Click here for the PDF handout or try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Pampers. Click on the links below or see the activities below this article:
READ
Pampers is a brand of baby products that started out as a manufacturer of disposable diapers (nappies). They are now part of the Procter & Gamble group of companies. Pampers were created in 1961. The company has diversified its product range so parents of babies of all sizes, sexes and medical conditions have a choice. Pampers are the most popular brand on the market and the word ‘Pampers’ has almost become a generic noun for all diapers. Several controversies have hit the brand. In 2010, Pampers introduced a product with something they called ‘Dry-Max technology’. They received thousands of complaints from parents who reported the diapers gave their babies rashes and chemical burns. An investigation was undertaken by the Consumer Products Safety Commission.
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WORKSHEET ACTIVITIES
WARM-UPS
1. BRAINSTORM: Write all the words you can think of about Pampers on the board or on a piece of paper. Talk about these words with your partner(s).
2. PAMPERS MORNING: Each student pretends to be an employee of Pampers. They walk around the class and talk about the company and their job.
3. RUMOURS:Each student writes down a pretend rumour about Pampers. They then walk around the class and talk to other students about their rumour.
4. GOOD AND BAD:Brainstorm good and bad things about Pampers and write them on the board. Students talk about these in pairs.
5. TRUE OR FALSE:Students find out several facts about Pampers. 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 Pampers. 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
Pampers is a brand of baby products ________________ manufacturer of ________________ (nappies). They are now part of the Procter & Gamble group of companies. Pampers were created in 1961. The company has _______________________ range so parents of babies of all sizes, sexes and medical conditions have a choice. Pampers are the _______________________ market and the word ‘Pampers’ has almost become a generic noun for all diapers. Several _______________________ the brand. In 2010, Pampers introduced a product with something they called ‘Dry-Max technology’. They received _______________________ from parents who reported the diapers _______________________ and chemical burns. An _______________________ by the Consumer Products Safety Commission.
CORRECT THE SPELLING
Pampers is a brand of baby usocrtdp that started out as a manufacturer of bsaipdeslo diapers (nappies). They are now part of the Procter & Gamble group of companies. Pampers were deaectr in 1961. The company has diversified its product eargn so parents of babies of all sizes, sexes and mliceda conditions have a choice. Pampers are the most popular brand on the market and the word ‘Pampers’ has almost become a gnrecei noun for all diapers. Several etcsnorsirevo have hit the brand. In 2010, Pampers introduced a product with something they called ‘Dry-Max technology’. They received thousands of nmlcoispta from parents who reported the diapers gave their babies hresas and chemical burns. An investigation was tderkaennu by the Consumer Products Safety Commission.
UNJUMBLE THE WORDS
Pampers is products a that brand started of out baby as a manufacturer of disposable diapers (nappies). They are now & part Gamble of group the of Procter companies. Pampers were created in 1961. The company has diversified babies of parents so range product its of all sizes, have choice and conditions a sexes medical. Pampers are the most popular brand on the market and the word ‘Pampers’ noun generic a become almost has for all diapers. have controversies Several brand the hit. In 2010, Pampers introduced a product with something they called ‘Dry-Max technology’. They received complaints reported from thousands parents of who the diapers their rashes chemical gave babies and burns. An investigation was undertaken by the Consumer Products Safety Commission.
pampers is a brand of baby products that started out as a manufacturer of disposable diapers (nappies) they are now part of the procter & gamble group of companies pampers were created in 1961 the company has diversified its product range so parents of babies of all sizes sexes and medical conditions have a choice pampers are the most popular brand on the market and the word ‘pampers’ has almost become a generic noun for all diapers several controversies have hit the brand in 2010 pampers introduced a product with something they called ‘dry-max technology’ they received thousands of complaints from parents who reported the diapers gave their babies rashes and chemical burns an investigation was undertaken by the consumer products safety commission
CHOOSE THE CORRECT TENSE
Pampers .......... (be) a brand of baby products that .......... (start) out as a manufacturer of disposable diapers (nappies). They .......... (be) now part of the Procter & Gamble group of companies. Pampers were .......... (create) in 1961. The company has .......... (diversify) its product range so parents of babies of all sizes, sexes and medical conditions .......... (have) a choice. Pampers .......... (be) the most popular brand on the market and the word ‘Pampers’ .......... (have) almost .......... (become) a generic noun for all diapers. Several controversies have .......... (hit) the brand. In 2010, Pampers .......... (introduce) a product with something they .......... (call) ‘Dry-Max technology’. They .......... (receive) thousands of complaints from parents who reported the diapers .......... (give) their babies rashes and chemical burns. An investigation was .......... (undertake) by the Consumer Products Safety Commission.
Pampers is a brand of baby ____________ that started out as a manufacturer of disposable diapers (____________). They are now part of the Procter & Gamble ____________ of companies. Pampers were created in 1961. The company has diversified its product ____________ so parents of babies of all sizes, sexes and medical ____________ have a choice. Pampers are the most popular brand on the market and the word ‘Pampers’ has almost become a ____________ noun for all diapers. Several controversies have hit the brand. In 2010, Pampers ____________ a product with something they called ‘Dry-Max technology’. They received thousands of ____________ from parents who reported the diapers gave their babies ____________ and chemical burns. An investigation was ____________ by the Consumer Products Safety Commission.
complaints
conditions
group
products
undertaken
nappies
generic
rashes
introduced
range
PROJECT PAMPERS
Part 1. Your mission is to increase the profits and sales of Pampers. Complete this table with your project partner(s):
Main products
How to improve them
A brand new ‘killer’ product
How Pampers 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.
PAMPERS – ROLE PLAY 1
Role A – Pampers 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 – Pampers 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 – Pampers customer
You are a customer of Pampers. 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 Pampers. 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.
PAMPERS – ROLE PLAY 2
Role A – Pampers New Products Director
You have created a new product for Pampers. 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 Pampers.
Role B – Pampers 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 – Pampers 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 – Pampers Shareholder
You know a lot about Pampers’ 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 Pampers. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE:Write a magazine article about Pampers. 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. PAMPERS POSTERMake a poster about Pampers. 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 PAMPERS LESSON:Make your own English lesson on Pampers. 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 Pampers. Share your findings with the class.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in the article at the top of this page.
