Reading the News

1
Nguyễn Thị Cát Ngọc - Đỗ Thị Thu Phượng (Đồng chủ biên)
Trịnh Minh Phương - Nguyễn Hồng Thúy - Trần Thị Thu
Thương

READING THE NEWS

1

NHÀ XUẤT BẢN ĐẠI HỌC QUỐC GIA HÀ NỘI

 CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...........................................................................................7

PREFACE TO THE READING THE NEWS SERIES.................................................8

INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................9

NOTES TO USERS.....................................................................................................12

MEDIA LITERACY....................................................................................................14

SECTION 1. NEWS AND FEATURES...................................................................20

UNIT 1. Influencer Marketing..................................................................................22

UNIT 2. Climate Change.........................................................................................31

UNIT 3. Social Media and National Security..........................................................38

UNIT 4. Higher Education and Finance...................................................................46

UNIT 5. Environmentalism......................................................................................53

UNIT 6. Pursuit of Music Career.............................................................................61

SECTION 2. OPINION.............................................................................................69

UNIT 7. Exploring the World...................................................................................70

UNIT 8. E-Commerce..............................................................................................79

UNIT 9. The Future of Foods...................................................................................87

UNIT 10. Freedom of Information...........................................................................94

UNIT 11. Vaccination.............................................................................................103

UNIT 12. Public Opinions.....................................................................................111

LIST OF REFERENCES........................................................................................119
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We are appreciative of assorted sources of information and authors of the articles cited
in Reading the News 1 coursebook. Without all of them, we would not have been able
to compile the materials for this book.
We are grateful to our English Faculty, Board of Education and Training, Board of
Directors for facilitating the compilation of this coursebook.
Our sincere thanks go to our English Faculty members, coordinators and students who
have made substantive contribution to the meticulous compilation process. We also
thank the editorial personnel, who was a great help for us in getting the manuscript in
publishable form.
Despite all the help we had, many errors and shortcomings may remain in the following
pages; for these we alone are responsible.
 PREFACE TO THE READING THE NEWS SERIES

As many language teachers and learners now realize, reading is not simply an important
skill. It is also a critical basis for progress in language learning. Effective reading skill
enhances students’ abilities to pay attention, remember new grammar and vocabulary,
process ideas, and respond appropriately. As students develop their reading abilities,
they feel more capable and confident in all aspects of language use.
Students at different levels need different kinds of reading skills and strategies, but
most eventually encounter the need for academic reading. More than merely enabling
them to succeed in college lectures and discussions, effective academic reading allows
students to build, synthesize and use knowledge in the target language. As a result, they
can fully participate in the exchange of authentic ideas about relevant topics.
Recent progress in language teaching and testing has provided many new instructional
approaches and strategies that help students develop good academic reading skills.
Reading the News incorporates these new ideas into a coherent, carefully sequenced
approach that works well in classrooms.

Authentic Language and Active Reading

Each level of the series Reading the News comprises twelve units on specific topics
which are accessible to students of all backgrounds. The articles selected are written in
an interactive style that models the natural, authentic language as well as active reading.
Key points are reinforced so that students can remember easier.
The activities that accompany each unit are designed to guide the reading process.
Students are encouraged to preview vocabulary, read with a clear purpose, extract main
ideas, understand text organization, check comprehension, deal with unfamiliar words,
link ideas, understand writer’s style, evaluate the text, react to the text, and write
summary. The activities also help students develop critical thinking skills, including:
• Activating prior knowledge
• Guessing meaning from context
• Predicting information
• Organizing ideas
• Discriminating between main ideas and details
• Reconstructing and summarizing main ideas
• Transferring knowledge from each topic to other areas
 INTRODUCTION
READING THE NEWS 1

Reading the News 1 is the first coursebook in the series of Reading the News. The book
is suitable for those who possess level B1-B2 in Vietnamese Standardized Test of
English Proficiency, i.e. they can use the language independently and communicate
without effort with native speakers. In English curriculum, the coursebook is primarily
designed for sophomores who begin their ESP course at Diplomatic Academy of
Vietnam. It consists of 12 units based on topics of common interest in international
studies. This book features authentic texts reflecting the recent trends of the world. The
book is expected to help students enhance their ability to read the news in English
effectively.

