Red Bull Marketing Strategy What You Need to Know + How to Copy It

Red Bull Marketing Strategy What You Need to Know + How to Copy It Red Bull is an unbeatable marketing powerhouse. When it comes to their marketing strategy, the brand takes everything it does to the extreme. However, their marketing efforts always put the audience first. In fact, selling their product comes second. While theyre active on array of channels and use tons of different tactics, everything revolves around one concept:  creating content and experiences people would be interested in even if they dont care about energy drink brands. By going above and beyond to produce content on par with major publishers, pull off mindblowing events, and more, theyve become one of the most talked about brands in the world. In this post, youll learn how they went from small startup to global media empire (and borrow their ideas for your own brand). Red Bull Marketing Strategy: What You Need to Know (And How to Copy It)Get Your Red Bull Marketing Stats Infographic What’s the best way to dominate a market? Create one that doesn’t exist yet. That’s exactly what Red Bull did with energy drinks 30 years ago. Thanks to smart marketing and creative strategy, they’ve stayed on top for three decades. So, what does the data look like behind that domination? Download this infographic and find out. DID YOU KNOW: You can plan and organize your entire marketing strategy with , the industry's best-selling marketing calendar solution? Learn how here. How Red Bull Got Started Red Bull first came to the market in 1987  after Austrian toothpaste salesman Dietrich Mateschitz came to Thailand and heard about an â€Å"energy tonic†, created by Chaleo Yoovidhya. The tonic was supposed to help keep drinkers awake and alert. After three years of testing Red Bull launched in Austria, but the two businessmen had doubters. â€Å"There is no demand in the market for this type of drink,† they said. There was no way anyone would go for it. They were wrong. Today, Red Bull dominates, with over 43% of the market share in 2015. The best part? They’re still going strong. Considering Red Bull created the market in the first place, dominating just about half of it after nearly three decades years isn’t bad. Check out this infographic of their whole history: The History Of Red Bull's Unconventional Marketing Strategy When Red Bull first came out, energy drinks didn’t exist, and traditional advertising was expensive. So, Red Bull went rogue and went with a different strategy. What did they do, exactly? They simply went straight to their target audience (18 -35-year-old males)at college parties, libraries, coffee shops, bars and other places where they hang out. By bringing their audience free samples, they put the product right in their consumer's hands. That got their audience talking, spreading the word about their product for free. Today, they still employ a similar strategy: they go wherever their audience is at. Whether that means sponsoring a music festival or creating top-notch culture content, they'll do it. In fact, the content Red Bull publishes is executed at the same level as a professional publishing house. They're effectively a media company that happens to sell an energy drink, rather than the other way around. Recommended Reading: How to Mature Your Publishing Process With Matthew Ankeny From Gear Patrol How Red Bull Reaches Its Target Market Red Bull focuses on three significant tactics to attract its target audience: Publishing awesome content:  The content that the Red Bull marketing team creates is on the same level as other major media outlets that their audience might consume content from. Colossal publicity stunts:  Red Bull takes â€Å"Go Big or Go Home† to the next level by producing massive stunts that cause everyone to freeze and watch what happens. Sponsoring or creating events:  Red Bull proved its marketing prowess by taking their product and associating it with things their audience loves by sponsoring or creating events for them. Check out this Slide Deck on Red Bull’s marketing strategy: How Red Bull Approaches Content Marketing  Strategy Red Bull’s content does three things exceptionally well. First, it  covers  topics that interest their audience. Extreme sports, concerts and music festivals are just a few of the topics covered on the Red Bull website. Picture anywhere you might see someone enjoying (or needing) a Red Bull and their content will cover it. Second, is their ability to sell their brand but not push their product. Their content focuses solely on the enjoyment of the reader, not selling Red Bull. In turn, their audience begins to associate their product with content that they love to consume. Want to do marketing like @redbull? Push content, not product.Third, it publishes videos, blog posts, landing pages and other types of content at the same professional level as media sites that their target audience consumes content from. Take this video for example. It’s high energy, high impact, and full of content that people who love extreme air stunts would enjoy: How Red Bull Uses Publicity Stunts to Generate Hype Another piece of the Red Bull marketing strategy is their insane publicity stunts. They sent a man up 128,000 ft above the earth in a small ship and helium balloon and had him free fall out of it. This stunt, commonly known as the Red Bull Stratos Jump  broke two different world records: By creating massive stunts, like the Stratos Jump, it causes their audience (and let’s face it, probably everyone else) to stop and think, â€Å"Whoa what’s that? I NEED to watch this.