George Armani

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Giorgio Armani is the one largest Italian designer group. Currently, they hold a billion dollars a year company in the fashion market. Their customers are mostly well-educated and wealthy individuals. Although they are doing pretty well with their current target market, it is not big enough to restore their lost market share. Their new target market will by Generation X (Armani Exchange). This segment is composed of 1% of total US population with annual disposable income of 15 billion per year.





TABLE OF CONTENTS


I. CURRENT MARKETING STRATEGY





A. INITIAL PURPOSE


B. CORE COMPETENCIES


C. CURRENT/POTENTIAL CUSTOMER/PRODUCT


D. KEY MARKET RESEARCH FINDING


II. PRODUCT FEATURES AND BENEFITS


A. PRODUCT POSITIONING


B. PRICING


C. CUSTOMER SERVICE


D. PROFITABILITY


E. DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS


F. IMAGE


G. PROMOTIONAL


III. S.W.O.T. ANALYSIS


A. KEY COMPETITORS


B. RELEVANT MACRO ENVIRONMENT


IV. SEGMENTATION, TARGETING, AND POSITIONING


I. SITUATION ANALYSIS & HISTORY


A. INITIAL PURPOSE


“Giorgio Armani began a free-lance design business in 170 with the encouragement of his close friend Sergio Galeotti, and established his own mens wear label in 174. He gradually adapted his designs for women and added the womens wear line in 175, in partnership with Galeotti.?(Krebs, 10-7)


B. CORE COMPETENCIES


There are many core competencies that Giorgio Armani possesses. Its main core competency is its bond with its customers. Being that it is the top Italian fashion designer promotes a strong positive image of its products, because of its product’s quality and the ability to design innovative features quickly.


C. CURRENT/POTENTIAL CUSTOMER/PRODUCT


Giorgio Armani offers a variety of fashion lines with high quality and both custom-made and prete-a-porter. The exclusive lines are


?Armani Alta Moda (haute couture)


?Borgonuovo 1


?Giorgio Armani


?Le Collezioni (diffusion), since 17


?Mani (diffusion)


?Emporio Armani (diffusion, younger customer, worldwide), since 184


?A/X Armani Exchange (basics, United States only)


?Giorgio Armani U.S.A. (lower priced)


?Armani Jeans


?Armani Neve (winter sportswear), since 16


?Armani Golf (sportswear), since 16


?Classico, since 16


D. KEY MARKET RESEARCH FINDINGS


Eg. There are many different types of Armani customers.


Median Age N years


Median household income $K


Median personal income $K


Male N%


Married N% (single N%, widowed /divorced N%)


Household with Children N%


College graduate or some college education N%


II. PRODUCT FEATURES AND BENEFITS


A. PRODUCT POSITIONING


Giorgio Armani’s products are highly positioned. As a high-end fashion group where high dividends come in at an extremely high cost, the wide line of products cover up all niches for the high-end target market.


B. PRICING


The price of Giorgio Armani is not cheap. The suggested retail prices range from about $100 to $100,000.


C. CUSTOMER SERVICE


The fashion shows are held throughout the world are not only for fashion magazines journalists to get together but for customers too. This also enables Armani executives to interact and get suggestion from customers to improve their products.


D. PROFITABILITY


Sales of the Armani-Group in 18 amounted to 540 billion Lira ($1574 million), up 1.4% from 1. Garments accounted for about 1700 billion Lira ($1054 million), and accessories for about 840 billion Lira ($50 million). In 001, the group sales, including sales from licensed products rose to about 500 billion Lira ($. billion). The Armani-Group also includes the Sportswear Company Simint, which handles all of Armanis informal lines. Armani himself holds 5% of the Simint assets. Simint was rated the best performing stock at the Milan exchange, with an annual increase of 1% with respect to the stock price. While Simint produces the Armani Jeans line, the Armani Junior label and the Emporio Armani mens wear, the Emporio womens clothes are produced by the Antinea (sales in 001 00 billion Lira), a 100% Armani offspring. Giorgio Armani S.p.A. develops the Armani labels. In 18, Giorgio Armani S.p.A. showed a 0% growth in sales to 10 billion Lira ($884 million), thus doubling its sales figures of 17. Two years later sales were at 10 billion Lira ($1180 million), increasing another 5% to 400 billion Lira ($1556 million) in 001. Pre-tax profits for the Giorgio Armani S.p.A. marked 650 billion Lira ($4 million). (Krebs, 10-0)


E. DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS


“The biggest export market for Armani is the United States, where Armani labels are sold at 1000 points of sale. In 15, Armani had 6 outlets carrying the exclusive Giorgio Armani and Borgonuovo-1 lines. Emporio Armani outlets numbered 11 in 15, with 54 in Italy and in Japan. This figure rose to 145 stores in 001 and is planned to be increased by 8 in the near future. A/X Armani Exchange used to be sold only in the United States. In 14, the A/X-stores were taken over by Club 1 USA, Inc., but continuously struggled to compete with lower-priced competitors like Banana Republic. Today, Armani intends to open up even more A/X-outlets, also introducing them to customers in Asia for the first time. (Krebs, 10-0)


“The first freestanding store for Giorgio Armani’s Mani by Giorgio Armani and Collezioni Giorgio Armani collections has been opened in London.?(Fallon, 11-10-01)


“Collezioni and Mani represent 7 percent of the company’s profits?(Fallon, 11-10-01)


“The London store is owned by Club 1, the retail empire of Christina Ong that owns the Emporio Armani and Giorgio Armani stores in the UK.?(Fallon, 11-10-01)


“The fundamental reason for the opening the Collezioni stores is that we wanted to present this collection of clothing and accessories for men and women together in its own unified space, he said. Collezioni customers are made up primarily of young professionals who often have little at hand to shop. Therefore a store that offers a big variety of compatible, high quality products obviously is very convenient for customers.?(Fallon, 11-10-01)


“The freestanding London store is at 4-44 New Bond Street, near to the new cK Calvin Klein store as well as the upcoming Versace Jeans Couture and Tommy Hilfiger stores. Other designer shops nearby include Polo Ralph Lauren, Emporio Armani and Ermenegildo Zegna.?= Donna Karan (Fallon, 11-10-01)


F. IMAGE


“Armanis fashions have set the tone for a global dressing down. In the corporate America of the late 0th century, he was perhaps the only man who could challenge dress-for-success guru John Molloy and win. And it is from the springboard of Armani designs that fashion will leap into the next century.


If French designer Gabrielle Chanel liberated women from stays and long dresses, it was Armani who offered them professional fashion equality without bending their gender.?Griffin, 5-5-00)


“What made Armani a star among designers was his unpadded, unstructured jacket. At a time when Italian men still were battling a stereotypical greasy image, Armani single-handedly cleaned up the look.?(Griffin, 5-5-00)


“After years of rummaging through 0th-century styles to turn out retro-inspired trends, fashion designers have run smack into the designs most women still have in their closets power suits.?(Griffin, -0-00)


“Now theyve taken a flying leap into the mid-180s, era of the career woman, with strong suits, high heels and pricey accessories.?(Griffin, -0-00)


“Women probably will not be able to recycle whats left in their closets from the 80s, however. Key changes, sometimes ever so slight, make all the difference in the look.?(Griffin, -0-00)


“Next, he translated the jacket for a womans body, then tossed it over easy skirts and trousers. It gave modern woman an alternative to uptight luncheon suits with peplums and stiff fabrics. While the shoulders, lapels, vents, fit, lengths, fabrics and closures _ all the design elements of the jacket _ have changed through the years, the words Armani jacket instantly conjure an image in the minds of the fashion cognoscenti.?(Griffin, 5-5-00)


“There are no warpaint, feathers or beads, but mens clothes tell everyone what tribe theyve in.?Teliga, -5-8)


“EMPORIO ARMANI The less expensive label of the Italian designer Giorgio Armani, renowned for his elegant soft tailoring and deconstruction of the stiff business suit. Colin Bertram, menswear manager, Emporio Armani?(Teliga, -5-8)


“The look For menswear its very straightforward, nothing overtly fashiony yet more body-conscious (this season). It is always Armani so it is always going to be understated.


The customer Anyone between 18 and 70 who is interested in fashion and style but wants to wear the clothes rather than the clothes wearing them. Tends to be an urban customer - advertising executives to merchant bankers.?(Teliga, -5-8)


G. PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS


“The crowning coup of his advertising strategy this sprung will be to underwrite the entire issue of Time Atlantic’s 75th anniversary edition, slated to hit newsstands March and reach more than 65000 readers in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.?(Forden, -0-8)


“This operation is in the Armani tradition of taking dominant or exclusive positions in key issues of important magazines.?(Forden, -0-8)


“Armani appeared on the cover of the magazine in April 18 and aha advertised there over the years to reach a broad readership, particularly men, who are mote difficult to target with traditional positions in fashion magazines.?(Forden, -0-8)


“The Time project is the kingpin in a veritable blitz of ventures across Europe in which Armani is the sole advertiser. Last fall, he took the entire section of The Sunday Times of London. In Italy last month, Armani appeared as the exclusive advertiser in weekly news magazine L’Espresso, Milan financial Il Sole 4 Ore, daily newspaper La Republicca and its weekly weekend magazine D. Armani bought an entire issue of Le Monde last month to the opening of the Emporio Armani boutique and caf?in the legendary Publicis drugstore site on Paris?Left bank.?(Forden, -0-8)


“Time has agreed to send the issue to a VIP list of some 10,000 people, including heads of state in Europe, the Middle East and Africa; chief executives officers of Fortune Global 500 companies; members of the European Parliament, and senior managers across Europe.?(Forden, -0-8)


At the 70th Academy Awards, “Armani dressed Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, Oscar winners for best original screenplay for Good Will Hunting.?(Williams, -5-8)


“Nabbing these two was clearly a coup for Armani. Affleck and Damon could be the Gen X’s version of Paul Newman and Robert Redford.?(Williams, -5-8)


II. S.W.O.T. ANALYSIS


STRENGTHS?Strong positive image of the product ? WEAKNESSES?Inability to access secondary markets.?