READING EFFECTIVELY

Everyone reads with some purposes in mind: for instance, to keep up with the news, to
obtain specific information, or simply for pleasure. A reader’s purpose may also
include the need to reproduce the content of the text in some way or other: in a
discussion of the ideas it contains, for example; or in summarizing the text for a report
or an examination. Effective reading means being able to read accurately and
efficiently, understanding as much of a text as one needs in order to achieve one’s
purpose. Not everybody can do this even in his or her own language. In a foreign
language, the problems are of course greater, and comprehension failure is common.
This may be a simple matter of not knowing a word, but it is equally likely to be due to
a deficiency in one or more of a number of specific reading techniques. The exercises
in this book can also help students develop these specific techniques.
Extracting main ideas
Sometimes it is difficult for a student to see what the main ideas of a passage are, or
to distinguish between important and unimportant information. Students should be
encouraged to read for the general sense rather than for the meaning of every word.
Reading for specific information
It is not always necessary to read the whole of a text, especially if one is looking for
information which is needed for a specific purpose.
Understanding text organization
Students may sometimes have trouble in seeing how a passage is organized. They
should have practice in recognizing how sentences are joined together to make
paragraphs, how paragraphs are combined into text, and how this organization is
signaled.
Predicting
Before reading a text, we usually subconsciously ask ourselves what we know about the
subject matter. This makes it easier to see what information is new to us and what we
 10 Reading the News
1

already know, as we read the passage. If we can transfer this skill to a foreign language,
we can ensure that as we read we are not overloaded with too much new information.
Checking comprehension
Under certain circumstances (such as examinations) students may need to study a
passage very closely in order to answer a question correctly, and exact understanding of
points of detail may be crucial. Comprehension questions in each unit could train
students in this kind of careful reading.
Inferring
A writer may decide to suggest something indirectly rather than state it directly. The
reader is required to infer this information – which may be essential for correct
understanding. Some students may need practice in seeing such implications.
Dealing with unfamiliar words
One of the commonest problems facing a student is simply not being able to understand
a word or expression. But it is often possible to guess its general sense by looking for
clues, whether in the context or in the form of the word itself. The exercise of
explaining words and expressions as used in the article will help develop the techniques
needed to make reasoned guesses about the meaning of new vocabulary.
Linking ideas
In any passage an idea may be expressed by a number of different words or
expressions. It is necessary for students to see how different words are related to the
same idea.
Understanding complex sentences
Some writers, consciously or unconsciously, use a complicated style in which it may be
difficult, for example, to distinguish main clauses from subordinate clauses. Struggling
with complex syntax can make it easy to lose sight of the general sense of the text.
Students should learn how to “decode” long and complicated sentences.
Understanding writer’s style
An important part of the pleasure in reading is being able to appreciate why a writer
chooses a certain word or expression and how he/she uses it. A number of stylistic
devices and features are presented in this book.
Evaluating the text
A full understanding of a passage may depend on appreciating why it was written, or
what purpose particular parts of the text serve. It may, for instance, be important to
distinguish between a statement of fact and an expression of the writer’s opinion.
Students are expected to develop the students’ more critical faculties.
Reacting to the text
Sometimes a reader’s interpretation of a passage may be colored by his or her own
views on the subject being dealt with. Students should learn how to separate what the
writer says from what the reader thinks.
Writing summaries
The ability to write an accurate summary requires accurate comprehension of a
passage, the ability to distinguish between essential and secondary information, and
skill in composing clear, economical text. For students who need this technique (which
is required, for instance, for the examination) special training is provided.

ORGANIZATION OF UNITS

There are 12 units in the coursebook, each devoted to one article. The articles are graded
in the order from News and Features to Opinion in different themes.
Pre-reading tasks
Students are offered a variety of interesting activities in which they discuss the topic of
the unit and exchange ideas about it.
Reading focus
Students are provided with a particular style of giving information in each article. They
will learn how to recognize different types of information or different ways to present
ideas.
Understanding the article
Students will read adapted articles on a variety of topics on specific themes from
different newspapers. They will develop their reading skills and learn essential
vocabulary and structures. They will also be able to discuss the ideas and issues in the
articles.
Vocabulary work
Students will learn important new words and phrases which they can use when carrying
out the tasks in the unit. A good dictionary will also help them to increase their vocabulary.
Exam preparation tasks
Students are equipped with specific skills and strategies to deal with the tasks they will
encounter in their progress and final examinations of the course.
Discussion prompts
Students will build up their confidence in using English and improve their fluency through
discussion activities.
Extra reading
Each unit has one extra reading with similar theme to offer students more sources to study.
 NOTES TO USERS

TO STUDENTS AND SELF-STUDY LEARNERS

As you have read the introduction, the objective of this coursebook is to help students
read effectively through tasks. It is also important that you should follow these distinct
stages to make full use of this book.

Stage 1. Preparation

Before you come to each reading class, the following activities may help you approach
the article better:
 Do research on the topic of the unit by reading related information about it. You can
also do the activities in Pre-reading tasks of each unit.

 Make notes or create a mind-map about the topic.

 Summarize your views/ feelings or findings by writing a review.

 Make a small talk or presentation on what you have researched in class or with
your peer.

