IDIOM CONNECTION

lesson 56

Marketing Idioms

Introduction

Have you seen any television advertising campaigns recently that you liked?

Reading

The shoe company will test market their new product soon. They will launch this product in several large cities. The product is a new top-of-the-line running shoe. They plan to have a marketing blitz which will be the biggest sales campaign in their history. They will tie in this launch with the World Cup and position the product for young male sports fans. They hope to have the shoes on the market at this time next year. They believe that in the future the shoes will be a cash cow for the company.

Reading Questions

Answer the following questions. The answers can easily be found in the reading above.

1. Who will test market their new product soon?

2. Where will they launch their new product?

3. Is the product a top-of-the-line running shoe?

4. Will their marketing blitz be the biggest sales campaign in the company's history?

5. Will they tie in their launch with the World Cup?

6. Who will they position the product for?

7. When do they hope to have the shoes on the market?

8. Do they believe that the shoes will be a cash cow for the company?

Making Connections and Idiom Meanings

Some of the idioms have another meaning or are connected to another meaning. Use this information to help you choose the correct meaning for each of the underlined idioms:

1. To market a product means to offer a product for sale. What does to test market a product and check to see if it will sell well mean in the following sentence?

The fast food chain will test market their new product next month.
a)   begin to develop
b)   begin to produce
c)   begin to research the market for

2. When you launch a boat you put the boat in the water so that it is ready to go. Launching a rocket is sending it into the sky. What does to launch a new product mean in the following sentence?

The candy company launched a new product last week.
a)   invented
b)   introduced
c)   discovered

3. A line of products is the group of products that a company produces. Do you think that the top of the line means the best products or the worst products? What would top of the line mean in the following sentence?

The store sells top-of-the-line products.
a)   very good
b)   terrible
c)   very cheap

4. A blitz is a rapid and violent military attack against someone. It is from the German word blitzkrieg. What does a marketing blitz of a product mean in the following sentence?

There is a big marketing blitz for the new product this month.
a)   marketing campaign
b)   marketing discussion
c)   marketing problem

5. The company will tie in their new product and the new movie.
a)   try to increase sales by linking
b)   produce
c)   not have a connection between

6. The telephone company wants to position their new product with young people.
a)   research
b)   discuss
c)   place

7. The new television set is now on the market.
a)   being discussed
b)   available to buy
c)   finished

8. A cow that produces a large supply of milk is a good thing. What do you think that a cash cow means in the following sentence?

The new high speed Internet service is a cash cow for the company.
a)   making much money
b)   not making much money
c)   a total disaster

Your score is: ___  out of 8


Matching Sentences

Choose the answer that correctly matches each sentence:

1. The new digital camera will be test marketed in three cities.
a)   The company wants to see if it will be successful.
b)   It is already a cash cow for the company in those cities.

2. The product will be launched in September this year.
a)   The product will remain a secret until next year.
b)   We hope that it will be a cash cow for the company.

3. My new phone is top of the line.
a)   The quality is the best that I could buy.
b)   I plan to buy a good phone later.

4. The company will begin a marketing blitz for their product next week.
a)   It will be a very big campaign.
b)   They plan to introduce the product quietly.

5. The new toy will be tied in with the movie and sold this week.
a)   The marketing campaign will begin immediately.
b)   They do not plan to sell the new toy with the movie.

6. The company will position the product among young teenage girls.
a)   They will test market the product to decide their target audience.
b)   The market for the product has already been decided.

7. The new smart phone will be on the market next week.
a)  We will not have to wait a long time for the product.
b)  They do not plan to launch this product until next year.

8. The new toy is a cash cow for the company.
a)  It is not very popular and is not making much money.
b)  It is selling very well and making much money.

Your score is: ___  out of 8


Grammar Focus

Choose the word or expression that makes each of the following sentences correct:

1. The new computer game will be __________________ next week.
a)   onto the market
b)   over the market
c)   on the market

2. The car company began _________________ to sell their new car.
a)   to marketing blitz
b)   over marketing blitz
c)   a marketing blitz

3. We want to _________________ where teenage girls will notice it.
a)   position our product
b)   position our products
c)   position products

4. The baby food maker will ______________ their new product soon.
a)   test too market
b)   test the market
c)   test market

5. Apple will _______________ several new products next year.
a)   launch
b)   lunch
c)   launched

6. My new camera is _________________.
a)   top off the line
b)   top of the line
c)   top of the lines

7. The new smart phone is a _____________ for the company.
a)  cashed cow
b)  cash of cow
c)  cash cow

8. The convenience store plans to _____________ their products with the new movie.
a)  tie in
b)  tie up
c)  tie over

Your score is: ___  out of 8




Discussion Questions

Answer the following questions using the idioms from this section:

1. What do you think is the best way to test market a new product?

2. Have you ever been involved in test marketing a product?

3. How do banks in your city usually launch their new services?

4. Do you know any new products that have been launched recently?

5. Do you usually buy top-of-the-line products?

6. What top-of-the line products would you like to buy?

7. What marketing blitz of a product do you know about?

8. What is the best way to do a marketing blitz?

9. Do you know any companies that have tied in their products to a movie?

10. Do you know any products that have been tied in to the Olympics or World Cup?

11. If you were selling BMW’s, among what group of people would you position your product?

12. Do you know any product that is positioned among young women?

13. How long have smart phones been on the market?

14. What is your favorite product that recently came on the market?

15. What do you think is the biggest cash cow for most fast food restaurants?

16. Do you know any products that are a cash cow for a company?

Role Play

Student A: You are the product manager of a company and you want to test market your new phone. It has many new features but it is very expensive. You are talking with an advertising agency representative about their marketing plans. You think that their ideas are crazy.

Student B: You work for an advertising agency and you are describing your marketing plans for the new phone. You think that your plan is very good.

lesson 56