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IBIS Hotel's Cultural Pragmatics, Marketing Strategies and Critical Discourse Analysis
Sadman Ishraq
Department of English, East West University
ENG402: Pragmatics and Discourse Analysis
Dr. A. K. M. Zakaria
November 11, 2023
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Abstract
IBIS hotel is under the French Brand Company of Accor. It was established in 1974 to ensure
their global presence all over the world and cheap accommodations. According to Accor
company, there were 1269 IBIS hotels scattered in 70 countries respectively in 2023 data.
This is the Economy class hotel enough to become a megabrand in 2011 through obtaining
ISO14001 Environmental Certification and ISO9001 quality certification. This hotel is
sought-after for having the comfortable and well organized soundproof rooms, WiFi, flat
screen televisions, spacious loos, as well as desk work facilities. This IBIS brand is also
known as “IBIS Pilleau”. In those 70 countries, IBIS hotels used to follow different cuisines,
special guest services, locations, and those countries’ norms on the pretext of promoting
those countries’ tourism economy and making a profit. As a consequence, the IBIS hotel
brand gets international recognition all over the world. Hence this research demonstrates why
this brand becomes a successful brand and how this brand makes a profit from all those 70
countries by using CDA and other marketing strategies.
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Research Objectives
In this scholarly article, the researcher will portrait the business strategies of IBIS hotel brand
through CDA in a compelling manner both with the personal and non-personal data for
understanding this brand’s success far better.
Research Questions
1. How do this brand’s marketing strategies describe CDA?
2. Why have they become successful hotel companies?
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Problem Statement
First of all the scholar has to face some problems to conduct research about this issue. There
is a little research about this brand’s marketing strategies. Not only this, but also there is a
little linguistic research about this issue. Hereby he has become a trailblazer to conduct this
article. On top of that, there is no IBIS hotel in Bangladesh but fortunately this person has
visited both Kolkata and Dubai to enrich the experience on the pretext of staying there for
some nights. Finally the rest of the information is added in this article by observing YouTube
ads, WikiPedia, and so on.
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Literature Review
IBIS hotel is one of the most megabrand hotels all over the world. This hotel got many
accolades not in quantity but in quality. That is why many middle and higher income tourists
took this hotel on the top of the bucket list, while traveling to other foreign countries. This
article is focused on Critical Discourse Analysis(CDA) in order to ratify this brand’s success
parameters and recognition including its advertisement. Furthermore there will be a lack of
specific accountings and quantitative progress in the research. Rather this will be a qualitative
research to discuss its discourse and success.
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Introduction
IBIS is an Economy class hotel brand in the world. They are always giving upscale services
for the people from different cultures at a reasonable cost. This paper not only uses CDA, but
also uses Speech Acts as well as Conversation analysis of the advertisement of this brand. In
addition, this describes the genre of this hotel company and how they could spread their
popularity. There is also quoted the choosing locations of this brand in every country.
Through all these, all the audience will be towed to the reasons of their success in marketing
strategies.
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Overview of the Company
This beforehand picture shows the galactic positions of every hotel in the Accor company.
Among them, one of the hotels named IBIS hotel operated in a total 70 countries today with
260k rooms. This Economy Brand hotel is a transnational company. On the authority of
WikiPedia, a transnational company is an enterprise involved with the international goods or
services production and income as well as asset management from more than one country.
According to Norman Fairclough, this brand has already established the strict company
culture all over the world through yielding the international goods and services on those 70
countries and managing the assets like the hotel business. However this strong culture is
applied by the entire organization for certain subjects like tourists, businesspersons, foreign
patients, and so on. For example: the customers can not take the blade type things in the
hotel, even if it is either harmful or not. Additionally you have to drink a bottle of water by
paying money, which are in your rooms. Moreover, anyone can not take or steal shower gels
and shampoo bottles from their bathrooms in the hotel rooms. Nevertheless those same
subjects can be responsible for another culture on the basis of Pan Accord’s hotel service
departments. This is under the purview of the low-context companies for having controlled
access from the executive offices. Due to the highly centralized and controlled information,
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the demystification of their assent from different cultures is not specific and detailed. It is
also noticed by the researcher that the workers in those hotels created a discreet relationship
between the business and social fronts. If one is more competent enough for this job, he/she
will be valued through promotion and status. The workers in this IBIS brand always have
constant meetings by giving notice in advance. The workers are obliged to give the detailed
background information for the security issue. Those things are the overview of this brand
after all.