† Recommended Reading: How to Generate Data-Backed Social Media Campaign Ideas How Red Bull Uses Events to Reach Consumers The third part of their strategy involves hosting and sponsoring events that their target market is already attending. Whether that means music festivals, film events, or even extreme cliff diving, Red Bull will either create or sponsor an event around them. Why is this a brilliant move? Their audience is already there. Their target audience is an active group. They’re trying new and crazy stunts, they love extreme sports or rocking out at a music festival. So Red Bull shows  up at places they know their target audience would be. Take Coachella for example. This massive music festival takes place over the course of two weekends in the desert and fans don’t want to miss a second of it. That may mean sacrificing a few hours of sleep. Red Bull shows up and gives them the wings (and energy) they need to stay awake and keep jamming at the festival. Recommended Reading: How to Find Your Target Audience and Create the Best Content That Connects 8 Ways Red Bull Executes Its Marketing Strategy Red Bull’s  ability to stay true to its branding and values is what makes them successful. DID YOU KNOW: makes it easy to plan and execute your entire marketing strategy. See how you can schedule content, automate social media, manage your team, and more on one marketing calendar. 1. Maximizing The Idea Behind Their Tagline Red Bull's messaging strategy revolves around their tagline, â€Å"Red Bull gives you wings.† It focuses on the idea that their product gives people the â€Å"wings† or energy they need to do whatever they want when they want. This tagline fuels their content because they produce and record some of the most action-packed, high flying sports and activities the world has ever seen. Need a little help jumping out of a plane in a flying suit? Let Red Bull give you the extra push you need. 2. Keeping Consistent Visual Branding The visual branding that Red Bull has created is a key contributor to the brand’s success. Take a look at one of their more recent YouTube videos: The content keeps the watcher engaged through a fast-paced, high-intensity stunt that leaves them wondering if they’ll actually be able to pull it off. That edge of your seat, shock-inducing mentality is what Red Bull’s branding is all about. In turn, they’re able to say, we gave people the energy (and courage) they needed to attempt something this crazy. Recommended Reading: 16 Video Marketing Tips That Will Skyrocket Your Traffic 3. Letting Values Be Their Guide Their values play a role in their content as well. They center around one core phrase â€Å"giving wings to people and ideas.† Everything that the Red Bull team communicates revolves around that tagline and their values. It’s the ability to keep that communication consistent over the past 30 years that has lead to their success. 4. Building a Strong Content Core RedBull’s content core can be summed up by saying: â€Å"Red Bull’s content core revolves around the intersection between their audience’s interest for extreme sports, festivals, and a fast-paced lifestyle with their product’s ability to keep people awake and give them energy during those events.† They focus on topics like extreme sports, music, art, dance, nightlife and a whole lot more. Because of that broad spectrum, their content can appeal to the right audience. There is one thing that Red Bull does with its content core that pushes them ahead of the pack. Every piece of content that they create matches the quality of other publications their target audience might read like Buzzfeed, Vice, ESPN, and more. That level of quality makes it seem like it’s coming from a powerhouse dedicated to creating consumable media, not an energy drink brand. Recommended Reading: How to Find Your Target Audience and Create the Best Content That Connects 5. Creating Content Around What Their Audience Loves What does every topic that they cover (and there’s a lot of them) have in common? They focus on activities that their audience would participate in while consuming their products.   They also publish that content everywhere their audience is likely to hang out. They publish a massive amount of material on their website, which, surprisingly, has no mention of their product whatsoever: They produce a magazine, The Red Bulletin, which circulates over 2.2 million copies a month: They also create awesome, awe-inspiring videos: In summary, if their target audience is consuming content on a given channel, you can count on Red Bull being there. Recommended Reading: The Most Complete Content Marketing Process Guide You Need to Get Organized 6. Revamping the Way They Use Traditional Media It’s not just content marketing that Red Bull dominates. The brand invests a substantial amount in traditional mass media channels as well. Red Bull’s TV content operates in two formats: videos they create for their online channels  (YouTube, social media, etc.)  and ads that they partner with traditional TV channel content: Their TV content resides on their online hub called Red Bull TV. Their videos and shows are segmented into formats like Events and Films as well as channel topics like Cliff Diving and Culture: They’ve moved into the music realm