OPPORTUNITIES?Aiming for the smallest consumer segment of all- the individual? THREATS?Fashion industry is not a stable market. ?


A. KEY COMPETITORS


Giorgio Armani’s main competitors are Italian and French houses of design.


“He is known as a workaholic, who can sometimes be rude and arrogant. His dislike of fellow Italian designers Gianni Versace and Valentino has recently been suppressed for the benefit of the international press.?(Krebs, 10-7)


“The freestanding London store is at 4-44 New Bond Street, near to the new cK Calvin Klein store as well as the upcoming Versace Jeans Couture and Tommy Hilfiger stores. Other designer shops nearby include Polo Ralph Lauren, Emporio Armani and Ermenegildo Zegna.?= Donna Karan (Fallon, 11-10-7)


“In 14, the A/X-stores were taken over by Club 1 USA, Inc., but continuously struggled to compete with lower-priced competitors like Banana Republic.?(Fallon, 11-10-7)


B. RELEVANT MACRO ENVIRONMENT


“Price has become important in the 17 Italian fashion market. The Italian lira is at a 0% high rate because of its re-entry in Europe’s Exchange Rate Mechanism. Italian consumers have also become value conscious and fashion designers Giorgio Armani and Gianfranco Ferre plan to decrease their prices accordingly. Armani will decrease prices 10% to 0%.?Conti, 1-1-6)


?Italy and the EU partners agreed last month to fix the lira at 0 against the mark ?a rate that is still competitive, but not as much as before?The French, who had lobbied in Brussels last month for an even stronger lira, said their Italian competitors had an unfair edge when it came to exports.?(Conti, 1-1-6)


“In fact, some fashion houses are looking at the bright side of the new lira. Imports such as leather, cotton and silk will cost less, companies will no longer have to play a guessing game about the lira’s exchange rate when they fix their prices for the next year, and the Italian economy as a whole will be perceived as more stable.?(Conti, 1-1-6)


?EU nations taking part in the European Monetary Union, scheduled for Jan. 1, 1.?(Conti, 1-1-6)


IV. SEGMENTATION, TARGETING AND POSITIONING


MISSION


Eg. Giorgio Armani’s mission is to build a trusting relationship with its business partners.


MARKETING GOALS CONSISTENT WITH MISSION


Eg. The main marketing goal of Giorgio Armani is spreading. In order to support their mission, they need to achieve the following satisfy customer desires, strengthen their relationships with customers, and improve the quality of their designs as well as keeping up with the increasing demand.


“With a group of well-diversified customers, Giorgio Armani has a highly differentiated market segment. Each product is designed according to the needs and desire of their customers, in order to fit them within their segments.


Armani wants to expand the number of his stores significantly. Most visibly, he opened up two huge flagship stores in New York City on Madison Avenue, one for the top line and one for Emporio Armani. Armani seemingly pursues the establishment of a lifestyle brand Armani. This movement is reflected in the various attempts to offer a wide variety of products under the Armani-label. Such as the in 16 introduced Armani Neve winter sportswear line, the Armani Golf sportswear line (both produced previously by Skinea and now by Simint), and the introduction of custom-made bridal gowns, as part of the Borgonuovo-1 line. Also, Classico, a new luxurious and costly line for men and women will be introduced. Here, Armani wants to offer modern interpretations of classic designs. In addition, Armani sells a wide range of home accessories under the Emporio Armani-label. In 17, the first Armani Jeans store in Rome, Italy also included a Armani book shop, selling publications about various artistic subjects, like fashion and photography.?(Krebs, 10-7)


“Top Italian fashion houses plan to expand sales and distribution by moving into secondary markets outside of the key fashion centers. Giorgio Armani and Versace, for example, plan to open boutiques in cities to sell toned-down fashions priced 0% to 40% less than their top lines.?Forden, -4-8)


“Many of Italy’s major apparel houses are working on ways to further penetrate their traditional markets in Europe and the US by moving into secondary cities.?(Forden, -4-8)


“It also means they can achieve a more capillary penetration in areas where the top collection can’t go.?(Forden, -4-8)


PRICING


Eg. When considering what pricing strategy to use, there were several steps that needed to be followed in order to come up with a price that would satisfy both the target market and Armani itself. When identifying pricing constrains, I took into consideration that there is an increasing demand for Armani cloths.


DISTRIBUTION


Eg. Giorgio Armani has an indirect channel distribution where licensed dealers act as the intermediary between the manufacturer and its customers.


PROMOTION


Traditionally, Giorgio Armani has somewhat only used traditional advertising to market their lines. This would reach only a selected group of customers, mainly those who are very enthusiastic about fashion. The goal is to target a whole new segment of possible fashion enthusiasts, Generation X. To do this they need to change the way they have been advertising their products.


Armani has rarely used television and radio for promoting their products. I agree in continuing with that concept, to an extent. In targeting the generation X, they need to find a medium which the Xers use frequently. Television is the biggest medium for this group. However because Armani should not lose their mysterious image, they should not use commercials. Instead they should use a more “slick?way. I thought about using prime stars from TV shows such as “Friends? “Seinfield? and “ER?those that generation X watches, to project the “ideal?Armani image. The popularity of the shows and the role that these shows play in shaping the lives of people is tremendous. Xers identify themselves with the people that they see on television. The actors have made certain hairstyles popular, and even the type of clothes they wear popular. Therefore, by having the cast wearing their designs in the shows, should encourage Xers to want to own a Harley too.


The other medium is magazines. The magazines that I would use to target this segment are Sports Illustrated, GQ, Cosmopolitan, Esquire, Business Week and so on.


BIBLIOGRAPHY


Krebs, Jost Giorgio Armani. Hyper Fashion - October 17 Ed. http//www.unibw-muenchen.de/campus/WOW/v1041/hyper/armani.html


Conti, Samantha GFT license for Armani women’s lines not settled. WWD - April , 17. v17 n78 p17 (1)


Daily News Record, Armani, GFT weigh name change for NY-based unit.- Sara Gay Forden, July 16th , 17. v7 n85 p15 (1)


WWD, Armani, GFT weigh new name for Giorgio Armani Fashion Corp.-Sara Gay Forden, July 15th, 17. v174 n10 p1(1)


WWD, It’s time for Armani ad blitz.- Sara Gay Forden, Feb. 0th, 18. v175 n p1(1).


Daily News Record, New Sunshine Boys, The, Stan Williams.-March 5, 18. n6 p8 (1)


Houston Chronicle, Accent Armani The man behind the jacket, Linda GillanGriffin. May 5,17. p.


Houston Chronicle, Welcome back WONDER WOMAN.-Linda Gillan Griffin. March 0, 7. p1


Sydney Morning Herald. Tribes Man. Jane De Teliga. Feb.5, 7. p1


WWD. Italian’s far-reaching plans.-Sara Gay Forden. Feb. 4, 18. v175 n5 p4B


Daily News Record London store sets new marketing direction for Armani; first freestanding unit for Collezioni and Mani collections. James Fallon. Nov. 10, 17. V7 n15 p


WWD Italian fashion houses beset by higher lira, tight-fisted shopper. Samantha Conti, Dec. 1, 16. v17 n1 p1.


C. HISTORY


Late events “Giorgio Armani Fashion Corp (Armani USA) is entirely controlled by GFT, as well as the overseas distribution of the men’s and women’s diffusion collections, Giorgio Armani Le Collezioni, and the men’s bridge line, Mani.?(Forden, 7-16-7)


“Turin based GFT, also manufactures for Valentino, Calvin Klein, Emanuel Ungaro, Joseph Abboud and Nino Cerruti, among others.?(Forden, 7-16-7)


“The Giorgio Armani business represents around $64 million of GFT’s total sales. GFT’s US Armani business totals around $185 million.?(Forden, 7-15-7)


“Talks of the change comes when the industry is rife with speculation over the future of Armani’s women’s license with GFT, which has been up for renewal since March 17.?(Forden, 7-15-7) As rumors indicate, “Armani was beefing up capacity at Antinea, his directly owned manufacturer. The facility currently produces the Emporio Armani collection and there is speculation that it could also take on production of the women’s diffusion collection next year.?(Forden, 7-15-7)


“GFT managing director, .., announced the formation of Gruppo Industriale Marzotto, which will be GFT’s new parent company.?(Conti, 4--7)


GIM (Gruppo Industiale Marotto), was “created from the fusion of HPI - - an industrial holding that contains GFT and Fila - - and Marotto.?(Conti, 4--7)


“Armani is GFT’s most important licensee.?(Conti, 4--7)


“The main Armani lines are produced by Italys largest manufacturer of designer garments, Gruppo GFT. Armani garments account for about 0% of GFT sales and are therefore GFTs most important license. In 14, Armani tried to take over GFT with the help of American investors, presumably to help out Armanis sportswear affiliate, Simint, which had gotten into financial trouble at the time. Simint is now recovering, after cutting its staff, changing its distribution structure, and concentrating its production in Italy. An economic turnaround could be achieved, which resulted in 15/16 in sales of 55 billion Lira ($160 million) and turning a loss of 4 billion Lira ($16 million) in the previous year to a net profit 5.4 billion Lira ($.5 million). Sales for the fiscal year 16/17 are expected to be 180 billion Lira ($117 million). Armani is said to be interested in expanding his own production capabilities. For that purpose, Armani is expected either to shift the production of his main lines from GFT to Simint or Antinea or he might take over stock from GFT, who are expected to make such an offer in order to keep their most profitable client.?(Krebs, 10-7)





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economics

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Your negative opinion on supply marketing boards in Ontario can be reversed it will not take long. Supply Marketing Boards are organized and managed by governments to make sure that there is a stable supply of agricultural commodities for consumers and the food industry. Marketing Boards work by joining producers together in an agreement that enables them to control markets by selling the products at a price and the quota established by the marketing board. The government controls the amount of these products that are imported and imported from other countries. Producers of supply-managed commodities had the highest on-farm income at $,70for poultry and egg, and $6,00 for dairy. These producers also had the lowest percentage of income coming from off-farm employment, which was 4.8 percent and .6 percent. Supply marketing boards provides producers with fair returns and consumers with quality products and fair prices. It also promotes stable economic activity in the rural areas of our province.


