Click here for the PDF handout or try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Red Bull. Click on the links below or see the activities below this article:
READ
Red Bull is the world’s most popular energy drink. It originated in Thailand and was brought to global attention by an Austrian toothpaste marketer called Dietrich Mateschitz. He was amazed how a Thai pick-me-up drink called Krating Daeng (“Red Bull” in Thai) helped him overcome jetlag on his trips to Thailand. He teamed up with Chaleo Yoovidhya, the maker of the drink and together they unleashed a global brand. It was launched in Hungary in 1992 and entered the U.S. market five years later. Forbes magazine cites both Mateschitz and Yoovidhya as being among the richest people in the world. Their company now sponsors successful Formula One racing teams and other sports. The drink is not without its controversies, one of which is Germany and Taiwan banning it for containing minute traces of cocaine.
SEE A SAMPLE Mail this business English lesson to friends and teachers. Click the @ below.
WORKSHEET ACTIVITIES
WARM-UPS
1. BRAINSTORM: Write all the words you can think of about Red Bull on the board or on a piece of paper. Talk about these words with your partner(s).
2. RED BULL MORNING: Each student pretends to be an employee of Red Bull. They walk around the class and talk about the company and their job.
3. RUMOURS:Each student writes down a pretend rumour about Red Bull. They then walk around the class and talk to other students about their rumour.
4. GOOD AND BAD:Brainstorm good and bad things about Red Bull and write them on the board. Students talk about these in pairs.
5. TRUE OR FALSE:Students find out several facts about Red Bull. 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 Red Bull. 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
Red Bull is the world’s _______________________. It originated in Thailand and was brought _______________________ an Austrian toothpaste marketer called Dietrich Mateschitz. He was amazed how a Thai _______________________ Krating Daeng (“Red Bull” in Thai) helped him _______________________ to Thailand. He teamed up with Chaleo Yoovidhya, the maker of the drink and together _______________________ brand. It was launched in Hungary in 1992 and entered the U.S. market five years later. Forbes magazine cites both Mateschitz and Yoovidhya as _______________________ people in the world. Their company now sponsors successful Formula One racing teams and other sports. The drink is _______________________, one of which is Germany and Taiwan banning _______________________ traces of cocaine.
CORRECT THE SPELLING
Red Bull is the world’s most popular energy drink. It tgeaoiirdn in Thailand and was brought to global attention by an Austrian toothpaste aeterrmk called Dietrich Mateschitz. He was ezamda how a Thai pick-me-up drink called Krating Daeng (“Red Bull” in Thai) helped him cveeoomr jetlag on his trips to Thailand. He dmeeta up with Chaleo Yoovidhya, the maker of the drink and together they nedhuesal a global brand. It was launched in Hungary in 1992 and entered the U.S. market five years later. Forbes aanzimge cites both Mateschitz and Yoovidhya as being among the richest people in the world. Their company now spssoorn successful Formula One racing teams and other sports. The drink is not without its controversies, one of which is Germany and Taiwan nginabn it for containing unemit traces of cocaine.
UNJUMBLE THE WORDS
Red Bull popular drink the most energy is world’s. It originated in Thailand and was brought to global toothpaste Austrian an by attention marketer called Dietrich Mateschitz. He was amazed how a Thai pick-me-up drink called Krating Daeng (“Red Bull” in Thai) helped trips his on jetlag overcome him Thailand to. He teamed up with Chaleo Yoovidhya, the maker of the drink and brand global a unleashed they together. It was launched in Hungary and entered the U S . market five in 1992 years later. Forbes magazine cites both Mateschitz and Yoovidhya in people richest the among being as the world. Formula successful sponsors now company Their One racing teams and other sports. The drink is not without its controversies, one of which is Germany and Taiwan banning traces minute containing for it of cocaine.
red bull is the world’s most popular energy drink it originated in thailand and was brought to global attention by an austrian toothpaste marketer called dietrich mateschitz he was amazed how a thai pick-me-up drink called krating daeng (“red bull” in thai) helped him overcome jetlag on his trips to thailand he teamed up with chaleo yoovidhya the maker of the drink and together they unleashed a global brand it was launched in hungary in 1992 and entered the us market five years later forbes magazine cites both mateschitz and yoovidhya as being among the richest people in the world their company now sponsors successful formula one racing teams and other sports the drink is not without its controversies one of which is germany and taiwan banning it for containing minute traces of cocaine
CHOOSE THE CORRECT TENSE
Red Bull .......... (be) the world’s most popular energy drink. It originated in Thailand and was .......... (bring) to global attention by an Austrian toothpaste marketer called Dietrich Mateschitz. He .......... (be) amazed how a Thai pick-me-up drink .......... (call) Krating Daeng (“Red Bull” in Thai) .......... (help) him overcome jetlag on his trips to Thailand. He .......... (team) up with Chaleo Yoovidhya, the maker of the drink and together they .......... (unleash) a global brand. It was .......... (launch) in Hungary in 1992 and .......... (enter) the U.S. market five years later. Forbes magazine .......... (cite) both Mateschitz and Yoovidhya as .......... (be) among the richest people in the world. Their company now .......... (sponsor) successful Formula One racing teams and other sports. The drink .......... (be) not without its controversies, one of which is Germany and Taiwan .......... (ban) it for .......... (contain) minute traces of cocaine.
Red Bull is the world’s most popular energy drink. It ____________ in Thailand and was brought to global ____________ by an Austrian toothpaste marketer called Dietrich Mateschitz. He was amazed how a Thai ____________-me-up drink called Krating Daeng (“Red Bull” in Thai) helped him overcome ____________ on his trips to Thailand. He teamed up with Chaleo Yoovidhya, the maker of the drink and together they ____________ a global brand. It was ____________ in Hungary in 1992 and entered the U.S. market five years later. Forbes magazine ____________ both Mateschitz and Yoovidhya as being ____________ the richest people in the world. Their company now sponsors successful Formula One racing teams and other sports. The drink is not without its controversies, one of which is Germany and Taiwan ____________ it for containing ____________ traces of cocaine.
jetlag
cites
unleashed
minute
originated
launched
banning
attention
among
pick
PROJECT RED BULL
Part 1. Your mission is to increase the profits and sales of Red Bull. Complete this table with your project partner(s):
Main products
How to improve them
A brand new ‘killer’ product
How Red Bull 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.
RED BULL – ROLE PLAY 1
Role A – Red Bull 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 – Red Bull 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 – Red Bull customer
You are a customer of Red Bull. 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 Red Bull. 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.
RED BULL – ROLE PLAY 2
Role A – Red Bull New Products Director
You have created a new product for Red Bull. 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 Red Bull.
Role B – Red Bull 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 – Red Bull 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 – Red Bull Shareholder
You know a lot about Red Bull’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.
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
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 Red Bull. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE:Write a magazine article about Red Bull. 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. RED BULL POSTERMake a poster about Red Bull. 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 RED BULL LESSON:Make your own English lesson on Red Bull. 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 Red Bull. Share your findings with the class.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in the article at the top of this page.