too. In addition to covering or sponsoring massive musical festivals, Red Bull also boasts it’s own record label, recording studio, music academy, publishing group, and online radio station. Recommended Reading: How to Make a Video Content Marketing Strategy That Will Engage Your Audience 7. By Being Loud and Proud With Social Media Strategy Social media is another channel that Red Bull dominates with authority. Their Facebook page, for example, is full of artistic videos that blend together visually appealing images, music created by their own record label that pumps up viewers, and the sports and events their audience loves. Their message is short and sweet while the first 3 seconds leave you wondering what is happening. You have no choice but to see it through to the end: Leonardo Fioravanti Man-made waves hand-made surfing skills. Posted by Red Bull on Tuesday, November 28, 2017 Their Twitter and Instagram channels on the other hand focus on â€Å"wow† worthy images  to promote shares and interaction with their fans. What’s a wow worthy image for Red Bull? According to Link Humans, it’s images that capture speed, sport and motion: Wings with a view. Where are your wings taking you this week? pic.twitter.com/ZKrEtr40yb - Red Bull (@redbull) November 14, 2017 Their  ability to create dynamic social media posts that  are so engaging it stops fans from scrolling past it is what makes them a social media success.  Each media piece looks like their subject is in motion, which reflects the brand’s high energy aesthetic. Recommended Reading: How to Create the Best Documented Social Media Marketing Strategy in Eight Steps 8. Bringing The Product To The Audience With Sponsorships and Events Finally, Red Bull’s sponsorship and events are the last part of their marketing strategy that seals the domination of their brand. Let’s  break their efforts into three categories: Publicity stunts. Events they’ve created. Sponsorships. Their publicity stunts are so crazy it forces the world to stop and watch. Of course, there’s their Stratos Jump, but there’s more. Take the Red Bull Air Force  team  for example. This group is dedicated to pulling off some of the craziest aerial acrobatics ever seen: Then there are their events, like Red Bull Crashed Ice  or Red Bull Queen of the Bay  that focus on specific sports like ice cross or surfing respectfully. These events focus on fans of the sport and raise awareness of the Red Bull brand. Finally, there are sponsorships. From the Electric Daisy Carnival  in Las Vegas to Coachella, Red Bull is involved with it all. It’s a genius move on the company’s part because who attends all of those events? Their target audience. Not only that, but those sponsorships allow Red Bull to expose the brand to new audiences due to the sheer number of people who attend. Recommended Reading: How to Use an Event Calendar to Organize Your #IRL Attendance Why Their Strategy Works Red Bull’s strategy works because of three  different things: The first is their ability to tell a story that entices their audience. Their focus on everything from extreme sports to music festivals gives them a wide playing field, but it’s not just that. Red Bull puts its product second, and the content and value they can give their audience first. The attention to detail that their marketing team gives is evident. These are people who care about the topics their writing, recording or creating content around. Finally, it’s their commitment to the values and aesthetic that the brand created when they first got their start that makes their marketing work. Everything they create relates back to the idea of giving people and ideas wings to fly. How to Make Red Bull’s Marketing Strategy Work For You It goes without saying, Red Bull has come a long way in the 30 years since it’s inception. From very humble beginnings to the mega-brand publishing house it is today, Red Bull is a marketing success story. Seem intimidating? Let their story serve as a reminder that your organization needs to start somewhere. They didn’t go from an idea in Thailand to a multi-mega corporation overnight. That took time, luck and some seriously hard work  (and a lot of great marketing along the way). Follow their lead by starting small. Here are some ideas: Create a short weekly video series on a topic that interests your audience. Curate social media content that intersects with your product’s purpose and your audience’s interests (without directly referencing yourself). Publish an email newsletter full of cool and useful stuff your audience might like (and maybe slap your own logo in their somewhere). The main takeaway here is this: to succeed at content marketing like Red Bull, you have to put your audience’s interests first, and create stuff that looks and sounds like the kind of content they consume from publishers. Instead of emulating other marketers, that means emulating magazines, TV shows, news websites, and anything else your audience might read and watch. Want to learn more about how to do that, exactly? Here’s some additional reading material to get you started: 16 Video Marketing Tips That Will Skyrocket Your Traffic How to Write a Video Script That Will Make $100,000,000 How to Create a Social Media Strategy In Three Steps (With a Template) How to Write Like a Journalist to Be a Better Marketing Storyteller How to Generate Data-Backed Social Media Campaign Ideas Where will your wings take you from here?

