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The social tricks of advertising

Facebook Discourse Strategiesof Luxury and Non-Luxury

Tour OperatorsIn English

Francesca BianchiUniversity of Salento, Lecce

Chemnitz 13-14 July 2018 1

The language of tourist promotion

• Images are an integral part (Maci 2013)

• Recurrent verbal techniques:

• Reference to an atemporal dimension (verb tenses; Dann 1996)

• Reference to a magical dimension (escape, forget, discover; Dann 1996; Pierini 2008; Manca 2017);

• Expressions of euphoria (extraordinary; Dann 1996; Gotti 2006; Pierini 2008)

• Expressions of social control (should, negative interrogative sentences and rhetorical questions; Dann 1996; Pierini 2008)

• Ego-targeting techniques (we, our, you, your; Dann 1996; Manca 2017)

• Metaphors and similes (Dann 1996; Mattiello 2012; Spinzi 2013; Manca 2017)

• Languaging (foreign words; Dann 1996; Cappelli 2013; Cesiri 2016; 2017).

These techniques have been attested in printed texts (e.g. Ernawati 2001) and websites (Pierini 2008; Maci 2010; Manca 2017). No study on Facebook promotion deals with this issue.

2Chemnitz 13-14 July 2018

Facebook

In 2012, it was already the main social media of tourist marketing, and its figures are growing.

(Wildfire survey, qtd. in Offutt and Schetzina 2012, 4-5)


Social media marketing

“Social media marketing is essentially about buildingrelationships. In order to build those relationships, it needs toenable and shape conversations. Social media marketers aretherefore conversation managers who develop methods tostrategically influence conversations.”

(Gretzel and Yoo 2014, 494)


FB as a marketing tool in the tourist industry

Marketing and tourism studies Linguistic studies

1. Zouganeli et al. (2011) : DMOs 8. Maci (2017) : airlines

2. Hays et al. (2013) : DMOs 9. Bianchi (2017) : luxury tour operators

3. Huertas and Marine-Roig (2016) : DMOs 10. Bianchi (2017) : non luxury tour operators

4. O’Connor (2011) : hotels

5. Minazzi and Lagrosen (2014) : hotels

6. Hsu (2012) : hotels

7. Leung et al. (2013) : budget airlines

DMO = Destination Management Organisation


FB as a marketing tool in the tourist industry (cont.)

Studies on DMOs• ‘likes’ were especially triggered by posts with photos or videos, while comments were triggered by

posts with a question, a challenging statement, a common wish, an important event [1]• Photos and videos generated the greater number of comments [3]• Interactive posts vary by supplier [2] [3]• Contents of post vary by supplier [3]• Suppliers use opinion polls, quizzes or games to generate comments [3]

Studies on hotels [4] [5] [6] : low levels of social interaction; duplication of traditional marketing habits

Studies on airlines [7] [8] : use photo competitions, guessing games, lucky draws and the like to create interaction; posts perform a range of functions

Empirical studies depict a variable scenario: different types of tourist service suppliers use differentcombinations of marketing strategies, thus showing different degrees of interativity.


Aims and Research Questions

• 1. How do tour operators use their Faceboook page? For what purposes?

• 2. Do they use it to promote their services and specific destinations? If so, how is this promotion realised linguistically?

• 3. What kind of relationship do they engage in with their prospective clients, and how is this realised linguistically?

To analyse the Facebook posts of tour operators posting in English

RQs


Materials

• Four international luxury tour operators using English as a lingua franca: Virtuoso (VIR; USA); Niche Destinations (ND; AU); The LuxurySignature (TLS; HK).

• All FB posts over 6 months (September 2016 to February 2017), including accompanying images.

• Three large non-luxury international travel operators based in English-speaking countries: Thomas Cook (TC; UK); House Of Travel (HOT; NZ), and Last Minute Travel (LMT; USA).


Methods

• Quantitative observation of multimodal and interactive features (links, hashtags, emoticons).

• Manual classification of posts by content.

• Quantitative and qualitative analysis of the pictures and videos(Visual Grammar; Kress and van Leeuwen 2006).

• Linguistic analysis of the Destination posts, by corpus methods:• Keyword extraction (Wmatrix) and keyword analysis.

• Frequency and distribution of features that express a direct dialogue between addresser and addressee: first and second person pronouns and possessive adjectives; imperative forms; and questions.


Visual grammar

Narrative images picture actions and events, reactions, and speech or mental processes while they are taking place.

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Conceptual images picture participants not as actors of a contextual process, but as subjects of a general or universal value, to be observed and admired in their essence.

Wmatrix (Rayson, 2003)

A corpus analysis and concordancing tool that differs from other tools:

• Recognises multi-word expressions (e.g. New York; take a look; in

love; or as well as) as units of meaning.

• Integrates POS tagging software for English texts (CLAWS; Garside and

Smith 1997; error rate of only 1.5%).

• Integrates some reference corpora, including sub-sets of the BNC.

• Offers a range of parameters to fine-tune statistical comparisons.

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Keyword extraction

• By comparing two frequency lists

• Keywords = words with a statistically, unusually high or low frequency in the given corpus compared to a reference corpus.

