MGallery by Sofitel Collection
Every MGallery by Sofitel property has a different individual story. While incorporating the brand-level phrasing, vocabulary, and techniques, I created a distinct brand voice for the property-level La Veranda. The tone of voice was included in the global editorial style guidelines for MGallery by Sofitel to demonstrate how a unique style guide can be created for each individual property.
Service(s):
Tone of Voice
Tone of Voice Concept
French novelist, screenwriter, playwright, and film director— Marguerite Duras was born in Gia Dinh in 1914 and lived primarily in the southern regions of French Indochina, including Sadec and Vinh Long. She spent the majority of her first 20 years in Indochina and only returned to France in 1933 to begin her university studies. For Duras, though she was not of mixed ethnic heritage, Vietnam was home, and she once claimed that she felt herself to be more Vietnamese than French.
Duras’ writing style, like the Mekong River, flows through a plurality of cultures and languages. As shown through her famous works such as L’Amant, or The Lover, she seamlessly weaves the authentic charm of the Vietnamese linguistic sensibility into the French language. Her literary innovations befit La Veranda’s artful blend of natural enchantment and colonial elegance on Phu Quoc Island.
La Veranda Voice
The voice of La Veranda, Durassian Seas, embraces the art of storytelling, inviting and inspiring the reader to unearth unknown island stories. The tone unravels the island’s untold heritage and unique discoveries in Duras’ idiosyncratic style. It showcases the coexistence of two seemingly incompatible threads— French and Vietnamese— in one discursive fabric.
By using Duras’ literary techniques, the writer will further elevate the unique blend of elegance, mystery, romance, and authenticity on Phu Quoc Island.
Writing Technique Example
Play with juxtaposition, an important component of Vietnamese word and sentence formation, and also one of Duras’ literary hallmarks. Antonym juxtaposition is a common way of forming lexicalised concepts in Vietnamese. For example, sô‘t rét (hot cold) means ‘to have a fever’ and trai gái (boy girl) means ‘to flirt’. Duras generally combines a noun with an opposing adjective and uses juxtapositions to engage her readers: ‘intolérable splendeur’; ‘inconsolable jouissance’; ‘la prostitution éclatante.’
Samples to Help Writers
TURN THIS: Treat yourself to local flavors and classic Vietnamese favorites at The Pepper Tree. Savor fresh, aromatic spring rolls and the clean, salty tang of Madame Thanh’s nuoc mam. Sit back and enjoy an authentic dining experience, while our talented chef prepares signature regional delicacies that are crafted to perfection.
INTO THIS: Inspired by Phu Quoc’s lush pepper gardens and rustic fishing villages, you head to The Pepper Tree for a taste of simple local dishes with a burst of complex flavors. You discover savors you’ve never tried before – fresh, aromatic spring rolls and the homey yet unfamiliar tang of Madame Thanh’s nuoc mam. Both are inconsolable delights that’ll trick you into wanting more.