Brands over time

HSBC
over time

Every year keeps its colour across every chart.│ ChatGPT, 30 Nov 2022

111 of HSBC's own blog posts, press releases and announcements, 2018 to 2022, measured sentence by sentence, 56 of them recovered from the Internet Archive. How the writing has moved over the years, how it compares with 17 other banks, and what it sounds like in its own words.

Pages measured
111
Years covered
2018–22
Archived before ChatGPT
56
Blog · press
109 · 2

01 · Homepage

One capture a year

HSBC's homepage from 2000 to 2019, closest to 1 July, from the Internet Archive. Pick a year or press play. Each headline is quoted from its capture and links to the archived copy.

2019hsbc.co.uk2 Jul 2019
HSBC homepage, 2 Jul 2019

Screenshot of HSBC’s homepage (hsbc.co.uk) as archived by the Internet Archive on 2 Jul 2019. © HSBC or its licensors. Shown for comparison and review; not endorsed by HSBC.

Homepage

2019

“Switching has its rewards”

Page title

Welcome to HSBC UK banking products including current accounts, loans, mortgages, credit cards. Also Premier and Advance banking and more…

Open on the Internet Archive
  1. 2012HSBC Summer of Sport
  2. 2013Investing opens a overlay window
  3. 2015HSBC Online Banking activation
  4. 2018Book an appointment
  5. 2019Switching has its rewards

20 captures. Screenshots are rendered from the archive and can pull in images archived later than the page itself; dates come from the capture. Years without a capture are greyed out in the strip.

02 · Measures by year

How the writing moved

Every year’s pages, averaged. Pick a measure. Hatched bars rest on fewer than 10 pages: context, not a finding. The page count sits under each year.

Sentence lengthAverage words per sentence.
6
12
18
Banks avg 14.4
15.6
14.7
14.3
14.1
13.6
ChatGPT · Nov 2022
2015no pages
2016no pages
2017no pages
20181 pp
201925 pp
202016 pp
20218 pp
20226 pp
2023no pages
2024no pages
2025no pages
2026no pages
10 or more pagesFewer than 10 pages: context, not a findingSector averageChatGPT released
Show as a table
YearSentence lengthPages
201815.61
201914.725
202014.316
202114.18
202213.66

Years with pages: 2018 (1), 2019 (25), 2020 (16), 2021 (8), 2022 (6). Dates come from page metadata, structured data, the URL, or the month a page was first archived (a latest possible date).

03 · Against its sector

HSBC among banks

Each dot is one brand’s mean across all its measured pages; the tick is the sector average. Only brands with 10 or more measured pages are shown or counted. Select a dot to open that brand.

  1. "You"

    26% more than its sector

    60% against a sector average of 47%; 3rd highest of 16.

  2. "We"

    22% less than its sector

    37% against a sector average of 47%; 5th lowest of 16.

  3. Contractions

    15% less than its sector

    13.5 against a sector average of 15.8; 6th lowest of 16.

Sentence lengthMid-table, 7th of 16
HSBC 14.3
11.818.6
Contractions6th lowest of 16
HSBC 13.5
9.428.7
"You"3rd highest of 16
HSBC 60%
18%76%
"We"5th lowest of 16
HSBC 37%
19%77%
QuestionsMid-table, 9th of 16
HSBC 3.0
0.65.2
Long words5th highest of 16
HSBC 27%
20%30%
Em dashesMid-table, 9th of 16
HSBC 2.02
1.263.96
AI-associated wordsMid-table, 10th of 16
HSBC 0.86
0.342.27
Exclamations2nd lowest of 16
HSBC 0.03
0.023.75
Page lengthHighest of 16
HSBC 1,935
5261,935

Pages measured: Metro Bank 145 · TSB 170 · Virgin Money 73 · The Co-operative Bank 40 · Chase UK 3 · Zopa 208 · Atom bank 306 · Kroo 67 · Skipton Building Society 107 · Coventry Building Society 2 · Lloyds Bank 210 · Nationwide 91 · Monzo 219 · Barclays 213 · NatWest 292 · Starling Bank 298 · Santander 114 · HSBC 111. Measures and method: SGR-010; the brand list and sectors come from SGR-009.

04 · Vocabulary

Words HSBC uses more than its peers

The words this brand reaches for more often than the rest of its sector. This is subject matter more than voice.

investment121.5 vs 23.5
asset55.8 vs 2.6
document70.8 vs 0.9
limited46.4 vs 3.2
global54.7 vs 6.9
esg30.2 vs 1.2
wealth28.6 vs 1.7
india30.2 vs 0.5
investing51.9 vs 10.9
bonds27.4 vs 3.1
sustainable30.6 vs 4.5
views24.4 vs 2.6
HSBCSector peers

Uses per 10,000 words, ranked by weighted log-odds (Monroe et al. 2008) across 111 pages. Product names and page furniture filtered automatically; list not yet reviewed.

