Post on 31-May-2020
Unit 6
Writing Creative Business Texts
Creative Business Advertising
Writing for business is usually rather formal. Some business writing must be
informal and creative like the following.
- advertisements
- names of products (even of companies )
- slogans
- brochures
- all kinds of promotional material
We are going to work on three kinds of creative business writing:
1. advertising / promotion language
2. launching a new product
3. the language of tourism
Headlines, Slogans and set phrases
Headlines call attention to the news items in newspapers etc. Large headlines
are used for big stories, small headlines for less important stories.
Slogans are generally found in advertisements.
Set phrases are phrases which are used over and over again in the English –
Speaking Press through out the world.
Examples of headlines, slogans and set phrases with their meanings
1. Mob runs amok = A crowd gets out of control.
2. A confidence booster = A team or player wins an important match.
3. Sensational shopping = Advertisement for bargains at a Shopping
Centre
4. Smooth as silk = Thai International Airways
5. The ungodly hour of 5 am = Very early in the morning
6. Steeped in History = World Heritage- Ban Chaing
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7. Breath taking views = Phurua National Park
8. Gateway to Your Business Success = A course to improve your Business
9. Time for a Change = An election slogan aimed at changing the
Government
10. Get real = Be realistic about the situation
Activity
Work in groups of three. Go to the library to search for the examples of
headlines, slogans and set phrases with their meanings, share them with other groups
and present to the class.
The Language of Advertising and Promotion Study the following examples
Example 1
Singha Beer
Correctness : correct English ( in Thai, we say Beer Sing)
Suitability : very suitable : being a Thai beer, but perhaps difficult for a
foreigner being a Thai word and difficult to pronounce
Catchiness : catchy, despite it being a little difficult to pronounce, foreigners
like it.
(Adapted from Folland, 2004, p. 42)
From the example: the name of the product is Singha Beer
The language used to advertise the product is very suitable for Thais and foreigners
except the pronunciation for the foreigners because it is a Thai word.
When we advertise the product, we usually use catchy words to make it easy to
remember.
Example 2
from a can of orange juice: For better taste chilled and shaken well before
serve
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Correctness : incorrect
Change to : For a better taste, chill and shake well before serving
Here is another example of advertising:
Example : Kloster Beer Happiness You Can Drink
Correctness : good, correct language
Suitability : very suitable, gives the idea that if you drink this beer you
will be happy
Catchiness : very catchy, easy to remember
Exercise 1
Try to find product names, slogans and instructions for use.
- Find good examples (both correct and incorrect) of all categories
Make a written report, stating what is good or bad, correct or incorrect and especially
your reasons for suitability, or unsuitability, and catchiness.
- Enter your best finds on the list below. At least, 3 examples of each
category.
- In group, collect as many examples as possible of the following:
Names of products in English:
study them for correctness
suitability
catchiness
If there is an error, give the correct language or a better word or phrase.
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Product Name
1._______________________________________________________________
Correctness: _____________________________________________________
Suitability : ______________________________________________________
Catchiness: ______________________________________________________
2.________________________________________________________________
Correctness: ______________________________________________________
Suitability : ______________________________________________________
Catchiness : ______________________________________________________
3.________________________________________________________________
Correctness : _____________________________________________________
Suitability : _____________________________________________________
Catchiness : _____________________________________________________
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Slogan
1._________________________________________________________________
Correctness : ______________________________________________________
Suitability: _________________________________________________________
Catchiness : _________________________________________________________
2.___________________________________________________________________
Correctness: _________________________________________________________
Suitability : _________________________________________________________
Catchiness : _________________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________________________
Correctness: _________________________________________________________
Suitability : _________________________________________________________
Catchiness : _________________________________________________________
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Instructions / Directions / List of Contents
1.___________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Correctness:
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
2.___________________________________________________________________
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Suitability: ___________________________________________________________
Catchiness:
_____________________________________________________________________
Correctness:
_____________________________________________________________________
3.___________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
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Correctness: _________________________________________________________
Suitability: __________________________________________________________
Catchiness: _________________________________________________________
Launching a New ProductExample
New Product : a flying umbrella
Name : FLYME
Explanation : an umbrella that can be used for flying short distances-
especially for use in the city
Description : just like a large golf umbrella, but with stronger material and
with straps to hook under the armpits, and with a miniature helicopter engine
for vertical ascent / descent and forward / reverse flying, with voice-activated
controls
Directions for use: simply, open the umbrella, press the start button and
speak into the voice-activating control microphone (uses 10 different
languages) for take-off, landing, forward, reverse, speed, etc.
