Passage 1
Passage 2
PASSAGE 1: How to Make Millions with a Rock
By Carolynn Susannah Feasting
Rocks are everywhere, and they come in different shapes, sizes, and colors. Most rocks are free, because you can simply pick one up off the ground and put it in your pocket. So, it is incredible that someone would be able to make millions of dollars from selling rocks to people that they could otherwise pay nothing for, but it happened! It is the “Pet Rock,” and over the last 40 years, consumers have spent millions of dollars buying them to keep on shelves or give away as gifts.
Pet Rocks were sold with a manual on how to train and raise a new pet rock. Dahl became a millionaire instantly after selling approximately five million Pet Rocks.
The Pet Rock’s creator, Gary Dahl, did not invent rocks, of course, but he did find a way to make people want to buy them. By using his skills as an advertising executive, he understood how to get people to buy something that they did not need and probably would not have ever thought of buying on their own. For years, Dahl had listened to people complaining about all of the trouble involved in raising a pet. Many parents would buy a pet for their children only to be stuck with feeding, bathing, walking, and doing the tasks necessary to keep the pet healthy and happy themselves. Dahl’s solution to this problem—invent a pet that never needed feeding, walking, bathing, or grooming, and would not die, become sick, or be disobedient, as with a real pet. Once he started selling his Pet Rock, the idea caught on. Within six months, he had made more than 15 million dollars.
It would be very difficult to set up a stand with a bunch of rocks on it and get people to buy them. Dahl had to do much more than that to convince people that the Pet Rock was something they had to have. This was where Dahl’s skills in advertising would pay off; he was able to come up with a marketing plan that made the Pet Rock a must-have item for everyone. The key to marketing the Pet Rock was convincing people that it was actually a pet; so, Dahl came up with a 32-page manual full of puns, gags, and plays on words that referred to the rock as an actual pet, which also included care instructions, a guide for training the new pet, and a backstory for the rock. It worked!
Many products use promotional gimmicks (like the one that sold so many Pet Rocks) that use strategies that grab the buyer’s attention and emphasize the idea that the product is something the buyer must have or must give as a gift. Over time, a product (such as the Pet Rock) can gain a cult following and become something fondly remembered.
WRITING TASK
There are several different strategies used to market products.
Think about the ideas in the two passages, and then write an explanatory essay in which you explain how marketing impacts product sales.
Be sure to use information from BOTH texts in your explanatory essay. Write your answer in the space provided.
Before you write, be sure to:
think about ideas, facts, definitions, details, and other information and examples you want to use;
think about how you will introduce your topic and what the main topic will be for each paragraph;
develop your ideas clearly and use your own words, except when quoting directly from the source texts;
be sure to identify the sources by title or number when using details or facts directly from the sources.
Now write your explanatory essay in the space provided. B
Marketing has a significant impact on product sales, as demonstrated in the two passages. The first passage discusses the success of the "Pet Rock," a seemingly ordinary rock that became a must-have item for millions of consumers. The creator of the Pet Rock, Gary Dahl, utilized his skills as an advertising executive to convince people to buy something they would not have otherwise considered purchasing. He identified a common problem - the difficulties of raising a pet - and offered a unique solution. By marketing the Pet Rock as a low-maintenance, hassle-free alternative to traditional pets, Dahl was able to generate immense sales and become a millionaire.
Dahl's marketing strategy involved creating a 32-page manual that accompanied each Pet Rock purchase. This manual not only provided care instructions, but it also presented the Pet Rock as a real pet, complete with puns, gags, and a backstory. By positioning the rock as a pet and using playful language, Dahl successfully convinced consumers that the Pet Rock was a must-have item. In just six months, he made over 15 million dollars from selling approximately five million Pet Rocks. This demonstrates the power of marketing in influencing consumer behavior and driving product sales.
Passage two discusses the broader concept of marketing and its impact on product sales. It highlights promotional gimmicks that aim to grab buyers' attention and create a sense of urgency or desire for the product. The Pet Rock is described as an example of a product that gained a cult following through effective marketing. By using strategies that emphasize the idea that the product is something the buyer must have or must give as a gift, the product becomes highly desirable and generates significant sales.
Both passages emphasize the importance of effective marketing in driving product sales. They showcase how marketing strategies can transform ordinary and seemingly valueless items, such as rocks, into highly sought-after products. The key lies in identifying consumer needs or desires, creating a unique selling proposition, and using persuasive tactics to convince consumers that the product is indispensable. When done successfully, marketing can generate immense sales and even create a cult following for a particular product.
In conclusion, marketing plays a vital role in product sales. The examples provided in the passages illustrate how effective marketing strategies can turn everyday items into highly profitable products. By understanding consumer needs and desires, and employing persuasive tactics, marketers can create a sense of urgency or desire for a product, ultimately driving sales. The success of the Pet Rock demonstrates the power of marketing in influencing consumer behavior and transforming seemingly valueless items into highly desirable commodities.