Benefits to the producer


One of the problems that farmers face is that when they bring their products to market they don’t know what price they are going to get. Through supply marketing boards farmers no longer have to worry about this issue because they are given a fixed quota at a fair price allowing them to earn a reasonable income. With Supply Marketing Boards they now have knowledge of how much revenue or income they will be receiving at the end of the year. In a free market they have to worry about losing money when there is low prices or when there is overproduction in the marketplace. The government provides a limit on the amount of goods that is produced to sell in the market.


Small farmers are disadvantaged because large farm operations can produce a greater amount of supply and can sell their product at a lower price because their cost to produce is lower. Under this system it forms an alliance with the farmers instead of having them compete against one another. An action called Price Pooling is performed when all the sales are deposited into pool accounts. All the farmers receive a payment upon delivery. Farmers receive a final payment in accordance to the returns exceeding the sum of total payments. If the returns do not exceed the sum then the federal government makes up the difference. This occurs to avoid the risk of bankruptcy between inadequate farm industries or a great loss.





Benefits to the consumer


Supply management benefits the consumer in numerous ways. Consumers pay a steady, fair price in the market for the agricultural products they would be interested in purchasing and can be assured of a consistent supply. Consumers of the food industry do not have to worry about shortages as well as a disruption in supply. Shortages can cause economic disruption.


Farmers are not under pressure to diminish the quality, to include additives or hormones to affect the quality of the product. Under supply management, farmers know they have a good market and do not have to save money by supplying the market with efficient quality products. It is a high priority to supply consumers with high quality goods.


Benefits for the ECONOMY


Marketing Boards provide National Security for Canada because they allow Canada to become dependent on local products. Disruption in supply can occur from trade disputes or diseases such as Mad Cow Disease. It allows stable production, avoids shortages, and over supply in the market place. This allows industries and consumers a steady supply. Stable Prices provide consumer with a stable, fair price including providing farmers with stable income. Stable prices are necessary to help any economy function properly. They help to keep farm employment constant and help rural areas maintain a stable economy.


Conclusion


Without Supply Marketing Boards there would be many economic problems in Canada. Farmers do not lose because of over production, small farm industries are at an advantage, and farmers have knowledge of their income coming in. Consumers do not worry about shortages, consumers receive quality goods, and they pay a reasonable price for their products. The economy is provided with national security, stable production, and stable supply. Supply Marketing Boards are beneficial to everybody, the producer, the consumer, and the Canadian economy. We need Supply Management in Ontario to keep our economy stable.








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Realism in Henrik Ibsen’s Writing

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Henrik (Johan) Ibsen (188-106) was born at Skien, a small lumbering town of southern Norway. His father was a well-known general merchant in the community until 186, when he suffered the horrible disgrace of going bankrupt.(Ibsen, 8) As a result, he sank into more debt and the family suffered. There was no redeeming the family misfortunes; as soon as he could, aged just 15, Henrik moved to Grimstad. It was there that he began to write. He supported himself meagerly as an apothecarys apprentice while studying nights for admission to the university. As he waited patiently he began to write plays. It was from this first writing that he began a career that would carry him through the nineteenth century and into today.


Writers are often called names. Some of these names aren’t so nice. To be called “the father” of something can only mean that you must have what it takes in your writing to define the very term that you are being associated with. Joan Gassner has decided that Henrik Ibsen is “the father of modern drama”.(Gassner, 1) But is this title worthy? What is it about Ibsen’s work that seems to fit so well into this mold? Also, why is Ibsen so closely tied to realism? These are questions that I hope to answer in the following text. So to begin, we must first define what is realism?


From 185 to 100 most of the plays that were being produced were melodramas, spectacle plays, comic operas and vaudevilles. (Wilson, 7). The theatre was alive and well and was taking many different forms. And then something happened. Charles Darwin published The Origin of Species in 185 and began to stir up the scientific community. Darwin believed that people were controlled by heredity and environment and that most of human behavior was out of our control. For the first time people were beginning question the origins of man. There were more questions than answers. August Comte, a prominent sociologist developed a theory known as Positivism, which was based on cause and effect. This was another principle that had not really been looked upon at the time. This was beginning to influence those people in the philosophy community. Karl Marx was teaching a new brand of political philosophy that stressed equality in wealth. The atmosphere was just right for a new kind of theatre.


Realism, in its most basic form, attempts to create the illusion of everyday life onstage (Wilson, 7). Even thought the audience knows that they are watching a play, the actors onstage present a very pure form of theatre. There are actions and reactions that create a cause and effect relationship between the characters. It’s not abstract or absurd, but very linear and scientific. It may seem to some that all theatre is real, but this is was not the case at the time. Melodramas and spectacle plays were “bigger than life” and therefore were not very realistic. This was a new era for theatre and Henrik Ibsen used this principle in most of his work. There were other writers that used realism at the time.





Emile Augier(180-188) wrote plays about contemporary conditions and Alexandre Dumas fils was writing “thesis plays” about some of the social problems at the time. Ibsen is recognized as a pillar of the realism movement because every one of his plays is a model to some degree of realism.(Johnston, )


In 1881 he wrote Ghosts which deals with the sins of the father that are transferred to the son in the form of syphilis. This was the first time that such a secretive subject had been presented to the public. Pillars of Society deals with the concept of war and business, and A Doll’s House the main female character leaves her family at the end of the play to pursue a new life. All of these plays deal with human nature and contemporary theatre students often analyze their content. They offer us a glimpse of the very reality that became a halmark of Ibsens work.


One of the most important differences from Ibsens plays and the plays that proceeded him was the way that Ibsen treated the inner “secret lives” of some of the characters. (Ibsen, 11). The effects that Ibsen created were not based on most of the ordinary dramatic action. Ibsen wanted to expose the secret inner lives of the characters. He wanted the audience to see the very things that are often hidden by people in everyday life. One critic wrote that Ibsens work is a “drama of the mind”(Ibsen, 1) Much like an iceberg, the largest portion of the story remains unseen by the naked eye. You have to dig really deep to get all the meaning that is found in an Ibsen play. Everything has a story that needs to be told. Ibsen felt that the actors must sustain a consistent, unbroken line of thought. This makes some of his plays seem very intense. The characters are very focused. Stanislavski would of agreed to the acting style that Ibsen preferred for his actors. He felt they should mirror the actions of humans and should create the illusion of reality on the stage.


One of Ibsen’s best examples of realism is in the play A Doll’s House. Even the title of the play gives us an example of some of the symbolism that he used throughout his work. There weren’t many things that Ibsen found worthy of imitation.(Lebowitz, ) In A Doll’s House Ibsen shows the audience the spiritual awakening of Torvald, the husband and Nora his wife. Both of the characters live in a false reality. Everything in the first scene seems perfect. The way they talk to one another and there actions tell the story of the perfect couple. As the play moves forward we begin to see that although Nora seems to have it all, in reality she is not happy with her situation. She is a woman that is trapped in this doll’s house that her husband has created. There is a lot of shock value in the last scene. Nora says goodbye to her family and all she has known and leaves the “Doll’s House”. Audiences at the time were so shocked that they erupted at the end of the play (Goldman,15). It is not as shocking now, but at the time it was just unheard of for a woman to leave her family. This play represents many different facets of realism. It is a tribute to all that is wrong with some relationships. What makes the play work is the dialog. You learn a great deal about the two main characters from the things that they say. There is nothing new about the problems that are presented, but it was new to present them so openly. There is a definite cause and effect relationship in most of Ibsens work. A problem is presented and worked through.


Ghosts also caused quit a bit of furor. There was much criticism at the initial presentation in 181. On critic called the piece “an open drain; a loathsome sore unbandaged; a dirty act done publicly”. And more attacks came even years after the play was produced. Why did Ibsen’s plays create so much controversy? What about his work made people stand up and yell?


Ibsen was very open about how he wrote. He repeatedly spoke of his main purpose in writing dramatic dialog was to make it “completely faithful and realistic” (Ibsen, 0) This is what made Ibsen’s work seem so shocking. Ibsen tended to start with a theoretical problem or a theme. After this he would begin to shape the raw material into actions and visual symbolism. His characters are very gritty and I think that he showed us what was behind some of the masks that we wear in everyday life. Perhaps people at the time were just not ready to see what they already knew existed. Life is not one big happy play, and although we all may play a part, the story is often a tragedy.


Drama is “ a series of real events having dramatic unity and interest.” It also means to do or to act. In a dramatic piece the characters are interacting with each other as they work towards developing the plot. There are also many different types of dramas. Man versus nature. Man versus himself. Good versus evil. With a good drama the audience suspends their disbelief and the true magic of theatre happens. Henrik Ibsen was great in writing this kind of drama. His characters are full of life and vitality. The words seem to bring the characters to life and the problems seem very real.