Customer Satisfaction
On the authority of “Understanding the Foundations of Business Communications”, to
interact across cultures, keep the messages ethical by applying four principles:
1. Actively seek mutual ground. To allow the clear cut possible exchange of information,
both parties must be flexible and avoid insisting that an interaction take place strictly
in terms of one culture or another. For example: If one wants to bring his/her knives
for the purpose of dividing medicines to intake, he/she would have to be allowed in
this case by consenting and signing the company’s rule in the paper.
2. Send and receive messages without judgment. To allow information to flow freely,
both parties must recognize that values vary from culture to culture, and they must
just accept each other. Imagine if the cleaner didn’t give the towel after cleaning your
room, the customer might send a message about this issue without any judgment.
Then the authority will receive messages without judgment and take action quickly.
That is how both sides just accept each other.
3. Send messages that are honest. To ensure that the information is true, both parties
must see things as they are not as they would like them to be. Both parties must not be
partially aware of their personal and cultural biases. In this case, if one customer
shares his/her problems with their services by using formal English, the authority of
this hotel will justify his/her statements and help them understand their personal and
cultural biases.
4. Show respect for cultural differences. To protect the basic human rights of both
parties, each must understand and acknowledge the other's needs and preserve each
other's dignity by communicating without deception. It is so true that various kinds of
examples can be given against this rule.
First of all, they promoted different kinds of food cultures in different ethnic areas.
In Kolkata, ibis hotel has a restaurant called Spice It, which offers a multi-cuisine buffet with
dishes from India, Asia and Europe. Some of the dishes you may find such as pulao, pav
bhaji, chicken biryani, paneer tikka, muesli, corn flex, fish curry, pasta, pizza, salads and
desserts. In the IBIS hotel, they offer luchi, aloo dum, jalebi, and foods of different Bengali
spices.
In Dubai, ibis hotel has several restaurants and bars, such as Twine, Ibis World Trade Centre
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Restaurant, and Le Style. Twine serves Mediterranean food with a twist, such as lamb shank
with couscous, grilled salmon with lemon butter sauce, and chocolate fondant. Ibis World
Trade Centre Restaurant offers a variety of dishes, from burgers and sandwiches to Arabic
mezze and Indian curries. Le Style is a rooftop restaurant and bar that serves organic dishes
with a view of Namsan Mountain, such as roasted chicken with mushroom sauce, beef
tenderloin with red wine sauce, and apple crumble. However, fluffy omelets, crispy bacon,
boiled beans, and exotic fruits to freshly baked croissants are available in this IBIS hotel.
In Seoul, ibis hotel has two restaurants, La Table and Streats Cafe. La Table overlooks the
city of Myeongdong and serves international, Asian and Thai cuisine. Some of the dishes that
may be enjoyable are kimchi fried rice, pad thai, chicken satay, and tom yum soup. At the
same time, Streats Cafe is a casual and cozy place that serves with the welcoming breakfast,
lunch and dinner, passing a menu that features burgers, pizzas, salads, soups and desserts.
The foods of Korean flavor include a steaming cup of Korean green tea and freshly brewed
coffee are also available in the IBIS hotel.
In Bangkok, ibis hotel has a restaurant called The Market, which serves a buffet breakfast
with hot and cold dishes, such as eggs, ham, pancakes, pastries, coffee, tea and local
specialties. The hotel also has a themed buffet every month, such as Nasi Lemak Buffet in
September, which showcases Malaysian and Singaporean dishes, such as fried chicken,
sambal sotong, nasi lemak, and chendol. The people can enjoy Pad Thai, mango sticky rice,
and chicken satay in the IBIS Bangkok hotel.
In London, ibis hotel has a restaurant and bar called Ibis London ExCeL Restaurant, which
serves dishes inspired by global adventure, such as pizzas, salads, soups and comfort food.
Some of the dishes you may try there are margherita pizza, chicken caesar salad, tomato and
basil soup, and fish and chips. Moreover, the hotel has arranged a breakfast buffet for the
eaters including cereals, fruits, yogurts, breads, cheeses, meats, and hot dishes, such as
scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, and baked beans. The people can also taste grilled sausages,
fried eggs, baked beans, crispy hash browns, a piping hot cup of English breakfast tea, and
freshly squeezed orange juice in this IBIS hotel.
