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Brands and brand names

Task 1 Reading: skim read the following text

The name is the most important element of a successful brand.


Packaging changes, advertising changes, products even change but
brand names never change.Where do great brand names come
from? All different sources, they may come from family names or
perhaps the inventors favourite colour or animal or sometimes the
names are just completely made up. For example, McDonalds is a
family name, Adidas was created from the inventors name Adi
Dassler, Volvo means to roll in Latin and KODAK was completely
made up by the inventor George Eastman because he thought it
was unusual and different.

Task 2 Discussion: Discuss the following questions in


pairs:

1. Why are brand names important?


2. Name three different sources of brand names.
3. Do you think brands are important? Why?
4. Do you have a favourite brand? What is it and why do you like it?

Task 3 Brand names origins


Can you guess where the following brand names came from? Match
the brands in the box with the correct explanation below.

a) From the Latin word meaning, snow-white.


b) This was the fifth perfume made by the same company.
c) Named after the Greek goddess of victory.
d) Originally a Japanese family name Toyoda. The inventors
changed one letter to make it easier
to pronounce overseas.
e) Named after an African gazelle.
f) The family names of two men, one a motor enthusiast and the
other an engineering genius.

1. Toyota 2. Chanel no.5. 3. Rolls Royce 4. Reebok 5. Nike


6. Nivea
Task 4 Mini presentation
In pairs invent a new product and give it a name. Think about the
following points:

What is special or unusual about your product?


Why would people want to use or buy it?
How does the name relate to the product?

Once you have chosen the name for your product prepare a short
oral presentation to give to the rest of the class. In your
presentation you should describe your product and explain how and
why you chose its name. Both of you should speak in the
presentation.

Here are some useful phrases that may help you with your
presentation:

We would like to introduce our new product...


We chose the name... because...
You can use it to...

If you cant think of any ideas for a new product, use one of these
ideas:
1. A thick slimy green jelly soda drink
2. A flying schoolbag that you can control by remote control
3. An alarm clock that switches off when you shout at it
4. A television computer
5. A digital watch with a built in mobile phone and mini-computer
6. A new digital homework personal organiser
7. A new high speed flying carpet
Procedure: B1+ (60 90 minutes)

During this lesson students will rank their favourite brand names
and discuss what they like/dislike about them. They will read and
discuss the context of a text about brand naming and complete
related vocabulary building exercises. Lastly students will create
and brand their own imaginary product which they will present to
the rest of the class

1. Introduction (5 10 mins)
Write Brand Names on the board and ask students to give you
some examples of brand names.
TIP: Be sure that students understand that brands and not just
expensive names like Gucci or Ray Ban but also include products
like Nike, Nescafe, Cadburys, Coca Cola etc.

Now give students 3 minutes to work in small groups. Ask them


to write down as many brand names as they can. At the end of the
3 minutes, shout out Stop! and see which group has the most
names on their list.
Ask students if they know what products each brand makes and if
they own / would like to own any of their products.

2. Task 1: Reading and comprehension (15 minutes)


Get the students to skim read the short text on brand naming in
task 1 on the worksheet and underline any new vocabulary.
Students should ask their friends or look up the meaning of any
new words in a dictionary.
Students then complete the comprehension questions in task 2 as
a discussion in pairs. Teachers should check for comprehension.
Students then complete the matching exercise in task 3
individually or in pairs.

TASK 3 ANSWERS:
a) From the latin word meaning Snow-white NIVEA
b) This was the fifth perfume made by the same company. CHANEL
No. 5
c) Named after the Greek goddess of victory. NIKE
d) Originally a Japanese family name Toyoda. The inventors
changed one letter to make it easier to pronounce overseas.
TOYOTA
e) Names after an African gazelle. REEBOK
f) The family names of two men, one a motor enthusiast and the
other an engineering genius. Stuart ROLLS and Henry ROYCE

3. Task 2: Make a poster (20 minutes)


Ask students to look back at their lists of brands from the
introduction exercise. They can add more brands from the other
suggestions if necessary. They should have a total of 10 brand
names. Ask them now to rank their brands from 1 10 (1 should
be their favourite brand, and 10 the one they like the least).
Then ask students to work in pairs to write a sentence or two
about what they know about each brand.
Hand out poster paper and pens and get students to make a
poster titled Our top ten brands for display on the wall in the
classroom. Make it clear that the posters must include the
sentences they wrote about each brand.
Once students have completed their posters they can circulate
and read each others posters and vote on the best.

4. Task 3 prepare a mini presentation (20 30 minutes)


Put students into new pairs. Ask them to look at task 4 on the
worksheet
The task sheet has seem useful phrases that may help students
with their presentations. Teachers should also teach any other
phrases / language which they think their students need. The task
sheet also has a list of ideas in case students cant think of their
own inventions. Encourage them to be creative! Depending on the
student and/or cultural context, teachers may want to assess the
oral presentations to increase student motivation, as teens may
make ore effort if they know they are being assessed.

5. Optional follow up

For a homework writing activity: Students choose one of their


favourite brands,

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