Big Names
Contents
Facebook / Meta
- Vidéo : « Facebook is now called Meta – Bloomberg Technology »
- Compréhension orale : identifier les raisons du changement de nom et la signification de “Meta”
- Lexique : entreprise, innovation et technologies du futur
- Culture : l’évolution de Facebook vers le métavers
- Expression écrite : rédiger des réponses complètes aux questions de compréhension
- Mini-projet : recherche sur une entreprise ayant changé de nom
- Production orale : présenter une vidéo d’information sur le changement de nom de l’entreprise choisie
Watch the video and write the answers to the following questions.
Regarde la vidéo et écris les réponses aux questions suivantes.
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Who presents the video?
Qui présente la vidéo ? -
Why did he decide to change Facebook’s brand name?
Pourquoi a-t-il décidé de changer le nom de la marque Facebook ? -
What is the company’s new name?
Quel est le nouveau nom de l’entreprise ? -
What is the origin of the name?
Quelle est l’origine de ce nom ?
Answer 1 — Who presents the video?
The video is presented by Mark Zuckerberg, the founder and CEO of Facebook.
La vidéo est présentée par Mark Zuckerberg, le fondateur et directeur général de Facebook.
Answer 2 — Why did he change the brand name?
He says that “Facebook” no longer encompasses everything they do. The brand was too closely linked to one product, while the company is now focusing on building the metaverse and new platforms. They needed a name that reflects their wider activities and future vision.
Il explique que le nom « Facebook » ne représente plus tout ce que l’entreprise fait. La marque était trop liée à un seul produit, alors que l’entreprise se concentre maintenant sur la création du métavers et de nouvelles plateformes. Il fallait un nom qui reflète leurs activités plus larges et leur vision pour l’avenir.
Answer 3 — What is the company’s new name?
The company’s new name is Meta.
Le nouveau nom de l’entreprise est Meta.
Answer 4 — What is the origin of the name?
Mark Zuckerberg says that “meta” comes from the Greek word meaning “beyond”. He links it to his love of classics and explains that it symbolizes that there is always more to build and a new chapter to the story.
Mark Zuckerberg dit que « meta » vient d’un mot grec qui signifie « au-delà ». Il le relie à son goût pour les lettres classiques et explique que cela symbolise qu’il y a toujours quelque chose de nouveau à construire, un nouveau chapitre de l’histoire.
Mini-Project. Research a company that has changed their name, just like Facebook.
Mini-projet. Fais des recherches sur une entreprise qui a changé de nom, comme Facebook.
Include the following information...
Inclue les informations suivantes...
- A brief history of the company, including their sector.
Une brève histoire de l’entreprise, en précisant son secteur. - The name change.
Le changement de nom. - An explanation of why the name changed.
Une explication de la raison pour laquelle le nom a changé.
Presentation – Name Change.
Présentation – Changement de nom.
Now that you have researched the company name-change, you are going to present your own information video (just like Mark Zuckerberg’s video).
Maintenant que tu as fait des recherches sur le changement de nom de l’entreprise, tu vas présenter ta propre vidéo d’information (comme celle de Mark Zuckerberg).
Include a welcome message, lots of information about the company and its products, and the reasons for your company’s name change.
Inclue un message d'accueil, beaucoup d’informations sur l’entreprise et ses produits, ainsi que les raisons du changement de nom.
Include lots of buzzwords and encouraging vocabulary. (look at the video for inspiration)
Utilise beaucoup de mots à la mode et de vocabulaire valorisant. (Inspire-toi de la vidéo)
Prepare to present your information video in front of the class (no need to record it).
Prépare-toi à présenter ta vidéo d’information devant la classe (pas besoin de l’enregistrer).
Example Script
“Hi everyone, and welcome! I’m really excited to be here today to share something truly special with you.” “Today, I’m going to talk to you about our company, how we started, what we do, and most importantly… why we decided to change our name.” “Let’s begin with a quick look at our history. Our company was founded in 2010, and we started in the technology sector. Our mission has always been simple: to connect people and to make their everyday lives easier through smart, innovative products.” “Over the years, we have created amazing tools such as SmartLife, our intelligent assistant, and LinkUp, our social platform designed to bring communities together. Thanks to your support, we have grown faster than ever, reaching millions of users across the world.” “But today, we are taking a bold step forward.” “After months of reflection, research, and teamwork, we have decided to change our company name. And this change is more than just a new logo or a new colour. It represents a new chapter, a new vision, and a future full of possibilities.” “Our new name is… HorizonTech.” “We chose this name because we are always looking forward — always exploring new horizons, new technologies, and new opportunities. We believe this name truly expresses our values: innovation, connection, and creativity.” “With this change, we are also expanding our goals. We want to build a future where people can learn, play, create, and explore together, anywhere in the world. We’re developing new experiences, new tools, and new spaces that will help us all stay connected.” “This is just the beginning. We’re incredibly excited about what comes next, and we can’t wait to take this journey with you.” “Thank you for being part of our community. Welcome to HorizonTech — and welcome to the future.”
