A Lesson on Benetton

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THE LESSON ON BENETTON

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Benetton is a globally known fashion brand based in Italy. It was founded in 1965 by Luciano Benetton and other family members. He had the idea of selling very colorful clothes at a local market and it caught on. Continuing with this theme, the company marketed itself as the “United Colors of Benetton”. It now has 6,000 stores around the world and produces 150,000 items of clothing. Its website says it is “a group with a strong Italian character whose style, quality and passion are clearly seen in its brands.” Benetton is famous for its clever advertising campaigns. The company name was put on a series of shocking photographs, such as two horses mating or a bloodied newborn baby. The shock tactics worked to greatly increase market share and profits.

ONLINE QUIZZES

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    WORKSHEET ACTIVITIES

    WARM-UPS

    1. BRAINSTORM: Write all the words you can think of about Benetton on the board or on a piece of paper. Talk about these words with your partner(s).

    2. BENETTON MORNING: Each student pretends to be an employee of Benetton. They walk around the class and talk about the company and their job.

    3. RUMOURS: Each student writes down a pretend rumour about Benetton. They then walk around the class and talk to other students about their rumour.

    4. GOOD AND BAD: Brainstorm good and bad things about Benetton and write them on the board. Students talk about these in pairs.

    5. TRUE OR FALSE: Students find out several facts about Benetton. 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 Benetton. 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

    Benetton ___________________ fashion brand based in Italy. It was founded in 1965 by Luciano Benetton and other family members. He ___________________ very colorful clothes at a local market ___________________. Continuing with this theme, the company marketed itself as the “United Colors of Benetton”. It now has 6,000 stores ___________________ and produces 150,000 items of clothing. Its website says it is “a group with a strong Italian character whose style, ___________________ are clearly seen in its brands.” Benetton is famous for its clever advertising campaigns. The company name was ___________________ of shocking photographs, such as two horses mating or a ___________________ baby. The shock tactics worked to greatly ___________________ and profits.

    CORRECT THE SPELLING

    Benetton is a obylagll known fashion brand based in Italy. It was founded in 1965 by Luciano Benetton and other family smrmebe. He had the idea of selling very colorful clothes at a local market and it tghcau on. Continuing with this emhte, the company marketed itself as the “United Colors of Benetton”. It now has 6,000 stores around the world and udrpocse 150,000 items of clothing. Its website says it is “a group with a strong Italian rhetccaar whose style, quality and aspsino are clearly seen in its brands.” Benetton is famous for its clever advertising campaigns. The company name was put on a series of nkogichs photographs, such as two horses mating or a bloodied newborn baby. The shock iccttsa worked to eartygl increase market share and profits.

    UNJUMBLE THE WORDS

    Benetton based a known brand is globally fashion in Italy. It was founded in 1965 by Luciano Benetton and other He . members family of idea the had selling very colorful local on market clothes and at it a caught. Continuing with this theme, the company marketed itself as the “United Colors of Benetton”. It now has 6,000 stores around the world and produces 150,000 items of clothing. Its website says it is “a group with a strong Italian style quality passion whose , and character are clearly seen in its brands.” Benetton is famous for its clever company The . campaigns advertising name was put shocking of series a on photographs, such as two horses mating or a bloodied newborn baby. The shock tactics market increase greatly to worked share and profits.

    INSERT THE VOWELS

    B_n_tt_n _s _ gl_b_lly kn_wn f_sh__n br_nd b_s_d _n _t_ly. _t w_s f__nd_d _n 1965 by L_c__n_ B_n_tt_n _nd _th_r f_m_ly m_mb_rs. H_ h_d th_ _d__ _f s_ll_ng v_ry c_l_rf_l cl_th_s _t _ l_c_l m_rk_t _nd _t c__ght _n. C_nt_n__ng w_th th_s th_m_, th_ c_mp_ny m_rk_t_d _ts_lf _s th_ “_n_t_d C_l_rs _f B_n_tt_n”. _t n_w h_s 6,000 st_r_s _r__nd th_ w_rld _nd pr_d_c_s 150,000 _t_ms _f cl_th_ng. _ts w_bs_t_ s_ys _t _s “_ gr__p w_th _ str_ng _t_l__n ch_r_ct_r wh_s_ styl_, q__l_ty _nd p_ss__n _r_ cl__rly s__n _n _ts br_nds.” B_n_tt_n _s f_m__s f_r _ts cl_v_r _dv_rt_s_ng c_mp__gns. Th_ c_mp_ny n_m_ w_s p_t _n _ s_r__s _f sh_ck_ng ph_t_gr_phs, s_ch _s tw_ h_rs_s m_t_ng _r _ bl__d__d n_wb_rn b_by. Th_ sh_ck t_ct_cs w_rk_d t_ gr__tly _ncr__s_ m_rk_t sh_r_ _nd pr_f_ts.

    PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

    benetton is a globally known fashion brand based in italy it was founded in 1965 by luciano benetton and other family members he had the idea of selling very colorful clothes at a local market and it caught on continuing with this theme the company marketed itself as the “united colors of benetton” it now has 6000 stores around the world and produces 150000 items of clothing its website says it is “a group with a strong italian character whose style quality and passion are clearly seen in its brands” benetton is famous for its clever advertising campaigns the company name was put on a series of shocking photographs such as two horses mating or a bloodied newborn baby the shock tactics worked to greatly increase market share and profits

    CHOOSE THE CORRECT TENSE

    Benetton .......... (be) a globally known fashion brand based in Italy. It was .......... (found) in 1965 by Luciano Benetton and other family members. He .......... (have) the idea of .......... (sell) very colorful clothes at a local market and it caught on. Continuing with this theme, the company .......... (market) itself as the “United Colors of Benetton”. It now .......... (have) 6,000 stores around the world and produces 150,000 items of clothing. Its website .......... (say) it is “a group with a strong Italian character whose style, quality and passion are clearly seen in its brands.” Benetton .......... (be) famous for its clever advertising campaigns. The company name .......... (be) put on a series of shocking photographs, such as two horses mating or a bloodied newborn baby. The shock tactics .......... (work) to greatly increase market share and profits.

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    REWRITE WITH SPACES

    BenettonisagloballyknownfashionbrandbasedinItaly.Itwasfoundedin1965byLucianoBenettonandother
    familymembers.Hehadtheideaofsellingverycolorfulclothesatalocalmarketanditcaughton.Continuingwith
    thistheme,thecompanymarketeditselfasthe“UnitedColorsofBenetton”.Itnowhas6,000storesaroundthe
    worldandproduces150,000itemsofclothing.Itswebsitesaysitis“agroupwithastrongItaliancharacterwhose
    style,qualityandpassionareclearlyseeninitsbrands.”Benettonisfamousforitscleveradvertising
    campaigns.Thecompanynamewasputonaseriesofshockingphotographs,suchastwohorsesmatingora
    bloodiednewbornbaby.Theshocktacticsworkedtogreatlyincreasemarketshareandprofits.

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    CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD

    Benetton is a globally ____________ fashion brand based in Italy. It was founded in 1965 by Luciano Benetton and other family ____________. He had the idea of selling very colorful clothes at a local market and it ____________ on. Continuing with this theme, the company ____________ itself as the “United Colors of Benetton”. It now has 6,000 stores around the world and ____________ 150,000 items of clothing. Its website says it is “a group with a strong Italian ____________ whose style, quality and ____________ are clearly seen in its brands.” Benetton is famous for its clever advertising campaigns. The company name was put on a ____________ of shocking photographs, such as two horses mating or a bloodied newborn baby. The ____________ tactics worked to greatly increase market ____________ and profits.

     

     

    caught
    character
    series
    members
    share
    known
    passion
    shock
    produces
    marketed

    PROJECT BENETTON

    Part 1. Your mission is to increase the profits and sales of Benetton. Complete this  table with your project partner(s):

    Main products

     

     

     

    How to improve them

     

     

     

    A brand new ‘killer’ product

     

    How Benetton 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.

    BENETTON – ROLE PLAY 1

    Role  A – Benetton 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 – Benetton 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 – Benetton customer

    You are a customer of Benetton. 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 Benetton. 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.

    BENETTON – ROLE PLAY 2

    Role  A – Benetton New Products Director

    You have created a new product for Benetton. 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 Benetton.

    Role  B – Benetton 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 – Benetton 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 – Benetton Shareholder

    You know a lot about Benetton’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.

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    JOB INTERVIEW ROLE PLAY

    INTERVIEWER  (Write the questions you want to ask the candidate.)

    1.

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    INTERVIEWEE  (Write questions you want to ask the interviewer.)

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    DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

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    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

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    BENETTON SURVEY

    Write five GOOD questions about Benetton in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

    When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

     

    STUDENT 1

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    STUDENT 2

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    STUDENT 3

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    Q.1.

     

     

     

     

    Q.2.

     

     

     

     

    Q.3.

     

     

     

     

    Q.4.

     

     

     

     

    Q.5.

     

     

     

     

    WRITING 1 – SPEED WRITING

    Write anything about Benetton for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

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    WRITING 2 – LETTER OF COMPLAINT

    Write a letter to Benetton. Complain about one of its products. Ask for a refund. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

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    WRITING 3 – LETTER OF APOLOGY

    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 Benetton. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

    3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Benetton. 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. BENETTON POSTER Make a poster about Benetton. 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 BENETTON LESSON: Make your own English lesson on Benetton. 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 Benetton. Share your findings with the class.

    ANSWERS

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