Uploaded October 2015 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
This is simply one of the most amazing advertising Case Studies I’ve ever read about! (Ferrier: ‘The Advertising Effect’ – p. 110) Q: What is it that really matters to people? A: i) themselves ii) their friends. And this fantastic campaign combines both elements brilliantly! Notice how brilliantly the Coca-Cola team has made use of the following elements: i) the appeal of our own name (the bottle); ii) our need to connect with friends (‘Share a Coke’ – the printing kiosks); iii) visibility (the billboard); iv) involvement (the online suggestions / voting)!
When we have mastered the use of these elements to motivate our students, to get them to bond, share and participate actively, we will have taken a huge step forward in becoming better educators.
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes].
This is simply one of the most amazing advertising Case Studies I’ve ever read about! (Ferrier: ‘The Advertising Effect’ – p. 110) Q: What is it that really matters to people? A: i) themselves ii) their friends. And this fantastic campaign combines both elements brilliantly! Notice how brilliantly the Coca-Cola team has made use of the following elements: i) the appeal of our own name (the bottle); ii) our need to connect with friends (‘Share a Coke’ – the printing kiosks); iii) visibility (the billboard); iv) involvement (the online suggestions / voting)!
When we have mastered the use of these elements to motivate our students, to get them to bond, share and participate actively, we will have taken a huge step forward in becoming better educators.
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes].
![Comedy for ELT - Star Wars [Phonecalls]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/O1TTFt-zVHE/mqdefault.jpg "Comedy for ELT - Star Wars [Phonecalls]
OK – the first one is good, the second one is simply brilliant! In the first phone call, we have Yoda calling 192 (Directory Enquiries). The bemused operator is asked to find Obi Wan Kenobi’s number… In the second phone call, Obi Wan Kenobi calls the Dorchester Hotel (one of the best in the whole galaxy!). He wants to book a room, but there are a number of things he needs to check first… Enjoy!
NB: The phone calls are real! The actors make a number of calls and record them; then they go through them all, they keep the funniest and they just add the laughter tracks… [You can imagine how the guys at the other end feel… They realise it’s some kind of practical joke, but they cannot very well hang up… :-) ]
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes].")
![Comedy for ELT - Frank Dad 2 [Friends]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/OFHxvZ3JrOE/mqdefault.jpg "Comedy for ELT - Frank Dad 2 [Friends]
He is male, he is a father and he is divorced. He is also very frank… So when his son asks him about things, he is only too happy to reply. It’s just that one wonders whether his son might not have been better off not asking questions in the first place… In this clip, Paul is a little upset because he feels socially excluded… Enjoy!
Quite apart from the entertainment value, these little sketches contain very real-life language, including discourse markers and idioms. Taken from the BBC Series ‘The Armstrong and Miller Show’. Level: C1 – C2. Topic: Family / Parents – Children / Friendship / Social Exclusion.
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes].
SCRIPT
D: You’re all right, old fellow?
S: I can’t sleep…
D: Something on your mind?
S: No…
D: Come on Paul, I’m your dad… What did we say? No secrets…
S: Dad….why don’t I have any mates?
D: What?
S: Well, it’s Craig Higson’s birthday this weekend and he’s invited all the boys in my class… except me… Why doesn’t anyone want to be my friend?
D: Well, they don’t mean to hurt your feelings… It’s just you are quite boring. * I mean, I love you cause I’m your dad; but the chances are other people aren’t really going to see the attraction. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love all the little stories about what happened to drama club, or how mum nearly left the gas on when you went to the shops but, let’s face it, you’ll never get work as an after-dinner speaker… * And that lack of animation or anything interesting to say can have the knock-on effect that you leave very little impression on people… * I mean, if I’m brutally honest, after I’ve dropped you off at your mum’s on a Sunday, well, by Wednesday, even I have trouble remembering what you look like… * Do you want a hot milky drink? I can’t remember… do you take sugar? *")
![Comedy for ELT - Frank Dad 4 [Birds and Bees]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/PDrLKAByJrM/mqdefault.jpg "Comedy for ELT - Frank Dad 4 [Birds and Bees]
He is male, he is a father and he is divorced. He is also very frank… So when his son asks him about things, he is only too happy to reply. It’s just that one wonders whether his son might not have been better off not asking questions in the first place… In this clip, Paul asks his dad how he came into this world… Enjoy! :-)
Quite apart from the entertainment value, these little sketches contain very real-life language, including discourse markers and idioms. Taken from the BBC Series ‘The Armstrong and Miller Show’. Level: C1 – C2. Topic: Family / Parents – Children / Marriage / Sex.
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes].
SCRIPT
D: How are your dippers?
S: They’re great! Can I have some more ketchup?
D: Oh, go on then…
S: Dad, where do I come from?
D: Ipswich. *
S: No, I mean… How did I get born?
D: Oh, right… Well, I met your mum at work. We bumped into each other in a corridor – literally. Then we had a few dates, got to know each other and found out we got on really well. And then eventually, we fell in love and got married and, yeah I know, icky stuff… And then in November 1994, your mum got drunk and had sex with two builders. * And nine months later, out you popped… I’m not sure which of the builders is your real dad… * I’m guessing it’s not the Chinese one… * Right! Choc ices?!? *")
![Human Nature - Happiness and the Workplace [3]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Pf-e92b8Sf0/mqdefault.jpg "Human Nature - Happiness and the Workplace [3]
Some fascinating insights on happiness by Tony Hsieh. The important bits are the four elements that contribute to happiness (Perceived Control – Perceived Progress – Connectedness – Vision/Meaning [0:09]), and the 3 types of happiness(Pleasure – Engagement - Meaning [1:27] – see also Seligman). Another interesting thing is how little tweaks can significantly contribute to people’s levels of happiness. Needless to say, all these things have serious implications for Educators, not only in terms of creating schools that keep teachers happy, but also in applying these principles in the classroom.
[NB: I do not own the copyright to this video clip. I have uploaded it here for educational purposes].")
