Do it for Spies Rejser: Audience Sensemaking of Provocative Advertisements in a Place Branding context

Abstract

The goal of this research is to investigate how the use of provocative place branding, by companies, influences audience engagement with national identity, from a sensemaking perspective. The study specifically investigates how audiences, in the case of residents of Denmark, make sense of provocative content and how it influences their sense of place and national identity.
The answered research questions are ‘How do audiences make sense of transgression of societal norms and taboos in place branding that use provocative advertising?’, ‘What role do humour, shock, and sexuality play in shaping audience perceptions of a place, and how do these elements affect the audience's national identity?’ and ‘How does the use of provocative messaging in advertising influence the relationship between company, audiences and the place being promoted?’.
The approach of the study is built on sensemaking theory, analysing how audiences
make sense of the provocative advertisements, place branding and nation branding to understand the strategic representation of place, and sense of place and national identity to explore the symbolic connection the place has to their country. Place branding is considered in a broader perspective, one where places are used to promote products and services and is a part of a commercial narrative that engage identity, culture and shared values, contributing to branding strategies across sectors.
The research questions will be answered through a study on the provocative advertisements created by the Danish travel agency Spies Rejser in 2014, 2015 and 2016. These ads used provocative messaging to promote charter vacations using a national concern that is Denmark’s low birth rate and life expectancy. Based on a qualitative research design, this study abductive analysis thirteen semi-structured elicitation interviews with Danish participants. A thematic analysis was used to identify patterns in the participants’ answers and understand their
sensemaking process.
The finding and analysis reveal that the provocative advertisements create a varied range of reactions, depending on the audience’s sensemaking and interpretation of national identity.
The audience makes sense of the norm transgression of the provocative ads through their personal values, cultural background and national identity. Humour, shock and sexuality played a central role in shaping perception and sense of place, especially with the use of Danish sarcasm, acting as a cultural filter that softened the provocative messages. Finally, this study has shown that provocative advertising can enhance visibility and engagement but can also damage the company’s reputation and audience backlash if the provocative messaging is misaligned with the audience values and lives experience.
This study is contributing to the field of strategic communication and place branding as it highlights the need to include the audience’s sensemaking processes and interpretations of provocative advertisements. Practical implications are expressed for companies that are planning on using provocative strategies, emphasising the risks and rewards of provocation, as well as the importance of cultural sensitivity when portraying place and identities through branding.

• author: Westh, Wilma
• supervisor: Jörgen Eksell
• organization: Department of Strategic Communication
• course: SKOM12 20251
• year: 2025
• type: H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
• subject: Social Sciences
• keywords: Keywords: Place branding, Provocative advertisement, Sensemaking, Sense of place, National identity, Nation branding, Audience perspective, Strategic communication
• language: English
• id: 9202900
• date added to LUP: 2025-06-23 09:53:42
• date last changed: 2025-06-23 09:53:42