• The reference corpus is important. Some suggest that any reference corpus may yield interesting results (Scott and Tribble 2006, 65), but difference reference corpora will provide different results (see for example Fischer-Starcke 2010).

• Keyword analysis allows researchers to assess the contents of a corpus in terms of themes (e.g. Scott and Tribble 2006; Gabrielatos and Marchi 2011), structure and style (e.g. Fischer-Starcke 2010).

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Frequency and distribution of specific features

• 1st and 2nd person pronouns and possessive adjectives:

POS tagging.

• imperative forms: POS tagging.

• Questions: MS Word, automatic search for question

marks.

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Multimodal and interactive features

Luxury operators

• Links to external pages: variable• CT: 2% • ND: 9%• VIR: 41%

• Emoticons: rare• VIR and ND: 0• TLS e CT: an average of 0.1-0.2

• Hashtags: frequent• ND and VIR: an average of 1-1.26• CT: average of 26.5 of tags per post

Non-luxury operators

• Links to external pages: frequent• TC: 56% • HOT and LMT: 23%-26%

• Emoticons: frequent• TC: 0.6• LMT: 1.5• HOT: 0

• Hashtags: rare• TC: 0.07• HOT: 0.14 • LMT: 0.6

EMPATHY

ORDER; ‘CATALOGUE OF DESTINATIONS’


Posts by content (%)Luxury operators Non-luxury operators

VIR ND TLS CT TC HOT LMT

Destinations 72 91 74 99 52 67 45

Tips 8 12 1

Catalogues 1 4 1

Testimonials 2 6 1

Season’s greetings 2 1 1 1

Solidarity 2

Celebrations 4 3 4 2

Information 1 9 3 4 2

Self-reference 8 1 1 10 13 1

Surveys 13 4 11

Offers 4 14

Cross-references 9

Comments 7 12

Other 7 4 3


Pictures and videos

Luxury operators

• Type of visual: • Single photo: 89%• Multiple photo: 9%• Video: 2%• No image: 0%

• Type of photo• Narrative: 16%• Conceptual: 81%

• Videos• The very few ones are video ‘postcards’


• Type of visual: • Single photo: 68%• Multiple photo: 7.7%• Video: 20.6%• No image: 3.4%

• Type of photo• Narrative: 28.2%• Conceptual: 67.7%

• Videos: • 360-degree photos.• Very short videos showing a single action over and

over again.• Videos showing tourists engaged in some type of

activity.• Slide shows/videos of places, accompanied by text.• Slide shows/videos solely containing written text.

The viewer is agent. Videos aim to engage viewers in action or make them identify with the agents in the pictures

catalogue


Destination posts – Linguistic analysis

Keyword extractionWmatrix

Top 100 positive keywords (by LL + %diff); negative keywords, ifnecessary

- vs. various parts of the BNC: aboutness; suggestions about the positioning in the written-spoken/formal-informal continuum

- Luxury destination posts vs. Non-luxury destination posts

- vs. corpus of tourist websites (Manca 2017): vs. other forms of online tourist promotion


Destination posts – Linguistic analysisvs. BNC sampler

• Aboutness: tourism and travelling

• Typical verbal techiques• Euphoria terms: perfect; best; spectacular; stunning //

unlimited; unbelievably; galore; perfection• Expressions of social control: enjoy // take a look.• Evocative descriptions: luxury; luxurious; authentic;

elegant; exclusive, unique // picturesque; iconic; stunning; spectacular, lush; glorious; seductive; thrill; breathtaking; captivating.

• Reference to a magical dimension: enchanting; fairy-tale; fantastic (only vs. BNC written informal)

• Reference to discovery and adventure: discover; adventure; experience; explore (solo vs. BNC spoken).

• Ego-targeting: you’ll; your // connoisseurs• Metaphors: gem; icons; treasured; unveiling (only vs.

BNC written informal)

• Function words appear as underused keywords in allkeyword lists

• Aboutness: tourism and travelling

• Typical verbal techniques:• Euphoria terms: filled (with).• Expressions of social control: step. Always followed by a number,

this word indicates a series of suggestions (e.g.: “Step 1: Find a friend; Step 2: Grab a boat; Step 3: …”)

• Evocative descriptions: luxury/luxurious; picturesque; iconic; sea(stunning/spectacular/undisturbed sea views).

• Reference to a magical dimension: magical; dream; enchanting.• Reference to discovery and adventure: discover; venture.

Remaining kws:

• Vs. BNC written informal: includes function words(overused items): you; n't; what; why; 's; 've; yours; want; get; here; do; 're and phrasal verbs: go_on; miss_out

the posts are closer to spoken than written informal communication ? a style of their own?