This process will help you to become familiar with the theme or the topic of the text.
The second part of this Stage concerns vocabulary. Write a list of words related to the
theme of the unit that you come across while you do research with their meaning in
English. You can even create your own glossary about the topic for your reference.

Stage 2. Task completion

You can do each task in the unit and try to find your answer in the article. You can
discuss your ideas, feelings and thoughts with your peer to get a proper answer for each
question. Use the highlight pen to mark the clues in the article to help you answer the
question.
While you read the article, you should:
 Try not to depend much on the dictionary.

 Try to understand unfamiliar words using the context. You may also need to explain
the words/expressions using your own words.

 Read the article carefully to grasp the meaning the author wants to convey.
To do these, you need some reading skills that can only mastered through practice,
namely, scanning, skimming, reading through title, reading through sub-title, and
reading for details.

Stage 3. Reflection

In this stage, you can consolidate what you have learned by:
 Add more words you have learned from the article into your own word list or
glossary

 Write a short note or give a small talk on your own or discussion with your peer
about what you have read from the article

Read more articles of the similar topic in order to have a more thorough
understanding about it

TO THE TEACHER

In teaching with Reading the News 1, teachers should remember that the aims of this
book are to help students read effectively, express ideas about topics of the units and
explore their self-study capacity. In order to meet these aims, teachers should also follow
these stages:
Stage 1: Preparation

At this first stage, teachers should help students prepare for the article they are going to
read by assigning them to do research at home, giving discussion questions beforehand
or even asking them to make a presentation about the topic of the article.
Stage 2: Task completion

Teachers can guide students to do each task in the unit by giving some tips or skills to
help them read faster and look for the information more efficiently. Some common
skills are scanning and skimming, key words search, paraphrasing, predicting,
determining author’s view or facts…
Teachers should also facilitate students with ideas for the discussion or assign students
to lead the discussion about the topic of the unit. Teachers should let students be
centered in their discussion and encourage them to freely express their ideas.
Stage 3: Reflection

Teachers should wrap up the class and guide students to the next lesson’s preparation
by assigning them with pre-reading or doing research tasks. More discussions or extra
read- ing tasks can be given.
Teachers can also provide students with more sources for reading and ask them to write a
review or make notes on what they have read.
 MEDIA LITERACY

I. MEDIA

Media is the term used to refer to different types of methods that provide us with
import- ant information and knowledge. Media has always been part of our society,
especially in the digital world.
As time passed, people experienced different modes to update news. Based on the type
of medium, their role may be different, but they all exist to communicate to the
audience and affect their perceptions.

Different Types of Media

In general, we can classify media in three main categories.

Printed Media

This type of news media used to be the only way of delivering information to the
public. For the generations of the 80s and 90s, print media was the only media of
entertainment. People relied on newspapers and magazines to learn everything, from
recipes and entertainment news to important information about the country or the
world. Print media includes:
Newspapers – printed and distributed on a daily or weekly basis. They include news
related to sports, politics, technology, science, local news, national news, international
news, as well as entertainment news related to fashion, celebrities, and movies. Today’s
parents grew up with this type of printed media.
Magazines – printed on a weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annual basis. It contains
information about finance, food, lifestyle, fashion, sports, etc.
Books – focused on a particular topic or subject, giving the reader a chance to spread their
knowledge about their favorite topic.
Banners – used to advertise a company’s services and products, hung on easily-noticed
sights to attract people’s attention.
Billboards – huge advertisements created with the help of computers. Their goal is to
attract people passing by.
Brochures – a type of booklet that includes everything about one company – its
products, services, terms and conditions, contact details, address, etc.
Flyers – used mostly by small companies due to the low cost of advertising. They contain
the basic information about a company, their name, logo, service or product, and
contact information, and they are distributed in public areas.
Broadcasting Media

Broadcasting media includes videos, audios, or written content that provides important
or entertaining information shared by different methods:
Television – in the past, there were a few channels sharing various types of content,
whereas now we have hundreds of TV channels to choose from. Each channel delivers
a different type of content, so you have a separate channel for news, drama, movies,
sports, animation, nature, travel, politics, cartoon, and religion.
Radio – uses radio waves to transmit entertaining, informative, and educative content to
the public. Due to its high reach to the audience, radio is widely used for advertising
prod- ucts and services. Radio is one of the oldest means of entertainment, and today
people often hear it to find out the weather and traffic while commuting.
Movies – film, motion picture, screenplay, moving picture, or movie has world-wide
reachability. It’s the best type of mass media to promote cultures and spread social
awareness. Movies have always played a huge part in the entertainment world.
Internet Media