In Singapore, ibis hotel has a restaurant called TASTE, which serves a lunch buffet with
classic local favorites and delectable hawker fare, such as chicken rice, mee goreng, laksa,
rojak, carrot cake, and chwee kueh. Furthermore the restaurant has an à la carte menu that
features dim sum, grilled chicken, pasta, sandwiches, and desserts. On top of that, dim sum,
porridges, and noodles & congee are found in the IBIS hotel. The foods with vibrant colors
and aromatic spices will awaken your senses, while staying in this hotel.
The ibis Dakar hotel has a restaurant called Twine, which serves Mediterranean food with a
twist, such as lamb shank with couscous, grilled salmon with lemon butter sauce, and
chocolate fondant. Finally the hotel offers a breakfast every morning, which is continental but
also includes local specialties, such as thiakry (a millet pudding with yogurt and dried fruits),
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ndambe (a bean stew with bread), and bissap juice (a drink made from hibiscus flowers). The
hotel also offers a unique blend of African and French cuisines. Again, the residents of this
IBIS hotel can satiate their hunger through special Senegalese foods including thieboudianne
and yassa poulet or the fluffy French toast with Nutella.
Brand Advertisement and CDA
Text Description
Speech Acts &
Conversation
Analysis
Interpretation & Explanation
1. Pack your bags, but leave
your regrets
Directives
Interpretation: Invoke the people from
all walks of life. If you are either ill,
married, unmarried, single, engaged in
relationship and family life, or LGBTQ+,
all these won’t be a regret for you. To
touch the dream, please take your time
and cover your secrets in your mind. This
will be a different lifetime to live fully. As
a traveler, you are not alone in spite of
being away from the home. Your life is
becoming a different adventure. When
you find your way, this search is a
time-killing for you. Nevertheless you
have opened a new path after roaming
over for a long time and gained
confidence. After getting this joy, you will
visualize this dream tonight.
2. Take your time and keep
your secrets
I think you kinda like this
different kind of life
Directives & Spatial
Deixis(towards)
Commissives &
Proximal
Deixis(close)
3. Far from home, but not
alone
Expressives &
Spatial Deixis(away)
4. You like it, your different
kind of life
Commissives
(To analyze the brand advertisement, there is a usage of Norman Fairclough’s 3D model
Critical Discourse Analysis)
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5. Get on your way, cause
time's a wastin'
Directives & Spatial
Deixis(towards)
Explanation: “Secrets are like plants.
They can stay buried deep in the earth
for a long time, but eventually they’ll
send up shoots and give themselves
away. They have to. It’s their nature.
Just a tiny green stem at first. Which
slowly, insidiously grows taller,
stronger, unfolding itself, until there it
is. A big fat secret, right in front of
your face; a fully bloomed flower
perfumed with the scent of deception.”
–Judy Reene Singer
6. Get on your way, cause the
open road's callin'
Directives
7. You'll dream tonight, dream
tonight,
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-
ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-
ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
Representatives &
Proximal Deixis(close)
Expressives &
Backchannels
In the lyrics of this brand, there is a usage of both Directives, Commisives and Expressives
tone most of the time. To become close to the audience, this blurb used Proximal Deixis in
order to get attraction. There is also Spatial Deixis used to come towards and go away for
attracting them like a mirage. The backchannel is used for the comfortness by getting rid of
the comfort zone. For all intents and purposes, this jingle committed this brand to jump into
the new and time consuming adventure secretly as well as dream of this brand’s pleasurable
conclusion. There is a salience of using contractions like “You'll” on the pretext of becoming
closer. In other words, even though time is constrained, you have to foster your dreams in
choosing hotels like IBIS and secretly grow these ambitious dreams in your own mind to
reach its pleasurable conclusion tonight.
Location
Location is the last but not least important factor to the touchstone of this brand’s success.
Considering that the scholar has visited the IBIS hotels of Kolkata and Dubai and so his ideas
about this location will be barely untrustworthy. In reality he observed that this brand has
established their hotels in the prime, pressing and busy areas. Most of those time settings are
considered by traveling with cars and these settings may be changeable from time to time.
