I kept a few flyers to look over<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/double-helix-history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/96\/2017\/11\/IMG_0774-e1511525809910-300x225.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
the ways that the services were selling themselves. These are small contributions to major communication strategies on behalf of the three big companies, but in their differences \u2013 and in the issues they underline \u2013 we can begin to see how the various organisations conceive of and sell DNA testing.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/double-helix-history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/96\/2017\/11\/IMG_0776-e1511525853538-225x300.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
FamilyTreeDNA was offering three distinct types of test \u2013 YDNA, MtDNA, and Family Finder (degree of relationship). On the flyer, each is outlined with particular benefits. So Family Finder is \u2018Great test for adoptees\u2019, whereas MtDNA \u2018suggests geographic origins\u2019. The flyer explicitly catered to a particular type of user: \u2018Have you hit the end of your paper trail?\u2019 Their advertising also linked DNA work with more investigations \u2013 claiming \u2018More than 8000 DNA projects\u2019 and listing some of the ways that the information was being used by \u2018a community of enthusiastic genealogists\u2019. The FamilyTreeDNA flyer was the least professional, an A4 printed piece of paper, and feels more community-led and low key (although prices were in dollars, so it also felt unspecific to the Irish context). The point of the \u2018Comprehensive Database\u2019 is made thoroughly, though: \u2018A genetic genealogy database is only as valuable as its scope\u2019 is a very telling comment, as is \u2018As our database grows, so can your match list\u2019. This presents the participant as contributing to this growth in knowledge, in a kind of characterisation of the relationship as mutually beneficial \u2013 if you join, it will be better for you, and for us, and for all the users of the service.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/double-helix-history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/96\/2017\/11\/IMG_0777-e1511525882439-300x225.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
AncestryDNA of course advertised its size and scale: \u2018AncestryDNA is the largest DNA network in the world. And more people means more possible connections. Who will you discover?\u2019. The slick flyer had DNA information on one side and \u2018mainstream\u2019 family history on the other. The motto for the \u2018mainstream\u2019 is \u2018Uncover your family history. And discover what led to you\u2019 (the narrative motif of this type of work), whereas DNA leads with \u2018Explore more of your family story\u2019, suggesting something more complex, rounded, rich in the experience. The DNA testing will help the user uncover ethnic origin, find new relatives, discover new geographic locations. The letters DNA in the logo are modern, clean, almost brutally scientific in contrast with Ancestry\u2019s \u2018leaf\u2019 logo. The flier is attractive, engaging, and well produced, seeming to promise that the user will be part of a dynamic, worldwide group.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/double-helix-history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/96\/2017\/11\/IMG_0775-e1511525910950-300x225.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
MyHeritage similarly split the DNA and the \u2018mainstream\u2019, but made much of this through the format of the flyer. On the LHS MyHeritage advertised \u2018Who were they\u2019, a way of investigating your ancestors and \u2018your family\u2019s fascinating story\u2019. This clearly contrasts with the more studious advertising of FamilyTreeDNA and the more ego-driven Ancestry flyer. The background was yellow with some faded handwriting, and an image of a young man in slightly unfocussed sepia. Thus the \u2018mainstream\u2019 family history was linked with age, heritage, social history, and the biography of the past.<\/p>\n
In contrast the RHS had MyHeritageDNA offers the opportunity to \u2018Uncover your unique ethnic origins and find new relatives\u2019. The letters DNA in the logo are modern, contemporary, angular and almost hip (the A has no cross, the D is sharp), in contrast to MyHeritage\u2019s slightly stylised tree. The image for this is a young, very contemporary model with beard, luxuriantly curled moustache and slicked back hair; he wears a lumberjack shirt and is styled as much as possible to suggest \u2018hipster\u2019<\/a>. The split between the services is clear. Despite the fact that they are interlinked, one does not necessarily need the other. The shift here is important. One side asks \u2018Who were they?\u2019, the other \u2018Who are you?\u2019 Temporally the move between tenses is crucial here. MyHeritageDNA is clearly presenting a lifestyle service and one that is being advertised to a youthful audience.<\/p>\n The ease of the service is obviously being advertised, too, with FamilyTreeDNA offering a mailing service, and a series of \u2018limited time offers\u2019 MyHeritage was also offering a code for free shipping, and AncestryDNA offering a special deal on price for those attending the event. These are clearly services, being offered for money, and the loyal customer is being rewarded for their being at the particular physical event.