Business News 09 – Reebok Launches Ad Campaign

Today we’re introducing our first Business English News podcast for intermediate listeners. This will now be a regular show with new episodes each month. Most of the time, we’ll cover a similar topic to the current Advanced Business News podcast but the articles and vocabulary will be simplified to make them more suitable for intermediate learners.

The topic today is marketing and, in particular, Reebok’s new advertising campaign and slogan.

Key Vocabulary:
1. to launch – to release a new product
2. Ad campaign – a campaign is an organized series of activities and Ad is short for advertising.
3. to motivate – to get people interested in something
4. take a swipe at something – take a hit at something or to make fun of something.
5. slogan – a short memorable phrase used to promote a product.
6. strategy – a plan or approach intended to achieve a major aim or goal.
7. compete – to try and win a game or to gain an advantage over somebody.
8. competitors – other companies that Reebok is competing against.
9. purportedly – to claim to do or say something.
10. ties to something – connections.
11. celebrity endorser – a famous person who publicly promotes a product.

This weekend we will also release an enhanced MP4 version of this podcast with text and pictures.

PDF Transcript: Study Notes

Download: Podcast MP3

BEP 43 – Meetings English: Managing the Discussion

This is the second in our two-part intermediate Business English Podcast series on opening and managing meetings in english. In the first episode, we looked at how to open a meeting. In today’s podcast lesson we’re going to cover how to manage the discussion.

Martin, the GM of Daneline Singapore, is discussing with his staff how to make up a budget shortfall. He has just asked Sandra to kick off the first item on the agenda – outsourcing the cleaning.

Listening Quiz

1) How much money can Daneline Singapore save by outsourcing cleaning?
2) Does Sam like pizza?
3) Does Dave agree with the strategy of outsourcing cleaning?
4) How does Dave suggest dealing with the brochure redesign?

*** This lesson is part of our Business English eBook for meetings: Meeting Essentials. Premium members click here to download the complete eBook.

Members: Study Notes | Quizzes | PhraseCast | Lesson Module

Download: Podcast MP3

BEP 42 – English for Meetings: Opening a Meeting

This is the first in a two-part intermediate Business English Podcast lesson on opening and managing meetings. In this episode, we’ll look at how to open a meeting. In the second part (BEP 43) we’ll look at language you can use to manage the discussion.

The listening takes place in the Singapore offices of Daneline, an international shipping company. Martin, the GM, is chairing a meeting with Sandra, David and Sam to discuss a budget shortfall. Shortfall means their budget has fallen short of expectations. In other words, they don’t have enough money, so they need to make some cuts. To chair a meeting is to lead the meeting. We can say that Martin is the chairperson. So in these two episodes on opening and managing meetings, you’ll be learning language for chairing meetings.

Listening Quiz
1) What is the amount of the budget shortfall?
2) Why doesn’t Sandra have a copy of the agenda?
3) How many possible cuts are under discussion?
4) What is the first item on the agenda?

*** This lesson is part of our Business English eBook for meetings: Meeting Essentials. Premium members click here to download the complete eBook.

Members: Study Notes | Quizzes | PhraseCast | Lesson Module

Download: Podcast MP3

Business News 08 – Celebrities Losing Marketing Appeal

Today we have a Business English News story on a recent study by several universities that looks into the ”˜selling power’ or influence – of celebrities. Celebrity is another word for famous person, such as a movie or sports star.

The vocabulary we discuss in this podcast expands on the marketing terms we covered in Video Vocab 04.

PDF Transcript: Study Notes

Download: Podcast MP3

BEP 41 – Job Interview English: First Round Interview (Part 2)

This is the second in a two-part Business English Pod lesson on first round job interviews. learn how to answer common interview questions and useful phrases and vocabulary for English job interviews.

As you’ll remember from the first episode, Mike Barnes is interviewing William Chow for a job at the Hong Kong head office of First Mercantile International, a global bank. William had just finished telling Mike about his work history, management style and personal characteristics. Our HR manager, Mike, continues the interview with another very common first round question. Lets see what it is and think about how you would answer the question?

Download a PDF list of useful interview phrases to describe your personal characteristics here.

More ESL job interview lessons

BEP 41 – PDF Transcript

Download: Podcast MP3