Stadens melodi : Information och reklam i Stockholms kommun 1930-1980

Sammanfattning: The Song of Stockholm investigates the information and promotion produced by the municipality of Stockholm from 1930 to 1980. It focuses on three target groups: inhabitants, companies and tourists. Important questions are: Why did the City create a self-image? What images were presented? How did the activities change over time?The information and promotion are seen as two sides of the same phenomenon: the construction of a self-image. The theoretical perspective stresses the municipality’s dependence on other actors and the way the activities were means to handle the dependency and to gain political and economic resources. They are related to the changing nature of the tasks of the municipalities (to produce service, democracy and economic efficiency), to different instructions expressed by the State, and to economical and political problems within and outside Stockholm.The images presented to tourists and companies show that it was important to achieve balance: Stockholm was described as neither too big, modern or self-confident, nor too small, old or modest. The images intended for the inhabitants changed over time: sometimes the municipality presented itself as a harsh parent, sometimes it became more humble and wanted to communicate with the citizens.The activities point at different dilemmas. The information to the inhabitants shows that it was a way to accomplish legitimacy, but that it sometimes was simplified and accused of resembling political propaganda. The promotion addressed to companies questioned the solidarity between municipalities and affected the sensitive relation to the State. The study of the tourist promotion highlights problems in the cooperation between public and private actors.So, why did Stockholm engage in the activities? Economical problems were important, especially unemployment, but also uninterested citizens, the central regional policies and a widely spread scepticism against the capital.