Making the Most of Trends — IELTS Reading Answers

In the first paragraph, the writer says that most managers

1. Afail to spot the key consumer trends of the moment.
2. Bmake the mistake of focusing only on the principal consumer trends.
3. Cmisinterpret market research data relating to current consumer trends.
4. Dare unaware of the significant impact that trends have on consumers’ lives.correct

“managers often fail to recognize the less obvious but profound ways these trends are influencing consumers’ aspirations, attitudes, and behaviors”

D fits: the text says managers 'fail to recognize the less obvious but profound ways' trends shape consumers' aspirations and behaviour, so they miss the impact.

According to the third paragraph, Coach was anxious to

1. Afollow what some of its competitors were doing.
2. Bmaintain its prices throughout its range.
3. Csafeguard its reputation as a manufacturer of luxury goods.correct
4. Dmodify the entire look of its brand to suit the economic climate.

“The Coach brand had been a symbol of opulence and luxury for nearly 70 years, and the most obvious reaction to the downturn would have been to lower prices. However, that would have risked cheapening the brand’s image.”

C fits: lowering prices 'would have risked cheapening the brand's image', so Coach protected its luxury reputation rather than following rivals.

What point is made about Tesco’s Greener Living programme?

1. AIt did not require Tesco to modify its core business activities.correct
2. BIt succeeded in attracting a more eco-conscious slientele.
3. CIts main aim was to raise consumers’ awareness of environmental issues.
4. DIt was not the first time that Tesco had implemented such an initiative.

“Tesco has not abandoned its traditional retail offering but augmented its business with these innovations”

A fits: Tesco 'has not abandoned its traditional retail offering but augmented its business with these innovations', so its core trading was untouched.

What does the writer suggest about Nike’s strategy?

1. AIt was an extremely risky strategy at the time.
2. BIt was a strategy that only a major company could afford to follow.
3. CIt was the type of strategy that would not have been possible in the past.
4. DIt was the kind of strategy which might appear to have few obvious benefits.correct

“At first glance, spending resources to incorporate elements of a seemingly irrelevant trend into one’s core offerings sounds like it’s hardly worthwhile”

D fits: spending resources on a 'seemingly irrelevant trend' sounds, 'at first glance', like it is 'hardly worthwhile', suggesting few obvious rewards.

What was original about the ME2?

1. AIt contained technology that had been developed for the sports industry.
2. BIt appealed to young people who were keen to improve their physical fitness.
3. CIt took advantage of a current trend for video games with colourful 3D graphic.
4. DIt was a handheld game that addressed people’s concerns about unhealthy lifestyles.correct

“The ME2, introduced in mid-2008, catered to kids’ huge desire to play video games while countering the negatives, such as associations with lack of exercise and obesity”

D fits: the ME2 targeted children’s wish to play video games while countering the negatives, such as lack of exercise and obesity.

It turned the notion that its products could have harmful effects to its own advantage.

“A product that accomplished this is the ME2, a video game created by Canada’s iToys. By reaffirming the toy category’s association with physical play, the ME2 counteracted some of the widely perceived negative impacts of digital gaming devices.”

D fits the ME2: it 'counteracted some of the widely perceived negative impacts of digital gaming devices', turning criticism of harmful effects into a selling point.

It extended its offering by collaborating with another manufacturer.

“In 2006, they teamed up with technology company Apple to launch Nike+, a digital sports kit comprising a sensor that attaches to the running shoe and a wireless receiver that connects to the user’s iPod”

C fits Nike: in 2006 'they teamed up with technology company Apple to launch Nike+', extending its range through a partner.

It implemented an incentive scheme to demonstrate its corporate social responsibility.

“esco customers can accumulate points for such activities as reusing bags, recycling cans and printer cartridges, and buying home-insulation materials. Like points earned on regular purchases, these green points can be redeemed for cash.”

B fits Tesco: customers 'accumulate points for such activities as reusing bags' and can redeem 'these green points ... for cash', an incentive scheme.

It discovered that customers had a positive attitude towards dealing with difficult circumstances.

“they initiated a consumer-research project which revealed that customers were eager to lift themselves and the country out of tough times”

A fits: consumer research 'revealed that customers were eager to lift themselves and the country out of tough times', a positive view of hardship.

It responded to a growing lifestyle trend in an unrelated product sector.

“consider Nike’s move to integrate the digital revolution into its reputation for high-performance athletic footwear”

C fits Nike: it moved 'to integrate the digital revolution into its reputation for high-performance athletic footwear', borrowing from another sector.

It successfully avoided having to charge its customers less for its core products.

“Coach launched the lower-priced Poppy handbags, which were in vibrant colors, and looked more youthful and playful than conventional Coach products. Creating the sub-brand allowed Coach to avert an across-the-board price cut.”

A fits Coach: creating the lower-priced Poppy sub-brand 'allowed Coach to avert an across-the-board price cut' on its core products.

If there are any trend-related changes impacting on your category, you should

“Once you have gained perspective on how trend-related changes in consumer opinions and behaviors impact on your category, you can determine which of our three innovation strategies to pursue.”

B: once you have perspective on how trends affect your category, 'you can determine which of our three innovation strategies to pursue', so you choose a strategy.

If a current trend highlights a negative aspect of your category, you should

“Finally, if aspects of the category clash with undesired outcomes of a trend, such as associations with unhealthy lifestyles, there is an opportunity to counteract those changes by reaffirming the core values of your category”

C: where a category 'clash[es] with undesired outcomes of a trend', the advice is to 'counteract those changes by reaffirming the core values of your category'.

If the consumers’ new focus has an increasing lack of connection with your offering you should

“If analysis reveals an increasing disparity between your category and consumers’ new focus, your innovations need to transcend the category to integrate the two worlds”

D: where there is 'an increasing disparity between your category and consumers' new focus', innovations 'need to transcend the category to integrate the two worlds'.