Click here for the PDF handout or try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Marlboro. Click on the links below or see the activities below this article:
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Marlboro is the world’s largest selling brand of cigarettes. It is made by the Philip Morris Company, originally a London-based cigarette maker. Philip Morris named the cigarette after the location of the company’s first factory in London’s Great Marlborough Street. In 1902, Morris created a New York branch to market his brands in the U.S.A. The name changed to become easier to spell and by 1924, Marlboro was advertised as a woman's cigarette. In the 1960s that changed as “Marlboro Man” came along. In America, Marlboro is the number one cigarette brand. In 2009, Marlboro's market share of 42% was larger than its two largest competitors combined. Marlboro had to rebrand products marketed as "Lights” or "Mild” because that gave the impression its cigarettes are safe. Marlboro has been a big sponsor of motor racing since 1972.
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WORKSHEET ACTIVITIES
WARM-UPS
1. BRAINSTORM: Write all the words you can think of about Marlboro on the board or on a piece of paper. Talk about these words with your partner(s).
2. MARLBORO MORNING: Each student pretends to be an employee of Marlboro. They walk around the class and talk about the company and their job.
3. RUMOURS:Each student writes down a pretend rumour about Marlboro. They then walk around the class and talk to other students about their rumour.
4. GOOD AND BAD:Brainstorm good and bad things about Marlboro and write them on the board. Students talk about these in pairs.
5. TRUE OR FALSE:Students find out several facts about Marlboro. They write these down and add the same number of things about the company that are false. Students test each other on which of their points are true or false.
6. FACTS:In groups, students write down as many facts as they can about Marlboro. The winner is the group with the most facts. Teacher may wish to have groups share their facts to make sure they are real.
LISTENING / READING GAP FILL
Marlboro is the world’s ________________ of cigarettes. It is made by the Philip Morris Company, originally a London-___________________. Philip Morris named the cigarette ___________________ the company’s first factory in London’s Great Marlborough Street. In 1902, Morris created a New York branch ___________________ the U.S.A. The name changed to become easier to spell and by 1924, Marlboro ___________________ woman's cigarette. In the 1960s that changed as “Marlboro Man” came along. In America, Marlboro ___________________ cigarette brand. In 2009, Marlboro's market share of 42% was larger than its ___________________ combined. Marlboro had to rebrand products marketed as "Lights” or "Mild” because that gave the impression its cigarettes are safe. Marlboro _____________________ of motor racing since 1972.
CORRECT THE SPELLING
Marlboro is the world’s largest nllesgi brand of cigarettes. It is made by the Philip Morris Company, orglnyliai a London-based cigarette maker. Philip Morris named the cigarette after the naotiocl of the company’s first factory in London’s Great Marlborough Street. In 1902, Morris created a New York branch to tkamre his brands in the U.S.A. The name changed to become easier to spell and by 1924, Marlboro was estidvdrea as a woman's cigarette. In the 1960s that changed as “Marlboro Man” came along. In America, Marlboro is the number one cigarette brand. In 2009, Marlboro's market hares of 42% was larger than its two aerstgl competitors nboidmce. Marlboro had to nebdarr products marketed as "Lights” or "Mild” because that gave the impression its cigarettes are safe. Marlboro has been a big soorpsn of motor racing since 1972.
UNJUMBLE THE WORDS
Marlboro largest brand is world’s selling of the cigarettes. It is made by the Philip Morris Company, originally a London-based cigarette maker. Philip Morris named the location the after cigarette first company’s the of factory in London’s Great Marlborough Street. In 1902, Morris branch to market his created a New York brands in the U.S.A. name The spell to easier become to changed and by 1924, Marlboro was advertised as a woman's cigarette. the changed Marlboro In that 1960s as Man came along. In America, Marlboro is the number one cigarette brand. In 2009, Marlboro's market share of 42% larger its largest was than two competitors combined. Marlboro to products as had rebrand marketed "Lights” or "Mild” because that gave the impression its cigarettes are safe. big of has a sponsor Marlboro been motor racing since 1972.
marlboro is the world’s largest selling brand of cigarettes it is made by the philip morris company originally a london-based cigarette maker philip morris named the cigarette after the location of the company’s first factory in london’s great marlborough street in 1902 morris created a new york branch to market his brands in the usa the name changed to become easier to spell and by 1924 marlboro was advertised as a woman's cigarette in the 1960s that changed as “marlboro man” came along in america marlboro is the number one cigarette brand in 2009 marlboro's market share of 42% was larger than its two largest competitors combined marlboro had to rebrand products marketed as "lights” or "mild” because that gave the impression its cigarettes are safe marlboro has been a big sponsor of motor racing since 1972
CHOOSE THE CORRECT TENSE
Marlboro .......... (be) the world’s largest selling brand of cigarettes. It is .......... (make) by the Philip Morris Company, originally a London-based cigarette maker. Philip Morris .......... (name) the cigarette after the location of the company’s first factory in London’s Great Marlborough Street. In 1902, Morris .......... (create) a New York branch to market his brands in the U.S.A. The name .......... (change) to become easier to spell and by 1924, Marlboro was .......... (advertise) as a woman's cigarette. In the 1960s that .......... (change) as “Marlboro Man” .......... (come) along. In America, Marlboro is the number one cigarette brand. In 2009, Marlboro's market share of 42% .......... (be) larger than its two largest competitors combined. Marlboro .......... (have) to rebrand products marketed as "Lights” or "Mild” because that .......... (give) the impression its cigarettes are safe. Marlboro has .......... (be) a big sponsor of motor racing since 1972.
