IMAGINE THAT – DATORREKLAM SOM UTTRYCK FÖR SAMTIDA SAMHÄLLSIDEAL. En multimodal kritisk diskursanalys av 1980-talets reklambilder för persondatorer

Abstract

Until the 1970s, computers were primarily being used by universities, bigger companies or nationstates. With the invention of the microchip the average size of computers was reduced and they became more affordable, resulting in the creation of the microcomputer and eventually personal computers. The introduction of the personal computer was presented as being revolutionary due to their easy to use design and relatively low cost, which was imagined to permit democratization and decentralization among other things. This revolutionary aspect of personal computers can be viewed in light of the theoretical concept of sociotechnical imaginaries, first presented by Jasanoff and Kim in 2009. Sociotechnical imaginaries are presented as being contemporary shared visions of desirable futures which are expressed through powerful institutions, making them generally accepted in a society. The concept is also presented as being culturally and temporally specific. They are simultaneously a means for and product of technology, science and society. This study therefore aims to examine if, and if so how, the marketing of the media technology personal computers during the 1980s expresses contemporary shared visions of desirable futures. This is done using a series of questions; Which visions of desirable futures can be distinguished in the marketing of personal computers? What in the marketing of personal computers gives expression to visions of desirable futures through the use of technology? How are visions of desirable futures presented in the marketing of personal computers? The study's theoretical basis consists of sociotechnical imaginaries and multimodal discourse analysis. Methodologically, the study is carried out using a multimodal discourse analysis of personal computer advertisements from the United States of America in the 1980s. The advertisements were selected from the TIME article These Vintage Computer Ads Show We've Come a Long, Long Way based on a number of selection criteria related to the study's aim. Analysis of the five personal computer advertisements demonstrated that certain visions of desirable futures were especially distinguishable. Visions relating to individualism, portability and the opportunity-creation of owning a computer were noticeable in varying degrees in all five of the analyzed advertisements. These visions were presented through the choices of visual communication, linguistics and semiotics. It was also found that these visions correlated with the contemporary ideals of American society that the advertisements were created in. During the 1980s the cold war resulted in American ideals becoming increasingly focused on self-determination, independence and individualism. Portability can also be seen used as a means to embody the ideal of self-determination and an individual's power over themselves and their choices. The last of the prominent visions found in the advertisements combines the concept of both individualism and portability. The idea of the personal computer as being able to create unlimited possibilities is founded in both individuality and portability. The changes personal computers were presented as being able to achieve concerned multiple aspects of society. In summary, this study has showed that the advertisements for personal computers exhibited visions of desirable futures which were characterized by contemporary American ideals. This result is however limited by the specific spatial and temporal conditions established for this study. It is however interesting to note the possibility of similar phenomena regarding the relationship between sociotechnical imaginaries and the marketing of new media technologies in other contexts, which could make an interesting subject matter for further studies on the topic.