American Cultural Perceptions of Wind Energy
An Exploratory Study of Holistic Branding
Lauren Bolinger, Martha Bettina Jensen, Lisa Sutherland
Culture, Communications and Globalization
Aalborg University
8th Semester
28 May 2009
59 pages, 128.743 characters
Table of Contents
1. Introduction (Lauren Bolinger)
3
2. Methodology (Lisa Sutherland)
2.1 Values and Orientation
2.2 Methods
2.3 Respondent Characteristics
2.4 Methods of Analysis
2.5 Ethical Considerations
2.6 Comments on Methodology
2.7 Discussion on Methdology
6
6
7
10
10
11
12
13
3. Theory (Martha Bettina Jensen)
3.1 International Market Communication in an Intercultural Perspective
3.2 Cultural Influence on Perceptions of Wind Energy
3.3 Overall Branding and Holistic Branding Theory
3.4 Brand Value and Secondary Brand Associations
3.5 Theoretical Considerations on Corporate Web sites
3.6 Summation
3.7 Discussion on Theoretical Limitations
15
16
17
18
20
20
22
22
4. Background Information (Lauren Bolinger)
23
5. Interview Analysis (Lauren Bolinger, Martha Bettina Jensen, Lisa Sutherland)
5.1 Associations with Wind Turbines
5.2 Current Public Perceptions
5.3 Knowledge of Vestas
5.4 Knowledge of Competition
5.5 Perceptions of Market
5.6 Additional Topics for Analysis
5.7 Summation of Interview Analysis
Fall
31
32
35
38
40
42
44
45
6. Interview Discussion (Lauren Bolinger)
6.1 Basic Brand Differentiation Strategies
6.2 Brand Differentiation through Secondary Brand Associations
46
46
47
7. Analysis of Vestas Website (Lauren Bolinger, Martha Bettina Jensen, Lisa
Sutherland)
7.1 Overview of Vestas Website
7.2 Modern Energy
7.3 Analysis of Modern Energy
7.4 Summation
51
52
54
55
57
8. Overall Discussion (Lauren Bolinger, Marthan Bettina Jensen, Lisa Sutherland)
57
9. Conclusion (Lisa Sutherland)
58
2
08
1. INTRODUCTION
Vestas Wind Systems, a Danish wind turbine manufacturer that has long been
regarded as a market leader in their respective industry, is currently facing new
competition both in Denmark and abroad that is challenging their market share. Some
of the company’s biggest competitors, for example Dong Energy and Siemens
Windpower, are in a close run for Vestas’ position. In fact, recently Dong won a USD
$20 million contract with Siemens Windpower for building offshore wind farms in
Northern Europe1. Vestas is therefore facing unusual trouble on the market, especially
as stocks decrease due to the global economical crisis2.
It is inevitable that competition will grow, as climate change continues to move to the
forefront of private and governmental agendas worldwide, countries increase
investment in clean energy, and businesses begin to respond to this demand. Vestas is
currently working to maintain their standing amongst the competition, including
improvements to their marketing strategy and customer focus3. Some main issues that
Vestas face in their communication strategy are an issue of adaptation to specific
markets and differentiation among competition4. This then raises the issue that Vestas
should seek to understand what strategies can be implemented to develop a holistic
brand, one that reaches out to each market and allows the company to differentiate
itself from the competition within those markets.
In beginning to examine Vestas in this way, the focus will zoom in on the market in
the United States. This is a market of particular interest in terms of wind energy; over
the course of the next 10 years, the newly elected President Barack Obama has
pledged to invest $150 billion USD in order to jump start private sector investment in
clean energy sources5. It is also a market within which Vestas holds a strong
1
http://epn.dk./brancher/energi/alternativ/article1624317.ece 20-03-2009.
Taken from conversation with Manager Thomas Rune Pedersen, Vestas A/S – Control Division, HammelDenmark.
3 http://epn.dk/brnacher/energi/alternativ/article1636426.ece. 20-03-2009.
4 Refer to transcript for Interview, Respondent #2, Appendix p. 27, lines 270-271
5 Barack Obama and Joe Biden. “Barack Obama and Joe Biden: New Energy for
America”http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/factsheet_energy_speech_080308.pdf [Accessed 28 March 2009].
2
3
reputation for producing quality products6. Lastly, it is a market with a strong demand
and interest in wind energy on the whole7. These points, therefore, represent an ample
opportunity for the expansion of wind energy in the United States and for Vestas to
maintain the position of America’s market leader.
Therefore, the specific problem to be examined is stated as follows:
How can Vestas adapt its overall brand to the American market, in order to
differentiate itself clearly from the competition and to continue to ensure its
position as the market leader?
From there, theories of branding and cultural perceptions will be applied to first
understand American cultural perceptions of wind energy and knowledge of Vestas
within the American energy market. In order to gather these perceptions, interviews
will be conducted with individuals from the non-profit, government and private
sectors. Once gathered, these perceptions will be compared to the way Vestas
currently markets itself within the American market by analyzing the content of
Vestas’ corporate web site.
For the purpose of analysis the problem can then be broken down into three main
research questions:
1) How is Vestas currently marketing its brand in the U.S. and are they clearly
addressing the perceptions/values of the American market?
2) Looking at the U.S. as an expanding market for clean energy8, in particular
wind energy, what are general American cultural perceptions of wind energy?
3) Do American organizations/agencies that deal with clean energy have any
previous knowledge or perceptions of Vestas? If so, what are these views and
how do they perceive Vestas and its role in the American market?
These three questions are important to examine because the information gained will
allow for the comparison to be made between the way Vestas brand is currently
marketed in the U.S., and how the United States, through the lens of various
American organizations and agencies, perceives wind energy in general and Vestas’
6
Based on information gathered from the six interviews. Interview transcripts can be found in the Appendix
between pages 1 - 126
7 Interview transcripts in Appendix, ibid. pages 1-126
8 Global Wind Energy Council. “Global Wind 2008 Report”
http://www.gwec.net/fileadmin/documents/Publications/Report_2008/Global_Wind_2008_Report.pdf [Accessed
28 March 2009]
4
position in particular. The main assumption on the part of the researchers is that
Vestas has pursued a global strategy9, marketing themselves and their products
globally without adapting to foreign markets. Therefore, in comparing American
perceptions to Vestas’ market communications strategy (via their web site), any
discrepancies that may exist will be evident and suggestions will be made as to where
Vestas may be able to improve their web site, thus strengthening their brand.
The interviews mentioned earlier will comprise the main portion of our methodology
and will be constructed based on ideas taken from the three research questions
mentioned above, seeking to gather perceptions from individuals across the three
different sectors (non-profit, private and governmental)10. Keeping in mind that this is
an exploratory study, based on the small numbers interviewees, – only six interviews
were conducted – the questions will address associations with wind turbines, general
perceptions of wind energy, knowledge of the competition, knowledge of Vestas, and
perceptions of market.
Gathering these views across all sectors is extremely important because of the amount
of different stakeholders involved the wind industry in the U.S. In fact, within the
promotion and development of wind energy, each sector plays its own vital role. The
non-profit sector most often seeks to provide research, data and education (both for
and against wind energy). The government seeks to provide the tax incentives, the
regulatory framework, and the infrastructure for development. Lastly, the private
sector seeks to make the connection between landowners and developers, as well as
developers and manufacturers, in order to assess locations and resources, increase
investment, boost production and turn a profit11. These varying viewpoints will cover
a wide range of players within the wind energy industry and will ideally give us a
thorough picture of current perceptions.
It is therefore believed that Vestas can employ this information to further develop the
Vestas brand, as they seek to differentiate themselves from the competition, to take
9
Frandsen, Johansen, and Nielsen: International Markedskommunikation, p.253
Sargeant: Marketing Management for Nonprofit Organizations, p. 5
11 Interview transcripts in Appendix, op cit. pages 1-126
10
5
hold of a growing market and to maintain their status as one of the wind turbine
industry leaders in the U.S.
2. METHODOLOGY
2.1 Values and Orientation
The researchers have a social constructivist approach to understanding the problem
and a hermeneutic approach to the research design12. The necessity for finding an
alternative source of energy is a pending issue that needs to be addressed socially
within the foreseeable future. The research process was composed of gathering data
on perceptions of the market through interviews. The relationship between the
branding of wind energy in the states and the branding of wind energy from the
Danish company Vestas was examined. An understanding of the viability of Vestas
as the market leader in the U.S. was gained through a process of triangulation.13
Triangulation was achieved using the cultural perceptions gathered from the
interviews, and comparing that information to the branding of Vestas as exhibited by
their website. This process allows for an understanding of the compatibility of the
Vestas brand with the US wind energy market.
The researchers have a set of guiding assumptions and values prompting the
formation of the research questions and therefore the process by which the problem is
studied.

Fossil fuels as an energy source are non-renewable necessitating an
alternative clean energy source.
 Wind energy is a viable solution for this clean energy source.
 Denmark is the worldwide leader in wind energy, and that Vestas is the
leading Danish wind turbine manufacturer14.
 The U.S. market is in need of an alternative source of energy.
 There is a long history of wind energy use in the U.S. and there is
currently a market for wind energy.
This orientation has guided the researchers throughout the research process, beginning
with the literature review.
12
Bryman: Social Research Methods, p.11
Bryman, Ibid. p.9
14 www.vestas.com [Accessed May 2009]
13
6
The available literature on the background of wind energy in the U.S. is limited
within the scope of this analysis; Robert Righter’s was used as it is one of the only
comprehensive texts available on this subject15. This text describes the development
of wind energy from early agricultural uses to large scale utility wind plants in use
today. The information gained from Righter’s book supported the researchers’
assumptions.
2.2 Methods
As described by Bryman, the nature of the research problem and research questions
lead naturally to methods and data generation16. In this project the research problem
and questions lead naturally to perceptions of the American market. The U.S. is
currently an emerging market, which is determined by those who have the capital to
participate in the market; most likely private investors and project developers
supported by government tax incentives.
Originally, the research design included email surveys sent to relevant organizations,
predominantly smaller NGOs, and conducting supplementary semi-structured
interviews. The assumption was that these organizations, especially those involved in
education and advocacy would have the most current information on the perception of
the energy market17. Due to geographical location and the number of organizations
contacted, the most appropriate manner of accessing these NGOs was email, therefore
an email survey was originally proposed.
The survey questions were based on review of the literature, flowing from
information gathered from primarily historical references18. For example, the
knowledge that historically most wind farms in the U.S. were small private
enterprises primarily related to farming, and that over time the use of wind energy has
been adapted for utility scale use lead to the question “What associations do you have
with the image of a wind turbine?” Questions were discussed by the researchers and
were chosen based on consensus. The survey questions were then organized using
GoogleDocs’survey tool and posted online.
15
Righter: Wind Energy in America
Bryman, op.cit, p.395
17 Bourdieu as cited in Bryman, Ibid, p.6
18 Included in Appendix 7 p. 127
16
7
Questions from the survey were designed with a few guiding principles. The survey
should be short, easy to read and understand, and elicit as much information as
possible within five questions. Questions for the interview were designed with the
understanding that the questions from the survey would be used as background
information; the additional interview questions would allow for more precise and in
depth answers. The interview questions are listed as follows19:
1) What is your job? What is your role in working with wind energy?
2) What is the focus of your organization? (Clarify sector)
3) What adjectives come to my mind when you see the image of a wind turbine?
4) Do you think this image has become sort of an icon?
5) What do you believe the current public perception of wind energy is in the United
States?
6) Do you think there are misconceptions? What are they? How can we rectify these
misconceptions?
7) What general communication strategies does your organization employ to promote
wind energy?
8) What do you find most effective? What programs have been effective?
9) What do you think is the most effective communication strategy?
10) Which wind energy companies are you familiar with? Have you worked with
any?
11) Do you have a relationship with any wind energy companies?
a. What do you know about them? What are your views?
b. Are you familiar with Vestas? How do you perceive them and the work they
are doing?
12) Who invests in wind energy?
13) Who actually buys the product, the turbine?
14) Where do you believe investment in wind energy should come from and why?
15) Looking at the current state, long-term viability of wind energy in the American
market?
16) What does he think the new administration’s promise of investment in clean
energy means for the wind energy industry?
After the questions were decided upon and organized in a logical flow, the NGOs
were found using the Google search tool, using the terms “wind energy”, “non-profit
organizations”, “clean energy”, and “U.S.A”. The sample of the organizations ranged
from environmental with a division devoted to wind energy to being entirely wind
energy focused. They were chosen in a manner of sampling similar to convenience
and a list of 30 organizations was compiled. These organizations were contacted in
the following process.
19
Included in Appendix 9 p. 129
8
First, all of the agencies were called as an attempt to build rapport and ask for
participation in the survey. If they agreed to the survey, it was then asked if another
member of the organization would consent to an interview. The link to the survey was
emailed to those who agreed. Although there were a great number of people who
agreed to respond to the survey, only three actually responded. Lack of time by
overburdened workers is perhaps the best explanation for this lack of response; an
email survey is too easy to ignore20. However, the first respondent agreed to an
interview and referred four others who agreed to be interviewed. All respondents
except one that were interviewed were referred by Respondent #1.
The survey questions were decided upon first, stemming from the literature review.
The interview questions were then designed to delve deeper than the survey to add
even more perspective than the surveys might have allowed. These questions were
used as the interview guide21.
The interviews were conducted over the phone using Skype. There were six
interviews ranging in time from 20 minutes to over 1 hour. Audio recording took
place using the software program Garage Band. The respondents gave their consent
to the interview through either phone or email during the initial contact. The
interviews were conducted in a semi-structured manner. An interview guide was used
during the interviews, with the questions described above. The questions allowed the
interviewee to respond as they chose and gave the interviewer a great amount of
perceptions. After the interviews were recorded, they were transcribed22.
Due to the lack of response to the survey and a greater willingness to be interviewed
on the part of the respondents, the research design was adjusted. An exploratory pilot
study more appropriately describes the current project rather than a survey design
with supplemental interviews. As an exploratory pilot study, the emphasis has been
placed on the depth of response provided by each respondent rather than the volume
of response. As each of the respondents was important to the development of the
study, their basic characteristics are listed.
20
Lipsky: Street Level Bureaucracy
Included in Appendix 9 p. 129
22 Included in Appendix: 1-6 p.1-126
21
9
2.3 Respondent Characteristics
The characteristics of the respondents are as follows:






