Unit 3

Advertising

A. Advertising
Adverting is a means of communication between an organisation and a target audience
using space or time purchased in the media (TV, radio, magazines, newspapers, websites,
billboards, etc.). businesses usually use the services of advertising agencies to create
advertising campaigns that use combination of commercials, posters, print adverts or internet
pop-ups in order persuade consumers to buy. Increasingly, advertises are using other forms of
promotion such as in-store displays, product placements and product demonstrations to draw
the attention to what they want to sell.

B. Where would the best place to advertise the following?

1 golf equipment 4 hotel accommodation
2 medical insurance 5 a second hand car
3 discount travel for students 6 a new movie

C. Collocations:
Complete the collocations bellow with the following verbs and nouns.
Verbs run launch make sponsor Nouns brand audience image

1 to target an …………………. . 5 to project an ……………………. .

2 to …………………. A new campaign. 6 to endorse a …………………….. .
3 to …………………….. an advert. 7 to ……………………. A commercial.
4 to …………………. A sport event.

D. Advertising forms.
A series of advertisements for a particular company, product, etc. is an advertising campaign.
A television advertisement is also called a commercial.

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A person or business that advertises is an advertiser. An organization that designs and manages
advertising is an advertising agency.

Another form of advertising is sponsorship, where companies sponsor events like concerts and sports events,
by paying some of their costs or paying for their products to be displayed

E. Promotional activities
Promotion can refer to all the activities designed to support the sale of a product,
including advertising. A promotion can describe:

 a special offer such as a discount or reduced price (see Unit 23)

 a free sample – a small amount of the product to try or taste
 a free gift given away with the product
 a competition with prizes
Supermarkets, chain stores and airlines also offer loyalty cards – the more you spend, the more
points you get, and you can exchange these points for free goods or flights.

A cross-promotion is where you buy one product, and you are recommended to buy another product, for
example a washing machine with a recommendation for a particular brand of washing powder.
Advertisements where famous people recommend the product are product endorsements.
Product placement is when a company pays for its products to be used or seen in films and
TV programmes

F. Practice

Match the sentences (1-5) with the correct expressions (a-e)

a free gift b loyalty card c product placement d promotions e special offer

1 Many supermarkets run competitions and offers to encourage people to buy from them. ……..
2 Yesterday, I bought two kilos of oranges for half the usual price. ………
3 I bought some coffee that came with a free mug. …….
4 Cars in Bond films have ranged from an Aston Martin to a BMW. ………
5 I sometimes forget to take it when I go shopping, but you can add the points later. …….

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Grammar: Gerund or infinitive?
I. Infinitive + to

A. Sample sentences
• I would like to have a career in hotel management.
• The company agreed to lease the building for 20 years.
• It is important to listen to employees.

B. Form
The infinitive + to is a form of the verb. It is two words:
to + infinitive, e.g., to help, to produce, to negotiate, etc.
C. Uses
We use this infinitive form:
— after some verbs
— after some adjectives.
1. With verbs:
 They want to reduce costs.
 The firm plans to spend £600 million on a new processing plant.
 We hope to advance in the market by providing a better service than our rivals.
NOTE: We use an infinitive + to after some verbs, for example:
Plan want intend agree decide wish
promise refuse expect arrange hope

2. After some adjectives:

 I am pleased to meet you.
 We will be glad to do business with them.
 I was sorry to hear about your accident.
 It is dangerous to drive and use a mobile phone at the same time.
NOTE: We use an infinitive + to after these adjectives:
glad happy pleased sad sorry important
difficult easy possible necessary convenient

Exercise 1

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 Underline the infinitives + to in the following extract from a letter.
I was pleased to talk to you on the telephone last night. We will be glad to see you in Washington next month,
but I am sorry to hear that Sam is not coming. Tell him, of course, we'd like to meet him another time...
Exercise 2
Match the phrases on the left with a suitable infinitive + to on the right.
1. I was sorry ... to do w ell next year.
2. It will be good ... to spend more on advertising next year.
3. We plan ... to see you again.
4. We always want... to hear that John was not well.
5. We expect... to give a good service.

II. Verb + ing

A. Sample sentences
• The company will start producing the screens next year.
• Please stop sending me unwanted emails.
• 60% of employees say they are interested in receiving more information and training.
• The firm interviews several candidates before making a decision.

B. Form
Verb …. ing is a form of the verb with one part:
infinitive + ing, e.g., living, working, helping, producing, etc.
You can see this form in:
— continuous verb forms e.g. I am/was/have been going.
— noun forms, e.g., we are interested in expanding.
C. Uses
We use the verb….ing form :
— after some verbs
— after prepositions.
1. With verbs:
 They enjoyed working with each other.
 The company announced that it will stop selling the drug next year.
 He suggests advertising in a local newspaper.