The largest companies in the world
- Graphique : The largest companies in the world
- Observation : comparaison des plus grandes entreprises mondiales selon leur chiffre d’affaires
- Compréhension écrite : identifier les secteurs d’activité (automobile, pétrole, commerce, high-tech)
- Lexique : économie mondiale, grandes marques, chiffres d’affaires
- Expression écrite : répondre à des questions de compréhension en anglais
- Culture : les grandes entreprises américaines, européennes et asiatiques
Questions
- Quote the companies belonging to the following sectors.
Indique les entreprises appartenant aux secteurs suivants :- a. Car industry secteur automobile :
- b. Oil industry secteur pétrolier :
- c. Retail commerce de détail :
- d. High tech technologies de pointe :
- Which one has the largest revenue?
Laquelle a le chiffre d’affaires le plus élevé ?
Sample answer — Car industry
Volkswagen, Toyota Motor, Daimler
Volkswagen, Toyota Motor, Daimler
Sample answer — Oil industry
Royal Dutch Shell, China National Petroleum, Sinopec Group, BP, Exxon Mobil, Saudi Aramco, Total
Royal Dutch Shell, China National Petroleum, Sinopec Group, BP, Exxon Mobil, Saudi Aramco, Total
Sample answer — Retail
Walmart, Amazon
Walmart, Amazon
Sample answer — High tech
Apple, Samsung Electronics
Apple, Samsung Electronics
Sample answer — Largest revenue
Walmart has the largest revenue.
Walmart a le chiffre d’affaires le plus élevé.
Company responsibilities
- Titre de la séance : Les entreprises mondiales et la stratégie de rebranding
- Activité principale : analyse de documents + compréhension orale + mini-projet de rebranding
- Compétences / objectifs : analyser un texte, comprendre un audio, présenter une stratégie d’entreprise, utiliser un lexique professionnel
- Culture / lexique : multinationales, enjeux environnementaux, communication d’entreprise, rebranding
Read the following text and answer the questions.
Lis le texte suivant et réponds aux questions.
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Write the names of the brands you recognize.
Écris les noms des marques que tu reconnais. -
What do they sell?
Que vendent-elles ? -
How are Danone and Evian related?
Quel est le lien entre Danone et Evian ? -
What about Pringles and Kellog’s?
Et pour Pringles et Kellogg’s ? -
What are their revenues?
Quels sont leurs revenus ?
Document 1
These companies — Nestlé, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Unilever, Danone, General Mills, Kellogg’s, Mars, Associated British Foods, and Mondelez — each employ thousands and make billions of dollars in revenue every year.
Each company owns a variety of brands consumers are familiar with, but most consumers are not aware these brands they buy every day belong to multi-billion dollar corporations.
For example, when you buy a box of Pringles, the money goes to Kellogg’s. The famous mineral water brand Evian belongs to Danone, and the Coca-Cola Company owns 200 brands worldwide, including Sprite, Fanta, Schweppes. The giant company also sells mineral water, coffee and teas.
Answer 1 — Brands you recognize
Possible answers: Nestlé, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Unilever, Danone, General Mills, Kellogg’s, Mars, Associated British Foods, Mondelez.
Réponses possibles : Nestlé, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Unilever, Danone, General Mills, Kellogg’s, Mars, Associated British Foods, Mondelez.
Answer 2 — What do they sell?
They sell food and beverage products such as snacks, drinks, mineral water, coffee, tea, cereals, and many other everyday brands.
Ils vendent des produits alimentaires et des boissons, comme des snacks, des sodas, de l’eau minérale, du café, du thé, des céréales, et de nombreuses marques du quotidien.
Answer 3 — Danone & Evian
Evian belongs to the Danone company.
Evian appartient à l’entreprise Danone.
Answer 4 — Pringles & Kellogg’s
Pringles is owned by Kellogg’s, so the money from Pringles goes to Kellogg’s.
Pringles appartient à Kellogg’s, donc l’argent de Pringles revient à Kellogg’s.
Answer 5 — Revenues
Each company makes billions of dollars in revenue every year.
Chaque entreprise génère des milliards de dollars de revenus chaque année.
Listen to the audio and note the correct answers.
Écoute l’audio et note les bonnes réponses.
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Top companies in the world:
– are aware of climate change.
– are not interested in climate change.
