Case Study

Choose any advertisement from a newspaper or a magazine. Prepare a written report on your assigned ad by answering these questions about it.

I. Analyze the advertisement in small groups or as a whole class, using the following questions.

• How does the advertisement attempt to get your attention?

• What is it an advertisement for?

• Who is the target audience for this product?

• List the information the advertisement provides about the product.

• How does the advertisement try to convince you to buy this product?

• How is the name of the product significant?

• What images has the advertiser chosen to use? Why?

• What information do you think has been left out of this advertisement? Why?

• Rate this advertisement on its effectiveness – does it catch and keep your attention? If you were in the market for this type of product, would you purchase a product from this company? Why or why not?

• What would you change about the ad?

II. Define unfamiliar terms or concepts.

III. Role play.

Imagine you are purchasing a similar product and make a list of advantages and disadvantages you see in purchasing the item from this company. Before making a decision, what additional information would you need? Why is that information not included in the advertisement?

IV. Follow-up Activity 1: Working alone or in small groups, did you choose and cut out magazine and phone book ads that you find eye-catching or appealing. What elements of the ad you think are most effective.

V. Follow-up Activity 2: Working alone or in small groups design a full-page advertisement for this product that would incorporate some of the elements the class identified in the previous exercise. You should choose a target audience, name some of the advantages of the product, and specify how it would make life easier or more comfortable for their target audience.

Unit XII. BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE

Lesson 1. Business Letter Writing

Warm up

I. Peter Drucker, the father of the science of office management, says, “As soon as you take one step up the career ladder your effectiveness depends on your ability to communicate your thoughts in writing and in speaking.”

How do you understand this statement? Do you agree with it?

II. Is business letter different from an ordinary letter? How?

Complete this list: 

- business letter is formal;

- it has a standard format, etc. 

III. What are the reasons of writing business letters? Choose the most appropriate:

- to inform readers of specific information, to ask about health, to create proposals for clients, make an arrangement, tell about birthday party, request a price list, thank someone for a advice, or apply for a job, etc.

IV. Find a situation to illustrate the following types of letters or just give definitions of them: cover letter, letter of congratulation, urgent telegram, inquiry letter, order-letter, letter of introduction, remittance, dead letter, claim letter, letter of guarantee, registered letter, receipt.

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