Nowadays, we are relying on the Internet to get the news a lot more often than
traditional news sources. Websites provide information in the form of video, text, and
audio. We can even choose the way we want to receive the news. Types of Internet
media include:
Social networks or websites – including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube,
Tumblr, LinkedIn, Snapchat, Quora, Reddit, Pinterest, etc. They are user-friendly and
widely used by people around the world. Although we can find any news here, they
may be misleading because of the lack of regulations on the content shared. Online
newspaper sites are also sources of news where people can find information just in one
click.
Online forums – Virtual places where we can comment, message, or discuss a particular
topic. Forums allow us to share knowledge with other people with the same interest.
That’s why it’s regarded as the best platform to seek support and assistance.
Podcast – a series of audios focused on a particular topic or theme. We can listen to
them on a computer or a mobile phone. It’s a platform that allows anyone to share their
knowledge and communicate with the world.
To conclude, we use different types of media to find out news, learn new things, and
entertain ourselves. With the advance in technology, we can choose the type of media
we want to use, no matter the time or place. Thanks to the Internet, you can search for
whatever you want just in one second, but choosing a reliable and authentic source of
information to learn and update news is of great importance for students.
If you read news from the Internet, be skeptical and critical because who knows where
the Internet can lead you to. The following part will guide you how to be skeptical
when you read online.

II. HOW TO BE SKEPTICAL ON THE INTERNET

It’s important for you to recognize that every time you click on something, you’re cre-
ating a trail that brings information to yourself. The question students always ask is that
should we trust everything we read online, especially the potential of the problems may
arise when almost everyone can publish a blog or web page? For example, the “Help
Save the Endangered Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus from Extinction” site
(https://zapatopi. net/treeoctopus/) looks reliable and seems to provide trust-worthy
information about an endangered species of octopus dwells in the trees of the Pacific
Northwest. However, you must be surprised to learn that no such animal as a tree
octopus exists and you had fallen for an Internet hoax.
These are three strategies to read critically on the Internet:
Examining initial markers or superficial characteristic of a website that can help us
make an initial judgment about its credibility.
Many students were convinced of the site’s validity because of the numerous images
(for example, the image that shows an octopus residing in the branches of pine tree in
the abovementioned site), the large amount of text (which included scientific names),
the professional-looking layout of the site, and numerous links to other sites about
octopuses and endangered species (many of which lead to legitimate sites). However,
none of these markers were guaranteed indicators of the validity of information on a
site. These are some of the features of a web page that would give it credibility.
First, students should look for information about the author or sponsoring organization
of a website. Sites that prominently displayed contact information can be more reliable
than those that do not. If can identify an author, we can learn through further research
about any credentials the author might have. Identifying the author of a site may also
help us in determining possible bias of that author or the author’s motive for publishing
this information online.
Another marker that we can look for is the timeliness of the site. Students can look for a
note on the web page about when it was last updated, which will often appear near the
top or bottom of a web page. A site that is rarely updated or posts no information about
when it was last updated might be less trustworthy. More importantly, when we are
looking for relevant and timely information online, sites that haven’t been updated for a
long time might not be appropriate for our needs or may not even be correct anymore as
more new information that has come to light since the site’s publication.
The next marker that students can follow when examining a site is to examine the
content of the connected sites. A site seems more credible if the author provides links to
source materials for the information, not links to other sites of interest. To examine a
website, students can enter “link” into a Google search box. You can see other sites
linked to the doubtful site which are personal blogs but no other scientific sites that
discussed the en- dangered animal. This may make you to think twice before accepting
the information.
Finally, students can look at the overall layout and at any additional content on a
website. The abundance of advertisements on a site could be a clue that the site’s author
might be more interested in commercial gains than in distributing accurate information.
A site with numerous grammatical errors or an amateurish appearance could also be
suspected. However, some personal blogs or forums are physically formatted in a
recognizable way; which may lure students to believe in the information founded in
these sites. Students should be careful with such sites since they tend to be forums for
personal opinion or supposition rather than sources of factual information.
Students should keep in mind that many sites can look professional and polished, offer
a lot of information and link to legitimate sites but still contain questionable
information.
Corroborating information (or confirming information)
First, students can use their common sense to judge the information. For example, if
something we encounter on the Internet sounds too good or too odd to be true, then it
most likely is. If information we find online does not seem to match what we already
know, it is also likely to be suspected. When reading something on a website, we
should pause and think before accepting the information as the truth.
However, our common knowledge sometimes is not strong enough to make judgment
about what we are reading. In this case, the easy access to information provided by the
Internet is a wonderful tool. For example, a Google search for the key word “tree octo-
pus” allowed students to find other sites that exposed the truth about this fictional
animal. Another link that students prefer to visit for information is Wikipedia because
it’s quick and easy to read and understand. Given Wikipedia’s controversial history in
academic circles, we encourage students to check what they find with more trusted
encyclopedic sites such as Encarta (http://encarta.msn.com) or Encyclopedia Britannica
Online (http:// www.britannica.com) to confirm the information.
Determining author bias

Along with helping students see the value of information, it’s also important to
recognize the author behind the information. People publish on the Internet for many
reasons, and not all of these are noble or unselfish. Recognizing whether authors have
bias or a hidden agenda can be particularly challenging for students. Below are a series
of questions the students could ask themselves about a site and its author:
  Who is the author? What do you learn from a Google search on him or her (or
organization that sponsors the site)?