Union Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Union Management - Essay Example This bad news has serious implications for most unions, putting them in a position of hard choices. On one hand, union leaders need to look after members’ welfare but on the other hand, they have to face some harsh realities. The truth of the matter is that state government coffers are facing a â€Å"fiscal emergency† as what Gov. Linda Lingle said and everyone must put their share of carrying the burden equally to keep things afloat. The government of Hawai’i had laid off some 900 to 1,100 government workers earlier in November and more lay-offs might be forthcoming, she had warned. In the end, everybody got what they wanted out of the deal which shows everyone concerned was willing to compromise and sacrifice. The current recession had highlighted the need for some concessions from the union, in particular work rules concerning compensation. State workers had overwhelmingly approved to take 42 furlough days, to be distributed into 18 days this fiscal year, 12 next year and another 12 for year 2011 (Sample in â€Å"Hawaii’s largest†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). Union leaders had to face the reality of the situation and taking furlough is better than private-sector employees who took a pay cut and are working still the same hours for less pay as what Paul Brewbaker said. In another article on the same issue regarding union acceptance of the new contract, the Honolulu Advertiser mentioned that six of the seven bargaining units of Hawaii’s biggest public-sector union had ratified the new contract. Some 60% to 95% of the members had voted in support of the furlough days, roughly the equivalent to an 8% pay cut. For some of the union members, this concession may represent or symbolize the futility of being members. This is because the union had failed to protect their compensation benefits by eventually agreeing to furloughs although this is also dictated by the harsh reality of budget shortfalls. The new

Relationship Marketing in the Car Industry Essay

Relationship Marketing in the Car Industry - Essay Example This project is worth doing because of a series of reasons. First of all, the automobile company is one of the most important sectors of the UK's economy. Consequently, there is a need to look for ways in which this industry can be improved in order to boost the economy. Additionally, by examining the role that trust plays in relationship marketing, then car companies can understand the underlying factors required to make relationship marketing work for them. This project will also be significant in providing information about various tools and approaches in relationship marketing from automobile companies. (Jackson, 1985) Previous work in relationship marketing has focused on its core functions. Levitt (1983) explains that relationship marketing is a form of marketing that centres on consumer satisfaction and retention. This is a shift from traditional approaches that mostly emphasised on transactions made at the point of sale. Some authors have looked at application of relationships to the automotive industry. Nilsson (2004) examined a case study of an automobile company in the US and looked at how this company's success had been enhanced though relationship marketing. Other authors such as Kotler (2005):- DeYoung and Boldt (1988) & Berry (1983) Examined ways in which relationship marketing can be integrated with other m... (DeYoung, 1987) RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND OBJECTIVES The major objective that the research will be trying to achieve is to determine what the link between company image and relationship marketing is in the automobile industry. This will be determined through four specific objectives 1) What role does trust play in boosting relationship marketing in the automobile industry 2) What role does loyalty play in enhancing relationship marketing 3) How can automobile companies apply relationship marketing in their marketing mix 4) What is the value that relationship marketing brings to automobile companies Through these research objectives, it will be possible to understand what makes automobile companies successful in terms of relationship marketing and that can then be linked to company image. When companies are regarded as successful by their current or future clientele, then it is likely that they have a good image or vice versa. (Jackson, 1985) METHOD; RESEARCH DESIGN The research will dwell on the automobile industry in the United Kingdom. This will be done through a combination of approaches. Some leading automobile manufacturers like General Motors will be identified and asked about their implementation of relationship marketing. This will be analysed through personal interviews with their sales members. Additionally, the customer lifetime value added to a company through relationship marketing will be calculated for those chosen organisations. Customers will also be included in the research because they will be instrumental in assessment of how successful they perceive certain companies hence reflecting on the company image. (Envision software, 2007) Personal interviews will be utilised when dealing with company representatives owing to the