Ibsen wrote An Enemy of the People as a direct response to some of the critisims that he had recieved from Ghosts. (Ibsen, ) In a letter to his publisher he wrote “I have enjoyed writing this play...” An Enemy of the People has always been one of his more popular plays and often finds it’s way into the readings in college theatre classes. It was immediately produced in Scandinavia and Germany. It has also remained very popular in England. It is another tale of lies and deceit and how they play a part in our everyday lives.


The Wild Duck was produced in 1884 and it illustrates many of the techniques used by Ibsen. It was a reproduction of the actions of middle and lower class people. Once again Ibsen turned for the common man for entertainment. Ibsen, in the dialog, abandoned some of his older asides and soliloquies. Instead the characters reveal themselves as they would in life with indirect statements (Brockett, 15). As Ibsen got older he used this technique more and more. He liked The Wild Duck and in a letter to his publisher Ibsen wrote “For the last four months I have worked at it every day and it is not without a certain feeling of regret that I part from it.” This has remained one of theatre student’s favorite plays.


In Rosmersholm, Ibsens next play, her created one of the most provocative and dramatic female characters-Rebekka West. The play is packed with hidden forces, statements and shadowy characters that seem to shift before our eyes (Ibsen, 0). It also has a lot of meaning in it. Like most of Ibsen’s plays there are undertones, lies, and exposure. Some critics have compared it to Macbeth because of its structure. It was also popular at the time of its release.


Ibsen went on to produce The Lady from the Sea, Hedda Gabler, and The Master Builder. Of these three plays many believe The Master Builder to be the most timeless. IT could have been produced 50 years ago or ten. When he was writing this play he was just getting over an Austrian girl that he had spent a year with. There is also a great deal of Ibsen himself in the character Solness,. This was his most autobiographical writings and you can learn a lot about Ibsen just by listening to the characters in this play.


Like all great artists, Ibsen was a man with a thousand faces. He was very complex and although a lot of people knew him, only his wife understood him fully. He had as many secrets as some of his finest characters. In a speech to students at Oslo in 1874 Ibsen made a very important and revealing statement “All I have written...I have mentally lived through. Partly I have written on that which only by glimpses, and at my best moments I have felt stirring vividly within me as something great and beautiful.” (Ibsen, 1)


Ibsen’s work is great and it is beautiful. He produced a total of 1 plays during his lifetime. He should be known as the “father of realism”. His work in this field and his approach to theatre mirror the very essence of this art form.


In realism, as discussed earlier, the artist attempts to create “the illusion of everyday life onstage”. Ibsen’s plays do this and they do it in a way that is natural. From A Doll’s House to An Enemy of the People Ibsen explores those inner secrets and the hidden desires of characters. The plays reveal the more secretive side to life. If Darwin stirred up the scientific community by asking them to change there perception of humanity then Ibsen did the same with the artistic community. Positivism was teaching a cause and effect relationship and Ibsen was showing it onstage. Marx was preaching about equality in wealth and Ibsen was showing us the lower and middle classes. I feel that Ibsen used realism to create the illusion of reality. Because reality is so harsh we have to understand that it is only a play, but we are left to ponder the difference between our own lives and the characters on stage. This is what realism is all about. It makes us ask ourselves what is the true drama in life. Why is fact stranger then fiction? Why do people enjoy watching other people so much?


Ibsen answered all of these questions at some time or another in his work and we have him to thank for his contribution. Although Henrik Ibsen was never fully appreciated during his lifetime, he has since come to be recognized as one of the great dramatists of all time and the Father of Modern Drama. His plays will continue to find their ways into the hands of young theatre students and teachers a like. His work will live on and continues to thrive in theatres across the country.


Works Cited


Ibsen, Henrik. Eight Plays by Henrik Ibsen. Trans. Eva Le Gallienne. New York Modern Library, 151.


Wilson, Edwin. Living Theater An Introduction to Theater History. New York McGraw-Hill, 18.


Brockett, Oscar G. Plays for the Theatre. Second Ed. New York Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 174


Lyons, Charles R. Critical Essays on Henrik Ibsen. Boston G. K. Hall, 187.


Lebowitz, Naomi. Ibsen and the Great World. London Louisiana State Press, 10.


Goldman, Michael. Ibsen The Dramaturgy of Fear. New York Columbia University Press, 1.


Johnston, Brian. Realism and A Doll’s House. Retreaved May 8th from http//ibsenvoyages.com.00


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is porn an art?

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Do you use Playboy or Playgirl magazine to actually read? Probably not! You look at it for private personal reasons. Should woman be glorified by showing their naked bodies? I don’t think so. Woman showing their nude bodies and moaning during sex on a pornographic film are not glorifying themselves. The following reasons are why I believe porno is not an art. First, kids should have nothing to do with it. Second, it definitely degrades women and finally it promotes an unhealthy environment for people by using violence. Now that you know what I will be talking about lets move on to the first issue.


Porno and children do not mix very well. Since Pornographic pictures were first thought of, mothers have been trying to stop kids from watching or looking at them. For example, Steve Chapman said, “ Teenage males who watch porn and masterbate tend to have sex earlier than they are supposed to and tend to be more violent toward woman.” Many people believe that porn has a bad influence on kids because they think it is ok to have sex casually. Also, after a kids watch porn, they will call their girlfriends up and tell them to come over and they will try to act it out. They will try out the different positions, and we all know that a kid can get hurt doing that, those aren’t the easiest positions. Another problem with kids and porn is “kiddie porn” which is kids actually in the porn. Some parents put their kids in porn which is awful to do. These parents would be called pedafiles. Most of the kids in kiddie porn are runaways trying to make easy money.


The second reason I think porn is not a form of art is it degrades woman. Women in porn are known to be sluts. It’s the same with men but we don’t see it that way because we have a double standard, it ok for men but not for women. First of all, most of the girls in porn just look like sluts, they should set a good example and be a role model. If they have a young daughter, would they want their daughter follow in there footsteps or a businesswomen’s footsteps. The viewers, producers, photograpghers and pretty much anyone don’t respect the female porn actors. For example, the porn star from the movie DEEP THROAT �linda marchiano said that her producer Mr. Trainor would treat her like crap. Wouldn’t pay her but would pay the male actor. She was pretty much a sex slave. Some women are forced to be in porn like Mrs Marchiano, all women should be equal to men.


Finally, the main reason I think porn is not an art is all the violence in it. Anything with violence should not be considered an art. Most anti porn activist agree that the best and most affective argument against porn is that there is evidence that porn and violence are linked. Whipping, beatings, rapes and snuff films are all violence in pornos. Some people believe that porno contributed to Ted Bundy’s killings. Bundy said “ I take full responsibility for whatever I’ve done. The ? and the issue is how this kind of pornographic literature contributed and helped my kind of violent behavior.” When people see porn for the first time, it seems shocking and disgusting at first. But after watching it several times it becomes to the viewer a common place and the pain or humiliation of another person becomes unimportant. Also after viewing porn for the first time, the viewers want to see it be more brutalizing and hardcore after a while.





In conclusion, I have explained why I think that porn Is not an art. It degrades women, should have nothing to do with women and the violence makes it a unhealthy enviroment for everyone. If the number one group against any type of pornographic material is the pope, then u know that it is wrong.





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beers

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Do you like to be taken advantage of? No, well you are, every time you look at an advertisement! We are being bombarded with hundreds of beer advertisements and commercial everyday. Alcohol ads appeal to those sensitive ads better than any other, from sex to just getting away, they take full advantage of their targeted groups needs.


Beer ads are using propaganda techniques and double speak in order to attract customers and sell their products. When you see an interesting ad about beer, you are tempted to try it. Propaganda is often accomplished by distortion of facts in order for people to believe the message advertisers are sending (McClintock 0). And double speak is obscure language that makes it seem to communicate, but really does not (Lutz 6).


Beer advertisements are the best at targeting young peoples needs. Advertisers will go as low as bringing cartoons in to promote their products or as scandalous as half-naked women. Whatever the case may be, beer companies are experts at exploiting the younger crowds of the world needs. The problem is teenagers as well as other people are seeing unbalanced and unrealistic messages about beers.


By seeing advertisements for Miller Genuine Draft and Corona, we can recognize similar propaganda techniques used by both companies. There is substantial number of similarities for these two ads, but there is also a great number of differences. Miller and Corona are two of the best exploiters of younger crowds. Both companies are highly educated in finding and advertising their targeted crowds needs. I found that Miller would try to appeal to more of sexual need then Corona. Whereas Corona advertisement appeals to peace of mind instead.





Both the advertisement for Miller Genuine Draft and Corona use what Author Annie McClintock calls “Glittering Generalities” in their ads. McClintock defines a Glittering Generality as an exciting word that makes no real statement, but sugarcoats the advertised product so that people want to try it ( 0). Can you imagine all those times when it was so hot outside, your feet were sticking to the ground, sweat was dripping of your body, and all you were trying to do was relax by the pool and catch some sun. When a gentlemen with an annoying pick up line comes up and begins to hit on you. And all you want to do is get away. Well the Miller Genuine Draft feels the same way about the situation, and suggests that you should put a cold-filtered bottle between yourself and the man. “Cold-filter what you don’t need. Keep what’s good”.


Corona ad just wants to take you away from your every day life, and offer you something relaxing. Corona ad uses the picture of some exotic place with ocean, palms trees, sandy beach and says “go someplace better”. Targeted groups are being effected, because advertisers are trying to convince them to try the product without thinking very much about the meaning of the glittering generalities.