Slogan : Flyme Flies Over the Worst Traffic Jams
TV script for this product: FLYME
* a big traffic jam
* a woman in business suit in BMW stuck in the jam
* a man in business suit on a big bike
they are talking on their mobile phones :
Woman: Oh no. I’m going to be late. I’m stuck in a traffic jam.
Man : Ah, the contract’s going to be mine. I’ve got my bike.
Woman: Please wait for me. So, they can decide whose idea is
better.
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Man : No way! Too bad. Listen to the beautiful sound of my bike.
Bye.
Woman (to herself): Oh no, what can I do?
(an umbrella knocks on the woman’s window)
Umbrella: Excuse me, ma’am, may I introduce myself? My name’s
Flyme and I can fly you to your meeting faster than any
Motorcycle.
Woman: Really? What must I do?
Umbrella: Just open me and tell me where you want to go. I’ll do
the rest.
(The woman opens the umbrella and flies over the traffic.)
( The woman walks out of an office holding a contract in her hand)
(The man drives up on his bike.)
Man : How? How on earth?
Woman: Flyme flies over the worst traffic jams.
(The woman flies away waving the contract.)
Remember, this is not so serious, except in terms of being creative and using
your English to express feeling and to sell your product.
Exercise 2
Work in groups of three, suppose you are launching a new product. Think
of a product, give it a name, describe it and explain how to use it, then write the
script for advertising on TV in a similar way to the example above. Then write up
your task on a separate sheet for presentation to your shareholders.
The Language of a Tourist DestinationTourist destination can be countries, regions, cities, islands, resort towns,
national parks, mountain regions or lake districts)
Example of an advertisement about Thailand.
Destination : Thailand
The picture : A beautiful Thai girl in national costume holding a
garland of flowers and smiling
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The slogan : Thailand- The Land of Smiles
The ad : To a land of smiles. Smiles and smiles.
To miles and miles of smiling, sunny sand.
To welcoming waters.
To markets. To parks. To history.
All with a smile.
In the morning. In the evening.
Come to the land of smiles. Come to Thailand.
Exercise 3
Answer the questions about the language in the example.
1. What is the key word?
_____________________________________________________________
2. How is it used to tell Thailand?
_____________________________________________________________
3. What special language techniques are used?
_____________________________________________________________
Exercise 4
Read this example of an advertisement about a world tourist destination.
The destination : New Zealand
The picture : A balloon flying over mountains
The slogan : Free and easy Kiwi Holiday
The ad : Experience the most enchanting season of New
Zealand with a
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Free and easy Kiwi Holiday
5 Days / 3Nights 5 Days / 3 Nights 6 Days / 4 Nights
Fantastic North Island Miracle of South Island Delightful Islands
Baht 25,700 Baht 27,500 Baht 33,000
Free City Tour with every package
Now, answer these questions.
1. What is the place they are advertising?
__________________________________________________________________
2. What is the slogan?
__________________________________________________________________
3. How does the picture give the same idea as the slogan?
________________________________________________________________4. What is the main idea of the ad?
__________________________________________________________________
5. What else is free?
__________________________________________________________________
6. What type of verb is used to get people to go there?
_________________________________________________________________
7. What is the verb?
__________________________________________________________________
8. What superlative is used? Why?
__________________________________________________________________
9. What adjectives are used to sell the islands?
___________________________________________________________________
10. What noun is used?
___________________________________________________________________
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Exercise 5
Write your own advertising language.
imagine you are writing an ad for your country in a magazine
use short sentences, repetition, rhyming and alliteration.
