In Praise of the TV Commercial
1. Read the text.
Imagine for a moment you are the marketing and sales director of a large company. Achieving your sales targets is giving you sleepless nights. The company’s share price is under pressure, the board is getting nervous. City institutions are questioning the company’s investment policy.
How can you generate extra sales quickly and effectively through your consumer base, and expand your potential market?
Suddenly, I appear. I have invented a thing called the “television commercial”.
It is a new and unique way of talking to consumers. Between popular programmes, I will sell you slots of time – anything up to 60 seconds. I will even negotiate for you the whole break, so no one else can compete with you.
Within this spot you can say whatever you like in whatever form you like. You control the dialogue, presenting your product or service anyway you wish.
Of course, the television commercial has been with us since 1955. Since its arrival, it has been one of the most, if not the most, effective creator of brands and wealth. So why is it that you can hardly pick up a marketing magazine without reading about the death of this medium?
Before you rush to the Internet, or search for some fashionable alternative media, look at these facts. The average adult in the UK watches more than 24 hours of TV every week, 60 percent of children have a TV set in their bedrooms. One in four adults watches the soap opera “Coronation Street”. So why do we read that the likes of Cadbury, the chocolate manufacturer, that sponsors Coronation Street, think most advertising is nothing but froth and are putting more money into programme sponsorship? Why did we read that Heinz was pulling out of TV advertising (it has since gone back)?
Could it be that as the medium has become more competitive some companies have found it harder to create advertising that works? The medium is not a guarantee of success. It has to be used imaginatively. Perhaps, this is the heart of the problem – it’s just that some companies find this process difficult to manage.
By John Hegarty,
creative director of Bartle Bogle Hegarty,
an advertising agency
2. Answer the questions:
1. Why has it become so hard to find the medium that would work good for the benefit of your product?
2. What slots of time are the most popular?
3. Should there be some censorship in advertisement?
4. Why do so many companies prefer to place their ad on TV?
5. If something creates brands, does it create famous names? Why or why not?
6. “Coronation Street” is a popular British soap-opera, with “everyday” characters. What are the popular soap-operas in your country? Who mostly watches them? Is it worth placing advertisement there? What kind?
7. Why do you think some companies are questioning the value of TV advertising?
3.Provocative Thinking
Which of the following ways of promoting goods would you name as the most effective?
Explain your choice by giving grounded argumentation.
– Internet advertising
– direct mail
– sponsorship of sport/cultural events
– tasting of the products in the supermarkets
– coupons – pieces of paper showing a reduction that you can ask for when you buy something
4. Fill in the prepositions if necessary.
1. TV commercialhas been one ___ the most effective creators ___ brands.
2. ___ this spot of time you can say whatever you like ___ whatever form you like ___.
3. How can you generate extra sales ___ your consumer base, and expand ___ your potential market?
4. Why did we read that Heinz was pulling ___ TV advertising?
5. Slots of time are sold ___ popular programmes, anything ___ 60 seconds.
6. I will even negotiate ___ you the whole break, so no one else can compete ___ you.
7. Look ___ these facts, ___ you rush ___ the Internet, or search ___ some fashionable alternative media.
8. Imagine ___ a moment you are the marketing and sales director ___ a large company.
9. The average adult ___ the UK watches ___ more than 24 hours ___ TV every week, 60 percent ___ children have a TV set ___ their bedrooms.
10. So why is it that you can hardly pick ___ a marketing magazine ___ reading ___ the death ___ this medium?
5. Some of the words in English can function as verbs and nouns without any changes in the form. For example:
– to wash – мыть, отмывать, смывать, промывать, стирать
a wash – мытьё, стирка, утренний моцион, душ
– to rush – бросаться, мчаться, нестись, устремляться; тараторить, говорить быстро
a rush – напряжение, спешка, суета, бросок, напор, натиск, наплыв
– to go – идти, ходить, ехать, путешествовать
a go – движение, хождение, ходьба, напористость, энергичность; бодрость, рвение
– to swim – плавать, плыть; переплывать; купаться
a swim – плавание, купание, скольжение, плавное движение
– to match – находить соответствие; приводить в соответствие, согласовывать
a match – пара, ровня (человек, подходящий кому-л., составляющий с ним пару)
– to look – смотреть, глядеть; осматривать; быть внимательным, следить
a look – взгляд, выражение глаз, выражение лица, вид
– to play – забавляться, играть, веселиться, резвиться; сыграть (шутку), разыграть
a play – действие, деятельность; игра, развлечение, забава; пьеса
– to lift – поднимать, повышать, возвышать; рассеиваться, исчезать (об облаках)
a lift – лифт, поднятие, подъем; повышение, продвижение (по службе и т. п.)
a) Make sentences incorporating one word in both functions in one sentence.
b) Find a verb = noun word in the text.
6. Make as many words as you can using the given roots and suffixes.
Suffixes: -ive, -able, -or, -er, -ing, -less, -ous, -tion, -al, -ment.
Roots:
1. |
commerce |
9. |
market |
2. |
arrive |
10. |
manufacture |
3. |
sleep |
11. |
advertise |
4. |
effect |
12. |
fact |
5. |
create |
13. |
imagine |
6. |
product |
14. |
sponsor |
7. |
fashion |
15. |
negotiate |
8. |
nervous |
7. BIG Word Game!
Make as many new English words from the given ones. (You may play individually or in teams.)
a) IMAGINATIVELY
b) SPONSORSHIP
c) MANUFACTURE
8. Make and act out a scenario of a TV commercial for:
a) a flower shop
b) a babysitting service
c) a tour company
d) a bookselling company
e) a new petrol-free automobile – electromobile
9. Debates!
TOPIC: Do you consider a TV commercial a real breakthrough in sales or just one more way to sell the product?
RULES:
1. To start a debate you need to be divided into 2 groups. Choose the jury/judge.
2. Each group should defend one viewpoint: either you state that a TV commercial is a real breakthrough or you state that it’s just one more way to sell the product.
People in the group may personally be of different opinions, but as a group they have to defend one point for all.
3. Spend some 15 minutes to find arguments to support your statement.
4. Choose 3 speakers in each group who will present the group opinion.
5. Each speaker should talk for 2 minutes.
6. After every speaker the opposite team has the right to ask one question.
7. After all speakers have expressed their points the two groups can exchange questions.
8. Finally the judge announces the winner, basing his decision on:
– how convincing the speakers were;
– whether the questions were convincing;
– whether they fit in time limits (not more or less);
– whether they respected the opposite team.
KEY:
4. 1. of, of; 2. within, in, –; 3. through, –; 4. out of; 5. between, up to; 6. for, with; 7. at, before, to, for; 8. for, of; 9. in, –, of, of, in; 10. up, without, about, of
5. to question, a question