Secondly, both the advertisement for Miller Genuine Draft and Corona use what author Annie McClintock calls “Card Stacking” in their advertisements. According to McClintock Card Stacking is statement that claims what you want your customers to hear, not the whole truth (05). Both ads are trying to appeal to customers’ senses. They are making you believe that beers are refreshing. Miller advertisement says, “Only cold-filtering gives you taste this pure, this refreshing.” It might be refreshing at the moment that you drink it, but after a few beers you will be drunk and there is nothing refreshing about that.


Corona advertisement is making you think about summer vocations. Corona is also making you believe that beers are refreshing, but they are not telling you about the consequences that come with drinking. Card sticking effects all beer consumers. People say what you don’t know can’t hurt you, but it is just a saying. People get hurt, because they are not beware of the truth.


Thirdly, both the advertisement for Miller and Corona use what author William Lutz calls doublespeak in their advertisements. ”Doublespeak is language that makes the bad seem good, negative appear positive, the unpleasant appear attractive or at least tolerable” (Lutz6). According to Lutz, “when a euphemism is used to mislead or deceive, it become doublespeak“


(7). Both advertisements are using misleading phrases and pictures in order to attract costumers. A Miller advertisement says, “live responsibly”. Does this phrase mean that they are concerned, or they just saying it avoid lawsuits? Most beer companies have one goal in mind and it is to sell beer. Advertisers are not really interested in affects and damages that their product causes. They are also misleading the male costumers with this picture. They are trying to make them think, if you drink Miller you can get the girl. Which is not true, drinking beer will not get you the hot girl.


Corona advertisement is misleading its customers with the picture. You can see Corona bottles at the right bottom of the page. Parking lot full of cars and some paradise place are making you imagine what would it be like to just jump in your car and go some place like this. I have to admit, advertisers did their job, because I fell for their ad. Doublespeak effects many people, because we all fall for images that are not realistic. At least it gives us a chance to imagine how would it be to go somewhere that is far from your chores and worries.


There are probably more differences than similarities between these two advertisements. They have different bottle designs. They also have different taste. Most people drink Corona with lime and salt. Corona is also more expensive than Miller. Corona is imported form Mexico, and is one of their best beers. Miller Genuine Draft is domestic beer, which is produced in Milwaukee.


Miller advertisement is better, because they targeted male population, which consumes more beer than any other group. I believe they choose the particular group and made the advertisement to meet their needs. They take your thoughts from your current life, but they also appeal to your senses. If I had to chose between these two advertisements, I would chose Miller Genuine Draft.


In conclusion, beer advertising is designed to provide information to consumers about particular type or brand of beer. It is a goal of advertiser to appeal to the customer in a manner that will sway him to purchase their product. Advertisers for Miller Genuine Draft and Corona use similar types of propaganda techniques in order to achieve their goal. Beer advertising should promote beer in a responsible manner, targeting toward adults of legal purchasing age, but sometimes they even target younger crowds.





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Brim-case study in marketing strategies

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I. CASE SUMMARY


The year is 170 and the total coffee market has plateaued but the total decaffeinated segment is expected to double over the next 10 years. Furthermore, the decaffeinated coffee segment offers higher margins than the regular coffee segment making the decaffeinated coffee market a tempting target for competition. Given that Maxwell House’s Sanka held % of the decaffeinated market its position would have been reasonably secure except for one major weakness…its poor taste.


These factors prompted Maxwell House to launch Brim, a decaffeinated blend of high-quality beans with taste-oriented positioning. The introduction of Brim is a flank defensive maneuver designed to preempt competitors from entering the decaffeinated coffee market by further segmenting the overall coffee market and by providing a better tasting alternative to Sanka. Furthermore, management believed Sanka’s 4.4% hold of the Instant and Freeze-dried market was about to face a serious threat from a decaffeinated version of Nestle’s Taster’s Choice Freeze-Dried, a decaffeinated product extension of an already successful brand positioned on taste. Finally, with the introduction of Brim, Maxwell House hoped to insulate the division’s decaffeinated position by offering a better tasting alternative to Sanka.


In 174, two short years after its rollout, Brim appeared to have won the race to national expansion over Nestle’s Taster’s Choice Decaffeinated. But within the next year Brim’s growth stagnated while Taster’s Choice Decaffeinated continued to grow and Proctor & Gamble introduced High Point.





Now, two years later and six years after the introduction of Brim, the total coffee market is at a 0-year low, the decaffeinated segment has been stagnant for three years and there have been recent reports that the decaffeination process might cause cancer. It is in this environment that Brim must develop next year’s strategic plan and a five-year plan for its product group, modified coffees.


II. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM


Several key internal and external issues play an integral part to the main issue of whether and how to revive Brim. The key internal issues includes Maxwell House Division’s recent designation as a “cash cow minus,” Brim’s negative margin and ROFE and the involvement of several levels of management. Key external issues include a stagnant mature market, increasing competition from new entrants, the growth of substitute products and the decline of Brim’s product life cycle. Faced with a stagnant industry and declining market share Brim’s product team faces two major tasks. First, immediately arrest the decline of Brim’s share in the total market. Brim’s market share has dropped from .6% to .1% in the past two years and its market share is expected to decline to 1.% within the next eighteen months. Second, Maxwell House must decide on a long-term direction for Brim.


III. FINAL DECISION


IV. ANALYSIS


A.) PRODUCT


Background of Coffee


According to legend, coffee was discovered in Ethiopia when goatherds noticed their flocks stayed awake all night after feeding on coffee leaves and berries. By 100, coffee had reached Arabia. Before its use as a beverage 700 years ago, coffee was a food, then a wine, and then a medicine. Coffee moved from Arabia to Turkey during the 1500’s and to Italy in the early 1600’s. Coffeehouses sprang up throughout Europe in the 1600’s and became meeting places for discussion. Coffee came to America in the 1660’s and coffee growing was introduced to Brazil in the 1700’s.


There are three general groups of coffee-Brazils, Milds, and Robustas. Most coffees are named for the region where it is grown or the port from which it is shipped. The active ingredient in coffee is caffeine. Caffeine is a substance that acts as a stimulant on the nervous system. Research has shown that prolonged use of coffee in substantial quantities may lead to certain heart disease and increase the risk of potential heart attacks.


Market


In the mid and late 170’s the overall coffee market was in decline. The coffee market had many characteristics of a mature market. Total coffee volume had plateaued and was beginning to fall; however, the total decaffeinated segment was expected to double by 180. General Foods acquired Sanka, the first decaffeinated brand of coffee in 1. Sanka held a % share of the decaffeinated market, but it was vulnerable because of one major weakness poor taste. Research showed the main reason people were unwilling to switch to decaffeinated coffee was its perceived poor taste, and in particular, Sanka. General Foods felt that to protect their stronghold on the decaffeinated market they had to employ a defense strategy. The chosen strategy was to use innovation to develop a product that operated in the same decaffeinated niche as Sanka but made up for it’s taste shortfall.


Product Defined


According to Kotler, a product is defined as anything that can be offered to satisfy a need or want. Occasionally, other terms are used in place of product such as offering or solution. Decaffeinated coffee was offered as a solution to customers who required the taste of coffee without the ill effects of caffeine.


Brim’s Position


Product Characteristics


Product Life Cycle


Four points must be asserted to say that a product has a life cycle (1) products have a limited life; () product sales pass through distinct stages, each posing different challenges, opportunities, and problems to the seller; () Profits rise and fall at different stages of the product life cycle, and (4) products require different marketing, financial, marketing, purchasing, and human resource strategies in each stage of their life cycle. A product’s life cycle typically portrays its sales history following a distinct bell shaped curve. This bell shaped curve can further be divide into four stages introduction, growth, maturity, and decline. Branded products can have either a long or short-run product life cycle.


Brim is in the mature-decline stage of its life cycle. The Life-Cycle pattern it most clearly resembles is the Growth-Slump-Maturity pattern.


Competition


During every pioneer’s product life cycle, the product will enter a competitive cycle. In this cycle, competitors will enter and market share leadership and prices will fall. Initially the pioneer is the sole supplier with 100% of the production capacity and sales. This was the case with Sanka in the decaffeinated segment from 1 until the 160’s when the competitive penetration stage began. Brim was introduced with the specific intent of holding off the competitors increasing interest in the decaffeinated market. Nestle introduced its brand of freeze-dried decaffeinated coffee at the same time as Brim was introduced. Taster’s Choice Decaffeinated was a major competitor and Proctor & Gambel’s High Point is already competing with Brim in select markets.


B.) Price


The Boston Consulting Group Model portfolio planning approach designated the Maxwell House Division a cash cow minus. What does it mean? It means Maxwell House should harvest. The objective of harvesting is to increase the SBU (Brim)’s short-term cash flow regardless of long-term effect. General Foods needs to cash in on Brim before it becomes a Dog. Some of the indicators of harvesting are as follows


ɨ Business is in a stable or declining market - The total US coffee market is at a 0 year low, and the decaffeinated market has stagnated for years


ɨ Business has small market share and building it would be too costly or it has a respectable share but defending it is not economically justified


ɨ The business is losing money or produces only modest profits


ɨ Sales decline would not be precipitous if support is reduced


ɨ The firm has better use for freed funds


ɨ The business is not a major component of the firm’s portfolio


ɨ The business contributes little to other entities within the organization in terms of synergies, sale stability, and prestige


Harvest


One of the components of harvest is to reduce cost at a faster rate than any potential drop in sales, resulting in an increase in the company’s positive cash flow. Reducing costs include limiting investments in advertising, new plants and equipment, and R&D.


