Brand Tone of Voice:

22 brand tone of voiceWhile most of the processes that Orange services take part in are relationalrather than material, there are many more clauses that have the Orange serviceas a protagonist doing and relating than there are clauses that have Orangeitself in this position. Doing and relating is therefore heavily loaded onto theservices, rather than the brand directly. We have seen the strong evoking linkbetween the services and the brand already, so evocation of the brand is notweakened by placing the services rather than the brand itself in this position.However, Orange services are positioned as key delegates enacting relationshipswith customers. They therefore act as the bridge that builds the relationship,linguistically and conceptually, between the Orange brand and its customers.Turning now to the processes ascribed to HSBC customers (Table 7), thereis no great difference in material processes: as with Orange, customers areexpected to do things associated with their account. Across the whole spreadof other processes, however, the onus is on the customer to be agentive inthe operation of their accounts. While Orange was reassuring that customerswould not have to take someone’s word for something, would not need to, wouldnot have to worry, would not have to rely on, and could respond, be connected,have, and forget, HSBC customers need to see and call in, complete, pay, apply,request, arrange, agree, and set up. There is a sense that vigilance is required onthe customer’s part (control (money), review, check).The processes associated with HSBC as doer (Table 8) appear to be mainlyregulatory in nature. There are no relational processes in the sample lookedat, where Orange used these processes to set up a caring relationship with thecustomer. Likewise, HSBC’s only disposition is that it needs to see (as in check)an alternative form of identification when customers are opening an account,while Orange is keeping promises and waiting to help.ProcesstypeMaterial:actionverbsMental:thinkingverbsVerbal:sayingverbsRelational: beingand connectingverbsBehavioural:having somedispositionHSBCCustomersseecall incompletepaygetapplywithdrawprinttransferusethinkreviewchecktellcallphonerequestarrangeorderspeakcontroltake advantagefind it hard tobeatagreeneed to set upTable 7: Processes ascribed to HSBC customers