05 · In its own words

What it sounded like

Openings of real pages, quoted word for word, oldest first. Each links to the page, or to the Internet Archive’s copy when it has gone.

201811 Sep · BlogArchived copy
“Almost half (45 per cent) of working age people in the UK expect a comfortable retirement but they are in for a shock as only (33 per cent) pay into a retirement account every month. Planning for life after work is crucial and many are not making adequate, or even any, financial plans.”
The Future of Retirement
201811 Sep · BlogArchived copy
“Almost half (45 per cent) of working age people in the UK expect a comfortable retirement but they are in for a shock as only (33 per cent) pay into a retirement account every month. Planning for life after work is crucial and many are not making adequate, or even any, financial plans.”
The Future of Retirement
2019Aug (archived by) · BlogArchived copy
“If you've got some spare money, you'd probably like to give it more oomph than it's getting in a savings account. And you probably already know that investing could be a great way to do that - provided you're prepared to do some research and accept there's a risk that you may get back less than you put in.”
Investing On Your Own - Benefits Of Investing On Your Own
2021Jan (archived by) · BlogArchived copy
“If you’ve built up some savings, you’re in a great position. The next step is to develop your savings habit and try to earn more from your money. From making it automatic to considering investing for those longer-term goals, here are some tips that could help you on your way.”
Maximise Your Savings

06 · Every page

All 114 pages, by year

The full list behind every number above, with links to the live page or the archived copy. 111 count towards the measures; the rest were not measured (2 pdf report (annual report, info pack), 1 mostly short lines (lists, tables, link pages) rather than prose). Pages with no reliable date count in the overall numbers but in no year.

20226 pages
20218 pages
202016 pages
201925 pages
20181 page
In the overall numbers, no year55 pages
  • ESG24 Sep 2026 · blog · 3,680 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • HSBC Private Bank and Premier Wealth3 Sep 2026 · blog · 4,105 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • HSBC Private Bank and Premier Wealth1 Sep 2026 · blog · 5,154 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • FX Navigator24 Aug 2026 · blog · 4,740 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • Macro Monthly11 Aug 2026 · blog · 2,336 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • Start Investing11 Aug 2026 · blog · 1,139 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • UK in Focus - Explore regional opportunities5 Aug 2026 · blog · 3,288 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • FX Navigator3 Aug 2026 · blog · 4,798 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • HSBC Private Bank and Premier Wealth1 Aug 2026 · blog · 5,244 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • HSBC Private Bank and Premier Wealth30 Jul 2026 · blog · 2,565 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • HSBC Private Bank and Premier Wealth23 Jul 2026 · blog · 2,537 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • UK in Focus - Explore regional opportunities9 Jul 2026 · blog · 3,236 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • Macro Monthly8 Jul 2026 · blog · 2,503 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • Start Investing29 Jun 2026 · blog · 1,271 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • HSBC Private Bank and Premier Wealth21 May 2026 · blog · 4,345 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • Start Investing4 May 2026 · blog · 1,281 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • New tax year, new rules. What investors need to know10 Apr 2026 · blog · 3,195 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • Start Investing31 Mar 2026 · blog · 1,100 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • ESG18 Mar 2026 · blog · 3,759 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • HSBC Private Bank and Premier Wealth12 Mar 2026 · blog · 4,230 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • Start investing11 Mar 2026 · blog · 1,145 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • Start Investing3 Feb 2026 · blog · 986 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • Rethinking global equity allocations for true diversification22 Jan 2026 · blog · 3,159 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • ESG10 Dec 2025 · blog · 4,316 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • Wealth Exchange27 Nov 2025 · blog · 500 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • The 2025 Autumn Budget. What’s changing and what it means for you26 Nov 2025 · blog · 1,220 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • What are hedge funds13 Nov 2025 · blog · 2,543 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • Wealth Exchange21 Oct 2025 · blog · 641 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • ESG19 Sep 2025 · blog · 3,954 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • Start Investing3 Sep 2025 · blog · 1,441 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • Retirement isn’t just a life stage. It’s a lifestyle2 Sep 2025 · blog · 3,539 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • Accelerating alternatives investment through multi-asset portfolios21 Aug 2025 · blog · 3,513 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • Wealth across generations: Strategies for a secure future24 Jul 2025 · blog · 3,541 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • ESG3 Jun 2025 · blog · 3,941 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • Start investing9 Apr 2025 · blog · 980 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • Learn to invest25 Feb 2025 · blog · 1,568 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • Start investing19 Feb 2025 · blog · 1,656 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • ESG13 Feb 2025 · blog · 3,671 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • Invest with experts18 Apr 2024 · blog · 239 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • Start investing16 Aug 2022 · blog · 882 wordsDate only from the page text, not metadata, URL or archive capture: in the overall numbers, not placed in a year
  • HSBC Asset Management Launches New Shariah Screened ESG ETFSundated · press · 1,676 wordsNo date found: in the overall numbers, not in any year
  • Shariah Compliant Investingundated · press · 1,712 wordsNo date found: in the overall numbers, not in any year
  • Over 60s Savings Accountsundated · blog · 888 wordsNo date found: in the overall numbers, not in any year
  • Wealth investment summitundated · blog · 1,390 wordsNo date found: in the overall numbers, not in any year
  • Start investingundated · blog · 450 wordsNo date found: in the overall numbers, not in any year
  • Learn to invest in 6 stepsundated · blog · 1,811 wordsNo date found: in the overall numbers, not in any year
  • Financial Advisersundated · blog · 920 wordsNo date found: in the overall numbers, not in any year
  • Discretionary Investment and Portfolio Managementundated · blog · 1,422 wordsNo date found: in the overall numbers, not in any year
  • Protectionundated · blog · 390 wordsNo date found: in the overall numbers, not in any year
  • More ways to investundated · blog · 174 wordsNo date found: in the overall numbers, not in any year
  • Learn to investundated · blog · 676 wordsNo date found: in the overall numbers, not in any year
  • Private Banking Account Lifestyle Experiencesundated · blog · 434 wordsNo date found: in the overall numbers, not in any year
  • Premier Relationship Managerundated · blog · 388 wordsNo date found: in the overall numbers, not in any year
  • Financial Resourcesundated · blog · 1,030 wordsNo date found: in the overall numbers, not in any year
  • Think Wealthundated · blog · 3,726 wordsNo date found: in the overall numbers, not in any year
Not measured3 pages
  • Annual Report and Accounts 20252025 · info_pack · 284,727 wordsPDF report (annual report, info pack): listed, but kept out of every measure
  • Annual Report and Accounts 20242024 · info_pack · 342,533 wordsPDF report (annual report, info pack): listed, but kept out of every measure
  • Wayback Machineby Jun 2021 · blog · 230 words · archivedMostly short lines (lists, tables, link pages) rather than prose