In addition to trimming product costs, Maxwell House can also consider changing Brim’s price. Questions that Maxwell House should ask include would a price cut attract new users? If so, should the list price be lowered, or should prices be lowered through price specials, volume or early-purchase discounts, freight cost absorption, or easier terms? Or would it be better to raise the price to signal higher quality? Some of the objectives that Maxwell House might consider are as follows


ɨ Survival


ɨ Profit Maximization


ɨ Revenue Maximization


ɨ Sales Growth Maximization � penetration pricing


ɨ Market Skimming Maximization � inelastic demand situations


ɨ Product-Quality Leadership � price/quality relationship


ɨ Other Pricing Objectives � e.g., cost recovery, social pricing


Strategic Pricing Alternatives


After Maxwell House has decided on a pricing objective, it will then decide on whether to increase or reduce the price of Brim. The following lists the eight strategic alternatives


STRATEGIC OPTIONS CONSEQUENCES


Maintain price and perceived quality Smaller market share


Lowered profitability


Raise price and perceived quality Smaller market share


Maintained profitability


Maintain price and raise perceived quality Smaller market share


Short-term decline in profitability


Long-term increase in profitability


Cut price partly and raise perceived quality Maintained market share


Short-term decline in profitability


Long-term maintained profitability


Cut price fully and maintain perceived quality Maintained market share


Short-term decline in profitability


Cut price fully and reduce perceived quality Maintained market share


Maintained margin


Reduced long-term profitability


Maintain price and reduce perceived quality Smaller market share


Maintained margin


Reduced long-term profitability


Introduce an economy model Some cannibalization but higher total volume


Any price change can affect customers, competitors, distributors, and suppliers and may provoke government reaction as well. Customers’ often question the motivation behind price changes. A price cut can be interpreted in the following ways


ɨ The item is about to be replaced by a new model


ɨ The item is faulty and is not selling well


ɨ The item is in financial trouble and may not stay in business to supply future parts


ɨ The price will be reduced even more; it pays to wait


ɨ The quality has been reduced


A price increase, which would normally deter sales, may carry some positive meanings to customers The item is “hot” and might be unobtainable unless it is bought soon, or the item represents an unusually good value.


Customers are more price-sensitive to expensive products and/or are products they buy frequently, while they hardly notice higher prices on low-cost items they buy infrequently. Coffee is generally a weekly purchase. In addition, some buyers are less concerned with the product’s price than they are with the total costs of obtaining, operating, and servicing the product over its lifetime. A seller can charge more than competitors and still get the business if the customer can be convinced that the product’s total lifetime costs are lower.


When contemplating a price change, Brim also has to worry about their competitors’ reactions as well as the customers’ reactions. Competitors are most likely to react where the number of firms in the industry is small, the product is homogeneous, and the buyers are highly informed. The decaffeinated coffee market is of such a nature. The challenge is to read the competitors’ mind by using inside and outside sources of information. Because there are several competitors such as P&G’s High Point and Nestle’s Tester’s Choice, Brim must estimate each of the competitor’s likely reaction.


C.) Brim-Advertising & Promotion


Promotion Objectives


Kotler’s three promotional objectives are to inform, persuade, or remind. Brim’s advertising shifted from informing (“The first strong coffee without caffeine”) to reminding (taste enjoyment). The message kept changing, from a rational appeal (caffeine concerns) to emotional appeal (husband reward), creating confusion for consumers. Further, Brim’s level of advertising spending shrunk during the 170’s and during several periods was cut altogether, showing a lack of commitment from parent company Maxwell House. When a product is introduced, it should receive high levels of spending to develop brand loyalty. Brim received an initial influx of advertising dollars, then, nothing. As a result, consumers never developed a clear perception or loyalty to Brim.


Target Market


In the 170’s, the coffee buyer was predominantly the woman of the household and Brim’s advertising should have been directed at her. However, from 17-178, Brim only advertised once in Good Housekeeping, arguably the most popular women’s magazine published. Obviously Brim was not always reaching its target market. The informative/reminder ads were not strong enough to convince consumers to buy Brim. A persuasive approach may have been more effective.


Industry Advertising Spending Levels


Brim and Sanka combined spent more in advertising than Tasters Choice Regular and Decaffeinated and Nescafe and Nescafe Decaffeinated but as their declining market share illustrates, their message was not effective. Sanka’s advertising levels increased at the expense of Brim. Taster’s Choice, even though its spending was less, could receive more impact for its advertising dollar because both brands could be advertised together since the brand names were the same and the packaging was similar. Taster’s Choice Decaffeinated was borrowing a “known” name, Taster’s Choice, so the name recognition was quicker than for a new to the world product such as Brim. Nestle and Proctor and Gamble could succeed because of the synergies each enjoyed, particularly in sales, distribution and marketing.


Product Life Cycle


Brim is in the mature stage of its product life cycle. During the mature stage, sales promotion becomes the most important promotional tool, followed by advertising, then personal selling. Advertising builds brand loyalty and creates a reason for consumers to buy the product. Promotion offers an incentive to buy, and weakens brand loyalty. In the 170’s, coffee was purchased weekly, so advertising was crucial. Promotions will cause some consumers to shift brands, but generally, this type of consumer will buy whatever brand is offering the best deal. The loyal brand buyers will not usually switch brands because of a promotion. Developing loyal customers may be accomplished through consistency in the message, medium of advertising and levels of spending.


Trade Promotion


Sixty percent of Brim’s sales volume was on deal. Brim should decrease this incentive to cut costs. However, wholesalers and retailers have grow accustomed to receiving these incentives and they could stop buying Brim, especially since there are many other competitors to buy from. Brim should gradually decrease the amount sold on deal and instead offer less expensive quarterly trade promotions. High Point was effective with its distribution even though High Point used a low percentage of pull promotions.


Current Advertising Dilemmas


Alan Laker and his staff are faced with several advertising concerns. First, should Brim reintroduce national advertising, second, how much should they spend, and third, what message would be the most effective.


5 M’s of an Integrated Marketing Program


Brim’s management team should consider the 5 M’s before embarking on an advertising strategy mission, money, message, media and measurement.


Mission


Since Brim is in the mature stage of its life cycle, the company should not increase spending on advertising or promotion. Brim’s goal should be to keep its sales from declining too quickly, maintain its market share, limit its costs and generate as much revenue as possible to recoup its investment. Kotler discusses five factors to consider when setting an advertising budget the product’s stage in its life cycle, its market share, competition and clutter, advertising frequency, and product substitutability. Brim has a declining market share, faces competitors with deeper pockets and better advertising messages, has advertised inconsistently, and decaffeinated coffee has many substitutes. Brim should adopt a strategy of guerilla attacks on its competition instead of launching a full-scale national advertising campaign. Brim would keep its costs to a minimum and yet be able to pick strategic markets.


Setting a Promotion Budget


Of Kotler’s four methods of setting a promotion budget, the affordable method or the objective and task method may help Brim generate as much cash as possible before it is discontinued. Brim would either spend what it could afford or spend a set amount to achieve certain objectives. Since Brim is now a market follower, the percent of sales method would cost too much and the competitive parity method is not feasible because Brim’s competition is willing to spend more on advertising and has deeper pockets. Brim should spend….


Brim’s Message


Brim should choose a message of….but then keep the advertising message the same over a period of time. Brim’s packaging should remain the same. A change in packaging would confuse consumers, reduce credibility and changing the packaging is an expense Brim could avoid.


Brim’s niche is the premium tasting decaffeinated coffee market. Brim should consider distributing sample packets of its coffee to target markets, such as an insert in the Sunday newspaper. Consumers drink coffee, especially in the morning while reading the paper.


Brim should hire a new ad agency with fresh ideas because its advertising using Benton & Bowles has not improved. When High Point was being test marketed, it used the same advertising, packaging and media plan in each test market, creating a consistent approach.


Media


Brim should advertise in mediums where they can reach their target market. A combination of print advertising (ladies magazines such as Good Housekeeping and Ladies Home Journal), prime time and daytime (soap operas).


Measurement


V. RECOMMENDATIONS


The Maxwell House division of General Foods has three strategic choices for Brim coffee in fiscal year 17. The first choice is to do nothing. This strategy will allow natural market forces to determine the fate of Brim under its previously assigned brand role. Which is? The second alternative for the Maxwell House division is to engage in a hold strategy. This strategy aims to maintain Brim’s market share through its desired role. The third option is to engage in a complete retrenchment strategy in an effort to pull Brim off the shelf.


Do Nothing


Prior to17, Brim’s advertising strategies were ineffective in communicating and emphasizing its taste benefits and other attributes. At the forefront of this problem was a continuous shift in advertising strategies from year to year. This lack of continuity eventually forced the Maxwell House division to cut its advertising and promotional expenditures for Brim. For the “do nothing” strategy, minimal advertising and promotion means cost effective management for a product that is rapidly losing market share. Another benefit is that resources once allocated to Brim could be used for other brands.


The “do nothing” strategy is at the mercy of the market. Brim could make a fantastic turnaround, linger on like slow death, or quickly reach a point where carrying the product is no longer feasible. It is this uncertainty that is least appealing. Even with Brim’s brand role of market segmentation and as a compliment to Sanka, the marketing mix could not effectively be implemented under this scenario.


Hold


The hold and protect strategy merits some consideration from the standpoint of maintaining whatever market share is left for Brim. Typically, a hold strategy is appropriate for a product that is yielding substantial positive cash flows. Brim has a negative cash flow, but its desired role for fiscal year 17 will play a key role in creating enough momentum to maintain market share for the short run. The desired role for Brim is to “present the broadest decaffeinated appeal to caffeine-concerned coffee drinkers by complimenting Sanka’s health emphasis with a taste-emphasis positioning.” One benefit of attempting to maintain market share is that it can buy additional time for valuable market research for long term strategic planning. In addition, a hold strategy can force Brim to evaluate its current strategies by refocusing or refining its desired segmentation role.


