English for Marketing I

Objectives

This subject introduces topics specific to Marketing and Business Communication to improve oral and written English fluency. The vocabulary specific to marketing is introduced and the skills needed in this professional area are practised. The objectives of this subject are:

• to analyse case studies
• to search for information on a topic, analyse this information and prepare a written project.
• to use both verbal and non-verbal llinguistic resources to give an oral presentation.
• to use the written English language in a professional sense at an upper-intermediate level.
• to apply the specific terminology of marketing and business communication
• to improve written and oral  English fluency through practice exercises.

Learning outcomes

• Students can communicate correctly (verbal and non-verbal) for both personal and professional interactions .
• Students can accurately express themselves in written form (mainly technical language).
• Students deliver coherent and reasoned presentations in English.
• Students identify their own instructional needs and organise their learning with a high degree of autonomy in all types of contexts (structured or not).
• Students correctly use the English language to express themselves in an international context.
• Students use the specific vocabulary for marketing.
• Students fully understand spoken and written messages of different typology in their own language and in English.
• Students provide contributions according to democratic values and of sustainability showing respect to the fundamental rights of the person.
• Students communicate to all types of audiences (specialised or not) in a clear and precise way: knowledge, methodology, ideas, problems and solutions.
• Students use the audiovisual language to deliver contents that are specific to their area.

Competencies

General skills

• Be able to make reasoned and coherent presentations.
• Be able to use English effectively for academic and professional purposes.
• Be able to work in an international context.

Basic skills

• Students can communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialists and non-specialists.
• Students have developed the learning skills necessary to undertake further studies with a high degree of independent learning.

Core skills

• Exercise active citizenship and individual responsibility with a commitment to the values of democracy, sustainability and universal design, through practice based on learning, service and social inclusion.
• Use oral, written and audiovisual forms of communication, in one's own language and in foreign languages, with a high standard of use, form and content.

Content

Topics

Marketing plan I

1. Skills
   1. Presenting a SWOT analysis of a product or service
   2. Preparing a PESTEL analysis
   3. Understading a marketing audit and a marketing plan
2. Language focus
   1. Describing trends
   2. SMART marketing objectives
   3. Terms and collocations in marketing objectives
   4. The language of presentations
   5. Case-study: discussing on planning strategies

Marketing plan II

1. Skills
   1. Marketing strategy
   2. Marketing budget
   3. Executive summary
   4. Case-study:discussing on an advertising campaign
2. Language focus
   1. The language of the marketing mix
   2. The language of meetings
   3. Summarising the key points
   4. Suggesting tactics, agreeing and disagreeing
   5. Presentation of a SWOT analysis

International customer communications

1. Skills
   1. Meeting associates from different countries
   2. Describing the target market
   3. Presenting a design concept
   4. Case-study: American Express
2. Language focus
   1. Dealing with international customers
   2. Introducing recommendations
   3. Numbers of market segmentation
   4. Presentation of a marketing mix for an international market
   5. Writing formal emails

Vocabulary

• Describing trends
• The marketing mix 1&2
• SWOT analysis
• Marketing strategy and the marketing plan
• The market environment
• Market segmentation
• Customer needs and behaviour
• Loyalty programmes
• Motivation marketing
• The marketing budget
• Price

Evaluation

The course is based on continuous assessment. The final grade is the sum of all the assessed activities done during the course. The percentages of the assessed activities are the following:

Monitoring of the work done:

10%: Use of English 

Exams

• 10%: Use of English tests 
• 15%: Vocabulary tests 
• 10%: Writing test 
• 10%: Listening tests

Assignments and Projects:

• 10%: Making and presenting a SWOT analysis 
• 10%: Developing and presenting a marketing mix of a product for an international market
• 10%: Holding a meeting
• 5%: Relaunching a brand
• 5%: Reading activity

5%: Class participation
To pass the course, students need to obtain at least 50% of the assessed activities. The students who have not reached the 50 points at the end of the course have the opportunity to repeat 4 of the tests below:

• 10% Use of English tests
• 15% Vocabulary tests 

All the exercises that are not done or handed in on the due date cannot be repeated and count as zero.

Methodology

Students' participation in classroom activities is essential for the development and success of the basic competencies of this course. Both individual and team work is encouraged to ensure the learning goals.

Bibliography

Key references

• de Mooij, M., (2018). Global Marketing and Advertising: Understanding Cultural Paradoxes (5 ed.). SAGE.
• Doyle, C. (2016). A Dictionary of Marketing. Oxford University Press.
• Farrall, C., Lindsey, M. (2008). Professional English in Use: Marketing. Cambridge University Press.
• Percy, L.; Rosenbaum-Elliott, R. (2016). Strategic Advertising Management (5 ed.). Oxford University Press.
• Robinson, N. (2010). Cambridge English for Marketing: Professional English. Cambridge University Press.

Further reading

Teachers will provide complementary bibliography and compulsory reading throughout the course via the Virtual Campus.