07 · Method

How this was measured

The pages

HSBC's own blog posts, press releases and announcements, fetched from the live site in 2026 and from the Internet Archive for 2015 to November 2022. Homepages are shown as captures; product and help pages are not measured.

The measures

Code counts from ScriptGrain’s writing instruments: sentence length and rhythm, contractions, pronouns, punctuation, long words, and three published lists of AI-associated words. No AI model reads or judges any page.

What it cannot say

These measures describe style. They cannot tell who or what wrote a page, and nothing here says or implies that any brand used AI to write.

Sample sizes

Every number carries its page count. Years under 10 pages, and before-and-after comparisons with under 10 pages on a side, are shown as context only.

Sentence length
Average words per sentence.
Sentence rhythm
How much sentence length varies (standard deviation over mean). Higher reads less even.
Contractions
Contractions (we're, you'll, it's) per 1,000 words. A rough gauge of how conversational the writing is.
"You"
Share of I/we/you pronouns that are "you": how much the writing addresses the reader.
"We"
Share of I/we/you pronouns that are "we": how much the writing talks about the organisation.
Questions
Question marks per 1,000 words.
Exclamations
Exclamation marks per 1,000 words.
Long words
Share of words with seven or more letters.
Em dashes
Em dashes per 1,000 words.
AI-associated words
Words from SGR-007's three AI-associated lists, per 1,000 words. These are style markers that people used long before ChatGPT; a higher rate says nothing about who or what wrote the page.
AI-era marketing words
Marketing words that became more common in AI-era copy (seamless, elevate, unlock...), per 1,000 words. A style measure only.
Quieter LLM-favoured words
Everyday words language models are known to over-use, per 1,000 words. A style measure only.
AI-associated sentence shapes
Sentence patterns such as "not just X, but Y", found by ScriptGrain's cliche checker, per 1,000 words. A style measure only.
Page length
Average words per page.

Studies: SGR-009: Do brands in the same sector sound the same? · SGR-010: How UK brands write · SGR-011: Did brand writing change after ChatGPT?.