 What do you think the author’s purpose in publishing this information is? Does
the purpose seem legitimate or trustworthy?

 Is the author trying to sell something? Is there a product attached to the information
or commentary on the site?

 Examine use of language in the website. Are any of the words used particularly
hateful or provocative? Does the author (through his or her words) seem to be
trying to incite you to a strong emotional reaction?

 Does the content of the site seem to be largely opinion or do you see a fair
amount of facts that you can corroborate?

With asking yourselves these questions, you can understand the author’s intent and
possible bias. Students should distinguish between facts and author’s bias to get exact
information.

III. HOW TO IDENTIFY FAKE NEWS

With resources like Google at our fingertips, information isn’t hard to find. What
is challenging is determining whether that information is credible and can be
trusted.
A Google search is often our first stop to gain a basic understanding of the main ideas
about a topic, but since anyone with access to a computer can publish anything online,
it is crucial that you evaluate the information you find, especially when completing a
research paper, or looking for important information (like health, election, or financial
information).
There are some strategies that students can use to choose a reliable website to read and
get information:
 CURRENCY: How recently was this information published/posted/updated?
Can you find a publication date?

 RELEVANCE: Does the information relate to your topic? Who is the intended
audience? How does this source compare to other sources you may have found on
the topic?

 AUTHORITY: Who wrote the information - are they an expert or

knowledgeable in their field? (i.e. for health information, did a doctor or nurse
write it? For science information, did a scientist or researcher write it?)

 ACCURACY: Where does the information come from? Is it supported by

evidence? Has it been reviewed or refereed? Can you verify the information in one
or more other sources?
  PURPOSE: Why was it written? To sell something? To sway opinion? To
educate? What is the point of view?

IV. HOW TO IDENTIFY RED FLAGS OR UNRELIABLE WEBSITES

Here are some tips to identify whether websites are credible enough to use for research
or updating information.
 Website does not look professionally designed

 Lack of citations or links to verifiable information

 No author/sponsoring organization is listed, either on the main page or in an

‘About Us’ section

 The page’s purpose is to sell something (almost all .com)

 There is a lot of advertising on the page

 The publisher is promoting a specific point of view

V. SUGGESTED SITES TO READ NEWS

We suggest that you read news from the following sites in order to update information as
well as to enlarge your background knowledge in English:
 Encarta: http://encarta.msn.com

 Encyclopedia Britannica Online: http://www.britannica.com

 The Asia Times: https://asiatimes.com/

 The Diplomat: https://thediplomat.com/

 The Economist: http://www.economist.com/

 The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/

 The Japan Times: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/

 The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/

 The Reuters: http://www.reuters.com/news

 The Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/

 VN Express: https://e.vnexpress.net/
 SECTION 1. NEWS AND FEATURES

1. NEWS

People primarily read the newspaper for … news! News can be a breaking story, where
the facts are changing moment by moment, or it can involve a recent event in a long-
running story, where it is important for the reader to know the background. With hard
news the most important factor is that it is read today – we rarely pick up yesterday’s
newspapers to read about current news.
Think about an article you have read in the newspaper recently. Why was it in the
news? Was it a breaking or long-running story? How important and significant was it?

UNDERSTANDING NEWS ARTICLES

News stories answer the following questions:

 What happened?

 When did it happen?

 Who was involved?

 Where did it happen?

 Why/How did it happen?

Those questions are answered briefly in the first or second paragraph of the articles, as the
purpose of the article is to elaborate on the answers.

2. FEATURES
Feature articles are less “time-dependent”. In other words, they are not so tied to an exact
moment in time, but address contemporary areas of interest to the reader.
Before reading a feature, it is useful to ask yourself what you know about the subject. In
doing so, you will do the following:
 Predict vocabulary which may occur in the article; this can help reduce the
“processing load” – the amount of new information you need to cover in order to
understand the text.
Reading the News 1 21

 Think about how much you know about the background to the story. If you know
very little, you will look for this information in the article. If you know a lot, you
might skim over parts of the text which provide readers with this information.

 Identify questions you want the text to answer; this will give you a “reason for
reading” the text.

UNDERSTANDING FEATURE ARTICLES

The purpose of a headline is to get the reader’s attention. A good headline should make
the reader curious and provoke interest in the article.