Respondent #1 represents Ohio and is a program manager for a non-profit
organization which focuses on education, outreach and promotion of wind
energy.
Respondent #2 represents Ohio and is a wildlife biologist for a state
government agency and focuses on siting of wind farms to minimize impact
on wildlife
Respondent #3 represents New Jersey and is in a private consultant firm that
researches environmental and wildlife impacts related to wind plant siting.
Respondent #4 represents Ohio as executive director of a research institute
that focuses on research for alternative energy sources
Respondent #5 represents Ohio and is an attorney that focuses on helping
landowners and project developers with the legal process of building a wind
plant
Respondent #6 represents Ohio and is a wildlife biologist for a federal
government agency which comments on how to minimize impacts on wildlife
in upcoming wind development projects
2.4 Methods of Analysis
The interviews were conducted in a semi-structured manner. An interview guide with
questions was used during each interview, but the respondents were also able to
discuss the issues that were significant according to their perception. The data was
analysed by all three researchers using ad hoc methods of coding23. Ad hoc methods
of coding allow for the creation of categories that have meaning. The categories for
the interview analysis were chosen based on the interview questions mentioned
above24. The information was organized as part of the coding process into tables25.
For example, the question concerning associations was divided into three
subcategories: general, positive, and negative. After the categories were defined, each
transcript was analysed using these categories. The respondents’ perceptions in each
category helped to paint a picture of how the U.S. market understands wind energy.
Analysis of the website26 was conducted in a general manner with the concept of
holistic branding27 and corporate branding28. A couple of assumptions were kept
23
24
Kvale InterViews p. 203
Kvale Ibid p.192
25 Included in Appendix 10 p 130-135
26
www.vestas.com/en [Accessed May 2009]
10
during the process. Those for who the website is intended is not the general public; it
is the private investors and project developers. Analysis of the website was
conducted following the interview process. Analysis of the website therefore
addresses the question, how does this match the description of the wind energy
market given by the respondents? Similar to the concept described by Sandstrøm, the
cultural perceptions of wind energy in the U.S. should add value to the associations of
Vestas creating a relationship between the consumer and the company29. The process
of creating a holistic brand that speaks to the American culture is the strategy Vestas
needs to pursue within the U.S. market.
Vestas’ brand demonstrated by the information available on the website was
compared to what is necessary for gaining the position of market leadership in the
U.S. The Vestas brand was analysed from the perspective of holistic branding and
market communication strategy, using the information published on the website. This
information was compared to the perceptions described in the interviews. From this
suggestions can be made concerning how well the Vestas website addresses the
perceptions and concerns about wind energy in the U.S. market, as described by the
respondents. Essentially, views of wind energy in the U.S. are compared to the Vestas
brand, in order to understand how these perceptions can be used to strengthen the
brand30.
2.5 Ethical Considerations
The respondent confidentiality is of greatest priority, best practices require this. In the
current project, all of the respondents agreed to be interviewed. However, the
majority were not told that they were being recorded. To retain the respondents’
confidentiality, in all transcripts, direct references to the person have been omitted.
Vestas was contacted prior to beginning of the current study. The response to our
question of branding was met with the response that the Vestas marketing department
is outsourced to another company, and therefore Vestas could not be of any help in
27
Schmidt and Ludlow: Inclusive Branding
Sandstrøm, Lars: Corporate Branding,
29 Sandstrøm Lars, Ibid.
30 Sandstrøm Lars, Ibid.
28
11
the project31. The decision was made to proceed with the project, despite the lack of
cooperation with Vestas. A relevant project is possible without the direct cooperation
of the company, especially because the focus was the American perceptions of the
market.
The lack of cooperation on the part of Vestas creates additional ethical rhetorical
questions. Is it ethically acceptable to align oneself with a company? Should
research remain pure research?
2.6 Comments on methodology
Instead of only representing the NGO sector; two of the interviewees were from nonprofits, two were from government agencies and two were from the private sector.
This provides a broader image of the available market in the U.S. The three responses
to the surveys were limited in scope and do not add any new information, and most
importantly are no longer applicable to the research design32.
The interview respondents spoke of issues that were significant to wind energy
according to their perspective. Issues that ranged from the number of bats killed per
year and the best methods of educating the public about wind energy gave a broad
picture of the perception of the wind energy market in the U.S.. This information,
although not central to the categories defined by the questions, is important to
consider when discussing perceptions of the U.S. market that may be helpful in
establishing a relationship to the Vestas brand.
There are several components of the wind energy market that are not represented in
the sample. The sample of respondents is largely composed of the people who play a
role behind the scenes, specifically in the research and in regulating the wind energy
industry. The sample does not include a landowner, someone who leases land to a
wind plant, and gains a profit. The sample also does not include a project developer or
private investor, those who are responsible for the vision and capital necessary to
create a wind plant. Also not included is a member of an anti-wind group. The lack
31
32
Personal email, 10-3-2009, from Kasper J. Granat, Group Marketing & Customer Insight,
Included in Appendix 8 p. 128
12
of these perspectives in some ways limits the perceptions provided by the interview
respondents, and limits how representative their view is for the whole population.
It is possible that the respondents are not representative of the market.
However, for the purpose of analysis in this study, it will be assumed that the
respondents are representative of the markets they describe.
2.7 Discussion of the Methodology
Several limitations exist within this project related to the methodology. As the
interviews were conducted over the phone, it was not possible to show the same
image to the respondents when they were asked to describe their associations.
Therefore the images from which they drew their associations were entirely in their
imagination.
Another methodological consideration is that four of the respondents were referred
by the first respondent. This creates an inherent bias towards one perception as five of
the respondents are from one network and four are from the same state. The purpose
of an exploratory study is to explore; as many perceptions as possible would be
preferable, to gain as much information as possible, creating great depth.
Another limitation of the current study is local perception. As with any country, there
are regional and local differences. Four of the six respondents were speaking about
one state in particular (Ohio), while the other two spoke about two other states (Texas
and New Jersey). All of the states are in different geographical regions, the South, the
Northeast and the Midwest. The information provided by the respondents may apply
to their local and regional market.
The limitation previously mentioned about local differences is compounded by
another limitation, the sample is small. As described, the wind energy market in the
U.S. has primarily developed in small pockets. It is therefore best to gather as many
perceptions as possible, from as many locations as possible. Having only six
respondents limits the amount of data that can be gathered. However, considering the
time allotted, this is a great amount of data. The respondents were very willing to be
13
helpful in providing as much information as possible. One respondent even
mentioned that at one time they were also a graduate student, and therefore
understood the necessity of participation in studies. Given the sample size and
difference of local markets, the information gathered in the amount of time given, was
of great depth.
One of the strengths of the current study is the research design; a pilot study in which
the information gathered can be adapted to build future studies.
The questions asked gathered perceptions. Perceptions lend themselves to background
information; most of the respondents provided ample background information. They
however, did not provide vast amounts of specific information on the developing
market. For future studies, the questions asked could be adjusted to gather more
specific information.
The research design lends itself to future studies; the beauty of a pilot study is that the
foundation is laid for adaptation. For example, the current study primarily focused on
land based wind energy. More studies could address the development of offshore
wind plants. Another future study could focus on how federal funding dedicated to
research in clean energy is designed to help heal the economy by creating jobs well as
turn the markets toward renewable energy, and the effect this has socially. Another
study could focus on the local effects of federal funding. This idea is supported by
the respondents in that they mentioned that the money will be distributed at the state
level. These are possibilities for future studies.
A final thought, as a general perception, being environmentally conscious is
considered to be expensive. The question that needs to be asked is, is it worth it? It is
worth the expense to live without smog; is it worth it to be able to drink tap water, or
to even have drinking water at all; is it worth it to give up my car and take public
transportation? The less philosophical and more practical question is, is it actually
more expensive? It is possible that the cost of being more sustainable is an upfront
cost and will eventually; perhaps even within a year repay the debt? All of these
questions need to be considered when discussing wind energy specifically and
renewable energy in general. Vestas maintains that wind energy is free! This
14
probably does not include the cost of the windmill. However, they do have a point,
once erected; the wind used to generate the energy is free.
3. THEORY
The main theoretical framework employed within this exploratory study is that of
International Market Communication in an intercultural perspective33. This
perspective lends itself to the researchers’ interpretative stance as it allows for an
understanding of the interaction between cultures, perceptions based on culture, the
market, the theories of branding and the company in question, in this case Vestas. By
examining these communicative interactions overall, the researchers believe they can
provide suggestions as to how Vestas can use American perceptions of wind energy to
build upon their current branding strategy and maintain their leading position.
The researchers employed theories discussing how culture affects perceptions, as they
gathered viewpoints from various stakeholders within the wind energy industry. This
then puts the perceptions reported into a cultural context, which were compared
against Vestas’ current marketing and branding strategy to see if they are addressing
the American market.
Within this framework, the theory of holistic branding was employed as a way to
understand how Vestas can create a differentiated stance within the market. In order
to understand how a differentiated stance is created, the concepts of brand value,
specifically secondary brand associations were employed. These two concepts
therefore represent the main tool of analysis for understanding how Vestas can use the
information gained in the interviews to build upon secondary brand associations,
which in turn creates a greater brand value. This therefore employs the overall holistic
approach to create a strongly differentiated brand.
Consequently it has set the stage for comparing the perceptions reported in the
interviews to the information contained in Vestas’ website. It follows then that the
final theoretical consideration examined how corporate web sites are best used in an
intercultural context. From there, these theories were employed in conjunction with
33
Frandsen: International Markedskommunikation I en postmoderne verden.
15
the theories of brand value and secondary associations to offer suggestions as to how
Vestas can use American perceptions of wind energy to improve upon their current
branding strategy.
3.1 International Market Communication in an Intercultural
Perspective
The overall framework of intercultural market communication used in this project
employed the “Paradigm of interaction”34 which defines communication as:
“a social interaction [..] The communication is perceived as a dynamic
and strategic process, in which the sender and the receiver are active
players who interpret the message through the codes belonging to the
cultural bounded context”35.
This quote describes the researchers overall understanding of how communication
takes place in an intercultural context. This implies that everything is understood from
each individual´s culturally-bounded horizon. According to Inger Askehave in the
book Meanings and Messages, perceptions depend on the readers’ cultural preunderstanding and values.36 Askehave also states that, “Interpretation begins with
fore – conceptions[pre-understandings] that are replaced by more suitable ones. This
constant process of new projection constitutes the movement of understanding and
interpretation”37, which further illustrates this point.
It is important to mention that pre-understandings are limited to our own horizon;
horizon is, according to Gadamer as cited in Meanings and Messages38 a metaphoric
help to illustrate that we are understanding everything from our own (cultural)
perspective and at the same time determine how we see and navigate in the world.
This is further illustrated by the following quote:
“The horizon is the range of vision that includes everything that can be seen
from a vantage point. Applying this to the thinking mind, we speak of
narrowness of horizon, of the possible expansion of the horizon, of the
opening of new horizons, and so forth”39.
34
Free translation from Interaktionsparadigmet. F. Frandsen: International Markedskommunikation I en
postmoderne verden, p. 36.
35 Free translation from: F. Frandsen, Ibid, p. 36.
36 Askehave & Norlyk, et.al. Meanings and Messages, p.145
37 Askehave & Norlyk, et.al. Ibid, p. 42.
38 Askehave & Norlyk, et.al, Ibid., p.42
39 Akskehave & Norlyk, et.al Ibid., p. 44, (Gadamer 1989:268
16
The researchers furthermore rely on the definition of intercultural communication by
Askehave which is stating that communication is about fusing horizons instead of
transmitting messages from the sender to the receiver40. Askehave states that through
dialogue people negotiate meaning and come to an understanding41. For the purpose
of this project, it is understood that there should be interplay between the American
cultural values and the culture that supports the Vestas brand.
3.2 Culture´s Influence on Perceptions of Wind Energy
With the basis for understanding grounded in an intercultural perspective that is
interpretive and constructivist in nature, it is important therefore to understand how
culture affects perceptions. This can then be applied to understanding how perceptions
of wind energy can be used to localize a branding strategy to a specific market. To
begin this discussion, the concept of the web of significance as described by Clifford
Geertz is examined:
“The concept of culture I espouse[...]is essentially a semiotic one.
Believing, with Max Weber, that man is an animal suspended in webs of
significance he himself has spun, I take culture to be those webs, and
that analysis of it to be therefore not an experimental science in search
of a law but an interpretative one in search of meaning”.42
The conclusion to be drawn on the above quote is that everything possesses a cultural
value to us, which consciously or unconsciously influences our social hierarchies and
actions. It follows that our cultural understanding of ourselves and our surroundings is
based on interactions within these “webs of significance”, or more simply put,
personal interactions with culture. Within the specific context of this project, this can
be interpreted to mean that just as interactions with culture build social
understandings, culture similarly affects perceptions.
Accord ing to Schifmann and Kanuk in Consumer Behaviour (2000) buying
behaviours are influenced by cultural values such as achievement, success, activity,
efficiency, practicality, progress, material comfort, individualism, freedom, external
comfort, humanitarianism and youthfulness43. Evidence of these values may exist
within in the respondents’ answers and in that case, these values would be important
40
Askehave & Norlyk, et. al. Meanings and Messages, p, 45.
Askehave & Norlyk, Ibid, p. 45.
42 Askehave & Norlyk, Ibid p. 19.
43 Schiffmann and Kanuk: Consumer Behavior
41
17
to consider in terms of building a differentiated, yet locally appropriate branding
strategy.
It is also important to add that within a culture, subcultures may exist. These
subcultures may hold somewhat different cultural values as compared to the main
cultural group. As this definition applies to the United States, this project specifically
looks at subcultures as individual states. This point therefore covers the idea that
Vestas as a Danish company might use the knowledge of American perceptions to
consider to not only how to penetrate the U.S. market in general, but how to further
adapt its messages to within the different U.S. subcultures. Consequently, the
researchers employed an interpretive analysis of these interviews in order to reveal
American perceptions of wind energy and thereby the brand value of Vestas in an
intercultural context.
3.3 Overall Branding and Holistic Branding Theory
The definition of a brand in a holistic branding context is: “A brand is the “added
value” which a company represents and which makes us prefer a particular company
and its products towards its competitors. A strong brand is a combination of facts and
feelings”44.A strong brand is therefore created on clear and consistent values, which
differentiate the company from the competition, thereby creating a differentiated
response from the consumer base. This is why it is important to understand American
values and their connection to perceptions of wind energy, in order to apply that
information to building a strong brand.
The holistic approach incorporated in this project can therefore defined by Klaus
Schmidt and Chris Ludlow:
“The holistic approach is the embodiment of inclusive branding. The holistic
brand model expresses the six interdependent dimensions of a holistic brand.
And its core is a holistic brand positioning which is influenced by and
implemented through the six dimensions.”45
These six dimensions are described as follows:



44
45
Culture
Behaviour
Products and service
Schmidt & Ludlow, Inclusive Branding, p.22
Schmidt & Ludlow, Ibid, p.21.
18



Markets and customers
Design
Communications46
The holistic brand models main idea can be further illustrated by this model47:
Culture
Commu
nications
Behaviour
Hollistic
positioning
Design
Products and
services
Markets and
customers
Figure 1. Free Illustration of holistic branding model 48
The holistic model describes the interaction between all the above dimensions. In the
analysis of the web site the researchers refer to the following model:
Substance:
Internal and External strategies
Target audience
Media
Messages and content
Plans and budgets
Expression:
Relevant
Credible
Topical
Powerful
Persuasive
Figure 2. Free illustration of model: “Inclusive Branding, p 33.
46
Schmidt & Ludlow: Inclusive Branding, p. 23
Model adapted from Schmidt & Ludlow: Inclusive Branding, Ibid, p. 21
48Schmidt and Ludlow, Ibid, p. 21
47
19
3.4 Brand Value and Secondary Brand Associations
Within the concept of holistic branding, therefore, it is possible to further employ the
idea that a brand gives a company added value and to examine this idea as brand
equity, which is defined as follows: “
The most important assets of any business are intangible: its company
name, brand, symbols, and slogans, and their underlying associations,
perceived quality, name awareness, customer base, and proprietary
resources such as patents, trademarks, and channel relationships. These
assets which comprise brand equity are a primary source of competitive
advantage and future earnings”49
The implication of this quote is that brand equity can be built by linking the brand to
other related entities that carry their own positive associations. This therefore creates
a secondary brand association, from which the brand draws extra strength and so
builds brand equity by sharing in this positive association.
3.5 Theoretical Considerations on Corporate Web Sites
It was then possible to analyze Vestas’s online marketing materials, in this case their
web site, in order to see if the company addressed American perceptions accordingly.
The researchers understand brand and corporate branding strategy as integrated parts
of the market communication strategy. Within this context Lars Sandstrøm describes
that two types of corporate branding strategies exist “The invisible company” and
“the stakeholder based company”50. The researchers understand and categorize Vestas
as placed mainly in the “stakeholder based company” which can be defined as:
“The stakeholder based company has the goal to create sustainability
and value relationship with all the stakeholders of the company. [..]”
The corporate web site is to many companies the foundation for communicating with
all kinds of stakeholders. According to Lars Sandstrøm the following features for
communicating with the different target groups via a corporate web site are:





Customers
Employees
Investors
Press and media
Public (NGO´s, unions, local administrations)51.
49
D. Aaker as quoted in Sandstrøm: Coporate Branding, p.18
Sandstrøm, Ibid, p.104-105
51 Sandstrøm, Ibid, p.123-124
50
20
The relevant features to this study will be examined in the analysis of the Vestas web.
Based on the structure of the interviews and the nature of the interviewees, the web
site will be analyzed specifically in terms of customers and stakeholders, which the
researchers assume to be the target audience for Vestas’ web site. Drawing again on
the idea of holistic branding, as examined through the lens of communication – the
question to examine here is, does the external communication strategy (here meaning
Vestas web site) incorporate relevant expressions of the overall brand to the specific
market?
Following this idea, the specific tool used to analyze Vestas’ web site is described by
Lars Sandstrøm in “Strategy for development of a corporate web site”52 as follows. In
developing a web site, companies must keep some essential topics in mind, for
example:






Goal (What is the web site’s main goal?)
Stakeholders (Who is the primary target group for the site?)
Organization and cooperation (who is responsible for the organization of the
development process?)
Structure and inner activity (Is the web page informative? Is it based on
creating communicative relations with its users?)
Communication and marketing (How does the web site inform visitors and
how are campaigns developed for the web site?)
Effect (What are the requirements for success)
To evaluate if the Vestas web site has implemented a successful strategy that connects
the overall brand to the local audience, the researchers followed the theory described
by Sandstrøm, which discusses the criteria necessary for the company to include in
the web site:
 To create coherence between values, management principles, strategy and
communication.
 To communicate proactively with a variety of stakeholders within a group.
 To employ interactive and targeted brand channels
 To employ a network and brand ambassadors to mediate the brand.
 To define and deal with relations that is critical to the brand.
 To measure and externally communicate the brand value.
Utilizing this theory in the analysis follows the overall concept of holistic branding
closely and allows the researchers to compare American perceptions of wind energy
to the current structure of the Vestas web site, to understand if the company taking
52
Sandstrøm, Ibid, p.125-126
21
advantage of secondary brand associations and exploiting them to increase their brand
equity.
In this section it is important to mention that web pages are still a relatively new
marketing tool used by companies as part of a branding strategy53. Within the overall
intercultural approach utilized in this project the researchers argue that it is important
for an international company such as Vestas to take into account the same cultural
considerations discussed above in creating their company web site.
3.6 Summation
In the case of Vestas, the researchers used the theories introduced above to reveal the
strength and weaknesses of the official Vestas web page and their overall brand.
Furthermore the theoretical stand points will be integrated to support the analysis of
the Vestas web site.
3.7 Discussion of Theoretical Limitations
The theoretical framework integrated in the project helps the researchers to get a
broader understanding of the role the culture has for the Americans perception of
wind energy and wind turbines. Additionally the theories provide a tool for
understanding the communication between two different cultures, and reveals the
issues that might occur when such communication fails or when the communication
message is misunderstood at a given market. The theories used were based on the
argument that the overall epistemological framework was interpretive and thereby
“sees culture as a meaning system, which people produce and use to make sense of
the world around them”54.
One could argue that the lack of a more in depth theoretical approach in analyzing the
interviews, such as a semiotic theory or discourse theory might have been appropriate
to apply. However the researchers did not find it necessary to utilize these tools to
analyze the respondents’ perceptions of wind energy. The theories presented in the
53
54
Askehave and Norlyk et.al: Meanings and Messages, p.147
Askehave and Norlyk et.al, Ibid, p.17
22
project give the explorative study a natural and logical flow within the intercultural
framework presented by the announcement of the definition of culture.
4. Background Information
Before examining current perceptions of wind energy, it is important to understand
how the industry has developed in the U.S. and how this source of energy has been
viewed by and marketed to consumers in the past. Wind energy in the United States
has a long and varied history, beginning with small-scale agricultural uses, growing
into a large-scale producer of electricity. Therefore a brief history of wind energy in
the U.S. will be examined through the text of Robert Righter55.
This text will be the main source referenced, as it is one of the only comprehensive
academic texts available on this topic. It would be preferable to derive this
information from a variety of sources to paint a wide picture and eliminate bias.
However, as wind energy is still an up and coming venture in the U.S., there remains
little other information that can be used to examine this history. Therefore, we will
rely on Righter’s text to provide the background on this topic.
As mentioned above, wind energy has its basis in agriculture in the U.S. The original
American windmill was used for pumping water and is often cited as a crucial
invention for the successful settlement of the western United States, a very arid and
windy region56. These early windmills hold strong associations in the minds of
Americans today; writes Robert Righter, quoting an anonymous writer,
“The American windmill is more than a machine – it is a symbol, evoking
different memories in each of us. What the buffalo meant to the Indian, what
the horse meant to the Spaniard – that is what the windmill meant to the
American settler. Survival – development – staying power57.”
Righter also describes the idea that the windmill, “…represents technology, but a
technology that is compatible with nature and the American sense of the bucolic58.”
Thus, the original American windmill holds a nostalgic place in the minds of
55
Righter: Wind Energy in America
Righter. Ibid, p.23.
57 Righter. Ibid, p.27.
58 Righter. Ibid, p.29.
56
23
Americans who view it as a natural technology, representing the survival and
development of their rural roots.
However, with the industrial revolution of the 19th century, came a major change in
the United States. Applied uses of electricity were discovered, fueling the growth of
industry in urban areas59. Centralized power distribution systems were created to
provide electricity to industry and to cities, and coal and petroleum were the sources
of choice60; sources such as wind, solar, water and wood, were deemed inadequate for
industrial use61. Consumption increased and the “age of energy” ensued.62 At the
time, the public was not aware of or concerned with the long-term environmental
impacts involved with this type of energy consumption63.
While this situation was playing out in urbanized areas, the majority of rural
Americans and farmers were still living without electricity64. Attempts to bring
electricity to rural areas were generally fruitless due to prohibitive costs, but still the
idea was met with skepticism and many farmers were quite hesitant to change65.
Also occurring at the same time, scientists, inventors and other individuals started to
make the connection between the idea of wind energy and producing electricity66.
Thus, research into applications of wind as an electricity-producing source began. By
the end of the 19th century, the various windmill manufacturing companies were
growing and inventors were seeking to develop the best model. Despite the research
efforts, though, it wasn’t until the 1920s that the application of wind energy in
producing electricity truly began.67
By the 1920s, electricity-producing windmills had found a place for themselves in the
rural American market. This seemed to be a solution to the issue of, on one hand,
allowing farmers access to electricity in a way that was suitable to their needs and on
59
Righter. Ibid, p.33.
Righter. Ibid, p.34.
61 Righter. Ibid, p.33-34
62 Righter. Ibid, p.34.
63 Righter. Ibid, p.35.
64 Righter. Ibid, p.63-64.
65 Righter. Ibid, p.64.
66 Righter. Ibid, p.35.
67 Righter. Ibid, p.59.
60
24
the other hand, overcoming the prohibitive costs of providing centralized electricity to
hard-to-reach rural areas68. Initially these windmills were marketed for use in lighting
homes and powering electrical appliances. Advertisements for windmills used
taglines such as “Let the Free Wind Light Your Homes” and descriptors such as
“automatic, noiseless, dependable, no fuel cost, less repair, longer life.”69 Other
marketing strategies described the use of wind energy as an extra “farm hand that will
save much valuable time and money for you”, while others reached out specifically to
farm wives, citing the variety of devices the women could use in the home to help
them in their daily routines70. Additionally, the Jacobs Wind Electric Company
(whose wind mills came to be known as the most effective and reliable model
available) marketed their machines with advertisements such as, “Wind! The Cheapest
Power in the World Is Easily Available to Every Farm Home.71” It seems that the crux
of windmill marketing at this time was based on the machines’ reliability,
dependability, ability to save time and money, and practicality for use on the farm.
These types of advertisements truly appealed to their rural, agricultural audience and
convinced them of the positive aspects of one, electricity and two, generating
electricity via wind. Not a lot of hard data from this time exists, but it is speculated
that by the 1930s and 1940s, hundreds of thousands of independent wind systems
were in use rural America72.
This was, however, still the industrial age and centralized power from fossil fuels was
the focus. As mentioned before, the costs of electrifying rural areas through a
centralized system was most often prohibitive in terms of cost73, which seems to be
the reason that the market for independent sources of energy grew in rural America.
But, in 1935 came Roosevelt’s New Deal administration and the development of the
Rural Electrification Act (REA), which completely changed the market.
The purpose of the REA was to bring electricity to rural areas and integrate these
communities into the centralized grid. The REA worked with farmers to form rural
cooperatives, which would then take a loan from the government to buy the necessary
68
Righter. Ibid, p.64
Righter. Ibid, p.78.
70 Righter. Ibid, p.82.
71 Righter. Ibid, p.94.
72 Righter. Ibid, p.99.
73 Righter. Ibid, p.64.
69
25
supplies for stringing the electrical lines. The cooperatives were responsible for
installing the systems themselves. These areas would then be integrated into the
centralized system74. Not all areas were eligible to participate, however; three farms
per mile of line75 were required and so, some sparsley-inhabited areas could not
qualify. This meant that there was still somewhat of a market for independent wind
systems.
Even so, many farming families and communities embraced the idea and quickly
joined the program. However, others were hesitant and concerned about accruing
debt, paying high costs for electricity and losing their independence in terms of
providing their own energy76. Also, many of these same farmers were still satisfied
with their independent wind systems. They continually fought pressure from the REA
to hook up to the central lines77. In the spirit of compromise, R.F. Weinig, the general
manager of the Windcharger Corporation (then, one of the main players in
manufacturing individual wind systems for farmers) proposed an amendment to REA
legislation; the new bill would include integration of individual energy plants for
farmers in low-density population areas78. However, the wind industry, just as the
individual machines it was producing, was a non-cohesive group of individual
companies, which therefore had no backing support in congress. The amendment was
not passed and the wind industry reached a turning point. By the 1950s most of the
manufacturers of windmills had gone out of business79. Wind energy still, however,
represented the ideal of independence to some farmers and a few strong believers held
tightly on to the technology. The question of integration of wind energy into the
centralized system also remained and would be answered later on the in the 20th
century.
Throughout the post-WWII 1950s and 60s, consumption of electricity grew at a
staggering rate. According to Righter, “… in the two decades after World War II
Americans increased their electric power usage by 7.8 per cent each year, which
74
Righter. Ibid, p.115.
Righter. Ibid, p.114.
76 Righter. Ibid, p.125.
77 Righter. Ibid, p.116.
78 Righter. Ibid, p.122.
79 Righter. Ibid, p.123.
75
26
doubled consumption in ten years80.” Energy producers began to understand that
production would need to be raised in order to keep up with demand. As the U.S.
began to investigate this dilemma, nuclear power emerged as the clear answer. It
followed then that in the ten years between 1965 and 1975, the majority of research
and development went to nuclear energy81.
Just as quickly as it gained popularity, however, nuclear energy lost its appeal. In
1949, the Soviets had set off the first atomic bomb and the destructive nature of
nuclear power was hard to ignore82. This was also the time of the McCarthy era and
wide-spread fear; one of the many ideas discussed during this time was that the U.S.
central power system could come under attack. Therefore, the U.S. began to consider
the idea of decentralized power systems83; wind energy lent itself to this idea. Later
concerns about nuclear energy that arose from the 1960s and 70s were related to
costs, which had increased substantially, and questions of nuclear waste, which were
not clearly answered. Anti-nuclear protesters had also been successful in making their
voices clearly heard.84 Then, two major nuclear plant disasters – the meltdowns at
Three-Mile Island in Pennsylvania in the U.S. and at Chernobyl in the Ukraine – more
or less sealed the demise of interest in nuclear power85.
These arguments against nuclear power, coupled with the formation of OPEC and the
oil embargo of 1973, and the influence of a strong environmental movement, led to a
renewed interest in wind energy on the part of the U.S. government. According to
Righter, between 1973 and 1988 the federal government invested $380 million USD
in a new wind research program86. The majority of this funding (75-80%) was
focused on large-scale turbines, between 1 and 3 megawatts,87 while the rest went to
support development of smaller scale turbines between 2 to 40 megawatts88. It was at
this point that the electricity producing windmills of the early 1900s started to become
the wind turbines of today.
80
Righter. Ibid, p.149.
Righter. Ibid, p.151.
82 Righter. Ibid, p.141.
83 Righter. Ibid, p.141.
84 Righter. Ibid, p.151.
85 Righter. Ibid, p.151.
86 Righter. Ibid, p.158
87 Righter. Ibid, p.158.
88 Righter. Ibid, p.161.
81
27
However, new development faced many unexpected technical issues that stalled
progress. Righter quotes Andrew Trenka, who at the time was the manager of a wind
system called Rocky Flats; “we tended to be blinded because windmills had been used
for more than 1,000 years… We thought the technology was there and all we had to
do was bring it into the 20th century.89” But as the engineers found, it was more
complex than just translating the technology to a larger scale; numerous cases of
broken blades and short-lived turbines, etc., caused people to perceive wind energy as
a potentially unreliable source.90
On the other hand, during this same time period, European countries made
considerable advances in wind technology. Denmark in particular managed to create
what was widely regarded as a reliable design91. Seeing there was still a market for
wind energy in the U.S. that the Americans themselves had difficulty managing, the
Danes aimed to take advantage of this opportunity. They quickly moved into the main
market, which at the time was based in California92.
By this time, the industry was much better organized than before and finally had the
strong support of the government. In addition to research dollars, both the federal and
state government offered tax credits related to the installation of systems93. The tax
credits proved to be a strong motivator and by 1983 the industry was booming,
particularly in California94. Private investment in manufacturing companies was also
increasing; the return on the investment was quite high and people wanted to cashin.95 At this time the perception of wind energy changed as a way to make money and
earn a profit emerged. Development was growing and California was the heart of it.
However, this tax credit worked to the detriment of the industry and by 1986 the
bubble had burst. The credits expired at the end of 198596 and the government would
not renew the credits, as American scientists and companies had produced little
89
Righter. Ibid, p.174.
Righter. Ibid, p.173.
91 Righter. Ibid, p.181.
92 Righter. Ibid, p.181.
93 Righter. Ibid, p.197.
94 Righter. Ibid, p.209.
95 Righter. Ibid, p.210.
96 Righter. Ibid, p.216.
90
28
results in terms of a reliable turbine model. The tax credits had therefore increased
development in a negative way; some companies focused less on producing a quality
product and focused more on installing as many turbines as possible. People had
begun to perceive the wind industry as just a “tax dodge97,” and as Righter states,
“Like most ventures it [wind energy] had its growing pains and in the late 1980s the
idea of wind energy was associated with floundering technologies and failed
investments98.”
Despite these issues of reliability and consequent negative perceptions, the industry
managed to survive the 1980s, and improve development in the 1990s. The corrupt
companies were weeded out and the productive companies remained99. Additionally,
under the Energy Policy Act of 1992, the government began to offer a new
production-based tax credit. The policy is outlined as follows: “Under present law, an
income tax credit of 2.1 cents/kilowatt-hour is allowed for the production of
electricity from utility-scale wind turbines100.” This new incentive sought to ensure
that new machines would be reliable and productive. This tax credit is still in place
today.
During this time, as the industry fought to improve development, two new sets of
opposing perceptions regarding wind turbines emerged. Righter uses the resort town
of Palm Springs, California as an example; the town was caught up in much of the
wind farm development and held strong views regarding the wind farms. Negative
perceptions that emerged were related to viewshed and noise. Many people simply did
not like the look of the turbines. Righter cites an individual who was quoted in the
Desert Sun newspaper in Palm Springs, California – the wind turbines brought to
mind the image of “someone driving big railroad spikes into a beautiful painting by
Picasso or Rembrandt101.” And in terms of noise, individuals who lived within two
miles of the turbines often complained of disturbances102. Overall, these perceptions
97
Righter. Ibid, p.216.
Righter. Ibid, p.222.
99 Righter. Ibid, p.222.
100 American Wind Energy Association. http://www.awea.org/legislative/#PTC. Accessed May 26, 2009.
101 Righter. Ibid, p.230.
102 Righter. Ibid, p.230.
98
29
led to concerns that the wind farms would be detrimental to tourism, which was and is
the crux of Palm Springs’s economy103.
Both in Palm Springs and in California in general, the idea of NIMBY, or Not In My
Backyard104 arose from these negative perceptions. Residents who subscribed to the
idea of NIMBY were mostly concerned with these issues of viewshed and noise
pollution. They also shared concerns with environmentalists about bird deaths related
to wind turbines, particularly related to federally-protected and endangered species
that existed in California near proposed wind farm sites105. They saw the wind farms a
nuisance and simply did not want the turbines near their homes.
However, when the economic benefits of wind energy started to appear, many people
changed their minds. In Palm Springs, the town was in need of money and realized
that the wind farms could be a way to solve this issue, allowing them to avoid raising
property taxes and to create new jobs106. The town also began to look at how they
could utilize the wind farms as part of the tourist draw, as visitors had begun to take
an interest in the wind turbines surrounding the area107. Thus, the negative perceptions
still remained among some residents but positive perceptions emerged as the town
saw economic benefits in terms of additional cash from property taxes, a boost in
tourism and additional jobs.
Following these perceptions, Righter sees the 1990s as the end of the first phase of
wind energy in the U.S. He projects a potentially brighter future for wind energy, as
well; Righter claims that in 1994, “15,900 medium-scale machines were generating
nearly 3.4 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity nation-wide.108” Additionally, though
many of the projects at the time were located in California, he lists that small projects
had been installed in states such as “Oregon, Minnesota, Montana, New York,
Wyoming, Texas, Hawaii, and New England.109” To end, Righter speculates that
103
Righter. Ibid, p.228.
Righter. Ibid, p.239.
105 Righter. Ibid, p.230.
106 Righter. Ibid, p.231.
107 Righter. Ibid, p.232.
108 Righter. Ibid, p.291.
109 Righter. Ibid, p.291.
104
30
“Perhaps it [wind energy] will contribute significantly toward meeting the energy
needs and environmental demands of the approaching twenty-first century110.”
It is here that Righter’s description of the history of wind energy in the U.S. ends, and
where the current exploratory project will analyze current perceptions of wind energy.
Throughout the history of wind energy in America one can see the constant themes of
“freedom” and “independence” referred to as a general American perception of wind
energy. One can also see the perception that wind energy brings opportunities of
economic development, from which landowners, towns, cities, etc. can benefit. We
also see, however, the negative perceptions of unreliable technology, negative impacts
to wildlife, noise pollution and destruction of landscape. This evolution of perceptions
related to wind energy in the U.S. will play strongly into the current perceptions
described by the respondents.
5. INTERVIEW ANALYSIS
Following the previous presentation on historical perceptions of wind energy in the
U.S, this chapter will present an interpretative analysis of current public perceptions
related to wind energy in America. As mentioned previously in the methodology
chapter, interviews were conducted with six respondents – two from the governmental
sector (one at the federal level, the second at the state level), two from the private
sector and two from non-profits. Interviews were conducted in a semi-structured
manner, based on a common interview guide111. The interviews, once transcribed,
were anonymized (only information related to their home state, gender and
organization type was left) and assigned an identifying number of 1-6. In the
following analysis, respondents will be referred to using their unique ID number. i.e.
Respondent #1, etc.
The respondents’ answers will therefore be analyzed within the context of the
following themes:



110
111
Associations with wind turbines
Current public perceptions
Knowledge of Vestas
Righter. Ibid, p.291.
Included in Appendix 9 p. 129
31