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Non-luxury operatorsBNC spoken // BNC writ informal

Luxury operatorsBNC spoken / BNC writ. Inf. / BNC writ. / BNC CG business

Chemnitz 13-14 July 2018

Destination posts – Linguistic analysisLuxury vs. Non-luxury operators

Luxury operatorsNon-luxury operators

• Direct dialogue with users: we, us; you, yourself;

yours; our; not, n’t; yes; interrogative pronouns; imperatives

• Indicate references to the image or link

• Prospective clients are constantly spurred to

act or express opinions: imperatives

• Social role of FB: friend; tag

• Advertise hotels

Involvement and interaction catalogue

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• Evocative terms: unique, authentic, special,

elegant, or famous

• Travelling as an unforgettable experience

• Luxury travel as a lifestyle

• Advertise countries, islands or towns

• Destinations are described solely in evocative

terms: ideal; perfect, …

• Presented as all-inclusive or with ref. to target

market: family, all, suit

• The only ‘technical details of booking’ are

deposit and method of payment

• Destinations’s characteristics and services

• Instructions and suggestions on how to book;

• Detailed information of the offer (e.g. price,

discounts, advantages, deadlines);

• Set phrases used that classify the type of offer

Chemnitz 13-14 July 2018

Destination posts – Linguistic analysisvs. tourist promotion websites

Luxury operators

• No function words

• Content words:• Names of tour operators• Names of destinations• Types of destinations• Offer details (price, deadlines,…)• List of facilities• Booking details• Luxury terms


Same results as vs. Luxury operators

Greater involvement of the reader and interactivity Different content, but same style


Dialogue between addresser and addressee

Destination posts Other posts% frequency on tokens We

ourYouyour

AllPron.s

imp.V.s

Weour

Youyour

AllPron.s

imp.V.s

Luxury – mean values 0.35 1.9 2.27 2.34 0.25 2.43 2.68 1.42

Non-luxury –mean values 1.7 3.7 5.39 3.43 6.88 4.73 11.61 3.51

Destination posts Other posts

% distribution acrossposts

pron.s imper. interr. nothing pron.s imper. interr. nothing

Luxury – mean values 48.46 53.73 10.96 23.2 58.33 66.03 36.97 29.38

Non-luxury –meanvalues

62 48.22 43.46 13.74 80.24 41.25 45.74 12.59

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Imperatives


• invite users to go beyond the post [1-3]

• describe the travel experience in terms of an adventure, or describe the results of the travel experience [4-10]

• spur users to go on holiday [11-15]

• suggest activities to do on holiday [16-21]

• invite to take a quiz, do a survey, share, tag [22-25]

• Illustrate the pros of reserving with XXX [26-28]

• Invite users to book now [29-30]• Invite users to reach the destination [31-32]

Luxury operators

• invite to contact a consultant [33]

• invite users to go beyond the post [34-38]

• illustrate the pros of reserving with XXX [39-40]

• introduce the destination [41-44]

• describe the results of staying at the given destination [44-46]


Questions


• What are you waiting for:

• Why not…:

• What [is]/[are] [your favourite…]/[the best advice…]/[your plans…]? Tell us

• How many of these…:

• How [fun] does xxxx [sound]

• How about…

• [How does]/[Does]/[Doesn’t] XXX [look]/[sound]…

• Have you [ever] …

• Is XXX [doing_something_to_you]

• Are you…• Is

Luxury operators

• What about [having fun at][a trip to]: invitation/spur

• What can be better than…: rhetoricalquestion/suggestion

• Can you imagine…: invitation/spur

• Have you ever…: question/spur

Rhetorical questions or invitations aimed atsuggesting and spurring

Much greater creativity/variety in non-luxuryposts + Some real questions!


Personal pronouns and adjectives (we; us; our)


Operators as:

• on a par with their customers [47-51],

• suggestion givers [52-54]

• owners of unique destinations and offers [55-57]

• information providers [58]

• interlocutors in a virtual conversation [59]

Luxury operators

• Testimonials [60-61]

• Operators as

• owners of unique destinations and offers [62-64]

• suggestion givers [65-66]


Personal pronouns and adjectives (you; your)


Clients as:

• customers with specific tastes, feelings and desires [67-71]

• suggestion receivers [72] whose needs are well known to the travel agent [73] and who will receive tailor-made offers [74]

• great travellers [75] and holiday makers [76] who know the world well [77]

• used to make the client feel special [78-79], or to spur them to set off [80-81]

Luxury operators

Clients as:• receivers of special offers [82-

85]• suggestion receivers [86-87]• customers with specific tastes,

feelings and desires [88-90]• used to spur clients to set off

[91]

Focus on offers and descriptions of destinations

Focus on clients26Chemnitz 13-14 July 2018

Conclusions

Both non-luxury and luxury tour operators use FB as a promotional means.

Their posts share some similarities:

- ample use of conceptual images

- ample use of verbal techniques typical of touristdiscourse (similar verbal techniques)

- partial overlap in the way they relate to clients


Conclusions

But are also marked by prominent and important differences in the:

• ways they use the Facebook page

• types of destionations they offer

• ways in which they promote destinations

• ways in which they relate to customers

• variety/creativity they show in the posts


Conclusions

The data suggest that

Luxury operators: catalogue of well-detailed offers; resemble otherforms of tourist promotion (websites)

Non-luxury operators: posts are aimed at building relationships and shaping conversation

Both visual and textual elements concur to these aims.


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