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Gill Ereaut, Linguistic Landscapes Communicating core values through language and tone of voice seminar www.charitycomms.org.uk/events
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What does your language
reveal about your charity?
(And why does it matter?)
CharityComms Seminar: ‘Communicating core values through language and tone of voice’
25th April 2013
Gill EreautFounding PartnerLinguistic Landscapes
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Do any of these sound familiar?
We have problems getting sign-off from people outside the comms/marketing department for our campaign or copy – we know it’s right for our audience but they’re clearly not comfortable with it, so they pick it apart
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Our major competitor – new to this field – has a much fresher, more contemporary tone of voice. No matter how we try, we just don’t seem to be able to sound quite as good
Our brand comms are great now. But although we’ve done internal marketing of the new brand and tone of voice, it’s just not working – customers don’t get the same tone of voice when they phone us, or get a letter from us
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What I’d like to cover today
A bit about us
A bit about the theory we use
Communications and the role of organisational culture
Branding from the inside out
An example
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A bit about us
We use discourse analysis to work on strategyand change …
… by showing organisations the powerful but hidden effects of their own habitual language
Once people see the familiar differently, they question it and find new ways to think and act
This has implications and applications for communications
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Discourse Analysis?
A (tiny) bit about the theory
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Making culture visible by looking at language
Language becomes invisiblewhen it is familiar
We don’t normally see the way it shapes, guides and constrains our thinking
Discourse analysis gives clues about how this works and helps people see it for themselves
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Discourse analysis – core ideas
Language isn't a transparent and neutral medium
It is active - we use it to do things
Every detail of language choice is meaningful
The focus is on the structure and detail of language – for what it reveals about much bigger, deeper things
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Communications and
organisational culture
Why is it useful to uncover ‘culture’ via internal discourse?
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What we like to think happens9
CommunicationsInternal
discourse
CU
STOM
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But… the inside leaks to the outside10
“Controlled” communications
Internaldiscourse
leakage
leakage
DRAG BACK
CU
STOM
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Branding from the
inside out
Bringing silent assumptions to the surface
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A new strategy – simple, isn't it?14
Our strategy
vision, values etc
New strategy
vision, values etc
today tomorrow
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What’s really happening today15
Surface language
spoken & writtenformal & informal
Silent assumptions
what really matters around here
Our strategy statements, claims &
wishes
vision, values etc
Adapted from Schein 2004
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So if you just shift the strategic
statement, nothing really changes…
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New strategy
vision, values etc
Claims & wishes
vision, values e
Surface language
spoken & writtenformal & informal
Silent assumptions
what really matters around here
Adapted from Schein 2004
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‘Silent assumptions’ are powerful rules of
thumb
Not rules, but rules of thumb
Simple guides to decision-making
Below consciousness
Noticeable only when you’re a newcomer
Fossilising old strategies
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From The Prostate
Cancer Charity to
Prostate Cancer UK
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Indirectness and distancing in language
Euphemism and politeness
Medical and Health Service discourse
Very British, middle class, educated
Volume of text
PCC acts on others, not vice versa
Occasional bursts of fire and fighting talk – but submerged
A ‘muffled’ discourse –soft, quiet, civilised and caring –but muffled
Prostate Cancer Charity – the language
fingerprint
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Silent assumption: we mustn’t offend, we mustn’t
be controversial
It was almost a little bit off-putting at first, I
found it a bit alarming ... perhaps it feels a
little restrictive in that sense, in that if you do want to jump around
and scream then it’s not the done thing
We believe that every man with prostate cancer must be able to access any licensed treatment for the disease, if their doctor believes it will be beneficial. It is disappointing to see that NICE does not believe that cabazitaxel is a treatment
it can recommend at this stage.
Support Group Newsletter
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After the ‘doh!’ moment –and rush of energy, they said:
We don’t want to be ’muffled’ and hyper-polite – and maybe we don’t have to be like this
We want to focus on and stand up for men
We need to keep our authority and credibility…
…but we really do want to be more accessible
How did people at the charity respond to the
analysis?
?? ?
Tone of voice
Active
Straight talking
Empathetic
Passionate
Compelling
Intelligent
Associations with the organisation post campaign (March 2013)
Q: Please tell us which of these words you would associate with each of these charities.
Growing
Campaigning
Caring
Active
Human
Approachable
Expert
Energetic
Forthright
Leader
Authority
Not just
cancer
Angry
51
38
45
35
38
32
26
18
18
15
12
5
5
69
61
52
53
47
45
43
32
31
26
26
7
5
Not recognised any adverts
Any advert recognisers
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*Significance Level: * = 95%
Source: Brainjuicer
More people coming to our Helpline
Total number of annual Helpline Calls (12 months April to March)
2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13
5,165 5,392 5,498 6,209
+4% +2% +13%
Total number of Helpline Calls
(4th Quarter Jan – Mar)
2011/12 2012/13
1,538 2,049
+33%
More Health Professionals
ordering more publications
4th Quarter (Jan-Mar) 2012 2013 +/-
Total orders 1,628 2,676 +64%
Number of individual publications 112,526 207,403 +84%
Here come the boys!
Total Requests 252
Publications sent 25,000
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Summing up
Surfacing internal culture via language can align the inside and outside discourse of your organisation
This makes comms more consistent, and makes change easier to achieve
Grasping their shared but unhelpful silent assumptions helps everyone act differently, not because they have ‘bought in’ but because they see and understand what needs to change, and why
It makes sense to people at all levels – and is energising and compelling - pull wins over push.
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Let’s give our client the last word…
However striking and visually pleasing the new identity for Prostate Cancer UK is, it was never about aesthetics alone. Together, we committed to become more open, direct and confident, and to present the cause in a more urgent way.
There were no surprises or awkward attempts to bolt a ‘culture’ on to a visual identity. We made a shared and organic vision of ‘how we want to do things here’ the foundation of our working principles and of our brand.
Vivienne Francis, Prostate Cancer UK’s deputy director of communications.
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L I N G U I S T I C
L A N D S C A P E S
19a Bell StreetReigateSurreyRH2 7ADUK
+44 1737 246 [email protected]
Linguistic Landscapes is a limited company registered in England and Wales.Registered office: 24 Chiswell Street, London, EC1Y 4YX. Registration number: 7579972 . VAT number: 468 9049 94