Knowledge of competition
Perceptions of markets
The first question, concerning associations with wind turbines, seeks to understand
the cultural perceptions Americans associate with wind turbines specifically and wind
energy in general. The second question then aims to bring an understanding of current
perceptions surrounding wind energy in the U.S. These questions take into account
the theoretical stance that perceptions are derived from pre-understandings that are
cultural-bounded and that a person’s culture, therefore, effects their perceptions112.
Examining both American perceptions, as reported by the respondents, and cultural
images of wind energy allows Vestas to understand how they can add value to their
brand that extends specifically to an American market, both on a national level and a
more regional level, therefore increasing their brand equity overall in the U.S.
The third and fourth questions address knowledge of Vestas and knowledge of the
competition, respectively. Examination of these questions allows for a closer at
Vestas’ position in the market, how it the company and the Vestas brand are
perceived and if it is in line with their current marketing and branding strategy. In this
way, it will be examined if the Vestas brand is clearly differentiated from the
competition, which is another very important factor in building brand equity. The
final question discusses perceptions of market, which will be examined in order to
provide an understanding of who is perceived to be Vestas’ main customers. This
knowledge can then be incorporated with the previously discussed perceptions and
cultural images, in order to provide an overall understanding of how the Vestas’ brand
can be better targeted to its American audience. The respondents’ answers to the
questions, when put together, create a holistic picture of perceptions of wind energy in
the U.S. In the following chapter, this information will then be compared to Vestas’
web site to understand if they are clearly incorporating these images into their
branding strategy.
112
Askehave and Norlyk: Meanings and Messages, p. 42-43.
32
5.1 Association with wind turbines113
The first interview question addressed the respondent’s associations with wind
turbines. Overall, the respondents report either general or positive associations.
(General associations simply refer to descriptions that do not lend themselves to either
a positive or negative stance.) Very few negative associations were reported.
In answering this question, Respondent #4114 replied with his own interpretation of
the question, which offers considerable insight into the general American mindset; “Is
it a ‘wind-flower’ or a bird killer (75),” he asks. This opens up two associations, one
where a wind turbine is viewed as flower, presumably as something attractive and
pleasing to the viewer, and the second where the wind turbine is viewed as something
destructive and harmful to wildlife, and possibly the environment as a whole. As can
be seen in later discussions within this analysis, this is a crucial point to understanding
Americans’ perception of wind energy.
Respondent #4’s personal associations differ, however. The respondent states that he
associates wind turbines with energy and water (80-85). He does not expand further
on the association of energy, but does clarify the association with water. The
respondent explains that wind turbines in Texas were historically used to draw water
up from the ground and deliver it for use on farms, or wherever it was needed (85-90).
While this is more of a general historical association, the respondent also makes a
positive association between wind turbines and water. He states that, “The wind
turbines of today are saving water, because every 1 kilowatt-hour you make with
renewable energy that does not use a steam process saves water” (91-93).
Respondent #5115, on the other hand invokes a different set of images; generally, he
describes wind turbines as tall and positively, as elegant structures associated with
“the future” (49). The respondent had some difficulty describing any other
associations and did not report any negative associations.
113
From here forward in this analysis chapter, citations at the end of the line refer to line numbers within the
transcribed interviews in the appendix. The following footnotes will provide the pages numbers within the
appendix where each interview can be located. The pages numbers for each respondents’ transcript are marked at
the first instance of being mentioned.
114 Respondent #4, Included in Appendix 4, p. 57-101
115 Respondent #5, Included in Appendix 5, p. 102-109
33
Respondent #2116 reports strong positive associations concerning wind turbines, using
adjectives such as “attractive” (76) and “graceful” (82) when asked to describe his
associations to the image of a wind turbine. Similarly, Respondent #6 uses positive
adjectives such as “large”, “impressive” and “magnificent” (83-94). Though the word
“large” carries more of a general connotation, it is viewed as a positive association
based on context; the respondent uses the adjective “impressive” to supplement the
idea of the “large” size of the turbines.
Respondent #1117 adds to these positive associations, describing a sense of awe with
words such as “majestic”, “bold”, “freedom”, “strong” and “beautiful”(41-50).
Building on those words, Respondent #1 uses the phrase “blowing in the wind” to
describe the sense of independence that windmills possess (48).
Respondent #3118 initially had difficulties describing his associations. He explains
that as an independent consultant, having specific associations about wind turbines
may cause him to have a biased perspective in his research. He then explained that
his response would be his own personal perspective, representing his ideas as regular
person, not as a consultant working with wind energy (335-346). Descriptions of
wind turbines as “sleek” and large in size largely dominated his response (354).
Interestingly, Respondent #3 states that wind turbines have become “part of the
landscape” in his state (349), generating yet another positive association to show that
wind energy is growing and coming of age in the U.S.
Lastly, the majority of respondents agreed that the image of a wind turbine has
become an iconic symbol of clean energy in the U.S. The only respondent who did
not provide a clear view on this point was Respondent #4, who stated that his view of
wind energy was too intertwined with science, and that he does not view wind energy
in such a way (118). However, Respondent #6119 sums it up for the rest of the
respondents when she states, “Yeah, absolutely. It [a wind turbine] is recognizable as
opposed to solar power or solar panels [...] definitely, iconic yes (100-104).” Overall
116
Respondent #2, Included in Appendix 2, p. 18-22
Respondent #1, Included in Appendix 1, p. 1-15
118 Respondent #3, Included in Appendix 3, p. 34-56
119 Respondent #6, Included in Appendix 6, p. 110-125
117
34
the respondents believe that the recognizability of the design of wind turbines has
turned it in to the symbol it is today.
5.2 Current public perceptions
Respondents were then asked to describe what they believed to be the current
perception of wind energy in the U.S. All respondents very clearly outlined both sides
of the picture, explaining what they believed to be the current positive and negative
perceptions. Respondent #4 again employs the ideas of “wind-flowers” and “bird
killers.” He follows this idea by giving his perception, that Americans either love or
hate wind energy and that very few individuals with a neutral opinion exist (128-129).
In terms of positive perceptions, Respondent #1 explains that general ideas expressed
by people in general are “very supportive and/or very interested in it [wind energy]”
(70). Within this category, there is the general perception that the government’s new
investment in development of clean energy sources, in particular wind, will create
new jobs. Respondent #5 explains this perception and states that the general hope is
wind energy development will bring not only more wind power (he refers specially to
his state, Ohio), but that it will also bring new manufacturing jobs to replace many of
those lost due to “movement of manufacturing to China, globalization… (141).”
Respondent #2, also based in Ohio looks at wind energy as way to create jobs that
were lost in the context of the failure of the automotive industry and the current
financial crisis. He states:
( #2)” I think it would be extremely beneficial if we could convert those, our
current rough belt [automotive industry] jobs over to green energy jobs […]
and have them making solar panels or wind turbines, it’s kind of been the holy
grail of the Great Lakes states” (389-399).
Following this point, there is also the perception that wind energy is a profitable
business. Respondent #4 touches on this specifically discussing the idea of wind
turbines being equated with money (575) in a positive way. To explain this idea he
uses the example of his home state of Texas; during the interview the respondent
states that Texas has the most installed capacity of wind energy in the U.S. The
interviewer then points out this is counter to an association that is often made between
Texas and the oil and gas industry (549-552). The respondent counters this idea,
however, and explains that Texas is a state not so much associated with the oil and
35
gas industry (as might be commonly assumed in the U.S.), but rather with the energy
industry as a whole (556). He states that Texas oil businessmen are now simply
saying, “Renewable energy is still energy and I know the energy business. Let’s make
money in it, too (572-575).” Following this, he describes the idea that wind energy
will be the next business boom for those seeking a profit from the energy industry
(586).
Overall the respondents feel that wind energy is a long-term viable source of energy
in the United States. Respondent #5 in particular states that the demand for energy
will increase globally, including regions of the U.S. that generally have slow growth
rates; he refers specifically to “the industrial Midwest”, which in his opinion includes
Ohio (167-169). From there, the respondent believes it is a matter of the U.S. “put
[ting] a price on carbon emission”, in order to make the prices of renewable sources,
such as wind energy, more competitive (171).
Switching then to negative perceptions, the respondents reported several specific
issues. One of the main concerns, as expressed in particular by Respondent #6, is the
issue of bird and bat mortality rates. She states specifically that “some of the older
wind farms in California have significant impacts and are still having significant
impacts on raptors [...].”(181-182). Furthermore, she adds that an even greater
concern is their impact on the mortality of bats (205). There is a particular concern
about bats because, as she states, bats have a longer life span than birds and do not
reproduce as often. Therefore if turbines kill more bats in year than are being born,
the issue of the population’s sustainability can be endangered (217-22).
The respondents also bring up another set of negative perceptions of wind energy
related to the idea of “Not in My Backyard” (NIMBY) as described in the background
chapter, and includes the idea that wind energy:



120
121
is a detriment to the viewshed (the concern wind turbine installations
will ruin the aesthetic value of the landscape) (240)120
causes unfavorable noise pollution
devalues lands (242)121
Respondent #4, Included in Appendix 4, p. 57-101
Respondent #4, ibid., p. 57-101
36

causes unfavorable light pollution in the form of shadow flicker
(reflection of light on the wind turbine’s blades).
The idea is clearly explained through its name; people simply do not want wind
turbines installed close to their homes. Respondents #2 and #4 illustrate this idea,
referring to a specific case of anti-wind sentiment involving Cape Wind in
Massachusetts, located near Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard. There residents
adamantly opposed an offshore wind farm based on the arguments outlined in
NIMBY and their case was strong enough to freeze development and prevent
installation of the wind farm (217-283).
Following this, Respondent #6 addresses the issue of shadow flicker. She explains
that there are some anti-wind energy organizations in existence, who argue that the
shadow flicker from wind turbines can cause negative health effects (141).
Overall the respondents paint a picture of mixed perceptions. Respondent #4
describes it as an issue related to benefits received from wind energy. The respondent
discusses the idea that perceptions of wind energy really depend on “which side of the
fence your view is from (265)”, which is to say – if a person is directly benefiting in
some way from the wind turbines or the development, they have a positive perception
of it. However, if a person is not directly benefiting from the development, but has to
still deal with it in some way, whether by seeing or hearing the turbines, etc., then the
perception is likely to be more negative.
To rectify the issue of mixed perceptions, Respondent #5 believes that more education
about wind energy is therefore needed (71). He believes that this education should
come from all the stakeholders involved in wind energy; he cites the industry, nonprofits and other advocacy groups, public and elected officials, schools and
universities, as well as utility companies (73-82).
In addition to education, the respondents argue for proper siting of wind farms as a
way to resolve many of the negative perceptions listed above. Respondent #5 states
states the following: “Yes, it’s going to change the landscape. But guess what? As
soon as your great grand pappy [grandfather] kicked over the first clod of dirt, it
37
wasn’t original anymore. Why is his doing it acceptable and my doing it is not
acceptable? (297-302)” Additionally, he states,
“change makes differences. And this is a change that we’re going to
have to accept, that we’ve gotta create energy… if we want to be
sustainable and we want to keep growing, you’ve gotta figure out ways
to make energy. Windmills make energy (307-310).”
Essentially the respondent believes that concerns mentioned in the above paragraphs
should be addressed in the siting process and should not stall progress in wind energy
development. He believes that we need to accept the change for what it is and move
forward with development.
To sum up the discussion of positive versus negative perceptions, Respondent #5
describes uses the story of a small town in Texas where the residents were clearly
divided in opinion about whether or not a proposed wind farm should be installed
(147-148). The objections were the very same ones mentioned above. The wind farm
was built despite the vocal opposition, but it was found later that perceptions had
changed (201). Some new negative perceptions emerge due to the visual lighting of
the wind turbines at night (209-211), but on the whole, the respondent describes how
the initial negative perceptions changed to positive. The purpose of this story is to
portray the idea that perceptions can change, supported by knowledge, education, and
experience.
5.3 Knowledge of Vestas
The third main interview question addressed the respondents’ knowledge of Vestas
Wind Systems as a company. All of the respondents were had an existing knowledge
of Vestas and on the whole the respondents perceived Vestas in a positive manner.
To begin, the respondents were very clear on basic information about the company.
When asked if he is familiar with Vestas, Respondent #4 replies, “Oh, yeah. They’re
based out of Portland, Oregon (726).” Respondent #6 also explains that Vestas is a
manufacturer (292), which Respondent #4 follows by stating that Vestas is not
involved in a lot of project development (730). The respondents also discuss the basic
perceptions of Vestas in the U.S.; Respondent #1 describes the company as having a
“good name” (18) and Respondent #3 adds that Vestas produces quality products
38
(467-468). The Respondent #4 supports this idea by explaining that Vestas is one of
the better manufacturers in the American market (807).
Several of the respondents, also stated that Vestas is one of the main players in its
market, but that competition is quickly growing. Respondent #5 sums this up by
stating that he views Vestas as a pioneer in both the U.S. and Europe and states that
they “…are still in a leading position, but I think there are a lot of other’s trying to
come into the field (120).” Respondent #4 supports this idea with his statement that
the company is “a big dog in a small yard (779)”. The respondents in general,
believe that Vestas has a good position in the current market, but need to focus on
maintaining that position amongst the competition. Improving brand differentiation is
one strategy Vestas can use to address this problem.
Following this idea, Respondent #4 also states that Vestas is pro-active and highly
recognizable at industry trade shows and conferences. He provides the example of a
recent wind conference in Chicago, where Vestas had one of the larger booths on the
floor as they do each year (825-827). This implies that Vestas is still a leading force
amongst their competition. Additionally Respondent #1 states that all five major
projects in Ohio used Vestas turbines (20), and Respondent #4 states that in Texas
some of the largest installations belong to Vestas (745). This shows that Vestas has
strong roots within wind energy development within the U.S.
There are some issues, however, related to Vestas’ image as described by the
respondents. First, Respondent #6 states that while she is familiar with Vestas because
of her work in assessing the impacts of wind farm developments on wildlife, she has
also seen Vestas commercials on TV. She points out, though, that otherwise she
believes that the public does not have a specific knowledge of what Vestas is and
what the company stands for (312-319).
Respondent #4 explains that within the industry there is a rather serious problem with
gearboxes in the wind turbines; the gearboxes on larger units are breaking down and
now need to be replaced (815-820). While this is an industry wide problem among
manufacturers, the fact is this perception still exists related to Vestas. However, the
respondent does state that one of the company’s strong points in this issue is their
39
high level of responsiveness (864). He says, “[It’s] not that they did it right the first
time, because they didn’t. There’s a problem, but that they’re getting it fixed as fast as
they can (869-871).”
Respondent #4 also makes the point that Vestas’ solid reputation rests heavily on the
success of the company’s “workhorse”, otherwise known as the 660-kilowatt turbine
(835). While Vestas has grown into 3-megawatt turbines, not enough time has passed
to prove the long-term reliability of this model (839-841). In the mean time, the
company still depends on the reputation of its previous model to maintain it’s good
name. As the respondent states, “…until it gets that years and years and years of
reputation, it’s, uh… well, nervous time (854).”
A final main issue facing Vestas’ image is described by Respondent #2: “I guess,
well… [laughs] it’s bad, because to me they [wind turbine manufacturers] all kind of
look alike at this point… (271)” What the respondent is describing here is an issue of
lack of differentiation from the competition. While overall it appears that Vestas holds
a strong place in the market and that the Vestas brand is well received in the U.S., it
still seems that they are not so clearly differentiated from their competition. With
competition quickly growing, as described above, this could prove to be a major issue
for the company.
5.4 Knowledge of competition
The fourth main interview question sought to understand the respondents’ knowledge
of Vestas’ competition. Based on the respondents’ answers, it is assumed that the
company’s main competition includes other manufacturing companies. Developers
play a different role in the industry in relation to Vestas and within his analysis
developers will be viewed as a member of Vestas’ market.
When asked to list the names of wind turbine manufacturers that the respondents were
familiar with, Respondent #5 begins by noting the amount of manufacturers that are
participating in the industry. He states, “…the list of manufacturers is getting longer
rather than shorter… (126-127)”. An interesting point, though, is that all of the
40
respondents mentioned Vestas when listing manufacturing companies. This implies
that while the competition is growing, Vestas still holds a solid place in the market.
Respondent #1 then begins the list of competitors with GE, Clipper, Suzlon (177,
179), Nordex and Acciona (192, 194). Respondent #2 adds Vestas, Gamesa, and
Horizon” and Respondent #3 includes Iberdrola, Siemens and Shell (446-450). From
Respondent #3’s point of view, the leading contenders against Vestas are Siemens,
which is “making more inroads” into the market, and Suzlon which is “starting to sell
more turbines here [in the U.S.]” (448-450). Respondent #4 adds Dewind and E.on to
the list, as well as smaller, individual developers in Texas (730-732), and the only
additional company mentioned by Respondent #5 is Repower (105-107). Respondent
#6 states that she has reviewed development plans for many wind energy companies,
but does not add any new companies to the list (p.7).
Therefore, the overall list for the competition facing Vestas, as perceived by the
respondents, is as follows:







