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Michael Phelps on Rosetta Stone

 Language Learning Forum : Language Programs, Books & Tapes Post Reply
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TerryW
Senior Member
United States
Joined 6363 days ago

370 posts - 783 votes 
Speaks: English*

 
 Message 1 of 10
27 December 2008 at 6:10pm | IP Logged 
I see online that Rosetta Stone had 700 employees and $90 million in sales (85% in the U.S.) in 2006, 83 sales kiosks in airports and malls, and a $30 million advertising budget in 2007.

http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2007/03 /19/story1.html

Have you seen the (Olympics superstar) Michael Phelps TV commercial for Rosetta Stone? Notice you don't hear him speak a word of Chinese in it:

M Phelps Rosetta Stone TV Commercial

I'm sure he had plenty of time to study such an easy language like Mandarin in between practicing and all. ;-)

And here he is with his first encounter using it:

M Phelps Using Rosetta Stone

How many times do you think he actually used the program when he wasn't paid by RS to film him using it? I vote zero!

This one sounds like he was practicing with the German edition instead ;-) :

Michael Phelps RS Take-off

Edited by TerryW on 27 December 2008 at 6:13pm

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newyorkeric
Diglot
Moderator
Singapore
Joined 6385 days ago

1598 posts - 2174 votes 
Speaks: English*, Italian
Studies: Mandarin, Malay
Personal Language Map

 
 Message 2 of 10
27 December 2008 at 7:53pm | IP Logged 
A star endorsing a product that he may not use himself...hmm, that is strange.

So what's your point?
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J-Learner
Senior Member
Australia
Joined 6036 days ago

556 posts - 636 votes 
Studies: Yiddish, English*
Studies: Dutch

 
 Message 3 of 10
27 December 2008 at 8:45pm | IP Logged 
Wow...so that would be like false advertising? Imagine that......
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TerryW
Senior Member
United States
Joined 6363 days ago

370 posts - 783 votes 
Speaks: English*

 
 Message 4 of 10
28 December 2008 at 12:16am | IP Logged 
Actually, there are no false claims made.

He says: "When I started training for Beijing, I wanted to learn Chinese."

He probably did.

And he says: "They say it's the fastest way to learn a language, guaranteed."

And they DO say that.

As far as endorsing a product that he may not use himself . . . I hear he prefers FSI. ;-)
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J-Learner
Senior Member
Australia
Joined 6036 days ago

556 posts - 636 votes 
Studies: Yiddish, English*
Studies: Dutch

 
 Message 5 of 10
28 December 2008 at 4:27am | IP Logged 
Advertising = deception 99% of the time :D
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TheElvenLord
Diglot
Senior Member
United Kingdom
Joined 6086 days ago

915 posts - 927 votes 
1 sounds
Speaks: Cornish, English*
Studies: Spanish, French, German
Studies: Portuguese, Mandarin

 
 Message 6 of 10
28 December 2008 at 7:03am | IP Logged 
""They say it's the fastest way to learn a language, guaranteed.""

And how do they prove that??

Maybe get someone who learnt with just Assimil and just RS to do a test. I think the Assimil guy will come out on top.

TEL
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J-Learner
Senior Member
Australia
Joined 6036 days ago

556 posts - 636 votes 
Studies: Yiddish, English*
Studies: Dutch

 
 Message 7 of 10
28 December 2008 at 7:14am | IP Logged 
Even that test would be impossible to truly objectively test.
The best method is a silly question...best range of content is another. They both have an impressive range in that category. RS is just boring.....
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Kleberson
Diglot
Senior Member
Great Britain
Joined 6424 days ago

166 posts - 168 votes 
Speaks: English*, Portuguese
Studies: Italian, Russian, Arabic (Written), Mandarin

 
 Message 8 of 10
28 December 2008 at 7:19am | IP Logged 
TheElvenLord wrote:
""They say it's the fastest way to learn a language, guaranteed.""

And how do they prove that??

Maybe get someone who learnt with just Assimil and just RS to do a test. I think the Assimil guy will come out on top.

TEL


I agree. I'm going to take it further and say that I believe Assimil would wipe RS clean out of the picture.

[This is my opinion, so please, don't take it the wrong way]


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