You must think of the readers of the magazine and what will interest
them in
Thailand.
You must make your ad exciting for special groups of people:
teenagers,
businesspeople, another group of your own choice
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The Language of a Tourist AttractionTourist attractions include geographical places like waterfalls and mountains,
cultural or historical places like museums or temples and typical tourist attractions
like beaches, amusement parks and markets.
Example of tourist attraction in England
The attraction : The Lake District (northwestern England)
The picture : A landscape photo of a lake with hills in the
background.
The slogan : Visit the Lake District
The ad : One of the loveliest areas in Britain. Visited by people
looking for
Peace and beauty.
See the flowers in spring. The bright yellow
daffodils. The red tulips. The trees in
blossom.
Swim in clear lake waters in the summer.
Hike away the long days.
Watch the leaves turn golden in the autumn.
Feel the romance in the air.
Experience some of the finest scenery in the
world.
The Lake District has high, misty
mountains.
And of course, the lakes.
Like nowhere else in England.
Get away from it all.
Find new peace in the Lake District
(Folland, 2004, p.51)
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Exercise 6
According to the example, answer these questions about the language used
in advertising.
1. What imperatives are used?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
2. Why are they used?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
3. What adjectives are used?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
4. What are the things this ad says a visitor can feel?_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
5. What are the things this ad says a visitor can see?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
6. What are the things this ad says a visitor can find?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Exercise 7
Write full sentences using imperatives to advertise attractions in your town
or hometown.
1. Visit______________________________________________________________
2. See ______________________________________________________________
3. Feel _____________________________________________________________
4. Verb for doing _____________________________________________________
5. Your own imperative ________________________________________________
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Exercise 8
Write imperatives for advertising a local tourist attraction.
1. Visit ____________________________________________________________
2. See ______________________________________________________________
3. Feel _____________________________________________________________
4. Verb for doing _____________________________________________________
5. Your own imperative ________________________________________________
Exercise 9
Write about the attractions in Thailand like the poet you are. Use these
imperatives, and really creative language.
1. Travel ____________________________________________________________
2. Enjoy _____________________________________________________________
3. Come _____________________________________________________________
4. Visit ______________________________________________________________
5. See _______________________________________________________________
6. Love ______________________________________________________________
7. Touch _____________________________________________________________
8. Taste _____________________________________________________________
9. Walk _____________________________________________________________
10. Experience ________________________________________________________
11. Escape ___________________________________________________________
12. Drink ____________________________________________________________
13. Dance ____________________________________________________________
14. Dream ___________________________________________________________
15. Find _____________________________________________________________
16. Meet _____________________________________________________________
17. Discover _________________________________________________________
18. Search for ________________________________________________________
19. Spend ___________________________________________________________
20. Swim ___________________________________________________________
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Exercise 10
Use the sentences in exercise 7 to write advertisement on Thailand. Use the
example of the tourist attraction in England as a model.
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The Language of a Tourist FacilityTourist facilities include accommodations, restaurants, night spots,
transportation, sports facilities, other entertainment facilities, shopping places, etc.
Example of a bungalow hotel
The facility : Phukam Chalet Resort
The picture: A wooden chalet-style bungalow on the edge of a small
lake.
Slogan : A Heavenly Haven in a National Park
The ad :
Experience a touch of nature in the most beautiful
valley in Chiangrai.
Relax among waterfalls in Doi Tung National Park.
Climb the misty mountain.
Drive to the hill tribe villages.
Let us help you find peace in your life.
Feel the fresh air on the top of the mountain.
Find freedom from your work.
Touch of nature. Touch of freedom.
Exercise 11
Write a similar ad for a hotel in your home town.
