ABSTRACT
This chapter explains the role of rituals in the marketplace and identifies the types of language typically used in marketplace rituals. It describes how culture, language choice, and communication style impact social interactions such as word of mouth and complaining. The chapter looks at the interaction between customers and service providers and then at the interaction between consumers in the form of online and offline word of mouth. It focuses on how the language of social interactions—both online and offline—impact the consumer experience and the outcome of that experience. The chapter discusses how social media have changed the frequency and kinds of language that consumers use to communicate with each other and with companies and the messaging strategies that consumers and companies find effective for communicating. It examines the particular impact of social media on language and language use within a branding context.
