Paradoxical Timelines in Wells Fargo’s Crisis Discourse: Expanding the Discourse of Renewal Theory

Abstract

We detail the ways in which Wells Fargo used the tenets of the discourse of renewal and resilience communication to respond to its financial crises. To do so, we completed a thematic analysis of Well Fargo’s website and commercials. Specifically, we found that Wells Fargo relied on its organizational history to communicate renewal. In doing, so Wells Fargo (1) created a paradoxical timeline of events that puts alternative logic to work and (2) drew on established identity anchors. We therefore conclude that discourse of renewal can integrate past-orientation and address organizational identity work with theoretical basis. By combining these two frameworks and applying them to a real-world crisis context, we make important contributions to the continued development of both the discourse of renewal and resilience communication.