illustrated that online communication requires
certain communicative functions (such as expressive or aesthetic functions). We argue that
a new form of content has been established: the use of colours and images are forms of
communication, thus the theory of visual communication is an important notion in perceiving
online communication. Through our analyses we have illustrated that visitdenmark.com
contains many visual communicative functions as required in online communication. These
are displayed in their use of images, interactive element and the expressive feelings in a
text. However, the functions were found to be different and not the same on all the versions,
thus the communication of the sites differed, which illustrates that visitdenmark.com
displays elements of cultural diversity. There are cultural elements connected to online
communication which influences the understanding of visual communication.

The analyses of the different language versions on visitdenmark.com called for further
reflection. However, the interview and dialogue with VDK enabled us to analyze the
intended communication, as the model by Thorlacius proposed, and we could thus compare
the analyses with VDK’s intended communication. VisitDenmark’s intentions with the phatic
and informative elements were to adapt their communication to suit the local cultures of the
many country segments. Würtz believes that countries and cultures are different from one
another and that online communication thus must be adapted to suit the local culture. VDK
adapts their linguistic content to suit the different cultures, and chosen market segments,
but the visual content does not differ substantial in the communication. By outsourcing the
responsibility of the content on the different websites, VDK acknowledges the element of
cultural diversity which is, to a certain extent, visible on all the different language versions of
visitdenmark.com. An example is the German version in which we found that the content
and interactive functions are placed there to reach out to their chosen segments; the

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German children families. In return, the Spanish version did not have such interactive or
expressive functions, which can be explained by Spain being a high-context culture, but this
could also be due to the fact that VDK does not focus as much on the Spanish version as
the German.

We have found that visual communication is an important notion in the concept of


communication and that different messages will be perceived differently through the visual
communication. Thus, since VisitDenmark does not focus on the visual aspects, in regards
to communication, they could improve their use of visual communication by bringing more
diversity and individuality between the different versions, as the addressee will perceive the
information as more persuasive and personal. In the field of communication within tourism,
the linguistic aspect will continue to have an influence since the language of tourism is to
‘persuade, lure and seduce’ potential tourists.

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Bibliography

Books
Danet, Brenda & Susan C. Herring. (2007). The Multilingual Internet: Language, Culture,
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Dann, Graham M.S. (1996). The language of Tourism – A Sociolinguistic Perspective.


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Gudykunst, William B. & Young Yun Kim. (1992). “Communicating with Strangers. An
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Klopt, Donald. (1991). Intercultural Encounters. The Fundamentals of Intercultural


Comunication. Colorado: Morton Publishing Company.

Smith, Stephen L.J. (1995). Tourism Analysis: A Handbook. Essex: Longman Group
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Ting-Toomey, Stella. (1999). Communicating Across Cultures. New York: The Guilford
Press.

Turban, Efraim (2006). Electronic Commerce – A Managerial Perspective. New Jersey:


Pearson Prentice Hall.

Wood, Andrew F. & Matthew J. Smith. (2004). Online Communication: Linking Technology,
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Yin, R. K. (1994). Case Study Research: Design and Methods. Sage Publications

Journal Articles
Cappel, James J. and Zhenyu Huang. (2007). A Usability Analysis of Company Websites.
The Journal of Computer Information Systems, 48, 117-123

December, John. (1996). Units of Analysis for Internet Communication. Journal of


Computer-Mediated Communication, 1

Nielsen, Janni. (2002). Visual communication and interaction, Digital Creativity, 13 (2), 65-
70

Thorlacius, Lisbeth. (2002). A model of visual, aesthetic communication focusing on web


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Websites
Free Encyclopaedia. Scandinavian Tourist Board. Retrieved May 26, 2008:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scandinavian_Tourist_Board

The Organization VisitDenmark. Vision og Mission. Retrieved May 26, 2008:


http://www.visitdenmark.com/danmark/da-
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The Organization VisitDenmark. About VisitDenmark. Retrieved May 26, 2008:


http://www.visitdenmark.dk/uk/en-gb/menu/mice/services/om-
visitdenmark/aboutvisitdenmark.htm

The Organization VisitDenmark. Ledelse og Organisation. Retrieved May 26, 2008:


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Appendix
Appendix 1: Interview with Palle Jørly Jensen

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Appendix 1

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Telephone Interview with Palle Jørly Jensen
- web editor of visitdenmark.com
May 20th, 2008.

1. Hvem står for hjemmesiden og oversættelserne – og udformningen – af de


forskellige sprog-versioner I har på siden?
Palle: Portal-ansvaret har hovedkontoret (i København)  og kontorerne rundt omkring i
verden har det faktiske ansvar for indholdet på siderne. De ansatte på kontoerne er både
danskere og de respektive nationaliteter.
Årsagen til denne løsning: den danske version bliver ikke bare oversat. De bliver tilpasset
den enkelte kultur/marked.