3. THE ARTICLES
This section contains six main articles as follows:
 Why consumers care about influencers, and why you should too?

 Arctic animals’ movement patterns are shifting in different ways as the climate
changes

 Facebook plans to sue Thais over order to mute critics

 UK university students wasted £1bn in a year on empty accommodation

 Do ‘environmentally responsible’ products help the planet? Or do they just get us to

buy
more stuff?

 Black, female and carving out their own path in country music
 UNIT 1
INFLUENCER Marketing
PRE-READING TASKS
1. Read this excerpt from a blog about influencer marketing. Would you like to
read for more information from this blog? Why or why not?
What is influencer marketing?

At a fundamental level, influencer marketing is a type of social media marketing that

uses endorsements and product mentions from influencers–individuals who have a
dedicated social following and are viewed as experts within their niche. Influencer
marketing works because of the high amount of trust that social influencers have built
up with their following, and recommendations from them serve as a form of social
proof to your brand’s potential customers.
2. Have you ever bought any products based on the review of an influencer? What
are the differences between a mega and micro influencer?
3. What is your own experience of any influencers or any products they endorse?
Share your experience with a partner
4. In your opinion, what kinds of product/service/activity would influencers often
promote?

Beauty products Charity Fashion/clothing line

Technical devices Supplement diet Books/educational programs

READING FOCUS
Focus on the newspaper: INTRODUCING A TOPIC
Sometimes articles introduce a new idea of a product. To do this, the writer must give
detailed explanations.
1. Read the article as if it was the first time you had heard of influencers. Can you
understand what an influencer job is after reading the article without your prior
knowledge of the topic?
a. Who are influencers and where do you find them?
b. What makes influencers different from celebrities in product endorsement?
c. When did influencer marketing begin?
d. How can someone become an influencer? How do they stay in business?
2. Do you think the author did a good job explaining the effectiveness of
influencers in marketing? What would you add?
 Why CONSUMERS Care ABOUT INFLUENCERS, and Why YOU SHOULD Too?

More than half of people globally have bought something in the past six
months based on the recommendation of an online influencer.

By Jason Falls February 10, 2021

1
What do you think of when you hear
the word “pudding”? For most people, it
probably brings up some childhood
memory of after-school snacks. But one
group of people who may have a very
different answer is women who love their
curly hair. Pantene Pro-V Curl Defining
Pudding is a popular finishing-touch item
in the brand’s Gold Series of hair care
products. It helps curly hair stay
moisturized, retaining its
natural curl without frizzing. influencer effort based on their number of
followers was more than 2.5 million
2
According to several dozen product people.
reviews I read, it also smells good and The proof is indeed in the pudding.
leaves hair shiny. The Curl Defining 4
Pudding was often mentioned by These numbers are strong, if not
influencers in Pantene’s Gold Series outstanding. More important for the
campaign in the early summer months of brand, the main talking points and unique
2019. The Procter & Gamble brand chose selling propositions were called out by
25 Black women who were Instagram each of the influencers. The specific
influencers, with content centered on products in the line, including the Curl
beauty, hair and lifestyle. Four of the Defining Pudding, were mentioned. The
influencers had a good number, but not fact that the Gold Series was developed by
millions of subscribers on YouTube. Each a team of Black scientists was prominent
was engaged to place at least one in many of the posts. The influencer
sponsored post apiece on each channel. campaign did exactly what the brand team
The goal was to drive awareness of hoped to accomplish: create greater
Pantene’s Gold Series Collection, which awareness of the Gold Series Collection
includes the Curl Defining Pudding. within the intended target audience.
5
3 This was a Winfluence campaign,
At the time of the campaign, the
not just an influencer marketing one. It
online influencers’ audiences ranged leveraged online influencers, but in a
from ChiziDuru’s (@chiziduru) 122,000 targeted manner with strategic purpose
Instagram followers to Lisa-Jean Francois’ that moved the business forward. It wasn’t
(@lisaalamode) 36,000. (Duru also had just buying sponsored posts on famous
381,000 YouTube subscribers, which were Instagrammers’ accounts and hoping
enough to place her on both lists of Pantene people would think you were cool by
Gold Series influencers — Instagram and association. Another factor that makes this
YouTube.) In total, the potential reach of a Winfluence campaign is its construction.
the
 8
Even the largest advertiser in the world — Read that again. Not because of a
Procter & Gamble — with its bleeding- recommendation from a family member, a
edge marketing approaches, didn’t spend friend or an online review. More than half
marketing dollars on mega-influencers of people globally have bought something
with millions of followers. It focused on in the past six months based on the
mid-tier and even smaller influencers with recommendation of an online influencer.
engaged audiences who could persuade Consumers also confirm another assertion
those fans to take action. we’ve discussed: It’s not always about
popularity. An influencer’s ability to
Fish where the fish are connect with them in a meaningful way
is a better indicator of persuasive success
6
So let’s take a look at why Procter & than how many followers they have or
Gamble is investing their considerable how famous they are. Edelman’s
resources in influence marketing online. namesake president and CEO, Richard
They’re doing it because the internet is Edelman, told Ad Age while discussing
where consumers decide to buy products. the report, “Influencers matter. They’re
People who buy hair care products don’t credible.”
watch TV commercials, look for an ad in
9
the Sunday paper or flip through The indicators are there. So is the data.
magazines anymore. Instead, they’re Consumers give a damn about
looking for information online. And more influencers. Enlightened brands know this
than any other company in the world, and give a damn about them, too.
P&G knows to fish where the fish are.
7
People don’t trust traditional media.
And people demand trust. For several
years now, the Edelman Trust Barometer
has been the bible on understanding
consumer trust. And the special report
on brands may as well have been a big,
flashing neon sign that said, “Consumers
Trust Influencers!” In it, 63% of people
said they trust influencers’ opinions of
products “much more” than what brands
say about themselves. And 58% — almost
six out of ten consumers — confirmed
they had bought a new product in the past
six months because of an influencer’s
recommendation.
UNDERSTANDING THE ARTICLE

