Lesson 8 – Star Quality

Warm up

This activity is more suitable for teenagers and younger adults.

1.  What are your favorite musicians/bands?
2. Describe their style and appearance, and why you like them.

Main Activity

Listening

Listen to the recording and answer the questions.

Speaking

1. Make groups of four, divided into pairs. Each pair are a business partner: one pair is an agent; the other pair is the manager. Down below are the role cards. The teacher will secretly tell you your role.
   You can ask what’s your partner’s card is, but not the others.
   
2.  Discuss the problem on your card with your partners.
3. The managers are going to phone the agents. Here’s the instruction:
   Managers:
   – Describe who is leaving and who you need. Make notes about possible replacements.
   – Make notes about possible musicians for your partner’s hands.
   Agents:
   – Try to persuade them to hire your musicians.
   – If they do not want to advise them to phone your partner
4. Managers phone an agent; sit back-to-back for this
5. Managers phone the other agent
6. Go back to their partners.
   Managers, think about who you want to choose
   Agents, discuss who the managers might choose.
7. Both managers and agents get together and look at the pictures of the Musicians. Managers, you can change your choices if you want.
8. Which managers chose well and who had to change their minds, Which agents were most persuasive?

Follow up

• The groups of four work together and discuss what the main audience will be for each band. What type of people will most of your fans be? You should think about age, male or female, other interests, and anything else you can think of.
• Write a short ‘audience profile’ for each band, describing the typical fan.
• Think about how and where they should advertise to connect with those fans.
• Each group compares ideas.