Task 2. Reading Ex 1. Read the article and choose the best headline.
a) Honda predict record sales as advert breaks new ground
b) Honda skydivers push limits of TV adverts
c) Viewers tune out of normal TV advertising; Honda responds
by Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson
In a new definition of a publicity stunt, Channel 4 and Honda have turned to a learn of skydivers to tackle the problem of viewers tuning out of traditional television advertising. On Thursday night, the broadcaster was due to devote an entire 3 minute 20 second break in the middle of Come Dine With Me. its dinner party programme. to a live skydiving jump in which 1 9 stuntmen spelt out the carmaker's brand name. Described as the first live advertisement in modem times, the campaign is the latest attempt by advertisers and broadcasters to find alternatives to the 30-second spot. The development of digital video recorders such as Sky+ and Tivo, which allow ads to be skipped, has forced advertising agencies and channels' sales teams to collaborate on more innovative attempts to keep the viewer's attention. 'We wanted to create something unmissable.' said Andy Barnes. the broadcaster's Sales Director. 'This concept breaks the boundaries of TV advcl1ising: he added. highlighting a Channel 4 campaign called 'innovating the break'. The campaign follows initiatives such as LG's 'Scarlet' campaign, in which the television manufacturer ran advertisements appearing to trail a glamorous new television show. which turned out to be a promotion for the design features of its 'hot new series' of screens.
Thursdaynight's live advertisement. while designed to demonstrate the power of television advertising, was backed up by a complex multimedia and public-relations campaign. The campaign's developers including Channel 4's in-house creative team. Wieden + Kennedy. Starcom. Collective and Hicklin Slade & Partners - spent more than a month pushing the Honda slogan of 'difficult is worth doing' before Thursday night's slot. A poster campaign, a series of television 'teaser' advertisements and a website have been backed up by digital advertising and press coverage. All are building up to a traditional 3D-second advertising campaign, staning on June 1. said Ian Armstrong, Marketing Manager of Honda UK. 'The 3D-second ad is alive and well.' Mr Barnes said. pointing to data released this week which showed that commercial television had enjoyed its best April in five years. For Honda. however. the elements surrounding the core 3D-second campaign are designed to generate the intangible buzz of word-of-mouth advertising, Mr Barnes added. Thursday night's skydive would almost cenainly go on YouTube, Mr Armstrong predicted. 'Commercially, that's a fantastic result. As it means our marketing investment becomes more efficient because consumers are doing our marketing for us.
Ex 2. Read the article again and answer the questions.
1 Why did Honda need a new publicity stunt with skydivers?
2 Why was the Honda advert unique?
3 Why are Sky+ and Tivo a problem for advertisers?
4 What happened in the Honda advert?
5 What happened in LG's 'Scarlet' campaign?
6 What did the Honda campaign's developers do?
7 What different types of advertising did Honda use?