GE
Clipper
Suzlon
Nordex
Acciona
Vestas
Gamesa







Horizon
Iberdrola
Siemens
Shell
Dewind
E.on
Repower
As demonstrated by the list above, there are many well known competitors in the U.S.
market. This generates an even greater need for Vestas to address the American
market in such a way that differentiates them from the competition. Recognizing the
competition in this project offers perspective on how important it is for Vestas to
provide something unique to the American market, allowing them to gain market
leadership.
An important point in this part of the analysis is that there appears to be some
confusion among the respondents as to which company is a developer and which
company is a manufacturer. For example, where Respondent #2 lists Gamesa as
manufacturer (253), Respondent #4 lists Gamesa as a developer (719). Perhaps these
companies are involved in both project development and manufacturing which has
41
caused the disagreement. However, the main point for Vestas is that all the
respondents were clear on the nature of the company’s business. This seems to further
strengthen the case that Vestas has a strong position amongst the different
competitors, according to the respondents.
5.5 Perceptions of market
The final topic explored in the interviews was the respondents’ perceptions of the
wind energy market in the United States. The first point addressed within this topic
addresses the understanding of who are Vestas’ actual customers. Across the board,
respondents listed developers and project owners as the main consumers of Vestas’
products. Respondent #6 also adds an interesting point that “…any of the major utility
companies (327),” are also potential Vestas customers.
Additionally, the respondents discuss the idea that there is a valid market for wind
energy in America. Respondent #3 describes the wind energy market as “active with
room to grow” (305). Respondent #1 then describes this idea in terms of Ohio; in that
particular state “things are taking off”, as Ohio passed the Renewable Portfolio
Standard last year. (229-230). This legislation requires individual American states to
produce a certain percentage of the state’s energy from renewable sources. The
percentage varies by state, and the information listed on the government’s website is
from 2007, therefore Ohio is not included122.
Also, Respondent #1 makes the point that the federal government has extended its
production-based tax credit through 2012, mentioned in the earlier background
information chapter, which provides an incentive for further development of utilityscale projects. This legislation gives $.021 of credit based on the number of kilowatthours generated through wind (263-275). These perceptions lend themselves to
support the idea that the wind industry, its market and wind energy itself are viable in
the long run, as is discussed by Respondent #2 (341).
While the respondents describe that the wind energy market encompasses the entire
U.S., Respondent #4 also states that the global market is just as strong; “If a turbine is
122
U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/states/maps/renewable_portfolio_states.cfm. Accessed May 2009.
42
coming to Texas that means it didn’t go to Denmark or Delhi or China or some other
place. This is a world market that you’re fighting against (785-789)”. As the global
market for wind turbines, so does the market in the U.S., further supporting that the
American market is viable for the long-term.
Respondent #4 then describes the role that the Obama administration’s new
investment will play in terms of wind energy and growing the market; he explains that
the administration is seeking to improve education in math, science and engineering,
at the same time that the government is researching where and how to expand
electricity transmission line infrastructure. The idea is that by the time the
infrastructure has been expanded, there will be enough individuals with the
appropriate educational background to fill the jobs that will be created by new sources
of energy (453-465). This implies that there will be room for electricity generated
from new clean energy sources, i.e. wind, to be added to the grid and enough educated
individuals to support this development.
Respondent #4 then describes that while Vestas is taking full advantage of the market
for large-scale wind turbine installations in the U.S., he believes that the company is
missing a market opportunity in terms of community-based development, or C-BED.
The respondent realizes that there are some tradeoffs related to this for the company;
he says,
“…so from their marketing viewpoint they’ve gotta say, there’s no way I can
make money with that, if I go ahead and produce 1,500 of these a year and
only sell, you know, 1,000 of them, you know I’ve wasted production line,
while I could have made 10 more 3 megawatts and sold every one of them
(897-903).”
Despite this point, the respondent still believes that Vestas has overlooked this part of
the market (896).
In terms of the future of the market, the perception among respondents seems to be
that the wind industry as a whole will face competition not only from fossil fuel
sources such as coal, as described by Respondent #6 in terms of Ohio where there is a
strong coal lobby (359), but also from other renewable resources such as solar energy,
as described by Respondent #3 (600). Respondent #2 also states that he sees a definite
market in offshore wind energy (351), which is supported by Respondent #3 who
43
explains that there are plans to build an offshore wind farm in the Atlantic (605-615)
and by Respondent #6 who discussed proposed plans for an offshore wind farm in the
Great Lakes region (423-424). Therefore it seems that some of the future market in
the U.S. is moving towards offshore development, which is an important point for
Vestas to consider.
Lastly, in terms of market, the Respondent #4 explains that now is the time for wind
energy; “…think of it this way, is every energy source the whole world has ever used
has grown at a nice gradual rate, hit a peak, and then tapered off (1217-1220)”. He
then adds, “We’ve seen this growth of energy use over and over and over again, this
is the current status right now. We’re peaking out on oil production, we’re peaking
out on what’s available, and now it’s time for something else to start growing and
taking its place (1245-1247).”
5.6 Additional topics for analysis
As previously mentioned, the themes for the analysis were extracted from the
questions asked by the interviewer. As the interviews were semi-structured, the
respondents were given room to discuss what they felt was important. This resulted in
topics that did not always fit into the specified categories of analysis. These
perceptions are mentioned below, as they still represent valuable perspectives.
Originally, the perception of the researchers was that a demand from the public,
supplied by information from NGOs, would cause a large investment into wind
energy by the federal government. However, Respondent #2 disagrees; his belief is
that the manufacturing companies have more of a responsibility for communicating
the benefits of wind energy than do NGOs, because they to go out and conduct the
“pre-market education have the incentive (194-197). Following this logic, it means
that traditional manufacturing companies would need a more assertive education and
marketing plan, a step which seems to be out of line with the current marketing
practices of companies involved in the wind industry, who focus their marketing
efforts on their customers and other direct stakeholders.
44
Also it seems that wind energy is not necessarily separate from other environmental
issues in the minds of those who are involved in the industry. For example acid rain
in New Jersey is a topic that Respondent #3 covers (323). Both Respondent #1 (460)
and Respondent #3123 talk about the use of coal as energy. Respondent #3 also goes
into depth describing the process of clean coal production, with the conclusion that
clean coal simply doesn’t exist (544-579). Respondent #3 further describes a process
of scoring different forms of energy production to see which has the least impact
environmentally (295-310).
Although it was very important to Respondent #3 to find a form of clean energy
production (150-154), the respondents did not frequently mention that wind energy
was a clean form of energy. Perhaps, this is because the respondents are industry
insiders and simply take it for granted that wind energy is considered clean energy.
However this could also not be a concern to the respondents. It seems as if the
dominant concerns for the respondents were impacts to wildlife due to project siting
and much needed manufacturing jobs to suffering local economies. These could in
fact be the points at which Vestas or other wind companies could use as part of their
marketing strategy.
5.7 Summation of Interview Analysis
Overall, despite the fact that the respondents came from the non-profit, government
and private sectors, many of the same perceptions were presented in their responses.
Naturally, those respondents involved in studying impacts to wildlife might more
frequently report perceptions related to bird kills, etc, a limitation which is taken into
account in the discussion. Notably it is Respondent #4 who is involved with a nonprofit research institute, who discusses the idea of the profitability of wind energy
(570-564), rather than the individuals from the private sector. Additionally, there is
the possibility that viewpoints reported can vary depending on sub-culture, or
geographic region, but in general the respondents reported the same ideas equally.
The fact that the same perceptions were reported almost across the board implies that
there is a general consensus within the U.S. in terms of wind energy. This then
provides a clear and cohesive base from which the researchers can apply the theories
of branding to understand how perceptions can be applied to building a strong brand.
123
Discussion about coal as a form of energy exists throughout the entire interview with Respondent #1, Included
in Appendix 1, p.1-17
45
6. INTERVIEW DISCUSSION
The respondents overall provided a variety of perspectives, which can be considered
in terms of the branding theories and which will later be compared to an analysis of
Vestas’ branding strategy, based on the information contained in their web site. It is
important to clarify that within the theory of branding; this analysis looks specifically
at the cultural perceptions as they apply to the theories of holistic branding. It follows,
then that the purpose of the analysis was to understand how Vestas can use these
perceptions in order to differentiate themselves from the competition, to adapt to the
U.S. market and to build the brand’s equity.
6.1 Basic brand differentiation strategies
Based on the interviews it is clear that Vestas has some issues with differentiation
among the competition. For example, Respondent #2 had difficulty describing his
knowledge of Vestas and is quoted as saying that the wind turbine manufacturing
companies all appear very similar to him124. Therefore it is clear Vestas should
consider ways in which it can stand out from the competition. The respondents list
some interesting ideas about current issues in the market and future movements of the
market that could assist in this process:

There is an industry wide issue related to problems with the long-term
reliability of the gear-boxes in the wind turbine125. Solving this issue could set
the design of Vestas wind turbines apart from other manufacturers.