Marlboro is the world’s largest ____________ brand of cigarettes. It is made by the Philip Morris Company, ____________ a London-based cigarette maker. Philip Morris named the cigarette after the ____________ of the company’s first factory in London’s Great Marlborough Street. In 1902, Morris created a New York ____________ to market his brands in the U.S.A. The name changed to become easier to ____________ and by 1924, Marlboro was advertised as a woman's cigarette. In the 1960s that ____________ as “Marlboro Man” came along. In America, Marlboro is the number one cigarette brand. In 2009, Marlboro's market ____________ of 42% was larger than its two largest competitors ____________. Marlboro had to ____________ products marketed as "Lights” or "Mild” because that gave the impression its cigarettes are ____________. Marlboro has been a big sponsor of motor racing since 1972.
spell
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safe
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location
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changed
PROJECT MARLBORO
Part 1. Your mission is to increase the profits and sales of Marlboro. Complete this table with your project partner(s):
Main products
How to improve them
A brand new ‘killer’ product
How Marlboro is better than the competition
How to beat the competition
Part 2. Change partners and look at their project. Suggest improvements. Ask for advice on your project:
Part 3. Make a presentation on your project. Give it to the class. Vote the best projects.
MARLBORO – ROLE PLAY 1
Role A – Marlboro CEO
You believe your company is the best in the world. It pays its workers very well and working conditions are great. Your company is very green – it cares about the environment. You think your levels of customer service are great. Disagree with person B, C and D.
Role B – Marlboro worker
You think it’s a bad company to work for. You’re very unhappy with pay, raises and bonuses. You are very unhappy with the working environment. You don’t like the company’s policy on the environment. You keep hearing profits are more important than customers. Disagree with A and C. Tell D the truth.
Role C – Marlboro customer
You are a customer of Marlboro. You used to think it was great, but not now. Its workers are always very rude. No one ever answers the phone. You are shocked about its policy on the environment. You think all staff should get less pay. You disagree with person A and B. Tell D the truth.
Role D – A journalist
You keep hearing bad things about Marlboro. You want to tell the world in your newspaper. You heard the CEO gets a huge bonus every year. You found a company memo saying profits are more important than the environment. You want to know why so many staff are ill. Find the truth.
MARLBORO – ROLE PLAY 2
Role A – Marlboro New Products Director
You have created a new product for Marlboro. You believe the new product will be the company’s best ever. It will be a bestseller. There are people who do not agree with you. You need B, C and D on your side. Tell them why this is a product that will bring great things to Marlboro.
Role B – Marlboro Marketing Director
You think the company’s new product is a really bad idea. It will give your company a really bad name. You think the New Products Director is trying to destroy the company. Try to get him/her to understand there’s no way the new product will sell. Try to get person C and D on your side.
Role C – Marlboro Market Researcher
You have interviewed thousands of people about the new product. They don’t like it or hate it. You think it will be successful if they make many changes. Tell the New Products Director he/she needs to change the product. You neither like nor trust person B. Disagree will him/her.
Role D – Marlboro Shareholder
You know a lot about Marlboro’s new product. You are worried it will not sell and share prices will go down. You think A is crazy and must find a new job. You agree with everything B says. You don’t agree with C. The new product should not go on the market.
Write a letter of apology to the customer. Explain why you cannot give a refund. Show your partner your letter. Correct each other’s work.
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HOMEWORK
1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET INFO: Search the Internet and find more information about Marlboro. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE:Write a magazine article about Marlboro. What have they done recently? What are their plans? Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
4. MARLBORO POSTERMake a poster about Marlboro. Make sure you sell the company to the public. Show it to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your posters.
5. MY MARLBORO LESSON:Make your own English lesson on Marlboro. Make sure there is a good mix of things to do. Find some good online activities. Teach the class / another group when you have finished.
6. ONLINE SHARING:Use your blog, wiki, Facebook page, MySpace page, Twitter stream, Del-icio-us / StumbleUpon account, or any other social media tool to get opinions on Marlboro. Share your findings with the class.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in the article at the top of this page.