1. Why do corporations like P&G hire influencers to promote their haircare

product? Look and the list of reasons below. Skim the article and then check
which ones are mentioned.

a. As a way to tell the customers about the new product ☐

b. As a way of getting attention ☐
c. As a way to promote the company ☐
d. As a way of feeling popular ☐
e. As a way of connecting with potential customers ☐
2. Can you add any more reasons to the list above?

3. Has the article changed your viewpoint of influencers and influencer

marketing in any way? If so, why?

VOCABULARY WORK
1. Guessing from context. Read the following words taken from the article from i to
v, guess their meaning by circling the suitable answer A or B.

i. Retain (para. 1) A. Maintain B. Continue to hold

ii. Leverage (para. 5) A. Balance between B. Use something to maximum

two advantage
things
iii. Bleeding-edge (para. 5) A. New, experimental B. Dangerous, unsafe

iv. Assertion (para. 8) A. Confident statement B. Belief

of fact
v. Indicator (para. 8) A. Trend or fact to B. Trend or fact to measure the
prove level of something
something

2. Complete the sentences below with a word from Exercise 1. You may need
to change to the plural form.

a.are substances that change colour when they are added to acidic
or alkaline solutions
b. This book began with the............................that it is the optimists who get things done.
c. Under the constitution, the provinces ……………………….. all the powers not
delegated to the federal government.
d. You can........................................private sector investment through loans.
e. However, in many cases......................................software is pushed out to help validate
it and try out new features.

EXAM PREPARATION TASKS

1. Words and phrases explanation

Explain the following words and expressions, as used in the article.

a. finishing-touch item
…………………………………………………………………………………………

b. drive awareness
…………………………………………………………………………………………
c. The proof is indeed in the pudding
…………………………………………………………………………………………
d. target audience
…………………………………………………………………………………………
e. the bible on understanding consumer trust
…………………………………………………………………………………………
f. give a damn about
…………………………………………………………………………………………

2. Comprehension questions

Read the article and answer the following questions.

a. What kind of product does the author mention in the article? How does it differ
from other similar products?
…………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………

b. What did P&G do to promote their new product?

…………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………
 c. What kind of influencers did P&G hire for their campaign?

…………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………

d. What did influencers do to increase sales?

…………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………

e. Was their ad campaign successful? Why or why not?

…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
f. What does the author mean by saying “fish where the fish are”?
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
g. Why do customers trust influencers more than TV commercials or newspaper ads?
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
h. Why does the author take P&G as an example of an enlightened brand?
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………

DISCUSSION PROMPTS
1. “Influencers make us feel individual”. How far do you agree with this statement?
2. How popular is influencer marketing in your country?
3. What kind of marketing strategies do you think will be popular on the Internet
in the future?
EXTRA READING
How INFLUENCER Marketing Took Power, and What the FUTURE Holds