2. Har I nogen interne retningslinjer for hvordan udformningen/designet skal være?


(Skal det være ens med fx www.visitaalborg.com?)
Palle: Det korte svar er ja. Det er et web-bureau har lavet et layout for hvordan
informationerne skal præsenteres på de pågældende sider. Tag fx bjælken ”storby-ferie”
det kalder vi en tema-side. Bureauet havde ”forarbejdet” løsningen på dette layout, som går
på at vi jo skal hele tiden give informationer til brugeren, et persuasive design; information
som brugeren måske ikke umiddelbart ved at de mangler. Vi prøver hele tiden at være
foran. Fx, når man bestiller fly, dukker der straks også et hotel-bookings vindue op – dette
er for at være på forkant med turisten ønsker og krav.
ALT information på siderne er gennemtænkt: fra den lille artikel til et ny tema, dette er med
hensigt på at møde brugernes krav og forventninger/ønsker.
Da det er en hurtig-voksende branche, kan det være svært at være på forkant, men vi
prøver i det mindste at ”følge med”.
VI ved at siderne ikke ser ens ud, men jo, der er ovenstående retningslinjer for hvordan de
pågældende sider skal se ud, men det er ikke et ”must”, men mere at turisterne for det info
de skal bruge.
Alle de udenlandske afdelinger får et skelet af VDK.com, som det pågældende kontor kan
”fylde ud” med diverse informationer. Derudover holder vi årlige møder, hvor at vi
gennemgår informationerne og designet, for hele tiden at være opdateret.
Fordele ved denne løsning = Man kan bruge hinandens indhold (CMS system/Microsoft)
Mapper+ undermapper  betyder at vi kan bruge hinandens tekster (connected page – alt
bliver opdateret på én gang). Vi sparer ressourcer.

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Ulemper = brugeren kan blive forvirret ved at blive ”ført” rundt. For mange ”links” kan gøre
at man mister brugeren pga. forvirring.

35 lokale afdelinger bruger nu en ASP løsning. Palle: Ellers ville det koste en afdeling
25.000kr (engangsbeløb) at ”købe” en side, derudover er der årlige betalinger, men på
denne måde sparer de små afdelinger også penge – man kan frit vælge og vrage mht.
indholdet.

Mathies & Sisse : Hvilke tanker har I gjort jer med henblik på indholdet af siderne?
Palle: Vi kan som eksempelvis se på, at vi har et tema der hedder golf, her tænkte vi: Hvem
tager på golf-ferie? Hvem besøger vores portal? Vi konkluderede selv at de ikke henvender
sig til den hardcore lystfisker eller golf-spiller, men mere at golf/fiskeri er et tilbud og/eller en
mulighed. Vi sørger for general og praktisk information til den ”almindelige” turist.

3. Hvem er målgruppen(erne) for jeres hjemmeside?


Mathies & Sisse: Hvilke overvejelser gør I jer om målgrupperne? Fx hvorfor så meget fokus
på camping på den tyske side? Laver I analyserer over dette?
Palle: Ja, vi laver løbende analyser over hvem vores målgruppe er i det pågældende land.
Det er ikke uden tanke at vi fx fokuserer på camping/feriehuse/aktive ferieformer på den
tyske side, dette er en bevidst valg fra vores side da vi, gennem markedsanalyser, erfarer
at dette er hvad det tyske folk foretrækker.
Vi fokuserer meget på børnefamilier i de nære markeder, og på den individuelle turist i de
fjerne markeder.

4. I ser ud til at have flere sprog-versioner end fx www.visitengland.co.uk: hvorfor


har I det større udvalg?
Mathies & Sisse: Er Jeres store udvalg kommet til løbende over tiden, eller har I altid haft
dette brede udvalg?
Palle: Det har altid været naturligt at vi har haft et sådan stort udbud. På de markeder hvor
vi er repræsenteret rent fysisk, ja, dette land henvender vi os også til sprogligt – dvs. på
deres modersmål.
Vi får høj tilfredshed fra brugeren, det er en fordel, at hvis man er fra Italien, så kan man
finde info på italiensk om Danmark. De lokale turistkontoer opdaterer guide-danmark.

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Kort sagt er det historisk betinget at vi har så mange sprog-versioner; det er en tradition at
vi altid har gjort det sådan. Vi ser det kun som en fordel at vi findes i de lokale-
sprogversioner, tag fx Sverige, man burde tro at de kunne ”nøjes” med en dansk-version,
men de fortrækker faktisk langt hellere en svensk version.

Mathies & Sisse: Hvornår startede I med idéen VisitDanmark.com?


Palle: Den første net-baserede løsning er fra sidst i 90erne, og før dette hed det
GuideDanmark – som vist nok har eksisteret i 22 år. Dog, var det dengang primært intern
information, men det var sådan en god idé at derfor vi valgte at gå videre med idéen.