Vestas is primarily a wind turbine manufacturer and is not involved very much
in project development126. Within the industry, there seems to be a clear
distinction between wind turbine manufacturers and project developers, but
there does not appear to be any company that successfully carries both titles.
Creating or expanding upon any wind energy project development activities,
in addition to their already strong manufacturing base, could be one way to
further differentiate Vestas from the competition.

There appears to be a market for community-based development, with which
Vestas is not currently involved127 and the competition has also seemed to
124
Respondent #2, Included in Appendix 2, p. 27, lines 270-271
Respondent #4, Included in Appendix 4, p. 83, lines 807-819
126 Respondent #4, Ibid., p. 81, line 730
127 Respondent #4, Ibid., p. 86, lines 873-907
125
46
overlook. One of the respondents in particular sees this as a valuable market
and a missed opportunity. It is suggested then, that Vestas could focus part of
their production efforts on this market, thereby creating yet another
differentiating factor and increasing brand equity.

The future of wind energy in the U.S. seems to also be moving in the direction
of offshore wind farm development. Offshore endeavors represent a growing
market within a growing wind energy market Vestas could take advantage of
this opportunity to diversify into offshore development, thus further
differentiating the Vestas brand.
o A further note to the above point is that offshore development in the
United States, based on the example of Cape Wind provided by the
respondents, can be a controversial issue. Many of the concerns raised
within the idea of “Not in My Backyard” are clearly voiced against
offshore development. Vestas would need to consider these concerns
in pursuing this market. Adaptation of any offshore development
branding strategy to clearly address these concerns would be vital to
differentiating the Vestas brand in this aspect.
6.2 Brand differentiation through secondary brand associations
Additionally, Vestas could employ the concept of secondary brand associations in
order to create a differentiated stance amongst the competition. Secondary brand
associations are entities that are related to the brand, but carry their own individual
associations and are an important factor in building brand equity128. As it relates to the
interviews, the respondents reported many associations of wind turbines, which in
turn lend themselves to the idea that they reflect perceptions of wind energy. The
respondents also report an overall sense that the image of a wind turbine can be
viewed as a symbol for clean energy. As Vestas is a company producing wind
turbines, which in turn produce wind energy, there is an inherent link between the
associations of Vestas, wind turbines and wind energy. Therefore, the following
discussion will examine specifically how Vestas can benefit from and build brand
equity by employing secondary associations of wind turbines and wind energy.
To begin the analysis of secondary associations, one can begin by seeking to
understand the root of these associations. It is the assumption of the researchers that
personal interactions with culture are the basis for forming individual perceptions,
associations, and cultural images. Following this idea, Shiffman and Kanuk describe
128Schmidt
& Ludlow; Inclusive Branding
47
the idea that Americans grow up with cultural values including achievement, success,
activity, efficiency, practicality, progress, freedom, individualism and comfort129. Of
the associations reported by the respondents, two in particular are reflected in
Schiffman and Kanuk’s list of American cultural values. One of these values,
“freedom,” is clearly expressed both historically as a perception related to wind
energy, as well as in the perceptions reported by the respondents.
The cultural value of “individualism” is expressed both historically and in the
interviews, but in a more indirect way using the idea of “independence.” While the
words are not of the exact same meaning, the researchers carry the assumption that
individualism is a by-product of independence; where as independence literally refers
to a state of being free from outside control130, individualism refers to “a theory
maintaining the political and economic independence of the individual131.” Therefore
it follows that individualism results from independence, and the perception that wind
energy is related to independence is in line with the American cultural value of
individualism.
Overall, the current idea of independence is somewhat different than the historical
connotation. Historically, this idea meant that farmers were free to create and manage
their own energy source, and could avoid accruing debt and paying high rates for
electricity from a centralized system132. Currently, the idea of independence lends
itself more to the idea of freedom from dependence on fossil fuels and foreign sources
of energy, in particular oil133. The respondents reported these two associations as they
relate to wind turbines, an object that they see also as a symbol of clean energy.
Therefore it follows that clean energy sources, in particular wind energy, can carry the
same associations as wind turbines. Vestas, as a producer of wind turbines, is then
linked to these secondary associations of wind energy. Vestas can then build on the
related associations of “independence” and “freedom” as they seek to build their
brand equity by localizing the brand to a U.S. market.
129Schiffmann
and Kanuk: Consumer Behavior
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, http://www.merriam-webster.com/
131 Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, ibid.
132 Righter, op cit.
133 Righter, ibid
130
48
Following this idea it is clear that both historically and in the interviews, wind energy
can be associated with economic development in terms of job creation and with
making a profit. While these associations have arisen from somewhat controversial
circumstances, dating back to Palm Springs, California as mentioned in the
background information, currently these are viewed as positive associations and can
be used by Vestas in the same way described in relation to the ideas of
“independence” and “freedom.” Vestas should be clear and open about the company’s
role in enhancing job creation and individual financial gain; these represent another
set of secondary associations, which can be useful in order to further build brand
equity.
One point to keep in mind is that these two associations represent perceptions from
two different regions of the United States. In discussing the idea of adapting to a U.S.
market, one must remember that the United States is a large country, with different
regions that can therefore represent different subcultures with their own associations.
So, while the overall American cultural view holds that wind energy can create some
form of economic development, one can further break this cultural view down by
subcultures. As described by respondents based in Ohio, wind energy has an
association with job creation. This region of the U.S. was heavily involved in the
automotive industry, which over the past year has seen unprecedented job losses134.
This region therefore sees itself as having the industrial capacity – both the factories
and the laborers – to take on the construction of the various parts of wind turbines.
Coupled with the knowledge of the upcoming federal investment in clean energy from
the Obama administration, and thus the idea of “green jobs135” coming from this
development, the perception in Ohio is that wind energy can bring much needed jobs
to the state and this region of the U.S. Vestas can therefore employ this secondary
association in their branding strategy to reach out to and build their brand equity
within this American sub-culture.
CNN.com, “Auto industry sparks surge in jobless claims”
http://money.cnn.com/2009/05/14/news/economy/jobless_claims/index.htm?postversion=2009051411. Accessed
May 26, 2009
135 White House.gov, Official U.S. Government web site. http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/09/02/27/The-case-forgreen-jobs/. Accessed May 26, 2009
134
49
On the other hand, the association that wind energy carries as a means for making a
profit is one that is more commonly expressed by Respondent #4, based in Texas. As
the respondent explains, Texas is a state that considers it to be in the energy
business136, and therefore interested in how to make a profit via energy generation.
With demand for clean energy sources and environmental concerns rising, the
perception in Texas is, therefore, that wind energy equals a means to turning a profit
and furthering business. The idea of making money, along with the aforementioned
perception of job creation represents secondary associations to wind energy that
Vestas can employ to create positive associations within specific regions of the U.S.
the make up the individual parts of the overall market.
While the aforementioned perceptions lend themselves to positive associations, there
are also several negative perceptions of wind energy that could hurt the brand just as
much as the aforementioned perceptions could help. The respondents had a tendency
to echo some of the perceptions as outlined in Righter’s history of wind energy in
America.137 For example, several of the respondents discussed the idea of NIMBY,
which has its roots in the California wind energy development boom in the 1980s and
appears to still be a prominent concern in the United States138.
Following the idea of NIMBY (which includes concerns related to aesthetics and
viewshed, as well as noise and light pollution and property devaluation), Righter also
described the idea that perceptions of wind energy truly depend on the side of the
fence that a person is on, that is to say whether or not an individual is receiving
economic benefit from the wind turbine installations139. This same idea was addressed
by Respondent #4140, and is therefore still a strong current perception. In carrying a
secondary association to wind energy, Vestas may also carry an association to these
negative ideas. It is therefore in Vestas’ best interest to clearly address the benefits of
wind energy in the context of these concerns – how they believe it will enhance rather
than ruin the aesthetics of the surrounding landscape, how noise disturbance and light
pollution can be avoided, and how impacts to wildlife are managed and avoided. This
136
Respondent #4, op cit., Appendix p. 86, lines 555-575
Righter, op cit.
138 Righter, ibid, Chapter 11
139 Righter, ibid
140 Respondent #4, op cit., Included in Appendix p. 66, lines 257-260
137
50
will help to negate these perceptions and turn them into positive associations of wind
energy, which the company can then use to continue to build their brand equity.
The strategies described here have sought to examine how the perceptions reported by
respondents in the interviews can be applied to building brand equity for Vestas in the
United States. The next section will look further into how Vestas actually
communicates its image to the U.S. market and if it is in line with the perceptions
outlined above. From there the analysis will seek to combine the information
described above with the analysis of Vestas’ communication materials, in order to
understand Vestas within the overall context of holistic branding and to understand
how Vestas can most effectively communicate their brand within the U.S. market.
7. ANALYSIS OF VESTAS WEB SITE
An analysis of the Vestas web site is included in the project in order to compare the
information included in the web site with the perceptions reported in the interviews.
In this way it will be possible to examine if the web page addresses the U.S. market
on a local level or if the online communications are focused on a global level.
In order to analyze the Vestas website the following points, as described in the theory,
will be considered:




“What is the main goal of Vestas’ web site?
Who is the primary target group for the site?
How does the Vestas web site inform visitors and how are their campaigns
developed for the web site?
Is the web site informative? Is it based on creating communicative relations
with its users?141”
o This point also relates to the holistic branding theory; in judging
whether the site is informative, the researchers will consider the
substance and expression of the information, in terms of its relevance
to the reader. In this context, relevance means, is it applicable to the
American market?
The analysis will not discuss who is responsible for the organization of the
development process and the requirements for success. Information related to the web
site developers is not related to the current analysis. Also, the researchers are not in
141
Sandstrøm., Op.cit, (Free translation from Danish) p. 125-126
51
position to judge the success of the web site; their role is to describe the ways in
which the web site does or does not address the American market.
Within the context of these questions, the following criteria described by
Sandstrøm can be used to evaluate the ways in which the Vestas web site does or does
not connect the overall brand to the local audience. The researchers will examine:
 If there is a coherence between values, management principles, strategy and
communication.
 If Vestas is clearly communicating a variety of stakeholders, i.e. members of
the three different sectors (non-profit, governmental and private), as well as
customers (project developers, private investors).
 If Vestas is employing secondary brand associations in their
communications.142
7.1 Overview of the Vestas web site
Keeping in mind the theoretical considerations discussed above, a general overview of
the Vestas web site is provided. Below is a screenshot of the Vestas home page,
Figure 1a. The top of the page prominently displays the Vestas logo and the slogan
“No. 1 in Modern Energy.” Beneath this, is a text bar including links to the following
subpages:






Wind Power Solutions
Modern Energy
Jobs
Investor
Media
About Vestas
On the same horizontal line as this text bar, the page includes a link for choosing
language, accessing contact information and a search bar for searching within the web
site.
The middle of the page includes large images; one depicting two wind turbines in a
mountainous setting, one depicting the nacelle of their new V112 3.0 megawatt wind
turbine model, and one promoting their graduate program. Below these images they
have included additional information such as links to current press releases, to an email news service, and a quick link list to some of the pages mentioned above.
142
Sandstrøm, ibid.
52
Figure 1a. http://www.vestas.com/
At the bottom of the main page (refer to Figure 1b below), there is a link to a topic
page entitled “No. 1 in Modern Energy”. There are also two drop down menus that
allow visitors to choose their language (English, Danish, Chinese, Spanish, French,
German, Italian) and their country (China, Germany, Spain, France, Italy). It is
important to note that English is the first language listed above all other languages,
including Danish which is the native language of Vestas. It is also important to note
that the U.S. is not included in the country list. This, therefore, supports the idea that
Vestas has pursued a global branding strategy that is not aimed specifically at the U.S.
Next to this, the company lists their current share price for company stockholders,
followed by a link to a brief disclaimer, which includes information for stockholders.
At the very bottom of the site, there is a copyright, disclaimer, site map, contact
information, and the company registration number.
53
Figure 1b. http://www.vestas.com/
All of the pages that are linked to this homepage were examined; however, this
analysis will focus on the section entitled “Modern Energy”. A particular emphasis
will be placed on the information included in “Modern Energy”, because it contains
the bulk of the communication about the Vestas brand (i.e. “No. 1 in Modern
Energy”). The “About Vestas” section also contains information about the company.
However, it provides more of a company profile and historical overview of Vestas. It
does not provide information that can be used to examine the Vestas brand.
7.2 Modern Energy
Vestas then breaks down the “Modern Energy” (refer to Figure 2 below) section into
subpages entitled “Understanding modern energy,” “Experience the wind,” “A global
challenge,” “Political Initiatives,” and “Social Responsibility,” which are linked to in
the top horizontal text bar. In the middle of this page there is a large image of a city lit
up at night with a description of “Modern Energy” and links to some of the subpages
mentioned above.
Figure 2. www.vestas.com/en/modern-energy.aspx
At the bottom of the pages Vestas breaks down the idea of “Modern Energy” into five
topics:
54





