Mad men and sexism business english

1. ADVERTISING AND SEXISM IN MAD MEN
1. In light of the article we studied on sexual harassment in the workplace, take
notes on specific attitudes and beavioural patterns towards women and
minorities in the workplace in the 1960's and decide which ones are still
commonplace today and to what extent.
Rife in the sixties Still commonplace today
towards women
towards coloured people
towards LGTBI
2. put the words into the gaps in the sentences.
1. I just don’t know what we have to do to make these government __________ happy.
They tell us to make a safer cigarette, we do it, and then suddenly that’s not good
enough.
2. - You know, this morning. I got a call from my __________ at Brown & Williamson, and
they’re getting __________ by the federal government because of the __________
_____ they made.
3. - Yeah, we’re aware of that, Mr. Garner, but you have to realize that through the _____
of the mass media, the public is __________ the __________ that your cigarettes are
linked to certain __________diseases.
4. - My granddad smoked ‘em. He died at 95 years old. He was hit by a truck.
5. - But our __________ __________ __________. We’re no longer allowed to advertise
that Lucky Strikes are safe.

2. 6. - What the hell are we gonna do? We’ve already funded our own tobacco research center
to __________ this whole rumour to __________.
7. - And that’s a very good start. But it may not __________ sales.
8. I might have a solution. At Sterling Cooper, we’ve been pioneering the __________ field
of research, and our analysis shows that the health risks associated with your product is
not the end of the world.
9. Actually, it’s a fairly well-established psychological principle that society has a death wish,
and if we could just __________ __________that, the market potential …
10.What the hell are you talking about? Are you __________?
11.They’ve let you know that any ad that __________ __________the concept of cigarettes
and health together well, it’s just gonna make people think of cancer.
12.Not exactly. This is the greatest advertising __________ since the invention of cereal.
13.- __________ on you. We breed insect-repellent tobacco seeds, plant them in the North
Carolina sunshine, grow it, cut it, cure it, toast it.
14.No. Everybody else’s tobacco is __________. Lucky Strike is toasted.
15.It’s a __________ on the side of the road that screams with __________ that whatever
you’re doing it’s okay...
16.For the record I __________ it out of __________ __________
17.We've heard you __________ the __________
18.Well it seems you're all going to __________ into a mid-level __________ so I'll be on
my way...
19.I just wanted to thank you for a great first day and for, you know, __________
__________ for me, with Mr Campbell
3. Match the phrase to the speaker
Don Draper (the Creative Director and a founding
partner at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce
Advertising Agency in Manhattan, NY.
Pete Campbell (Head of Accounts)
Lee Garner, Jr. (Junior) (son of Lee Garner, Sr.,
owner of Lucky Strike)

3. Lee Garner, Sr. (Senior) (owner of Lucky Strike)
Roger Serling (a founding partner at Sterling Cooper
Draper Pryce Advertising Agency in Manhattan, NY).
1. They tell us to make a safer cigarette, we do it, and then suddenly that’s not good
enough.
2. But our hands are tied.
3. You still have to get where you’re going.
4. Manipulation of the media? Hell, that’s what I pay you for.
5. I don’t know.
6. What the hell are we gonna do?
7. But it may not affect sales.
8. What the hell are you talking about? Are you insane?
9. I might have a solution.
10.This is the greatest advertising opportunity since the invention of cereal.
11.You still have to get where you’re going.
12.Advertising is based on one thing: happiness.
13.Yes, and we’re grateful to them.
14.If you can’t make those health claims, neither can your competitors.
15.Shame on you.
16.That’s very interesting.
17.Well, gentlemen, I don’t think I have to tell you what you just witnessed here.
18.I get it.
19.That’s your slogan?
20.I’m not selling rifles here.
21.Let’s get out of here.
22.We can say anything we want.
23.I think you do.
24.It’s freedom from fear.
4. Find adjectives to describe each one of these men. Compare Don Draper to Pete
Campbell.

4. 5. How would you describe the 4 main female characters in this first episode?
Rachel Menken
Peggy Olson
Joan Holloway
Midge Daniels:
6. Match the parts of word combinations.
1 stand A media
2 health B the world
3 psychological C the day
4 field of D diseases
5 mass E up for something/someone
6 put F sales
7 market G up the concept
8 fatal H claims
9 the end of I research
10 affect J to rest
11 bring K principle
12 save L potential
7. Answer the Questions
A. Listening comprehension:
1. At what stage of the agency/client relationship are we?
2. What problem did Lucky Strike have?
3. What health problems were connected with cigarettes? Did businesspeople agree
that cigarettes were dangerous?
4. How did agencies advertise cigarettes? Why was it difficult to create such an
advertisement? Why had some tobacco companies been sued by the government?
5. What was Don’s first solution to the problem?

5. 6. What alternative advertising strategy was proposed? What psychological research
was the new strategy based on? Do you agree with the results of the research study?
Does society really have a "death wish"?
7. Did clients from Lucky Strike agree to use the new idea and the new slogan? If not
what argument did they give not to accept the strategy?
8. What was Don’s new idea? Could Lucky Strike make any heath claims or talk about
health in their advertisements?
9. Why was it important to know how cigarettes were produced? How did Don use that
information?
10. What new slogan and approach to advertising did Don propose? Why was it
innovative? How could Lucky Strike be different from their competitors?
11. What other product used similar advertising strategy that could help differentiate
identical products made by different firms?
12. Did clients from Lucky Strike like Don’s idea? How would you -as Lucky Strike
executives- have reacted to the way the presentation was conducted and its -rather
unexpected- outcome?
B. Debate on point 1.:
In pairs, compare your notes.
What do you think of the way women were treated at the time? What has changed since?
What persists to this day?
What about other stereotypes? How are they highlighted in the episode?
Compare the civil rights we take for granted today in our western societies and those
enjoyed (or not enjoyed) by previous generations.
Can you think of countries whose citizens are still lacking these civil rights? Do you
think they are likely to undergo the same evolution? What hurdles might stand in their
way?