Tallinna ja Tartu eneserepresentatsioon Euroopa kultuuripealinna kandidaadina
Date
2008
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Tartu Ülikool
Abstract
Description
The aim of the MA thesis was to compare the endeavor of Tallinn and Tartu to become
the European Capital of Culture in 2011 and to observe the difference between their
approaches to this goal. The research focused on communication channels, messages and
how they were perceived by the audience in both cities. In addition attention was paid
upon the commodification of culture and how much the economic aspects were visible in
the competition for the title.
The keywords for selected theories were culture marketing, consumer culture and popular
and high culture. The empirical materials consist mostly of normative and
implementation oriented research projects.
The empirical analysis of the thesis is based on two group interviews which were carried
out in Tallinn and Tartu and on in-depth interviews with the people who coordinated the
compilation of the bids in both cities. Additional interview was conducted with the
person who participated in the work of the commission making the final selection
between Tallinn and Tartu. Furthermore many different TV and printed advertisements
were analyzed.
The research questions for the thesis were following:
1. What was the difference in the communication of Tallinn and Tartu in the bidding
process?
a. What kinds of communication channels were used?
b. What were the main communication messages and how they were
perceived by the audience?
2. How much culture and place commodification occurred and how much the
economic aspects were visible in the competition for the title?
Summarizing the results of the research one can conclude that Tallinn and Tartu based
their campaigns on different platforms in visual design, choice of communication channels and –messages. Tallinn used more mass media and highlighted its strongest
sides like good geographic position and better infrastructure. Tartu organized a more
moderate campaign which focused on original ideas and tried to involve as many citizens
as possible.
The commodification of culture and places could be seen rarely in the communication of
both cities. The nature of the campaigns was rather informative. At the same time the
economic aspects of European Capital of Culture were clearly in the bids and in the
thoughts of informants.
To add a more practical dimension to the MA thesis advice based on theoretical and
empirical approaches is given for the organizers of the European Capital of Culture.
In future the imago of Estonia in the perspective of tourists and natives should be
analyzed before and after the year of 2011. In addition the success of European Capital of
Culture in Estonia could be compared to its forerunners in many different aspects.
Keywords
H Social Sciences (General)