By Kay Van Antwerpen December 8, 2020

have to break through the noise. Arguably

the most successful way to do this is to
seamlessly integrate yourself into the
social media experience alongside your
users. Don’t intrude upon their experience
— rather, become part of the experience.
6
This new philosophy is the reason
influencers have become essential.
Image credit: Violeta Stoimenova | Getty Images
The ideal influencer
1
In the last decade, the rise of social 7
For those without an influencer budget,
media rewrote marketing norms most of let’s get you up to speed: The most
us had taken for granted. The relationship important function of a social media
between advertising, brand development, influencer is, essentially, to eliminate
and storytelling looks different today than blatant advertising and invisibly bridge
it ever has before. the gap between the advertiser and
2
While marketing teams used to gauge consumer. Ideal influencers are people
success in search impressions and website who:
clicks, that’s not entirely the case  Are already using and enthusiastic
anymore. Impressions are never bad, of about your product.
course, but they fail to indicate how  Cast a wide social media net that
closely your ad campaigns are resonating includes your target
with your audience. audience/consumer demographics.
3
Audience attention and engagement is  Are already capable of creating
the new goal. conversations about purchasing
choices with your target.
4
Consumers are often unengaged with  Is capable of both creating
traditional advertising formats. Your ad conversation around your product, and
campaign may appear in front of millions influencing their followers to make a
of people, but how many of them actually purchase based on perceived
consciously internalized the message you knowledge, authority, or position
were sending? (whether or not there is tangible
authority is irrelevant - these decisions
5
The present-day consumer is flooded are made based on style, branding, and
with television commercials, billboards, popularity, not connoisseurship).
and banner ads all grabbing for their 8
attention. They’ve learned to In old-school marketing terms, an
subconsciously tune them out. To reach influencer is a multiplier — a single
your audience, you person who is capable of returning
multitudes of purchases to your company.
9 14
This may sound unusually risky to those As an example, The Pasta Queen — a
steeped in old-school marketing tactics. single chef — built a following of over a
To an extent, you are giving up some quarter-million followers in less than three
control over your online conversation by and a half months.
putting the power of your brand in the
15
hands of an influencer. However, the trust In another instance, Dunkin Donuts
built with consumers by having this sort (rebranded now as simply Dunkin)
of two-way relationship with a brand snagged Tik Tok superstar and self-
representative pays back in dividends. proclaimed Dunkin Cold Brew junkie
Charli D’Amelio. In addition to
10
There are also many, more traditional sponsoring the influencer, Dunkin
methods to gauge the efficiency of an renamed its cold brew “The Charli.”
influencer, including:
16
As a result, Dunkin’s app downloads
 Quality of content spiked 57 percent above the previous 90-
 Rise or fall in page views day average, and the app itself set a new
 Search engine rankings record for active daily users. There was
 Improved reputation a 20 percent spike in cold brew sales on
 Consumer awareness. the first day, and a 45 percent spike on the
second day.
Why TikTok is a path to the future
What an uncertain economic future
11
Tik Tok isn’t part of the Facebook/ means for influencers
Google duopoly, so it’s often overlooked
despite being the seventh largest social 17
Of course, there’s another elephant in
media platform in use with 800 million the marketing room. Covid-19 has
users. It’s a shame, because Tik Tok is changed the way all businesses operate.
exceedingly friendly to businesses — both Influencers are no exception.
small-time entrepreneurs and corporations
18
alike. Fortunately, influencer advertising
seems to run on par with the rest of
12
Its user interface is almost perfect for the advertising world. While there was
storytelling and brand development. For an advertising downtick in early 2020
starters, it removes the option to intrude (businesses wanted to avoid appearing
on user experiences — there are no static insensitive to the worldwide crisis, and
banners, no forced pre-roll, no GIFS — were already seeing a boost in natural
everything is immersive. If you run a traffic during lockdown initiatives) the
video ad, it will appear in a user’s feed gears of advertising seem to be spinning
alongside the other users they follow. as usual once again.
13
Tik Tok is about how you tell your story 19
If anything, the biggest hurdle to
and how you connect with your audience overcome is the change of spending
and community. The best storytellers with priorities. Because many consumers have
the best stories rise to the top. As its lost a fraction of their income,
Global Business page tells marketing discretionary spending is down while they
leaders: “don’t make ads, make Tik Toks.” focus on groceries and other household
necessities.
20
The problem here isn’t necessarily a will likely push new ways to stay in
lack of work for social media communication with socially distanced
influencers, instead its a creative barrier. friends.
21 22
Instead of marketing to buyers with The point is, the need for advertising
a wad of spending cash in their pocket, is there — it’s just that the problem
influencers now must find new angles marketing agents are solving has
to sell necessary products. Beauty changed. We’re no longer selling to a
representatives have to sell their makeup world with discretionary income —
and hair products to people who we’re selling products based on
primarily appear before clients through necessity, self-care, and comfort during
zoom calls, or work in pajamas. Tech lockdown.
influencers

Extra Reading Tasks

1. Read the article and write some key points that you can grasp from the article.
2. Discuss the following questions with your partners:
a. How have social media changed the way people do marketing nowadays?
b. What is the function of a social media influencer? What should an
ideal influencer do?
c. What good and bad effects does the uncertain economic future have on
influencers?