Text design is a notion, which has so far not been investigated extensively in communication theory. However, or just because of that, it provides an interesting field of research. This dissertation focuses on the perspective of the communicator, the copywriter, who has to manage multimodal elements to achieve an inherently coherent design. Thereby an important part of business communication is included: the representation of corporate identity. Beiersdorf and L’Oréal are successful companies in the global health and beauty sector and are both market leaders in their respective countries. Using the example of their homepages, the main aim of this study is to show, how text design contributes to the purpose of image representation. Moreover, the perspective of the communicator is foregrounded, establishing a concept for copywriters to approach a text compilation process.
Under the aforementioned premise of showing to what extent text design features contribute to the purpose of presenting an intended image, the front pages of the two websites are analysed and compared. In order to initiate the analysis, a theoretical framework is constructed, which simultaneously serves two purposes: firstly, it is used as an analysing tool to approach the homepages in question and secondly, it is evaluated in order to ascertain whether or not this framework might be applied by professional copywriters in a text compilation process for websites.
The practical part shows that the intended image has a crucial impact on the way text is designed. The constructed framework proves useful as an analysing tool. However, the results emphasise that the focus in this project is far too narrow for practical implementation in a professional context. The outlook suggests an extension of the created framework in order to make it applicable as a supportive tool for copywriters.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 Rationale
1.2 The companies
1.3 Aims
1.4 Methodology
1.4.1 Literature review
1.4.2 Text design and its place in theory
1.4.3 Theoretical framework
1.4.4 Practical Analysis
1.5 Limitations of the study
2. Literature Review
2.1 Professional text production & text design
2.2 The role of the communicator
2.3 Audience analysis
2.4 Multimodal analysis
2.5 Design for electronic media
2.6 Visual Communication
2.7 Marketing & Corporate Identity
3. Text design and its place in theory
3.1 Clarification of terminology
3.2 Communication and linguistic theory
4. Establishing a theoretical framework
4.1 Audience analysis
4.2 Visual design
4.3 Use of Language
4.4 Dynamics
4.5 The reflection of corporate identity
5. Practical Analysis
5.1 The companies’ explicitly stated philosophy
5.1.1 Beiersdorf
5.1.2 L’Oréal
5.2 Evaluation and Implications for the text design
5.3 Applying the framework
5.3.1 Beiersdorf Home
5.3.2 L’Oréal Home
6. Evaluation
6.1 Findings of the analysis
6.2 effectiveness of the theoretical framework
7. Conclusion & Outlook
Objectives and Thematic Focus
This dissertation examines the role of text design within business communication, focusing on how multimodal elements on corporate websites contribute to the construction of a company's intended image. By analyzing the websites of Beiersdorf and L’Oréal, the study explores how copywriters and communicators manage text-image relationships to reflect corporate philosophy and values.
- Analysis of text design as a strategic tool in business communication.
- Investigation of multimodal communicative means and their impact on image reflection.
- Comparative analysis of website structures for leading health and beauty companies.
- Evaluation of theoretical frameworks for practical text compilation in a professional context.
- Examination of the interplay between graphic design, color, and written text.
Excerpt from the book
1.1 RATIONALE
The reason for choosing the topic for this dissertation was motivated by my wish to become a copywriter. Professional text production is therefore a field of personal interest for me. Which factors have to be considered when producing texts in a professional environment? This is one question I hope to answer in my dissertation. For this purpose I will look at an interesting field in business communication. In the focus of interest is the representation of companies with regard to the realisation of their company philosophy and image in the corporate design.
“Design is not decoration. It is communication.” (Evans, 1973 in Bucher, 2007, p.50)
The statement above reveals an essential assumption, which underlies this dissertation: Texts do not only communicate throughout their content, but also through the way they are designed. My studies made me aware of text design as an important dimension of text production, which is often neglected or not considered thoroughly enough. Likewise, the literature states that this particular field is not yet well explored. In particular, resources for professional writers are presently hard to find (Schriver, 1997, p.14). Although there has been research on professional writing, text design as an integrated notion, including other factors rather than purely aesthetical ones, did not establish itself before the 1990s (Bucher, 2007, p.50) and is still not empirically investigated enough.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the rationale for the study, introduces the selected companies (Beiersdorf and L’Oréal), and defines the core aims and methodology.
2. Literature Review: Provides an overview of professional text production, multimodal analysis, and marketing/corporate identity theories.
3. Text design and its place in theory: Clarifies the terminology surrounding text design and places the subject within linguistic and communication theories.
4. Establishing a theoretical framework: Develops a catalogue of questions used to analyze audience, visual design, language use, and dynamics on corporate websites.
5. Practical Analysis: Applies the established framework to the homepages of Beiersdorf and L’Oréal, evaluating their philosophy and visual implementation.
6. Evaluation: Discusses the findings of the analysis and assesses the effectiveness of the constructed theoretical framework.
7. Conclusion & Outlook: Summarizes the key insights regarding the role of text design and suggests future research directions.
Keywords
Text Design, Business Communication, Corporate Identity, Multimodal Analysis, Website Analysis, Beiersdorf, L’Oréal, Professional Writing, Audience Analysis, Visual Communication, Image Reflection, Marketing Strategy, Communicator, Web Design, Copywriting.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this dissertation?
The work investigates the role of text design in business communication, specifically how multimodal elements on corporate websites function to reflect a company's intended image and values.
What are the central thematic fields covered?
The study centers on text design, corporate identity, multimodal communication, website evaluation, and the professional responsibilities of copywriters.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to clarify the notion of text design, establish an analytical framework for corporate websites, and evaluate the practical utility of this framework for copywriters.
Which methodology is employed in the study?
The researcher uses a qualitative, comparative methodology, analyzing the websites of Beiersdorf and L’Oréal through a set of criteria derived from a critical literature review.
What does the main body of the work address?
The main body focuses on theoretical foundations, the construction of an analytical framework, and the application of that framework to examine the visual and textual strategies of the chosen companies.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include Text Design, Corporate Identity, Multimodal Analysis, Business Communication, and Website Analysis.
How do the two companies differ in their visual presentation?
Beiersdorf relies on a plain, simple design evoking everyday scenarios and trust, whereas L’Oréal employs a more sophisticated, elaborate design focusing on professional perfection and high-quality aesthetic appeal.
What is the role of the "Theoretical Framework" in the analysis?
It serves as an analytical tool, consisting of eight key questions that guide the inspection of elements like target audience, color symbolism, graphics, and interactivity on the company websites.
Why did the author choose Beiersdorf and L’Oréal?
Both are leaders in the global health and beauty sector, making them ideal subjects for a comparative study on how similar market objectives are translated into different website designs.
What is the author's final verdict on the framework?
The author concludes that while the framework is effective for qualitative analysis, it acts as a starting point and would require further extension to cover a holistic website evaluation.
- Quote paper
- Dorothee Müller (Author), 2009, Text design as a communicative means to represent corporate identity on company websites, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/159511
