9. Entertainment Merchandising
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Reading (45 seconds)
Entertainment Merchandising
An effective, widely used marketing practice in the entertainment industry is entertainment merchandising. Entertainment merchandising is a form of marketing in which the brand or image from one product is also used to sell another. The practice of entertainment merchandising often occurs in connection with movies and television shows, especially those associated with children. For example, the success of a popular children’s television show may result in the marketing of toys that are designed to look like characters in the show. Or the situation may be reversed when a children’s television show is written to include characters that are based on already-popular toys.
Listening
Preparation time: 30 seconds
speaking time: 1 minute
Texts
Ok, so I’d actually get a few different examples of this. You know, when I was a kid, a character named action hero was really popular with my friends and me. We would always watch the action hero program on television every week and play games pretending that we were as strong and powerful as he was. Then, pretty soon, we began seeing this small action hero figures in all the stores. And well, we all just had to have them. I mean, we’ve been watching the television show for so long that it seemed only natural to want to own the toys too.
Well, I finally grew up and left the action hero television program and toys behind. Uh, but now I have a 7-year-old daughter who watches television a lot and also likes to play with the toys. And lately, her favorite toy is a cute little baby doll with a big round face and lots of curly hair named Rosa. All my daughter’s friends have Rosa dolls too. And they enjoy going to each other’s houses to play with them. Then a few weeks ago, my daughter came running up to me all excited because she just heard that there was going to be a new television program on every week with the doll Rosa as the main character. So naturally, she and all her friends have begun watching the show and it’s already very popular, as popular as the toy doll.
Explanation
Reading part summary
The title of the reading passage: Entertainment Merchandising
The definition of entertainment merchandising: Entertainment merchandising is a form of marketing in which the brand or image from one product is also used to sell another.
The summary of the lecture
When the professor was a kid, a character named action hero was really popular.
He and his friends would always watch the action hero program on television.
Then small action hero figures came out in all the stores.
It was natural for them to buy the figures because they have been watching the television show for so long.
The professor’s 7-year-old daughter likes to play with the toys.
Her favorite toy is a little baby doll named Rosa.
His daughter and her friends all have Rosa dolls and they play with them.
Then a few weeks ago, his daughter was excited because there was going to be a new television program with the doll Rosa as the main character.
So naturally, she and all her friends began watching the television show.
(Sample answer)
The reading passage introduces the concept of entertainment merchandising, wherein the brand or image of one product is utilized to promote and sell another.
In the lecture, the professor shares a personal anecdote from his childhood to illustrate this concept. He recalls a popular action hero character from a television program that he and his friends avidly watched. Subsequently, small action hero figures began appearing in stores, prompting the professor and his friends to purchase them due to their familiarity with the television show.
Similarly, the professor’s 7-year-old daughter developed a fondness for a baby doll named Rosa and regularly played with it alongside her friends. When news broke of a new television program featuring Rosa as the main character, the excitement was palpable among the children, leading them to eagerly tune in to the show.
Entertainment Merchandising
An effective, widely used marketing practice in the entertainment industry is entertainment merchandising. Entertainment merchandising is a form of marketing in which the brand or image from one product is also used to sell another. The practice of entertainment merchandising often occurs in connection with movies and television shows, especially those associated with children. For example, the success of a popular children’s television show may result in the marketing of toys that are designed to look like characters in the show. Or the situation may be reversed when a children’s television show is written to include characters that are based on already-popular toys.
Listening
Preparation time: 30 seconds
speaking time: 1 minute
Texts
Ok, so I’d actually get a few different examples of this. You know, when I was a kid, a character named action hero was really popular with my friends and me. We would always watch the action hero program on television every week and play games pretending that we were as strong and powerful as he was. Then, pretty soon, we began seeing this small action hero figures in all the stores. And well, we all just had to have them. I mean, we’ve been watching the television show for so long that it seemed only natural to want to own the toys too.
Well, I finally grew up and left the action hero television program and toys behind. Uh, but now I have a 7-year-old daughter who watches television a lot and also likes to play with the toys. And lately, her favorite toy is a cute little baby doll with a big round face and lots of curly hair named Rosa. All my daughter’s friends have Rosa dolls too. And they enjoy going to each other’s houses to play with them. Then a few weeks ago, my daughter came running up to me all excited because she just heard that there was going to be a new television program on every week with the doll Rosa as the main character. So naturally, she and all her friends have begun watching the show and it’s already very popular, as popular as the toy doll.
Explanation
Reading part summary
The title of the reading passage: Entertainment Merchandising
The definition of entertainment merchandising: Entertainment merchandising is a form of marketing in which the brand or image from one product is also used to sell another.
The summary of the lecture
When the professor was a kid, a character named action hero was really popular.
He and his friends would always watch the action hero program on television.
Then small action hero figures came out in all the stores.
It was natural for them to buy the figures because they have been watching the television show for so long.
The professor’s 7-year-old daughter likes to play with the toys.
Her favorite toy is a little baby doll named Rosa.
His daughter and her friends all have Rosa dolls and they play with them.
Then a few weeks ago, his daughter was excited because there was going to be a new television program with the doll Rosa as the main character.
So naturally, she and all her friends began watching the television show.
(Sample answer)
The reading passage introduces the concept of entertainment merchandising, wherein the brand or image of one product is utilized to promote and sell another.
In the lecture, the professor shares a personal anecdote from his childhood to illustrate this concept. He recalls a popular action hero character from a television program that he and his friends avidly watched. Subsequently, small action hero figures began appearing in stores, prompting the professor and his friends to purchase them due to their familiarity with the television show.
Similarly, the professor’s 7-year-old daughter developed a fondness for a baby doll named Rosa and regularly played with it alongside her friends. When news broke of a new television program featuring Rosa as the main character, the excitement was palpable among the children, leading them to eagerly tune in to the show.