For example: IBIS Deira has been established adjacent to the Deira City Center and Deira
Metro Station as well as its location is 20 minutes away from the Dubai Airport. In addition
IBIS World Trade Center’s location is situated 22 minutes away from the Dubai Airport and
14 minutes closer to the famous tourist destination Burj Khalifa.
Secondly IBIS Heathrow Airport is a stone's throw away from the Heathrow Airport in
London. Added to the other excerpt, IBIS London Earls Court is situated 2.3 miles away from
the Theatre503 and is a 20 minutes walking distance from the Stamford Bridge stadium in
Chelsea. This stadium is on the bucket list for those tourists, who watched the English
Premier League regularly on the television and acknowledged its significance. Victoria and
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Albert Museum and Natural History Museum are also situated approximately 34 minutes
walking distance from this hotel.
Thirdly, IBIS Kolkata is 28 minutes away from its Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose
International Airport and Kolkata Mother’s Wax Museum as well as Eco Park is 10 minutes
distance from this hotel.
Fourthly IBIS Bangkok is established in Sukhumvit 4, which is 24 minutes away from the
Chaophraya Cruise, 21 minutes away from Thailand’s famous mall MBK Center and 20
minutes far from the Siam Square. Moreover IBIS hotel Sukhumvit 24 is located both 7.1 and
6.7 km distance from the MBK Center and Siam Square.
Furthermore IBIS Ambassador Seoul Myeongdong is 7 minutes away from the M PLAZA
through traveling with public transport like buses.
Afterwards, IBIS Dakar is located a stone's throw from the Embassy of France. Not only this,
but also a 6 minutes walking distance to the Dakar Airport.
Finally, IBIS Singapore Bencoolen is 16 minutes away from the Singapore Changi Airport.
This hotel is 31 minutes walking distance from the Singapore Flyer. There is a 21 minute
distance between Singapore Zoo and this hotel by traveling by car. There is also an IBIS
Budget Singapore Bugis hotel in Singapore city as well.
Thus the brand represented ‘presence in good spot’ with an illocutionary application of
Spatial Deixis in every country through the good selection of places.
Themes & Attics
In conclusion this study also discussed themes and attics with which the hotel brand
represented different cultures in the different communities around the world. In Kolkata IBIS,
this hotel section is adorned with the photos of that city’s taxi cabs, pulled rickshaws and
Howrah bridge. In Seoul, the IBIS hotel is adorned with Korean lanterns and traditional arts.
Dubai IBIS is fully covered with glasses instead of cements like the Burj Khalifa. Singapore
IBIS is decorated with the latest technologies including digital foreign currency exchange
machines. IBIS Bangkok is welcomed you with “Swadika” and the reception is adorned with
different kinds of Thai arts. Dakar IBIS placed their African traditional transport outside the
hotel lobby and their kitchen is filled with different kinds of Senegal handmade mugs and
crafts. IBIS London at Heathrow Airport is decorated with a smorgasbord bar and dining hall
with fluorescent lights.
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Conclusion
The study portrayed all the information of this brand and its cuisines, special customer
satisfaction, advertisement themes, locations, and the distinct norms of every culture in a
detailed way. After all, those parameters are responsible for this company’s success in this
hotel business; ergo this branded hotel is off the charts for the customers of all cultures and
communities in the world. Above all this brand is a lesson for us because of adopting both
Pragma-linguistics and Socio-Pragmatic knowledge all over the world.
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References
1. https://food.ndtv.com
2. TWO LEVELS OF KNOWLEDGE NEEDED TO PRODUCE APPROPRIATE
SPEECH ACTS. (n.d.). Cross Cultural Pragmatics,(Flowerdew 2013:86)(Harlow
1990: 328)
3. https://all.accor.com
4. Three Basic Components of Speech Acts by Leech. (n.d.). Speech Acts by Leech,
(Leech, 1983: 199).
5. https://tasterestaurant.sg
6. Searle’s Different Types of Speech Acts. (n.d.). Speech Acts Classification,Searle
(1969).
7. https://craziben.com
8. Fairclough, N. (n.d.). Critical Discourse Analysis of Advertisement Domain.
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9. https://bing.com
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15. https://mrconnoisseur.com
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