DEMYSTIFYING EXCLUSION FROM AN INCLUSIVE LIFESTYLE: The case of surf industry branding

Purpose: This thesis seeks to understand how branding by actors affiliated with a particular industry, i.e. surfing, enact social inclusion or exclusion. Methodology: Empirical data is based on qualitative methods, entailing a triangulation of semiotic analysis of the World Surf League website, World Surf League original series, and semi-structured interviews with surf athletes. A conceptual model is designed based on two emerging concepts about subjective social inclusion and industry branding, which is used as a guiding principal to collect and analyse the data. Results: This thesis answers to the research question: How does branding by actors affiliated with the surfing community enact social inclusion or exclusion? Empirical data demonstrates that branding does not play an essential role in the social inclusiveness of local surfing communities. Not least, marketing communication executed by the biggest representative actors (e.g. WSL), does enact social exclusion and reduces feelings of responsibility among the surf athletes in the institutional context of the surf industry’s brand. Value: The empirical data should be valuable for anyone interested in, or focusing on, sociology or marketing in the leisure or tourism sector. It greatly emphasises the importance and awareness of social inclusion among all actors affiliated with a particular industry for the individuals’ and societal well-being. In this manner, branding is considered as a primary mediator to illustrate its relevance.