Business News 11 – iPhone Launch

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Today, were talking about Apple’s new mobile phone: the iPhone. Actually it’s a combination of phone, iPod and internet browser all rolled into one gadget. We’ll be looking at the hype – or massive publicity – surrounding the launch of the iPhone and taking a closer look at the marketing vocabulary we use to describe product launches and the retail market.

PDF Transcript: Study Notes

Download: Podcast MP3

Business News 10 – Viacom Sues YouTube for 1 Billion Dollars

Today we have a Business English News story on a company that’s been in the news quite a bit recently – YouTube. In particular, we refresh and discuss some of the key vocabulary we covered in our Video Vocab series on the law and legal vocabulary:

Video Vocab 04 – Basic Legal Terms
Video Vocab 05 – Court Cases
Video Vocab 06 – Commercial Law

PDF Transcript: Study Notes

Download: Podcast MP3

Business News 09 (Enhanced M4a) – Reebok Launches Ad Campaign

This is an enhanced version of the first intermediate Business English News podcast on Reebok’s new marketing campaign. Now you can view pictures and text related to the article on your computer or video iPod (you should also be able to see the images on most video MP3 players and phones).

To download a set of study notes for this podcast ‘right-click’ on this link, select save target and then choose which folder on your computer to save the file to.

PDF Transcript: Study Notes

Download: Podcast MP3

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

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