Gimmick meaning in English
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Definition
a gimmick: a publicity stunt, trick, scheme
I've thought of a great gimmick: "Buy our washing machine, and receive a free pen!"
Pronunciation examples
UK: The free trip to the Carribbean is just a marketing gimmick.
US: I'm not interested in gimmicks.
Examples
- "Susie, I know you are hard at work planning the TigerLily campaign, but please spare some time and try to create a marketing gimmick to sell these excess perfumes."
- ""Cheap", "tacky", and "gimmick" aren't words that we want to associate with the Delavigne Corporation."
- "Putting perfume inside a billboard is such a gimmick."
Exercise 1
It's time to get insulting! Fill in the blanks below with negative terms used in the audio!
This term describes a strategy or device used to attract interest or encourage people to buy something: "Philip's best sales involves offering clients a dinner with him if they buy his products".
The next word is an adjective meaning "stupid" or "frivolous": "I've had enough of little boys: I want a sensible, mature, and intelligent man".
Finally, this adjective describes something "in bad taste", which looks "cheap" or "vulgar": "Your leopard print stilettos are too to wear to work".
This term describes a strategy or device used to attract interest or encourage people to buy something: "Philip's best sales involves offering clients a dinner with him if they buy his products".
The next word is an adjective meaning "stupid" or "frivolous": "I've had enough of little boys: I want a sensible, mature, and intelligent man".
Finally, this adjective describes something "in bad taste", which looks "cheap" or "vulgar": "Your leopard print stilettos are too to wear to work".
It's time to get insulting! Fill in the blanks below with negative terms used in the audio!
This term describes a strategy or device used to attract interest or encourage people to buy something: "Philip's best sales [not done] gimmick 1 involves offering clients a dinner with him if they buy his products".
The next word is an adjective meaning "stupid" or "frivolous": "I've had enough of [not done] silly 2 little boys: I want a sensible, mature, and intelligent man".
Finally, this adjective describes something "in bad taste", which looks "cheap" or "vulgar": "Your leopard print stilettos are too [not done] tacky 3 to wear to work".
This term describes a strategy or device used to attract interest or encourage people to buy something: "Philip's best sales [not done] gimmick 1 involves offering clients a dinner with him if they buy his products".
The next word is an adjective meaning "stupid" or "frivolous": "I've had enough of [not done] silly 2 little boys: I want a sensible, mature, and intelligent man".
Finally, this adjective describes something "in bad taste", which looks "cheap" or "vulgar": "Your leopard print stilettos are too [not done] tacky 3 to wear to work".
1 gimmick: "Gimmick" is the term we were looking for here. A "gimmick" is a silly or cheap trick, often used to convince people to buy something. Example: "Grevlon always uses marketing gimmicks like free pens to sell its terrible products". In this dialogue, Susie says "putting perfume inside a billboard is such a gimmick".
2 silly: "Silly" is the correct answer here. If someone or something is "silly", they are "stupid", "frivolous", "foolish", or "lacking good sense". In the dialogue, Susie says that the idea of putting perfume inside a billboard is a "silly marketing trick". Another example: "Don't be silly: of course I don't love your brother more than I love you".
3 tacky: "Tacky" is the right answer. When we describe something as "tacky", we mean that it looks "cheap" or "in bad taste". "Tacky" is another insult which Susie uses against the marketing idea of fragranced billboards in this dialogue. Another example: "Samantha's wedding ring is very tacky: a huge plastic "diamond"."
Exercise 2
What does Kevin want Philip to do with the surplus bottles of Bordello Breeze?
What does Kevin want Philip to do with the surplus bottles of Bordello Breeze?
Kevin does not write about selling perfumes to older "clients", but about selling an older "line" of perfumes.
Kevin writes that Philip must try to "move these units". A "unit" is a common business term for the individual elements which a factory or a company produces. In this case, the "units" are the bottles of Bordello Breeze. To "move a unit" simply means to sell the product, either to retail or to a wholesale distributor.
Kevin asks Susie to help with a marketing campaign, not Philip. "A gimmick", specifically a "marketing gimmick" is a promotional device which incites or motivates people to buy something. The term generally has a negative connotation. For example, the offer of a free mobile phone is just a marketing gimmick.
There is no indication that Kevin is asking Philip to put the surplus perfumes in a new location.
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