28-29 March
Character
What are your good and bad sides?
Which sides of your character do you want to change and why?
What do people like and dislike about your character?
Do you think people can truly change their character?
How does your character affect your daily life?
What kind of character traits do you admire in others?
What traits do you dislike in others?
Do you believe personality is shaped by genetics or environment?
How does your character influence the way you handle problems?
Do you think your character changes when you are around different people?
What character traits are necessary for success?
What are some habits that help improve character?
Can someone’s past experiences define their character?
If you could develop one new positive character trait overnight, what would it be?
The Stories Behind Popular Brand Names: IKEA, Adidas, MAC, Skype, and H&M
Here are the interesting stories behind some popular brand names:
IKEA
IKEA’s name comes from the initials of its founder, Ingvar Kamprad, along with the first letters of the farm he grew up on, Elmtaryd, and his hometown, Agunnaryd. It’s a blend of personal and geographical references rather than an actual word.
Adidas
The famous sportswear brand, founded by Adolf “Adi” Dassler, takes its name from a combination of his nickname “Adi” and the first three letters of his last name, Dassler. Contrary to a popular myth, it doesn’t stand for “All Day I Dream About Soccer.”
MAC
The cosmetics company MAC stands for Make-up Art Cosmetics, reflecting its focus on artistic makeup products for professionals and the beauty industry.
Skype
Skype was originally intended to be called “Sky Peer-to-Peer,” inspired by its cloud-based technology. But when the name “Skyper” was already taken for domain registration, the company shortened it to Skype, keeping the essence of the original idea while making it more unique and memorable.
H&M
Initially named Hennes, meaning “her” in Swedish, the brand sold only women’s clothing. After acquiring Mauritz Widforss, a company selling hunting and fishing equipment, in 1968, the name was changed to Hennes and Mauritz. In 1974, it was rebranded as H&M, becoming the global fashion giant we know today.
Each name reflects a piece of the company’s history or its founder’s legacy, often resulting in brand identities that carry a unique backstory.
READ/SPEAK
What do you think and feel about the modern capitalist system? Do you think some brands are overrated, and why do you think so?
Have you ever been surprised by the meaning behind a brand name? Can you think of any other brands with interesting names?
How do you think the name of a company impacts its customer perception?
said to emphasise that people like different things
LEARN THE IDIOM AND SPEAK
What are the main reasons why people aren’t completely satisfied with what they have, and why do people always want more? What are the basic things that will be enough to make people happy?