Internationalization in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area: Images, Discourses and Metaphors

Abstract

This paper investigates promotional images in the Metropolitan Area of Helsinki, focusing on the projection, outside national boundaries, of specific “ideas” concerning the cities of Helsinki, Espoo and Vantaa. After introducing the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, presenting its geographical features, urban dynamics, actual problems and actors involved in image-building, the focus of this research will be a comparison between the images proposed in promotional materials and policy documents by the various territorial units, looking at their differences, overlaps, synergies and clashes. In fact, as will be discussed, even if the images proposed by the cities consist of the same thematic fields (technology, nature, culture, etc.), they contain slightly different implicit messages, targets, representations of the cities, values, strategic orientations and approaches.

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank for their friendly help Anne Haila, the colleagues of the Department of Social Policy of the University of Helsinki, the RTN UrbEurope Network, Carlo Salone and the anonymous referees

Notes

1. The levers through which the reform has taken form consist in the reduction of government benefits to the municipality and an increase in the share of corporate tax allotted to them (for a description of mechanisms see Haila and Le Galés (2002) and Haila (2001)). However, the principle that corporate taxes are equal everywhere in the country (29%) remains unchanged, preventing potentially dangerous competition between Finnish cities.

2. Three units exist which are particularly important: the Business Development Unit, dealing mainly with promotion of the economic environment, the Helsinki City Tourist & Convention Bureau, which covers promotion of tourism, and the Helsinki Urban Facts concerned with the publication of statistics and research results, targeting not only experts but the public at large.

3. The assumption was tested through in-depth interviews (live and telephone) aimed at local scholars, policy-makers and experts in the field of urban marketing during March and April 2004. The author is grateful for comments provided by the representatives of the Tourist Bureaux of Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, Espoo Convention & Marketing, Timo Cantell (Helsinki Urban Facts), Eero Holstila (Culminatum Oy), Pentti Pitkänen (Helsinki Business Development Unit), colleagues of the Departments of Social Policy and Geography of the University of Helsinki, and other sources.

4. Nokia House is the headquarters of the famous Nokia Company and Innopolis is an important science park: both are basically modern architectural glass and steel buildings. Otaniemi is a university complex.