“Wind power is competitive” - Competitive in terms of this web site
means that wind energy can compete in price with oil and gas.
“Wind power is predictable” – Predictable here means that wind energy is
a consistent and free source of energy.
“Wind power is independent” – Independent here is described as follows:
“Wind knows no limits and doesn’t recognize national boundaries. It’s an
unlimited source of energy indigenous to every country in the world. Wind
creates local jobs – and it has the power to free countries from energy
dependence.” This means that wind energy provides freedom from reliance
on foreign sources of energy and creates local jobs.
“Wind power is fast” – This means that the return on investment is both
high and fast.
“Wind power is clean” – Clean means that wind energy does not produce
carbon dioxide and does not use water.
7.3 Analysis of Modern Energy
After viewing the web site, it is the assumption of the researchers that the Vestas
brand is based on the idea of “Modern Energy”143, and that the goal of this section is
to communicate the positive aspects of this brand. This section is primarily targeted at
Vestas’ consumers and key stakeholders, including project developers and private
investors, and not the overall general public. Similar to Sandstrøm’s theory of
corporate branding strategy, Vestas as stakeholder-based company seeks to create a
relationship between these consumers and the brand. Vestas uses the five topics
discussed above to define their concept of “Modern Energy”, which are the
components that form their holistic brand. These fives topics (competitive,
predictable, independent, fast and clean) are the points that Vestas believes will
resonate with the consumers and therefore are utilized to create the value relationship
with the consumers and stakeholders.
Given the assumption that respondents are representative of American consumers and
stakeholders, their responses will be compared to information presented in the
“Modern Energy” section of the Vestas web site.
Competitive: There is the implication in the interviews (according to Respondent #3
and #5) that the perception in the U.S. is that wind energy is not competitive in terms
143
Vestas.com. “Modern Energy”. http://www.vestas.com/en/modern-energy.aspx
55
of price as compared to other sources of energy. Vestas addresses this idea in the first
of their five topics included under “Modern Energy,” and in contrast describes wind
energy as a competitively priced source of energy. This speaks directly to American
concerns related to the cost of wind energy.
Predictable: Vestas puts a focus on the predictability of wind energy, which they
define as being related to product reliability. However, this was not a major concern
described by the respondents. In the past, specifically in the 1980s during the wind
energy boom in California, large-scale wind installations did not have a strong
reputation for reliability144. However, the issue of quality and reliability no longer
appears to be an issue in terms of the respondents’ perspectives. In fact, overall the
respondents, in particular Respondent #4, viewed Vestas as one of the better wind
turbine manufacturers working the U.S. market.
Independent: In their discussion on the idea of independence, Vestas explains that
wind energy creates jobs and provides independence from foreign sources of oil. Most
of the respondents discussed the idea of job creation, implying that this is one of
Americans’ main positive perceptions of wind energy. This is both a current
perception and a view that has been reported historically145.
Fast: In this topic Vestas discusses the idea that once the initial investment in wind
energy is made, the return on investment will come quickly. They also discuss the
idea that the return on investment is high. The respondents did not directly discuss
these concerns. They did, however, discuss the perception that wind energy can be a
profitable business. Therefore, the idea presented here in the web site addresses the
perception that wind energy can be a profitable investment.
Clean: Vestas describes wind energy as being clean, meaning it does not produce
carbon dioxide emissions or use water. This view was clearly understood and reported
by the respondents. However, the significance of wind energy being a clean source
appeared to be less important to the respondents than job creation or impacts on
wildlife and surrounding landscapes.
144
145
Righter, op. cit. Chapter 11
Righter, Ibid
56
7.4 SUMMATION
The assumption is that when a global company creates a website, the cultural
backgrounds of the readers must be considered.146 There is a dynamic relationship
between cultural perceptions and associations to the brand. Brands then build on
associations in order to increase brand value. The topics presented on the Vestas web
site do seem to address several American perceptions of wind energy, but do not
directly address some of the most important. Therefore, it is important that Vestas
considers a localized strategy in further developing their online communications.
8. OVERALL DISCUSSION
It is common that international companies using a web site simply create the same
web page in two or three languages to reach out to as many consumers as possible.
This is referred to language strategy in the book Meanings and Messages147 for which
there are a couple of models presented. Vestas however, does not fit into the models
and the model below has been adapted to fit Vestas language strategy148.
English
www.vestas.com
English
/en
Danish
/da
Chinese
/cn
French
/fr
German
/de
Italian
/it
Figure 3. Language model.149
The model illustrates that the overall Vestas.com website is in English. It is from here
that a consumer may choose a language including English. The different language
sites are equally accessible after being directed to the main English homepage. This
indicates that English language site is not directed specifically towards an American
audience. A menu for countries is also available and matches the available languages,
with the exception of English and Danish. It is assumed that there is no website for
Denmark because Danish is not widely spoken outside of Denmark. However, there
are many countries whose official language is English. Therefore it is important for
146
Askehave and Norlyk, Op.cit, p.143
Askehave & Norlyk, Ibid, p 140
148 The model is inspired by the model: Askehave & Norlyk, Ibid, p. 140
149 Freely adapted: Askehave & Norlyk, Ibid, p. 140-141
147
57
Vestas to distinguish the countries from the language, especially where multiple
countries speak the same language and yet have different market concerns. Based on
the model and the website, Vestas uses a global marketing communication strategy;
however they pursue a localized communication strategy. In adapting to local
markets and taking into account local cultural perceptions, Vestas is creating added
brand value, thereby increasing brand differentiation.
According to the respondents, one of the main concerns regarding wind energy is
impact on wildlife. Under the heading political initiatives on the Vestas website, they
discuss the categories:





Wind resource mapping
Spatial Planning
Noise
Wildlife
Grids150
These topics although presented on the website are not easily found. Spatial planning,
noise, wildlife, are all important topics according to the respondents and should be at
the forefront of the website. The website does not address aesthetics in terms of
viewshed and shadow flicker, which was not mentioned on the Vestas website. As
these are very clearly American concerns, they need to be addressed more clearly in
the website. Perhaps, in creating the five topics of “Modern Energy” as described in
the analysis, these concerns of the American market should be addressed.
9. CONCLUSION
The U.S. has a long history of wind energy primarily tied to agriculture, but more
recently to utility scale electricity generation. Relatively little information is available
on the current wind energy market. It was therefore necessary to gather this
information using interviews with those involved in the wind energy industry. The
current project collected information from the private sector, the public sector, and the
government sector. The information gathered from the semi-structured interviews
relates to perceptions of the market is limited, but relates to key concerns for wind
energy development.
150
http://www.vestas.com/en/modern-energy/political-initiatives.aspx
58
There were several predominant themes related to wind energy given by the
respondents, supplying the perceptions of wind energy in the U.S.. If the respondents
are representative of the markets they describe, it is possible to describe the wind
energy market as:






a way to provide jobs to struggling markets, especially in states like Ohio
where manufacturing jobs were lost due to the collapse of the automotive
industry, and in Texas where energy is big business.
something that represents freedom and independence.
not necessarily related to the idea of sustainable energy sources.
something that may have a negative impact on wildlife. Secondary concerns
are noise issues, viewshed destruction, and possible health concerns.
not competitive with fossil fuel, in terms of cost.
a market in which Vestas has a good reputation, but with many competitors.
The respondents gave in depth information on perceptions of wind energy in the U.S.,
from general perceptions to very specific associations, creating more of a holistic
interpretation. This information can be used by Vestas to understand whether or not
their branding strategy will resonate with the market in the U.S..
The information gathered on Vestas was gained from their website. Interestingly, the
languages available online are defined by country, except for English, which means
that Vestas does not differentiate between English speaking countries. Vestas is “No.
1 in Modern energy” and gives five adjectives that describe this state; competitive,
predictable, independent, fast and clean. An explanation of these terms was provided
by the web site.





Competitive meaning that the cost of a turbine and the cost of producing
energy is low.
Predictable means consistent energy flow, and that the turbines are reliable.
Independence means an unlimited source of energy, therefore free from the
global market, and able to create jobs.
Fast meaning that the windmills themselves are fast and the market for wind
energy is growing fast as well.
Clean meaning a source of sustainable energy.
These descriptions are essentially the brand of Vestas. Once outlined, these concepts a
part of the holistic brand of Vestas were compared to perceptions of wind energy in
the U.S. to see if the concepts were compatible.
59
It is assumed that the respondents are representative of the markets, therefore the
brand of Vestas can be compared. One of Americans primary focus is job creation.
Vestas does mention this, but it is certainly not at the forefront of the website. Vestas
does address the image of wind energy as freedom by mentioning freedom from the
global fossil fuel market. They address the problems that plagued the industry, not
just Vestas, in the early 70’s and 80’s by discussing the reliability of the turbine as a
product. The market is deeply concerned with impact to wildlife, a point the Vestas
does not directly address. This is related to siting of the wind farms, and a description
of how this is accomplished or a list of resources on the website could address this.
Essentially, Vestas does have the overall picture of the U.S. perceptions of wind
energy. However, the two key points of creation of jobs and wildlife impact need to
be clearly addressed by Vestas to create buy-in from the U.S. market.
The reality of the energy market is simply that fossil fuels are no longer reliable. A
source of renewable energy is absolutely essential especially in the U.S., one of the
largest consumers of energy globally. Wind energy could be a possible sustainable
energy solution in the U.S., but is a market of great competition and development
focused only in certain regions. As the respondents pointed out, in the U.S. market,
the consumers of wind turbines are private investors, with a vision for the future. As
they also pointed out, it is the responsibility of the manufactures to disseminate
information to these private investors in order for the wind energy market in the U.S.
to blossom. For an international company like Vestas to be successful in the U.S.
market, it is essential that they address the nuances of the people and the locations. If
a company like Vestas is able to do this, it is possible that the new administration,
with the clean energy focus, will invest in wind energy. Hopefully, with the
possibility of changing the energy market in the U.S. towards a more sustainable
economy and environment.
60
Bibliography
American Wind Energy Association. <http://www.awea.org/legislative/#PTC>
[Accessed 26 May 2009]
Askehave, Inger and Birgitte Norlyk. Meanings and Messages: Intercultural
Business Communication.
Academica: Århus (2006)
Biden, J. and Barack Obama. (2009) “Barack Obama and Joe Biden: New Energy for
America”http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/factsheet_energy_speech_080308.pdf
[Accessed 28 March 2009]
Bryman, Alan. Social Research Methods. Oxford University Press: Oxford (2008).
CNN.com, “Auto industry sparks surge in jobless claims”
<http://money.cnn.com/2009/05/14/news/economy/jobless_claims/index.htm?
postversion=2009051411>. [Accessed 26 May, 2009]
EPN.dk. (2009) “Dong giver milliard-ordre til Siemens”.
<http://epn.dk./brancher/energi/alternativ/article1624317.ece>. [Accessed 20
March 2009]
EPN.dk. (2009) [Title not given]
<http://epn.dk/brnacher/energi/alternativ/article1636426.ece>. [Accessed 20
March 2009]
Frandsen F., Johansen W., and Anne Ellerup Nielsen. International
Markedskommunikation i en Postmoderne Verden. Systime: Viborg (2002).
Global Wind Energy Council. (2008) “Global Wind 2008 Report”
<http://www.gwec.net/fileadmin/documents/Publications/Report_2008/
Global_Wind_2008_Report.pdf> [Accessed 28 March 2009]
Kasper J. Granat, Group Marketing & Customer Insight. Personal email. 10 March
2009.
Kvale, Steiner. Interviews. Sage: London (1996).
Lipsky, Michael. Street Level Bureaucracy: Dilemmas of the Individual in Public
Service. Russell Sage Foundation: New York (1983).
Manager Thomas Rune Pedersen, Vestas A/S – Control Division, Hammel-Denmark.
Quote taken from conversation. March 2009.
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/>.
[Accessed May 2009]
Righter, Robert W. Wind Energy in America. University of Oklahoma Press:
Norman (1996).
61
Sargeant, Adrian. Marketing Management for Nonprofit Organizations. Oxford
University Press: Oxford (2009).
Schiffman, Leon and Leslie Lazar Kanuk. Consumer Behavior. Prentice Hall: New
York (2006).
Schmidt, Klaus and Chris Ludlow. Inclusive Branding. Palgrave Macmillan: New
York (2002).
U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
<http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/states/maps/renewable_portfolio_states.cfm>.
[Accessed May 2009]
Vestas Wind Systems. Home Page. <http://www.vestas.com> [Accessed May 2009]
Vestas Wind Systems. “Modern Energy.” <http://www.vestas.com/en/modernenergy.aspx>. [Accessed May 2009]
Vestas Wind Systems, “Political Initatives.” <http://www.vestas.com/en/modernenergy/political-initiatives.aspx>. [Accessed May 2009]
White House.gov, Official U.S. Government web site.
<http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/09/02/27/The-case-for-green-jobs/>. [Accessed
26 May 2009]
62