Selfies and Brands

Adapted in part from ESL Brains

I. Pre-Questions:

1. What is a selfie?
2. How often do you take selfies?
3. Why do you take selfies? Why do other people take selfies?
4. What is your perception of people who take a lot of selfies?

II. Match the word or expression to the correct sentence.

1. beg the question – to raise a point that has not been dealt with; invite an obvious question
2. up the ante – to try to get a greater advantage from a situation by taking a bigger risk
3. one-up – to outdo somebody
4. market – to advertise or promote (something)
5. showcase – to show the best qualities or parts of something
6. pop a picture – to take a photo

• It is illegal for alcohol and tobacco companies to __________ their products to children.
• Your CV should __________ your skills and experience, not your hobbies and dreams.
• Political corruption is becoming more and more evident today. This __________: What is going on in the minds of the people who are supposed to represent us?
• My dog was looking so cute this morning, so I decided to __________ that I could post on Instagram.
• My sister is constantly trying to __________ me. Her competitiveness drives me nuts!
• The company raised wages and hired more skilled workers in order to __________ and try to outdo their competitors.

IV. Discuss the following questions from the video:

1. If you didn’t take a selfie, did it even happen? Why do people feel this way?
2. Have you ever been injured (or almost injured) while taking a selfie?
3. Are you a brand if you’re not a celebrity?
4. Do you agree that you use social media to sell your market value?
5. Does your online reputation ever influence your real-world decisions?
6. How interesting are you in real life? How interesting are your social media profiles?

V. Brands and People

Are people brands? In order to decide, read the following opinions. Make a list of the arguments in the article. Then, decide whether you agree or disagree with the opinions.

Article 1 – People are brands

Article 2 – People are not brands

VI. Homework Questions

1. Do you value social media? Do you think that other people value social media too much?
2. In your opinion, are people brands? Does everyone have a brand, or does this only apply to celebrities?
3. Do you consider social media a part of your identity?
4. Could you live without social media?
5. What is your opinion of influencers?