Problem-Solution text pattern and references to target groups in crowdfunding projects’ presentations

This paper analyzes the use of the Problem-Solution text pattern in crowdfunding projects’ presentations, for which purpose it takes Hoey’s (1983, 2001) model of Problem-Solution text as a point of reference. Hoey’s model is, however, supplemented with methodologies originating in multimodal discourse analysis to grasp the multisemiotic intricacies of the genre in question, including written text, spoken text, graphics and motion pictures. Also, a critical discursive approach is employed to analyze how the projects’ authors discursively construct the Problem and the Solution, and how they define the target groups for projects marketed at local and global crowdfunding platforms. In particular, the research focuses on discourse strategies applied to (1) construct local vs. global significance of the Problem and (2) to identify and positively evaluate the relevant Solution, and (3) those whereby the target group concerned is defined. Empirical material is excerpted from presentations of three crowdfunding projects marketed at the local Polish crowdfunding platform PolakPotrafi and three from the global crowdfunding platform Kickstarter.