– will have to change their strategy because of climate change. -
Oil companies:
– aren’t responsible for damaging the environment.
– aren’t the only ones damaging the planet.
– are doing their best to reduce pollution. -
Ikea:
– is aggravating the greenhouse effect because it uses a lot of chemical material.
– has no negative impact on the environment because it uses natural material.
– has started to make efforts to reduce its impact. -
Electronic devices:
– are the least polluting.
– aren’t considered dangerous.
– are the ones generating tons of waste.
Document 2
Answer 1 — Top companies
Top companies in the world will have to change their strategy because of climate change.
Les plus grandes entreprises du monde devront changer leur stratégie à cause du changement climatique.
Answer 2 — Oil companies
Oil companies aren’t the only ones damaging the planet.
Les compagnies pétrolières ne sont pas les seules à abîmer la planète.
Answer 3 — Ikea
Ikea has started to make efforts to reduce its environmental impact.
Ikea a commencé à faire des efforts pour réduire son impact environnemental.
Answer 4 — Electronic devices
Electronic devices are the ones generating tons of waste.
Les appareils électroniques sont ceux qui génèrent des tonnes de déchets.
Mini-Project — Rebranding for a Sustainable Future
Mini-projet — Refonte de marque pour un avenir durable
You will work in small groups as a consulting team hired by a multinational company (real or invented). Your mission is to analyse the company, evaluate its environmental impact, and propose a complete rebranding strategy.
Vous travaillerez en petits groupes comme une équipe de consultants engagée par une multinationale (réelle ou inventée). Votre mission est d’analyser l’entreprise, d’évaluer son impact environnemental et de proposer une stratégie de rebranding complète.
Step 1 — Company Profile: explain the sector, main products, markets, and brands owned by the company.
Étape 1 — Profil de l’entreprise : expliquez le secteur, les produits principaux, les marchés et les marques détenues par l’entreprise.
Step 2 — Environmental Audit: identify environmental problems linked to the company and rank the most urgent issues.
Étape 2 — Audit environnemental : identifiez les problèmes environnementaux liés à l’entreprise et classez les enjeux les plus urgents.
Step 3 — Rebranding Proposal: choose a new name and slogan, redefine the company values, and propose clear sustainability commitments.
Étape 3 — Proposition de rebranding : choisissez un nouveau nom et un slogan, redéfinissez les valeurs de l’entreprise et proposez des engagements écologiques concrets.
Step 4 — Information Video Script: write a professional announcement inspired by the “Meta” video, including a welcome message, the new brand identity, and the reasons for the name change.
Étape 4 — Script vidéo : rédigez une annonce professionnelle inspirée de la vidéo “Meta”, avec un message d’accueil, la nouvelle identité de marque et les raisons du changement de nom.
Step 5 — Oral Presentation: present your rebranding project to the class in a 3–5 minute pitch, using clear pronunciation and persuasive vocabulary.
Étape 5 — Présentation orale : présentez votre projet de rebranding à la classe dans un pitch de 3–5 minutes, avec une prononciation claire et un vocabulaire professionnel.
Example Project — Rebranding for a Sustainable Future
Company Name: EcoGlow Industries
1. Company Profile
EcoGlow Industries is a multinational corporation founded in 1998. It specialises in consumer electronics such as smartphones, home assistants, headphones and smart-home devices. The company operates in more than 50 countries and owns major brands including GlowTech, PulseAudio and HomeSync.
2. Environmental Audit
The company faces three major environmental challenges:
- Electronic waste: EcoGlow devices generate thousands of tons of e-waste every year.
- High carbon emissions: international shipping significantly increases CO₂ output.
- Use of rare metals: mining activities contribute to pollution and can involve unethical working conditions.
3. Rebranding Proposal
New Name: LuminaTech
New Slogan: “Shining responsibly.”
New Values: transparency, sustainability, innovation, circular economy
Environmental Commitments:
- Reduce e-waste by 40% through a new recycling and recovery programme.
- Switch to 100% biodegradable packaging by 2028.
- Increase the use of renewable energy to 80% across all factories.
4. Information Video Script (Example)
“Hello everyone, and thank you for joining us today.
For over 25 years, our company has created technology that connects millions of people around the world.
But today, we are ready to begin a new chapter.
We are transforming EcoGlow Industries into LuminaTech, a brand built on responsibility, sustainability and innovation.
Our new name reflects our ambition: to design technology that shines — without harming the planet.
With new environmental commitments and a clear vision for the future, we are proud to open this new era together.
Welcome to LuminaTech.”
5. Oral Presentation
Students summarise their analysis, explain their environmental priorities, introduce the new brand identity and conclude with their corporate announcement.