Journal of Business and Technical Communication Jan 2021 OA PDF

We’re Here for You: The Unsolicited Covid-19 Email

Kristin Winet University of Arizona ; Ryan L. Winet University of Arizona

Abstract

Although companies have long used email to correspond directly with consumers in times of crisis (George & Pratt, 2012), the Covid-19 pandemic has incited an unprecedented flood of emails to our inboxes from companies reassuring us that “we’re all in this together.” As composition scholars begin to investigate how organizations have responded to this pandemic, this article explores the rise of the “we’re here for you” email, a rapidly developing genre that reveals an unsettling relationship with the voice behind our consumer products and also a paradigm shift in how organizations connect with consumers during times of crisis.

Journal
Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Published
2021-01-01
DOI
10.1177/1050651920959192
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Open Access
OA PDF Bronze
Topics
genre theory
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References (6) · 1 in this index

  1. Bows ‘n Ties. (2020). Face masks. https://www.bows-n-ties.com/face-masks/
  2. Devitt (2000)
    Integrating Rhetorical and Literary Theories of Genre
    College English
  3. George A. M., Pratt C. B. (Eds.). (2012). Case studies in crisis communication: International perspectives on…
  4. Gruber V., Kaliauer M., Schlegelmilch B. B. (2017). Improving the effectiveness and credibility of corporate …
     ↗
  5. Heschler T. P. (1997)
    Genre and writing: Issues, arguments, alternatives
Show all 6 →
  1. Schwedel H. (2020, March 21). The best, worst, and weirdest of the random coronavirus emails we’re all gettin…
CrossRef global citation count: 4 View in citation network → Build reading path →

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