Harvest


The third alternative strategy is harvest. Harvesting involves a decision to eventually withdraw from a business by implementing a program of continuous cost retrenchment. The elimination of research and development expenditures, advertising and other budgetary elements are characteristics of a harvesting strategy taking place. Generally, this strategy is appropriate for SBU’s or businesses that have lost market dominance and are experiencing poor or negative cash flows. One of the main objectives of a harvest strategy is to slash costs at a rate faster than any potential drop in sales. One disadvantage to harvesting Brim is competitors would have the opportunity to absorb Brims .1% share of the total coffee market.


VI. TEAM RECOMMENDATION


The Maxwell House division should harvest Brim for several key reasons. First, Maxwell House had already been practicing a retrenchment strategy when it decided to cut advertising expenditures for six months in 176. In 177, a similar action was taken. Market growth stagnation and a confusing advertising campaign were two primary reasons for this cut in advertising. By 178, advertising was almost at zero. In summary, the outlook for market growth is stagnant and advertising dollars have been drastically cut for the past three years. Brim’s future is weak and a harvest strategy should be accelerated.


Brim and the Boston Consulting Group Model


Where does Brim get plotted in the BCG model? Maxwell House division, not Brim, is a “cash cow minus;” however, Brim possesses all the characteristics of a “dog.” Brim is not expected to turnaround its poor market growth rate, and it has little or no chance to make a profit. In the BCG model, it is suggested that “dogs” be phased down or withdraw.


Mature Marketing Strategies for Brim


Brim is a product that can benefit from strategies developed for use with mature products. We have already concluded that Brim is a weak product from a market share perspective. Management has cut its advertising and its future appears dim. The objective of mature marketing strategies is to try and revive a product’s use and benefit to consumers. A hold strategy is recommended for Brim, and if this strategy is adopted, the following mature marketing initiatives could aid in this effort.


To revive Brim, the Maxwell House division should first attempt to boost sales volume. This can be accomplished in three ways. The first is to attract new nonusers to Brim. The Maxwell House division should explore new packaging, product improvements, wider segmentation strategies or increased promotional initiatives to demonstrate the benefits inherent in Brim. However, the cost involved with this may be prohibitive. Another method of expanding the number of brand users is to enter new markets. For example, Brim could find ways to introduce its benefits to hot cocoa or tea drinkers. A third way of increasing sales volume is to win competitors’ customers. In the Brim case, the key is to bait consumers of Taster’s Choice, Nescafe or High Point to adopt Brim.


Increased usage of a brand is another strategy of expanding volume. Marketers can extol the virtues of Brim as a beverage that can be drunk at any time during the day or night. They may attempt to get users to drink more than one cup per occasion. Here, Brim could experiment with ways to get users to brew ten to twelve cup servings rather than one individual serving per occasion. As an accompaniment to food, Brim can be marketed as a dessert coffee

















Despite equal preferences in blind product tests High Point’s packaging and trademark had significant consumer appeal and their advertising copy contained strong tats credentials.


Strategic plan


Plus a five-year plan


Main issue whether and how to attempt to revive brim


Brim’s role was open to debate�Brim’s role had been to support Sanka


Two major tasks


Arrest immediately the decline in Brim’s share of the total market


Decide on a long-term direction for Brim Shrink,


Hold or


Expand?


By How Much?


Brim Sanka RAU


Present statistics Present Statistics Target Statistics


ROFE (1.0)% ROFE ROFE 5-40%


Margins (6.8)% Margins Margins 1-14%


CAN WE BACK INTO THESE TARGET GOALS


Cash cow minus


Competitive nature of the industry�Did I do okay do you have anything to add?


Organization of the Company�recent high turnover�need to include somewhere


Characteristics of a mature market specifically a declining mature market





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Creating & Sustaining a Healthy Environment

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Creating and Sustaining a Healthy Organizational Culture


All organizations have a work culture made up of unspoken values, customs, and practices. To run an effective business, a healthy organizational culture is necessary for the leadership to ensure everyone knows he or she is running a healthy organization. Leaders know the importance of the workplace culture and to successfully guide one, they must issue a written statement of the core values and policies and procedures to deal with specific instructions how the work is to be done, that convey the company’s vision. At “You Name It,” the corporate values are to operate in accordance with the highest standards in all relationships with customers, suppliers, environment, and the community (Dessler, 00).


There are two different leadership styles our company has chosen with the goal to create a healthy organizational culture. The styles of leadership are task-centered and considerate. Task oriented emphasis to employees the need to understand what is expected and how their contribution fits into the company’s goal of servicing our customers effectively. Considerate leaders develop trust, build teamwork, and help employees with problems. Combining both styles will keep us focused on our goal in offering excellent service to the clients and at the same time allow latitude without loosing focus of the organization’s values (Dessler, 00).


Leaders influence the workplace culture by the shadow they cast; who they are and how they behave speaks louder than words. To sustain the right corporate culture the leaders must reflect the company’s values, and set the standards because healthy organizations attract productive employees, and productive employees help build a successful organization (Dessler, 00).





do not have one.


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Body Image and Contemporary Society

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Body Image and Contemporary Society


We are living in a world filled with a lot of problems. The countries have political issues, families have relationship problems, and human beings have problems about body image. What makes them pay more attention to their outward appearance is the problem that we need to talk about. A person’s body image can be influenced very easily because we all want to look and feel our best; however, we live in a culture in America that puts too much emphasis on physical appearance, and it relies much on a set of ideal standards portrayed by the media. Peer pressure usually is also another influence besides the media.


As society progresses, the media is giving people more pressure to fit in with a standard image. There are numerous of advertisements emphasize thinness as a standard for female beauty and muscular as a standard for male, and often emphasize sexuality and the importance of physical attractiveness in an attempt to sell products. As result, there is growing awareness regarding the pressure women and girls, men and boys are under to appear skinny and muscular. For example, whenever watching TV shows, movies or magazines, there is always something to catch people’s attention to measure their body image. Often commercials only use women who are unhealthily skinny and men who are unrealistically muscular. These are so called “perfect” bodies that we are led to believe we must have in order to be beautiful. All these have led to the destruction of millions of people’s self-esteem, and led to numerous and serious health problems like anorexia and bulimia.


Moreover, according to “Thank Barbie for Britney” the media strongly influences children to act and dress like teens through advertisements and TV programs. Barbie and Britney Spears are leading the sexualization of young girls with their vampy images and attitudes. For example, my seven year old niece already knows how to dress and pose sexily like a super model and celebrity, and she always ask me for a Barbie instead of a baby doll. And her parents can do little to change her ideas because advertisers are selling their products directly to the children on children’s programs.





Peer pressure is also a very strong influence on our body image besides the media. We grow up surrounded by authority figures and peers who tell us the right way and wrong way to look which means that most of us are affected by what they have to say. We give into peer pressure because we want to be liked, to fit in, or because we worry that other people may make fun of us if we dont go along with the group. H.D. the author of “Dying to Be Bigger” is a good example. He starts taking drugs to get stronger and smoking because he wanted to fit in with the “cool” crowd. The idea that everyones doing it influences us to leave our better judgment, or our common sense, behind. For instance, my classmates have tattoos and they think it is cool when you have tattoos. I wanted to be cool, and to be part of them too, so I went to get two tattoos. At that moment I only think I will not be lonely at school, they will like me more after I have tattoos. Peer pressure can be extremely strong and hard to resist, and we can feel pressured to look and feel a certain way.


In fact, we do not live all alone, and human beings are social animals. As such, all of us have a basic desire to fit in and be accepted by other. Thus our society and our peers have very great influence on our body image, and we have to be very careful not to let this influence become so big as to be unhealthy both for women and men.





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Critical opinion of Keats's 'Eve of St. Agnes'

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Critical Opinion of The Eve Of St.Agnes by John Keats Louise Acker, 1AY


Keats was born in the time of the Romantics, and as such his inspiration originated from such long-forgotten myths as King Arthur and Robin Hood. Keats also celebrated the gothic, the imaginative and the strange; inspired by Medievalism itself. This celebration can be seen very clearly in The Eve of St. Agnes, which plays with ideas of Romantic and courtly love, myths and Arthurian tales, as Keats sets up his (some would say somewhat unoriginal) chivalric narrative.


For his subject Keats chose the Eve of St. Agnes, which is still celebrated today. On the twentieth of January, the pure ‘Brides of St. Agnes’ will fall asleep before midnight and hope to wake in the morning beside the love of their life. Some critics would say that Keats is using excessive language and metaphors without purpose to mock this legend, however I believe that to come up with such emotive and powerful descriptions as


‘And still she slept an azure-lidded sleep,





In blanched linen, smooth, and lavendar’d’,


and such expressive imagery as


‘A cloth of woven crimson, gold, and jet’,


Keats must have believed in his cause.


The mood of the poem changes throughout, progressing and moving with the current theme and plotline. I think this is necessary to keep a momentum going as, basically, the poem would otherwise seem to crawl into nothing.


In the first stanza all the reader’s senses are aroused ‘bitter chill’ and ‘numb’ for touch, ‘silent’ for hearing, ‘sweet’ and ‘frosted breath’ for taste, ‘pious incense’ for smell and ‘Virgin’s picture’ appeals to the sight. By overloading the reader with these stimuli, Keats creates a sensuous and deep feel to the poem even within the first stanza. The tone is religious and negative, emphasised by the slow pace of the verse and the unhappy language


‘chill’, ‘a-cold’, ‘frozen grass’, ‘limp’d’ (also an inference to death, showing that Keats’s distraction of mortality cannot be held back for long). The language is archaic (‘was a-cold’) and Keats had used a punchy pause and exclamation mark in the first line to emphasise the extent of the cold and the importance of the date


‘St. Agnes’ Eve � Ah, bitter chill it was!’


