Click here for the PDF handout or try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Gillette. Click on the links below or see the activities below this article:
READ
Gillette is a leading brand of razors and personal hygiene products. It was founded in 1895. It produced the first safety razors using disposable blades in 1902. In 1958, it produced its first 'adjustable' razor – the model for most of today’s razors. The company is famous for bringing out different designs of razors, each claiming to produce a much better, closer shave than the ones before. Its slogan is "The Best a Man Can Get". The brand markets itself as providing “high-performance styling and grooming products for men.” More than 600 million men worldwide shave with a Gillette product. Gillette was bought by Proctor and Gamble in 2005 and the name ‘The Gillette Company’ disappeared. The company also produces shaving gels and creams, hair care products and deodorants.
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WORKSHEET ACTIVITIES
WARM-UPS
1. BRAINSTORM: Write all the words you can think of about Gillette on the board or on a piece of paper. Talk about these words with your partner(s).
2. GILLETTE MORNING: Each student pretends to be an employee of Gillette. They walk around the class and talk about the company and their job.
3. RUMOURS:Each student writes down a pretend rumour about Gillette. They then walk around the class and talk to other students about their rumour.
4. GOOD AND BAD:Brainstorm good and bad things about Gillette and write them on the board. Students talk about these in pairs.
5. TRUE OR FALSE:Students find out several facts about Gillette. 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 Gillette. 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
Gillette __________________ of razors and personal hygiene products. It was founded in 1895. It produced the first safety razors __________________ in 1902. In 1958, it produced its first __________________ – the model for most of today’s razors. The company is famous __________________ different designs of razors, each claiming to produce a much __________________ than the ones before. Its slogan is "The Best a Man Can Get". The brand markets __________________ “high-performance __________________ products for men.” More than 600 million men worldwide shave with a Gillette product. Gillette was bought by Proctor and Gamble in 2005 and the name ‘The Gillette Company’ disappeared. The __________________ shaving gels and creams, hair care products and deodorants.
CORRECT THE SPELLING
Gillette is a leading brand of razors and personal ngeehyi products. It was founded in 1895. It produced the first aytesf razors using disposable blades in 1902. In 1958, it produced its first 'adjustable' razor – the model for most of today’s razors. The company is famous for ngrignbi out different sensgdi of razors, each claiming to produce a much better, slcoer shave than the ones before. Its osngla is "The Best a Man Can Get". The brand markets itself as providing “high-performance yisltng and grooming products for men.” More than 600 million men worldwide shave with a Gillette product. Gillette was gthoub by Proctor and Gamble in 2005 and the name ‘The Gillette Company’ disappeared. The company also produces shaving gels and esacmr, hair care products and dsedtorano.
UNJUMBLE THE WORDS
Gillette is a hygiene brand razors personal leading of and products. It was founded in 1895. It produced the first safety in blades disposable using razors 1902. In 1958, it produced its first 'adjustable' razor – the model for most of today’s razors. company famous bringing The is for out different designs of razors, each claiming to produce a much better, shave closer before ones the than. Its slogan is "The Best a Man Can Get". The brand markets providing as itself styling performance - high and grooming products for men.” More than 600 million men shave worldwide product Gillette a with. Gillette was bought by Proctor and Gamble in 2005 and the name ‘The Gillette Company’ disappeared. The company also and , produces gels creams hair shaving care products and deodorants.
gillette is a leading brand of razors and personal hygiene products it was founded in 1895 it produced the first safety razors using disposable blades in 1902 in 1958 it produced its first 'adjustable' razor – the model for most of today’s razors the company is famous for bringing out different designs of razors each claiming to produce a much better closer shave than the ones before its slogan is "the best a man can get" the brand markets itself as providing “high-performance styling and grooming products for men” more than 600 million men worldwide shave with a gillette product gillette was bought by proctor and gamble in 2005 and the name ‘the gillette company’ disappeared the company also produces shaving gels and creams hair care products and deodorants
CHOOSE THE CORRECT TENSE
Gillette .......... (be) a leading brand of razors and personal hygiene products. It was .......... (found) in 1895. It .......... (produce) the first safety razors using disposable blades in 1902. In 1958, it produced its first 'adjustable' razor – the model for most of today’s razors. The company .......... (be) famous for bringing out different designs of razors, each claiming to .......... (produce) a much better, closer shave than the ones before. Its slogan .......... (be) "The Best a Man Can Get". The brand .......... (market) itself as providing “high-performance styling and grooming products for men.” More than 600 million men worldwide .......... (shave) with a Gillette product. Gillette was .......... (buy) by Proctor and Gamble in 2005 and the name ‘The Gillette Company’ .......... (disappear). The company also .......... (produce) shaving gels and creams, hair care products and deodorants.
Gillette is a ____________ brand of razors and personal hygiene products. It was founded in 1895. It produced the first ____________ razors using disposable blades in 1902. In 1958, it produced its first 'adjustable' razor – the ____________ for most of today’s razors. The company is famous for ____________ out different designs of razors, each claiming to produce a much better, ____________ shave than the ones before. Its slogan is "The Best a Man Can Get". The brand markets itself as ____________ “high-performance ____________ and grooming products for men.” More than 600 million men worldwide shave with a Gillette product. Gillette was bought by Proctor and Gamble in 2005 and the ____________ ‘The Gillette Company’ disappeared. The company also produces shaving gels and creams, hair ____________ products and ____________.
bringing
styling
safety
care
name
closer
deodorants
leading
model
providing
PROJECT GILLETTE
Part 1. Your mission is to increase the profits and sales of Gillette. Complete this table with your project partner(s):
Main products
How to improve them
A brand new ‘killer’ product
How Gillette 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.
GILLETTE – ROLE PLAY 1
Role A – Gillette 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 – Gillette 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 – Gillette customer
You are a customer of Gillette. 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 Gillette. 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.
GILLETTE – ROLE PLAY 2
Role A – Gillette New Products Director
You have created a new product for Gillette. 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 Gillette.
Role B – Gillette 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 – Gillette 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 – Gillette Shareholder
You know a lot about Gillette’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 Gillette. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE:Write a magazine article about Gillette. 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. GILLETTE POSTERMake a poster about Gillette. 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 GILLETTE LESSON:Make your own English lesson on Gillette. 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 Gillette. Share your findings with the class.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in the article at the top of this page.