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_post_nav _builder_version=”3.0.106″ in_same_term=”off” show_prev=”on” show_next=”on” prev_text=”Previous” next_text=”Next” locked=”on” parent_locked=”off” \/][et_pb_comments _builder_version=”3.0.106″ show_avatar=”on” show_reply=”on” show_count=”on” background_layout=”light” header_font_size_tablet=”51″ header_line_height_tablet=”2″ custom_button=”on” button_icon_placement=”right” button_text_color=”#ffffff” button_use_icon=”off” locked=”on” parent_locked=”off” \/][et_pb_text admin_label=”Related posts” _builder_version=”3.0.106″ background_layout=”light” locked=”on” parent_locked=”off”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Contact Us” text_text_color=”#aaaaaa” parent_locked=”off” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” module_class=”contact-us” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”]<\/p>\n +44 (0) 161 306 6000<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Find Us Title” background_layout=”dark” text_text_color=”#ffffff” parent_locked=”off” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Address” background_layout=”dark” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” module_id=”address” parent_locked=”off” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”]<\/p>\n The University of Manchester [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Connect Title” background_layout=”dark” text_text_color=”#ffffff” parent_locked=”off” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_code admin_label=”Social Media” custom_css_main_element=”||” parent_locked=”off”]<ul class=”inlineList footer-socialIcons”><!– [et_pb_line_break_holder] –> <li><!– [et_pb_line_break_holder] –> <a href=”https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TheUniversityOfManchester” onclick=”var href = this.href; ga(‘send’, ‘event’, ‘Social media link (footer)’, ‘Open’, href, { ‘hitCallback’: function() { document.location = href; } }); return false;”><!– [et_pb_line_break_holder] –> <img class=”lazy” src=”\/\/assets.manchester.ac.uk\/phase1\/templates\/images\/icon-facebook-50.png” width=”40″ height=”40″ data-original=”\/\/assets.manchester.ac.uk\/phase1\/templates\/images\/icon-facebook-50.png” alt=”Facebook page for The University of Manchester” style=”display: inline;”><!– [et_pb_line_break_holder] –> <noscript><img src=”\/\/assets.manchester.ac.uk\/phase1\/templates\/images\/icon-facebook-50.png” width=”40″ height=”40″ alt=”Facebook page for The University of Manchester” \/><\/noscript><!– [et_pb_line_break_holder] –> <\/a><!– [et_pb_line_break_holder] –> <\/li><!– [et_pb_line_break_holder] –> <li><!– [et_pb_line_break_holder] –> <a href=”https:\/\/twitter.com\/OfficialUoM” onclick=”var href = this.href; ga(‘send’, ‘event’, ‘Social media link (footer)’, ‘Open’, href, { ‘hitCallback’: function() { document.location = href; } }); return false;”><!– [et_pb_line_break_holder] –> <img class=”lazy” src=”\/\/assets.manchester.ac.uk\/phase1\/templates\/images\/icon-twitter-50.png” width=”40″ height=”40″ data-original=”\/\/assets.manchester.ac.uk\/phase1\/templates\/images\/icon-twitter-50.png” alt=”Twitter page for The University of Manchester” style=”display: inline;”><!– [et_pb_line_break_holder] –> <noscript><img src=”\/\/assets.manchester.ac.uk\/phase1\/templates\/images\/icon-twitter-50.png” width=”40″ height=”40″ alt=”Twitter page for The University of Manchester” \/><\/noscript><!– [et_pb_line_break_holder] –> <\/a><!– [et_pb_line_break_holder] –> <\/li><!– [et_pb_line_break_holder] –> <li><!– [et_pb_line_break_holder] –> <a href=”http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/universitymanchester” onclick=”var href = this.href; ga(‘send’, ‘event’, ‘Social media link (footer)’, ‘Open’, href, { ‘hitCallback’: function() { document.location = href; } }); return false;”><!– [et_pb_line_break_holder] –> <img class=”lazy” src=”\/\/assets.manchester.ac.uk\/phase1\/templates\/images\/icon-youtube-50.png” width=”40″ height=”40″ data-original=”\/\/assets.manchester.ac.uk\/phase1\/templates\/images\/icon-youtube-50.png” alt=”YouTube page for The University of Manchester” style=”display: inline;”><!– [et_pb_line_break_holder] –> <noscript><img src=”\/\/assets.manchester.ac.uk\/phase1\/templates\/images\/icon-youtube-50.png” width=”40″ height=”40″ alt=”YouTube page for The University of Manchester” \/><\/noscript><!– [et_pb_line_break_holder] –> <\/a><!– [et_pb_line_break_holder] –> <\/li><!– [et_pb_line_break_holder] –> <li><!– [et_pb_line_break_holder] –> <a href=”https:\/\/plus.google.com\/+universityofmanchester” onclick=”var href = this.href; ga(‘send’, ‘event’, ‘Social media link (footer)’, ‘Open’, href, { ‘hitCallback’: function() { document.location = href; } }); return false;”><!– [et_pb_line_break_holder] –> <img class=”lazy” src=”\/\/assets.manchester.ac.uk\/phase1\/templates\/images\/icon-googleplus-50.png” width=”40″ height=”40″ data-original=”\/\/assets.manchester.ac.uk\/phase1\/templates\/images\/icon-googleplus-50.png” alt=”Google+ page for The University of Manchester” style=”display: inline;”><!– [et_pb_line_break_holder] –> <noscript><img src=”\/\/assets.manchester.ac.uk\/phase1\/templates\/images\/icon-googleplus-50.png” width=”40″ height=”40″ alt=”Google+ page for The University of Manchester” \/><\/noscript><!– [et_pb_line_break_holder] –> <\/a><!– [et_pb_line_break_holder] –> <\/li><!– [et_pb_line_break_holder] –> <li><!– [et_pb_line_break_holder] –> <a href=”https:\/\/instagram.com\/officialuom\/” onclick=”var href = this.href; ga(‘send’, ‘event’, ‘Social media link (footer)’, ‘Open’, href, { ‘hitCallback’: function() { document.location = href; 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I kept a few flyers to look over the ways that the services were selling themselves. These are small contributions to major communication strategies on behalf of the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":" As outlined in the linked blog on Family History Live<\/a> events, I became very interested in the way that the companies were presenting themselves in this forum.<\/p> I kept a few flyers to look over<\/p> the ways that the services were selling themselves. These are small contributions to major communication strategies on behalf of the three big companies, but in their differences \u2013 and in the issues they underline \u2013 we can begin to see how the various organisations conceive of and sell DNA testing.