Sibilance is also used here to create a soft, quiet and negative atmosphere, with words like ‘silent’, ‘grass’, ‘pious incense’ and ‘censer’. In a way this prepares the reader for what is to come and negates the expectation that this poem ends happily. The title and the references to religion such as ‘pious’, ‘rosary’, ‘beadsman’, ‘holy’ and ‘incense’ introduce us to what feels like the religion of love, which will unfold later between the young lovers. By comparing their attachment to a religion Keats seems to be doing a number of things it is as though love is a never-ending cycle, and that, whether good or bad, its ending is inevitable; that love is about faith; that love is a tradition and a myth, a perfect place such as Heaven, but somewhere unreachable and transcendent. It suggest further that rituals are involved (the fruit on the table and her actions later on in preparation), that this is a necessary thing, and that you can cling to love, like a religion. Keats also appears to criticise religion as it is through following the religion of love that Madeline finds disappointment, heartache and ruin.


The next stanza continues the downbeat steps of the old Beadsman, again using sibilance to emphasise slowness, and talking about a crypt like he is in Hell and cannot escape, that the rails are ‘purgatorial’. It also mentions the statues and that he is praying ‘in dumb orat’ries’ to people that will never hear him. This presents the man’s life as pointless, like he no longer has purpose and cannot help his fate. Such a depressing idea is reflective of Keats’s obsession with his own death.


In the third stanza there is a sudden change of atmosphere; the poem becomes lively and colourful, full of energy, with bright language like ‘Music’s golden tongue’, ‘scarce three steps’ and the use of ‘rung’ and ‘sung’ instead of the present tense, which would have much less of an impact. This mood brings hope that is soon dashed with the lines


‘Another way he went, and soon among


Rough ashes sat he for his soul’s reprieve.’


This again reflects the main theme of the poem that life, hope and dreams are short-lived and that in the end death will prevail.


Further on in the poem we see the arrival of youth


‘At length burst in the argent revelry,


With plume, tiara and all rich array’.


These descriptive lines contrast the earlier image of the slow and weak old man with ideas of beauty, youth and richness. The excitement of this builds up throughout the poem; Keats uses manipulation of language such as ‘honey’d middle of the night’, ‘couch’ as a verb and ‘adorings’ as a noun, twisting the rules of English to create more of an effect and bring attention to the sensuality and sexuality of the poem.


‘The Eve of St. Agnes’ is indeed highly charged with erotic undertones such as ‘honey’d’,


‘Anxious her lips’and ‘her breath quick and short’. Tension within this sexuality is built up with phrases like


‘So, purposing each moment to retire,


She linger’d still.’,


‘The lover’s endless minutes slowly pass’d’,


‘She clos’d the door, she panted all akin’.


The other way tension is achieved is that from the tenth stanza through to the nineteenth, Keats concentrates on the actions of the old dame and Porphyro, creating an intensely electric air and allowing the reader to truly feel his frustration. Added to this build-up is Porphyro’s heroic crossing of the rough grounds ‘across the moors’, arriving in true romance and more strongly in love with Madeline than ever


‘with heart on fire’.


This means that Porphyro’s final meeting with his lady is all the more important, and that her undressing becomes all the more painful and sexually charged.


The moments when Madeline removes her clothes slowly and with care are a key point in the poem in my opinion. For me, Keats’s writing here is intense; the words are delicate and beautifully placed, the extent of Porphyro’s admiration is utterly complete, the lady is innocent and pure, the entire scene is exploding with sexual tension on his part and yet he will make no move


‘silken, hushed and chaste’,


‘And threw warm gules on Madeline’s fair breast’,


‘Rose-bloom fell on her hands’,


‘She seem’d a splendid angel, newly drest’.


Also there is the description of the window overlooking


‘blushing with blood of queens and kings’.


These are beautiful examples of Keats’s passionate writing and careful eroticism, and make up the perfect conditions for this engagement of the couple in courtly love.


Porphyro then sets up a table and fills it with exotic fruits for Madeline. These act as a symbol of their mutual ripeness, fertility and sensuality, and are also reminiscent of a religious feast such as The Last Supper in Christianity. This seems to suggest that their ‘religion of love’ will soon come to an end, and that this is their last feast whilst still virgins. It adds to a number of hints from Keats that sex will end your life.


Their have been many different opinions as to where exactly in the poem the actual sexual act takes place; Keats wanted to change a stanza to make the consummation more clear, but his publishers preferred the more subtle approach. In the poem now, the scene becomes that of the window instead of them directly, discretely covering up the act to retain the romance of the poem as well as contrasting the harsh outside world of reality with their safe dream world.


However I believe that the actual act is somehow unimportant; it is the inevitability of the consummation that seams to matter, and her reaction to his presence. She wakes and is deeply disappointed; her dreams have been dashed because he is not what she has hoped for


‘At which fair Madeline began to weep,


And moan forth witless words with many a sigh’.


The atmosphere is so negative here, heavy and relentless, with depressing words and long, quiet sounds such as ‘sigh’, ‘eye’ and references to entrapment as well as the mutability of beauty and youth with words like ‘keep’ and ‘joined’.


Suddenly the two become unreal, the speed slows down, the tone is woeful and the sibilance becomes somehow pessimistic (‘witless words’), when contrasted with the harsher, more stark and metallic consonants such as ‘pallid, chill and drear!’, ‘dark’ and ‘iced gusts’. Keats also mentions a ‘chain-droop’d lamp’ and ‘horsemen, hawk and hound’ to insinuate that they are being hunted by time. However they are not constrained by reality in the end, they are ‘phantoms’, all part of one Beadsman’s gloomy dreams


‘And they are gone’.


The last rhyming couplet sums up the hopelessness and predestination of the lovers, hitting the reader hard to hammer home the message


‘The Beadsman...told,


For aye…his ashes cold.’


The Beadsman’s death is cold and self-denying, which contrasts with the warmth of the poem to be found in its middle parts and creates a picture of doom. It seems that the only way to escape this doom is to live in a dream such as Madeline’s and to experience perfection through fantasy.


I have read some criticisms that Keats wrote this poem ‘to experiment with a specific rhyme-scheme’. It is true that the poem is structured very carefully in Spenserian stanzas (consisting of nine lines, using an ABABBCBCC rhyme-scheme). In my opinion Keats has used this strict formation as a sort of outer coating to his poem, to contain his expressive, colourful words; without such a structure the emotion could burst out of control.





There are many words and phrases in this poem that even I, in my small knowledge of Shakespeare, can recognise from that famous playwright the repeated suggestions of fairies, charms and spells such as ‘pale enchantment held her sleepy-eyed’, ‘moonshine’, ‘seraph’ and ‘charm’; the inferences of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ in that there is a young and handsome boy who engages in courtly love with the girl of his dreams, in that her family obviously dislike him


‘All eyes by muffled, or a hundred swords


Will storm his heart’, and


‘…not one breast affords


Him any mercy, in that mansion foul’,


and even in the small detail of the dame, who, just as the nurse in ‘Romeo and Juliet’, is the only woman who will tolerate him. This sort of unmistakable plagiarism seems to send columnists diving for their keyboards, although Shakespeare himself did borrow from those before him and, in any case, Keats has never kept to Shakespeare’s words but has twisted the tale; in Keats’s poem the lady is disappointed with her lover


‘How chang’d thou art! how pallid, cold and drear!’.


I have read opinions saying that this variation may have been a deliberate cover-up of Keats’s ‘eclectic borrowing’ of Shakespeare’s story; to me this opinion is too shallow and superficial for Keats. I believe the poet has used the change to emphasise that nothing can be everlasting, that everything, even the greatest literary works and the best romances, is mutable. Keats was obsessed by his own mortality from an early age and wanted to write a poem so amazing that it would defy death for him. I think that in recalling themes from Shakespeare, King Arthur and so on Keats is allowing those great myths and writers of the past a chance at morality, as if hoping that some day his work will too be re-iterated at least, if not treasured.


In ‘John Keats � A Beginner’s Guide’, David Edwards writes


‘…his best poetry explores the fine lines between dream and reality, the ideal and the actual, tempering an aptly adolescent intensity with a cool distanced self-awareness’.


This completely describes how I look at the story of ‘The Eve Of St. Agnes’ and is, in my opinion, an extremely tight and insightful comment on the poet. In this poem the adolescents are the young Porphyro and his Madeline. When describing Madeline, Keats uses exquisite language full of fruitfulness, beauty and richness, and Porphyro always comes over as gallant and romantic. This is fitting for the poem, neatly obeying the criteria of courtly love.


Although I feel drawn to the dreamy romanticism in ‘The Eve Of St. Agnes’, when I look at


the poem overall I see it as a pessimistic view on life, based around the idea of fate that you cannot affect, dreams that you cannot keep and ideals that are no longer valid; it is a poem that reaffirms the mutability of life, for me. However the language is deeply sensuous, the atmosphere is intoxicating and the poem in itself is generally pleasing, until broken down into its hard message and echo of mortality.





Please note that this sample paper on Critical opinion of Keats's 'Eve of St. Agnes' is for your review only. In order to eliminate any of the plagiarism issues, it is highly recommended that you do not use it for you own writing purposes. In case you experience difficulties with writing a well structured and accurately composed paper on Critical opinion of Keats's 'Eve of St. Agnes', we are here to assist you. Your cheap custom college paper on Critical opinion of Keats's 'Eve of St. Agnes' will be written from scratch, so you do not have to worry about its originality.

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