商务英语听力:A Joint Venture合作伙伴

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Malcolm: So Nellie and Maria, you have certainly been very busy. What you’ve proposed is a pretty extensive three-pronged advertising campaign, adding radio commercials to our usual press and poster exposure. You’ve costed all this within our budget, have you?

Lee: Yes, I’ve been over the figures, Malcolm. There is no way we could afford a TV campaign at present but I think our budget allows for quite a saturation campaign on radio in the weeks leading up to the actual product launch.

Malcolm: OK, let’s run with that. I want to see all the figures on my desk though, Lee, Can you get that to me by end of play today.

Lee: Well we haven’t costed every last item yet Malcolm but I can certainly get you the broad brush-stroke figures.

Malcolm: Right. So, Kevin, any more news on the Superkor front? Have they decided to play ball yet?

Kevin: Well no, not exactly. I met with their whole buying department yesterday and did a full two-hour presentation. We also had some samples of the product of course and some mock-ups of the packaging.

Nellie: And how did they go down?

Kevin: Pretty positively on the whole. Everyone really liked the products. Of course some people liked some flavours more than others but we expected that naturally. But on the whole, the product satisfaction was pretty high – up in the nineties I’d say.

Maria: Did they comment on the main comparison to other brands.

Kevin: Yes, they all said that the taste was just as good if not better than other “healthy” biscuits on the market – they didn’t seem like they were too healthy if you know what I mean. They still had the full flavour you need from a real biscuit.

Maria: So far so good.

Kevin: They weren’t 100% taken with the packaging though. We’ve gone for a traditional Scottish-themed packaging as you know – to emphasize the traditional, natural goodness of the whole concept. But they were not sure if it wasn’t a bit too old-fashioned and wouldn’t appeal to a younger market.

Malcolm : Hmmm, interesting one. We’ll have to get back on to the design team and see if they can come up with something that’s a bit more up-to-date, without losing the traditional healthy image. Not an easy one to crack.

Kevin: Well, I don’t think it will take much. Just a bit more design flair, I’d say.

Malcolm: OK, let’s see what they come up with. But where does that leave us with Superkor? Are they in or out?

Kevin: I’d say they are almost there but not quite. We need something – and I’m not sure
what – that would give them that last little extra push to commit.

Malcolm: Is it a financial thing? Lee, have you got any suggestions?

Lee: Well, we’ve offered them a really good discount deal on the quantities we’ve been talking about over the next two years. I don’t really want to come in too low now cos they could use that as precedent when it comes time to re-negotiate the prices.

Malcolm: Credit terms?

Lee: No, we’ve already offered them the longest terms we can possibly live with. I don’t want our cash-flow to be compromised by going too far in that direction, not in current commercial conditions.

Malcolm: No, I see your point. So what can we do to move things along that little bit. Maria, you’ve been very quiet?

Maria: Well, there is this national Food Fair coming up in two weeks’ time. Kevin, you’ve organised a big stand and display at that, haven’t you?

Kevin: Yes, we always go in pretty big there. It’s not just a trade fair, the public can go as well and it attracts a whole lot of people who just like knowing about developments in the food industry. There are a lot of school parties as well. Teachers like it cos it gives them a day out and some practical application of what they learn in class. Plus it’s good fun of course! It always gives us a lot of publicity within the industry and outside for all our ranges - this year including “Country Crumbles”. But how is that going to help us?

Maria: Well, I was just thinking, couldn’t we organise a special sort of competition based on "Country Crumbles" and offer the winner a world holiday or something? That would raise the profile of the brand. The costs would be negligible in the context of our overall budget and it would show Superkor that we were really serious about making the product a big name in the market.

Malcolm: Hmm, it might work. You’d need to work out some second and third prizes as well of course, not just one big one. Can you and Nellie work something out along those lines and report back to me in a couple of days, Maria? There’s not much time to waste if the Fair is in a couple of weeks.

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