<\/p> FamilyTreeDNA was offering three distinct types of test \u2013 YDNA, MtDNA, and Family Finder (degree of relationship). On the flyer, each is outlined with particular benefits. So Family Finder is \u2018Great test for adoptees\u2019, whereas MtDNA \u2018suggests geographic origins\u2019. The flyer explicitly catered to a particular type of user: \u2018Have you hit the end of your paper trail?\u2019 Their advertising also linked DNA work with more investigations \u2013 claiming \u2018More than 8000 DNA projects\u2019 and listing some of the ways that the information was being used by \u2018a community of enthusiastic genealogists\u2019. The FamilyTreeDNA flyer was the least professional, an A4 printed piece of paper, and feels more community-led and low key (although prices were in dollars, so it also felt unspecific to the Irish context). The point of the \u2018Comprehensive Database\u2019 is made thoroughly, though: \u2018A genetic genealogy database is only as valuable as its scope\u2019 is a very telling comment, as is \u2018As our database grows, so can your match list\u2019. This presents the participant as contributing to this growth in knowledge, in a kind of characterisation of the relationship as mutually beneficial \u2013 if you join, it will be better for you, and for us, and for all the users of the service.<\/p> AncestryDNA of course advertised its size and scale: \u2018AncestryDNA is the largest DNA network in the world. And more people means more possible connections. Who will you discover?\u2019. The slick flyer had DNA information on one side and \u2018mainstream\u2019 family history on the other. The motto for the \u2018mainstream\u2019 is \u2018Uncover your family history. And discover what led to you\u2019 (the narrative motif of this type of work), whereas DNA leads with \u2018Explore more of your family story\u2019, suggesting something more complex, rounded, rich in the experience. The DNA testing will help the user uncover ethnic origin, find new relatives, discover new geographic locations. The letters DNA in the logo are modern, clean, almost brutally scientific in contrast with Ancestry\u2019s \u2018leaf\u2019 logo. The flier is attractive, engaging, and well produced, seeming to promise that the user will be part of a dynamic, worldwide group.<\/p> MyHeritage similarly split the DNA and the \u2018mainstream\u2019, but made much of this through the format of the flyer. On the LHS MyHeritage advertised \u2018Who were they\u2019, a way of investigating your ancestors and \u2018your family\u2019s fascinating story\u2019. This clearly contrasts with the more studious advertising of FamilyTreeDNA and the more ego-driven Ancestry flyer. The background was yellow with some faded handwriting, and an image of a young man in slightly unfocussed sepia. Thus the \u2018mainstream\u2019 family history was linked with age, heritage, social history, and the biography of the past.<\/p> In contrast the RHS had MyHeritageDNA offers the opportunity to \u2018Uncover your unique ethnic origins and find new relatives\u2019. The letters DNA in the logo are modern, contemporary, angular and almost hip (the A has no cross, the D is sharp), in contrast to MyHeritage\u2019s slightly stylised tree. The image for this is a young, very contemporary model with beard, luxuriantly curled moustache and slicked back hair; he wears a lumberjack shirt and is styled as much as possible to suggest \u2018hipster\u2019<\/a>. The split between the services is clear. Despite the fact that they are interlinked, one does not necessarily need the other. The shift here is important. One side asks \u2018Who were they?\u2019, the other \u2018Who are you?\u2019 Temporally the move between tenses is crucial here. MyHeritageDNA is clearly presenting a lifestyle service and one that is being advertised to a youthful audience.<\/p> The ease of the service is obviously being advertised, too, with FamilyTreeDNA offering a mailing service, and a series of \u2018limited time offers\u2019 MyHeritage was also offering a code for free shipping, and AncestryDNA offering a special deal on price for those attending the event. These are clearly services, being offered for money, and the loyal customer is being rewarded for their being at the particular physical event.<\/p> \u00a0<\/p>","_et_gb_content_width":"","_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-260","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorised"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/double-helix-history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/260","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/double-helix-history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/double-helix-history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/double-helix-history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/121"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/double-helix-history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=260"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/double-helix-history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/260\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/double-helix-history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=260"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/double-helix-history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=260"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/double-helix-history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=260"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Related<\/h1>\n
Related posts:<\/h3>
Images from Family History Workshop - feedback and discussion<\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/a>
DNA and Family History Focus Group at Nederlandse Genealogische Vereniging<\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/a>
Public History and neoliberalism<\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div>
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