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Note
We sometimes link two verbs in this way.
We usually use a verb…ing after some verbs, for example:
avoid enjoy stop finish suggest
regret

2. After prepositions:
 He is interested in negotiating a deal, [not: in negotiate)
 I look forward to meeting you. [not: to meet, because “to” here is a preposition)
 Before hiring any specialist, a check on background and experience is necessary. [not: before to
produce)
Note
We always use verb .. .ing after a preposition.
Exercise 1
Look at these sentences from five different tetters. Complete the spaces with appropriate verb. . . ing forms.
1. Before___________ to the meeting, please read the attached report
2. Thank you for_______________ the Oakham 50 Printer. On____________ the box, please make sure
all the contents are complete.
3. If you are interested in__________________ more, please contact us on 0800 600600.
4. We hope you enjoyed______________ us. Please come again!
5. Don’t stop_____________ about quality!
Exercise 2
Ben Massey is asking for advice from a colleague. Complete the spaces with the verb ... ing form.
Choose from the verbs in the box.
Know meet take talk learn
sign

Ben : Claude, listen. Before__________ a decision on the Combo advertising, I would appreciate__________
your views on the agency we are working with, Kinetics.
Claude: Well, avoid__________ the contract this week. Tell them we’re interested in more about their plans.
Ben: Good. Thanks. I’ll tell them we’re looking forward to _______ them again soon to discuss things in
more detail.
Claude: Yes. And ask them to stop __________ about television advertising. We said it was too expensive.

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 III. Verbs + infinitive or verb ….ing

A. Sample sentences
• Do you like working at the hotel?
• Do you like to work on new projects?
• We will continue to introduce new products.
• We will continue introducing new products.
B. Form
After some verbs we can use:
Verb…ing or infinitive + to e.g.:
 I have started writing my report.
or
 I have started to write my report.

C. Uses
Sometimes the meaning is the same; sometimes it is different.

1. The same meaning

We can use both forms after these verbs:
begin start continue intend prefer
A: I prefer paying cash.
B: I prefer to pay cash.

2. A different meaning
We can use both forms after these verbs, but with a different meaning:

remember forget try like

 Please remember to lock the gate. (Don’t forget.)

 I remember locking the gate. (I locked it and I remember it.)
 We like spending time here. (We enjoy it.)
 We like to follow up and make sure our staff are achieving high standards. (It is a good thing to do.)

Note
We would like to launch our new range in the autumn, [not: we would like launching]

Exercise 1
1. Choose the correct alternative to complete the sentences below. In two cases, both are possible.
1. We continue to promote/promoting the use of recycled materials in our factory.
2. Would you like seeing/to see our latest products?

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3. I tried to phone/phoning you yesterday.
4. Our Overseas Director intends to visit/visiting a ll our subsidiaries this year.
5. I remember meeting/to meet you in Madrid last year.

Exercise 2
2. Read the sentences given here. Then choose which meaning is the correct one.
1. I like drinking coffee.
a. I want to drink some coffee.
b. Coffee is what I like to drink.
c. This coffee is very good.

2. I forgot to telephone Mr James.

a. I do not remember calling him.
b. I did not call him.
c. I do not want to call him.
3. Try calling him in the evening.
a. If you call in the evening, it is possible that you will reach him.
b. Only call him in the evening.
c. It is difficult to call him but you should make the effort.

BUSINESS EXPRESSIONS
a. Get down to business
To get down to business is to begin working on the project at hand, or to start doing whatever it is that needs
to be done.
A: Hey, Carl. How’s it going? You want a coffee?
B: Let’s get down to business, Larry. Are you going to sign the agreement?
b. Get the ball rolling
To get the ball rolling is to begin work on a task or project.
A: Everyone is here, Mr. Johnson. Should I start the slideshow?
B: Yes, let’s get the ball rolling. I don’t want to be here all night.
c. In full swing
When something is in full swing, it is in progress—usually at an advanced stage.
A: I got there late. The meeting was in full swing. It was so embarrassing.
B: Did everyone turn to look at you?
d. In hot water
If you are in hot water, then you are in trouble for doing something that you shouldn’t have done.
A: I’d stay away from Dan if I were you. That wasn’t the result he was hoping for.

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B: Well, I know I’ve got myself in hot water with him. But he has to understand that there wasn’t much I
could do.

e. It’s a gold mine

If something is a goldmine, then there is much profit to be had from it, and it should be seen as a valuable
asset or investment.
A: What do you think of their offer?
B: Their entire business is a gold mine in a city like this one. They just need the funds to get started.
f. Keep your head above water
To keep your head above water is to survive a difficult situation without failing entirely. Mostly used in
negative situations where failure is at least a possibility, the phrase suggests the idea of one drowning in their
problems.
A: Times are hard in hospitality right now. We haven’t taken a profit in months; we’re running at a loss.
B: Everyone is in the same boat. I think the aim of the game is just to keep our heads above water until things
improve economically.

g. Land on your feet

To land on your feet is to experience good luck and success in something. The phrase can be used to refer to
someone overcoming a specific problem, or it can be used more generally to describe someone’s overall
success in life or at work.
A: Peter has really landed on his feet since moving to New York. Not even a year in the city and he’s already
earning a six-figure salary!
B: He’s certainly proving to be some healthy competition over there. Perhaps too healthy!
h. Money to burn
If someone has money to burn then they are very wealthy – so wealthy that they could burn their money and
see no difference in their financial wellbeing.
A: They won’t be worried about the price. They’ve got money to burn in that family.
B: I hope you’re right, because we need to pay the bills.

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