The hotel:_____________________________________________________________
The picture:__________________________________________________________
The slogan :___________________________________________________________
The ad:
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
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Exercise 12
Complete this ad for a hotel in Bangkok.
The hotel : ______________________Hotel
The picture
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
_______________________________
The slogan ________________ in the ____________________of the
Business Area.
The ad : In an ____________________________location near Silom and
Sathorn.
_________________to your meetings in only 10 minutes.
_________________in our 24-hour coffee shop after work.
_________________ the local nightlife and street markets.
_________________ the delicious Thai food.
We _____________you the _____________value in town.
__________________you next time you’re in Bangkok.
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Exercise 13
Study the ad for a restaurant in Bangkok, and then write one for a restaurant
in your hometown.
Example of ad for a restaurant in Bangkok
The restaurant: L’ Amour
The picture: A cook standing by a grill next to a swimming pool.
The slogan : It happens at L’ Amour.
The ad :
Taste exquisite French cuisine.
Taste the pleasure of real French cooking by a French chef.
Eat by the pool in our romantic garden.
Find the magic of good food in a perfect place.
It happens at L’ Amour
Join us there tonight.
The name of a restaurant:_______________________________________________
The picture: __________________________________________________________
The slogan: __________________________________________________________
The ad: ______________________________________________________________
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Exercise 14
Write an ad for your own, new restaurant.
The name of a restaurant:________________________________________________
The picture: __________________________________________________________
The slogan: ___________________________________________________________
The ad:_______________________________________________________________
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The Language of Tourist Products
Tourist products include all kinds of things which tourists can buy, like
souvenirs, handicrafts, clothes, fruit and other foodstuffs, etc.
Example of the language of a tourist product.
The tourist product: B-Bone decorative items.
The pictures: of different modeled pieces, like a head and a water buffalo
The slogan : ‘B-Bone’ by China Doll
The ad :
From the strong, hard, heavy bones of the water-buffalo.
We make unique beautiful decorative items.
At China Doll Chiang Mai.
Beautiful ornaments made from water-buffalo bones are
our specialty.
In a variety of designs
For display and decoration.
Elephants, cups, hair-combs.
Look at them
And see they have been carved by skilled hands
(Adapted from Folland, 2004, p.60)
Exercise 15
Think of a something made in your region, something that tourists like to
buy and take home as a souvenir.
The product: ______________________________________________________
The raw material that it’s made from
____________________________________________________________________
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The products made from this material:
____________________________________________________________________
The designs, shapes, sizes in which these products are made:
____________________________________________________________________
What the finished products look like:
____________________________________________________________________
A slogan for your shop: _________________________________________________
The Language of Tourism Promotion
You have studied examples of these four types of tourism language; you are
ready to start promoting tourism yourself. Look at exercise 16.
Exercise 16
Your job is to write short promotion texts which will describe something so
well it can sell to a foreigner.
It must be creative, so it stands out, way above the tourism promotion of
other countries.
A tourist destination :__________________________________________________
Your slogan:__________________________________________________________
Your ad: ____________________________________________________________
A tourist attraction:___________________________________________________
Your slogan:__________________________________________________________
Your ad:_____________________________________________________________
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A tourist facility:_____________________________________________________
Your slogan:_________________________________________________________
Your ad:_____________________________________________________________
A tourist product:______________________________________________________
Your slogan:__________________________________________________________
Your ad:_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Exercise 17
Sell your country! First, think of a special tourist year for next year.
Remember, past years have been Visit Thailand Year, Amazing Thailand Year and
Years to celebrate something special, like the 50th anniversary of the King and Thai
Arts and Crafts.
My special year will be called:___________________________________________
The main idea will be: _________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
During this year tourists will be able to
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Exercise 18
Write a 6 to 8 line ad for an international magazine telling about this year
and selling your country.
The picture:
_____________________________________________________________________
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The slogan: ___________________________________________________________
The ad:
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