‘Hey You, Thanks for Buying Our Stuff’: Language, Multimodality and Identity in Two Corporate Websites

Abstract

This chapter offers a comparative multimodal analysis of two cycle-component-maker websites. One represents Shimano, the global leader in cycle parts manufacturing, and the other Surly, an American niche brand that specialises in making affordable steel frames and parts, and targets budget-minded bicycle hobbyists. The comparison shows; how image, font and other effects, as well as the organisation of the page, work together to create very different corporate identities. It is tentatively proposed that, whereas Shimano evokes an aesthetic of engineered polish, Surly deliberately creates an anarchist-punk aesthetic that reflects its maverick position in the marketplace as part of the resistance against the tide of technological progress promoted by companies like Shimano. This extends to the humorous style used in employee blogs and even product manuals, which blend the functional organisation of a manual with the informal style of blogs and forums, such as the one discussed in the previous section.