Apedia

Publicity Stunts People Race Business Life Important Newspaper

Id ESLPod_0872_CN
Episode Id ESLPod 872
Episode Title A Publicity Stunt
Title Business Publicity Stunts
Text

Businesses "engage in" (are involved in) many different types of publicity stunts to gain media coverage and public attention for their businesses. Some publicity stunts are "one-time" (happening only once) events, but other publicity stunts can "take on a life of their own" (become a big, important thing that become greater than planned).

For example, in 1903, a newspaper created a six-day "cycling" (bicycling race) all around France. The race was supposed to encourage people to buy the newspaper so that they could read the "results" (information about who won), but the event took on a life of its own. Today, the race is known as the "Tour de France" (a very famous cycling race in France that happens each year).

The Miss America "Pageant" (a contest to determine who is the most beautiful and/or talented woman) was originally created as a way to bring more tourists to Atlantic City, New Jersey, but the pageant became so popular that it is now an annual event.

Other publicity stunts "live on" (continue to be active) only in our "collective" (shared by many people) memory. For example, the fast food restaurant Taco Bell announced on April 1, 1996, that it was purchasing the "Liberty Bell" (an important historic monument; see English Café 375) and would rename it the "Liberty Taco Bell." Thousands of people called to "complain" (say negative things) and then the company announced that it was a "hoax" (something done to trick people) on "April Fool's Day" (a day when people try to trick or fool each other, on April 1 each year). The hoax increased the restaurants' "revenue" (income; money received) and people still "refer to it" (talk about it).

Topics Business

Learn with these flashcards. Click next, previous, or up to navigate to more flashcards for this subject.

Next card: Peppy schwungvoll

Previous card: Grouch greisgram

Up to card list: ESLPod Culture Note