Culture Change and Rebranding in the Charity Sector: A Linguistic Consultancy Approach

TLDR: The rebranding of a British cancer charity as part of a wider internal culture change is described in this paper, where the authors report that management became aware that it was not reaching a particular socio-demographic group of cancer patients and sought to adjust the organisation's brand identity.

Abstract: This chapter reports on the rebranding of a British cancer charity as part of a wider internal culture change. During the cultural change process, management became aware that it was not reaching a particular socio-demographic group of cancer patients and sought to adjust the organisation’s brand identity. The first step of the brand-related consultancy involved identifying the brand personality projected in the charity’s existing materials. An analysis of lexis, transitivity and visuals showed that the organisation projected a classed and gendered brand personality that diverged from the group they were trying to reach. The second step involved developing a new brand personality through linguistic adaptation. The project concluded with a follow-up language audit some months after the new brand had been implemented. The chapter ends by discussing the wider impact of the project on the client and reflecting on the collaboration between linguists and third-sector organisations.