Self-presentation by freight transport firms and traffic modes

Research Project, 2025 – 2026

Despite extensive studies on the preferences of transport purchasers, little attention has been given to the marketing strategies of transport firms and collectively by the traffic modes. The research aims to address the overlooked aspect of how transport providers and industry associations choose to present themselves to potential customers, to policymakers and to the public, and the impact on the creation of demand for transport. Through media content analysis and interviews with marketing representa-tives and industry associations, the project seeks to understand how major transport firms and mode-specific industry associations choose to portray themselves in various communication channels and how this aligns with customer requirements and perceived strengths and weaknesses of different traf-fic modes. By analysing longitudinal data, the study aims to uncover trends in the presentation of traffic modes over time. The anticipated outcomes include insights into discrepancies between the self-presented image and customer needs, which can inform policy decisions and facilitate modal shift. The interdisciplinary approach, combining expertise in freight transport with purchasing and interorganisational relations, allows for a comprehensive understanding of this phenomenon. The project’s contribution lies in its exploration of an under-researched area, strengthening collaborations among researchers, and introducing media content analysis as a method in logistics research.