5. På jeres ”forside” står der ”Where are you travelling from” – betyder dette at den
tyske version ikke blot er henvendt til tyskere, men til alle der blot er bosat i det
pågældende land?
Palle: Vi har haft det oppe at vende, da, som du (mathies) siger, også kunne spørge om
”hvilket sprog foretrækker du?”.
Det er ikke uproblematisk for os, enkelte misforstår det, og vi er opmærksomme på det, og
mange forlader også vores ”introduktionsside” pga. af netop dette, folk bliver forvirret – men
det er en problemstilling vi endnu ikke har fundet en løsning på. Hvis I har løsningsforslag
er vi åbne overfor nye forslag/idéer.

6. Gør I jer nogle tanker om kulturen, og evt. kulturforskelle, til det land I henvender
jer? (fx tyskland, Italien osv.?)
Mathies & Sisse: dette har vi faktisk lidt været inde på, da vi igennem denne samtale har
erfaret at det er op til de enkelte kontoer at konstruerer hjemmesiderne, sådan at de bliver
tilpasset til den ”lokale” kultur. Men alle kontoer/afdelinger drager vel nytte af fx jeres
markedsanalyser?
Palle: Jo helt klart, vi bruger hinanden meget. For lige at vende tilbage, det er ikke blot
informationer på hjemmesiderne der varierer, det er også sprog-brugen og retorikken i
sproget der bliver overvejet. Sprog-tonerne bliver tilpasset den enkelte kultur (Man er fx ikke
”dus” på tysk)
Mathies & Sisse: Ja, dette faldt vi over i analysen af den Amerikanske side, da der på den
Nordamerikanske side er ”gay Travel”…
Palle: Ja dette er bevidst, da det Nordamerikanske folk har mange penge, og især også det
homoseksuelle segment; så derfor er ”gay-travel” meget vigtig på netop denne version.

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7. Har I forskellige “looks” på de forskellige versioner?
– eller er det blot en fælles skabelon der er brugt til alle versionerne?
a. Hvis ja hvorfor?:
b. Hvis nej: hvorfor har I valgt en fælles skabelon til udformningen?
Palle: Det er en skabelon, men den er konstant under udvikling, nogle mere end andre. Det
er måske lidt en ulempe, da vores templates ikke giver plads til noget ”ekstra” – vi arbejder
hele tiden videre mod nye templates, så om bare 5 år er det ikke sikkert I ser to templates
der er ens. Som sagt, så er det et standardsystem, så alle har en palet med muligheder, der
er dog standarder for typografien og farvevalget. Med vores farvevalg vil vi gerne signalere
det ”lyse/luftige” Skandinavien – men hovedkontoret vil ikke diktere, det skal være op til den
enkelte afdeling/kontor.
Vi kunne godt have forskellige ”looks” på de forskellige versioner (da tyskerne fx nok ikke
besøger den danske) men for en god ordens skyld vælger vi at have en nogen lunde
ensrettethed omkring designet.

8. Hvilke(n) version(er) er de mest besøgte? (evt. statistik herover ville være


behjælpeligt)
Palle: Vi havde 1,4 mill besøgene sidste år (jeg sender jer lige statistikken) – Danmark er
helt klart den mest besøgte, dernæst kommer Tyskland.

9. Er der nogle versioner I er mere opmærksomme på at holde opdateret end


andre? Eller er dette igen, op til den enkelte afdeling?
Palle: Det er så vidt muligt op til den enkelte afdeling, dog, så har jeg selvfølgelig et budget
som bruges på diverse information og artikler – som primært kommer på den danske
version, de enkelte afdelinger har så den mulighed at de kan bruge disse artikler (og
oversætte dem) og indføre dem på de pågældende versioner, men vores fokus er på den
danske version.

9.2 I forbindelse med dette, bruger I flere billeder, eller visuelle reklamer/effekter, på
nogle og ikke på andre? Er I opmærksomme på det visuelle fokus?
Palle: Dette kan jeg desværre ikke svare så godt på, den svenske er mere visuel, dette er
et bevidst valg da den template de bruger tillader dette, hvor den tillader flere farver og
billeder.

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9.3 Er I afhængige af reklameindtægter?
Palle: Nej, vi bruger ikke banners eller annoncering. Der er ingen penge i de små
”promotions” der måske kan forekomme. Vi ønsker ikke at have reklame-banners på
versionerne.
Mathies & Sisse: Hvad med SAS-reklamen? Er det bare ren information?
Palle: Nah, det er mere en aftale, de får et lille billede, og vi får lidt firma-rabat til vores
medarbejdere, men det er ikke et banner på den måde at det er en fast indkomst – for det
er det ikke.
Vi har fx et online-booking system, som vores online-søsterselskab tager sig af, men en
ligefrem økonomisk indkomst er også begrænset.

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