Observing or Reading the Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Observing or Reading the Behavior - Essay Example According to him home makes him feel more relaxed and studies can be done in relaxed and calm environment. The peace of mind that he gets at home could not be available anywhere else. He is able to concentrate better in the familiar and relaxed surrounding of his home rather than a public place like library where people keep on moving around. Movement of people can be a cause of distraction. Since people in a library are mostly strangers and strangers make him self conscious. At home the presence of siblings does not matter as they keep themselves busy with their own chores. He also acknowledged that there might not be other books and references available at home instantly if he needs them. However, he can make use of Internet for the references and other relevant material at home. Also he thinks he could easily take a break from say continuous study of two hours and watch TV or listen to his favorite songs and resume his studies. At library continuous studies can cause exhaustion as mind needs breaks every now and then. He also considers the fact the one can sit in a relaxed easy manner at home while at library one has to sit in a well-mannered and socially acceptable way. Isabel Briggs Myers and Katharine Cook Briggs devised this method commonly called Myers Briggs Test based on the work of Carl Jung. This method has emerged as the widely used test for personality assessment. Like millions of Americans the interviewee has also taken Myers Briggs Test. The test presents a summary of personality. A person's type might be INTJ or ESFP, or some other combination. Like other he was also forced choice questionnaire. The test uses two basic orientations that is E and I for extraversion and introversion two choices for information uptake that is S for sensing and N for intuition, two choices for judgment that is T for thinking and F for feeling, and two choices for decision making that is J for judgment and P for perception. So according to this model people could be extrovert or introvert. The results shoed that the interviewee is an introvert as his model started with I. Te rest of his combination turned out to be INFP. The result therefore finally showed that the interviewee is an introvert and mostly makes his decisions on the basis of his intuition. The person is sensitive and feeling and impulsiveness dominates his personality. Accuracy of Myers Briggs Test Results According to Myers Briggs Test the results were INFP. The interviewee mostly agrees with the overall picture or assessment done as a result of test taken. He himself considers an introvert and Myers Briggs Test also confirm his own views. However for other indicators he has his own reservation. Despite agreeing to his introversion he does not totally agree with other results. For example, he was asked whether he would like to plan an evening beforehand or not. This question could be asked to determine Judgment or Perception traits of a person based on their inclination for planning or impulsiveness. The interviewee though plans well in advance but sometimes remains unable to enjoy or execute his plans due to his spontaneous or impulsive

An Analysis Of The Critical Period

An Analysis Of The Critical Period The critical period hypothesis cites a commonly observable phenomenon, the fact that children find language learning much easier than adults, and learn language remarkably quickly, to claim that language learning is more difficult, or impossible after puberty. The concept of critical periods was initially introduced in the study of animal behavior, where it was noticed that certain behavioral responses only emerged when stimulus was given within a particular time frame. This concept has been applied to many species, including humans, with regard to the development of specific emotional responses such as stress.  [1]  In 1967 Lenneberg proposed that this concept also applied to human linguistic development, seeing language as a response and exposure to language as the stimulus.  [2]  There are two versions of this hypothesis: the strong version, which claims that no language acquisition is possible after puberty, and the weak version, which maintains that language learning wil l be much more difficult. A distinction is often made between language acquisition, the way in which children unconsciously learn their native tongue, and language learning which implies formal instruction, and Lenneberg maintains this distinction himself. Age is not the only variable when comparing groups of learners. We cannot simply compare children and adults, but must differentiate between children acquiring their first language, children learning additional language(s) naturalistically, child and adult classroom learners, both in the country where the language is spoken and outside of it, and immigrants immersed in a foreign language and culture, learning language through induction. With these groups, different social and psychological factors, as well as age, affect their language proficiency, and these must be explored alongside the role that age may play. Some psychologists and psycho-linguists, such as Steven Pinker, claim that language learning stops at puberty because before that an innate language learning mechanism is present in the brain, enabling children to flawlessly acquire any language, given enough input.  [3]  Once puberty is reached, this language acquisition mechanism is shut down, and language acquisition becomes impossible. Chomsky claims that another variety of innate device, a Universal Grammar capability, allows the child to extract grammatical rules from the input that he receives, and to use them to generate an infinite number of further grammatical sentences.  [4]  In claiming that these devices shut down at puberty, these theories make no allowances, for example, for the fact that vocabulary is added to the corpus of language knowledge throughout life, and that adults can be successful in learning foreign languages. If a child acquires substandard forms, this does not mean that as an adult, he or she wi ll not be able to modify these forms. It is also possible to acquire a first language after puberty, as some cases, which will be discussed later, have shown Both Pinker and Chomsky allude to the ease of language acquisition as proof of an innate device behind it. We do not ascribe innate knowledge to other fields that children excel in, simply because they find them easy. For example, any child who is physically able to can learn to ride a bicycle, yet it is doubtful that a theorist would propose that evolution has provided an innate bicycle-riding apparatus. One element of the skill, balance, is innate, and is controlled by a specific part of the inner ear, the semicircular canals.  [5]  Once the child has achieved good enough control over its muscles, it can build on the innate function of balance to learn to ride a bicycle. To learn language, a child must process the data to which it is exposed, deduce rules from regularities occurring in this data, and apply these. In addition, it must have control over the muscles that govern articulation. There is no need to suppose that a specialized linguistic device to extract these rules exists, however. The entire left hemisphere of the brain is constantly constructing theories regarding the world around it, based on sensory evidence.  [6]  Language heard by the child is a part of this sensory data, existing in its aural form and in a visual or aural referent, which must be simultaneously processed. Brain function experiments have shown that the left hemisphere of the brain is indeed more active when grammar is being handled.  [7]  Like bicycle riding, language is an ability based entirely on an innate function, but is not entirely innate in itself. Without exposure, language doesnt appear; therefore it is not innate. Rather than supposing that vague, un located language acquisition or universal grammar mechanisms exist in the brain, the ability to extract theories from data could be seen as a wider function of the brain itself, rather than being language specific. If these specialized mechanisms cannot be proven to exist, then the decline in language learning ability cannot be accounted for by the shutting down of these mechanisms. Such theories also seem to suggest an erroneous concept of the brain itself. Were the brain designed it would doubtless include specific linguistic structures, and some kind of mechanism for language acquisition. But it has evolved to contain not innate knowledge or skills, but the potential for knowledge and skills to develop. The fact that the same areas of the brain handle language in approximately 90% of the population  [8]  is no reason to regard these areas as empty containers waiting to be filled with language, or with their own mechanism to enable this to happen. In any case, the brain is so richly provided with interconnections that it is impossible to describe any boundaries within it. Language is organized in the same way in most humans, but the organization is not rigid. If that part of the brain is injured in youth, language can be relocated to a different place without detrimental effect, suggesting that, although a preference may exist, no sector of the brain is mo re or less suitable than any other for language processing, and negating the possibility that one particular area of the brain is equipped with a language acquisition device.  [9]   Brain injuries also shed light on another important issue. If a young child suffers a head injury to the region of the brain that controls language, it suffers minor temporary language handicap, followed by normal development. The language centers develop again elsewhere without detriment. An older child will also be able to recover language ability, but other abilities, such as spatial skills, will be compromised. An adult suffering the same injury would be terribly and irrevocably handicapped by aphasia.  [10]  As well as suggesting that language can exist normally in other parts of the brain, it suggests that there is a difference between child and adult brains. Also, children become gradually more like adults, reflecting a gradual change in the brain as maturity is approached. In his original critical period hypothesis, Lenneberg cited this change undergone in the brain as the main physiological basis for the critical period.  [11]  Children were constrained in their language ability until the brain was mature enough, but once the brain achieves maturity, as occurs at puberty, language acquisition is again impossible. This is because lateralization is complete, with all brain functions being localized to a particular area, and cerebral plasticity not longer possible. This is supported by the experience of brain injured people. In younger children, brain organization is incomplete, and so if one part of the brain is injured, it is straightforward for the language centre to be re-established. Older children can also re-establish their language ability, but at the expense of other skills, suggesting that language is supplanting these skills in a particular area of the brain. Adults inability to do this suggests that functions previously flexible have now become immovable, supporting the idea of brain lateralization, and its effect on language. However, this does not provide proof that language learning is impossible after puberty. Adults learning a second language are not attempting to establish another centre of language function. The same areas of the brain are used to process all languages, even sign language. They are adding to their linguistic knowledge, acquiring new grammatical rules and vocabulary, but the same part of the brain will handle such knowledge. We acquire much of the vocabulary of our native language during our teens and beyond, as well as learning more complicated grammatical structures, so there is no reason to suppose that we cannot do the same with a foreign language. We can discount these claims, and still be left with the observation that children learn languages much quicker than adults do. If a family immigrates to a new country, the children will pick up the new language quickly, leaving their parent far behind, and probably acting as their interpreters. Children undoubtedly have advantages, yet these are not inextricably linked to their age. When a child is learning language, circumstances are uniquely supportive, and these circumstances are not usually replicated in later life. Physiologically, children have advantages. Hearing declines with age, and so the child is better able to identify different phonemes, and because children have better control of the articulatory muscles, they are better able to reproduce what they have heard.  [12]  Young children also have an amazing ability to learn by rote, and so can retain more data for analysis. Psychologically, they are unaffected by inhibitions or previous experiences. Young children acquiring a second language may not even have a conception of language itself, since it is many years before children can discuss language reflexively. They are usually free from prejudice against the new language, or any cultural concepts that may accompany it. In terms of hours spent on language acquisition, it is no small task. Children are attuned to language from birth, and are aware of sound in the womb.  [13]  Yet it is many months before they begin to vocalize, and years before they consistently produce grammatical sentences. From a vast amount of input, numbering many hours every single day, the child still takes much time, and much experimentation, before it is consistently accurate in its application of grammatical rules. It would take years of weekly language lessons for an adult to have experienced similar exposure, and undoubtedly the adult would then have acquired a good deal of the language, and would perhaps be approaching native-speaker fluency. The input is therefore superior on terms of quantity, but also in terms of quality. Caretaker language is a common phenomenon, including foreigner talk as well as Parentheses. This is due to the obvious fact that in communication, we are aiming to be understood, and will naturally produce what we judge that our listener will understand. Parentheses and Foreigner talk share many common features, but Parentheses is superior for language learning for many reasons. Firstly, the parent or other has a much better idea of what the child can understand and can modify their output accordingly. Secondly, Foreigner talk is often ungrammatical, with, for example, infinitives being overused to aid comprehension. Parentheses is mostly grammatical, unlike adult to adult speech,  [14]  and therefore provides the child with a large amount of perfect data from which to extract rules, whereas the foreigner is more likely to extract erroneous rules from the false data presented. And of course a pare nt has a much greater interest in the language skills of their children than a colleague or acquaintance will have in the language learning of their foreign friends. The child is also favored by the relative unimportance of comprehension. If a baby does not understand what an adult with whom it is playing says, it doesnt matter. If needs be, the adult can physically move the child or otherwise compel it to do something. If the baby is at the top of the stairs, and doesnt heed instructions to move, the adult will simply pick it up. However, an immigrant will have to perform some tasks, such as finding work, shopping, or applying for a driving license, and not understanding warning signs such as Beware of the Dog or Electrified Fence. The need to understand and been understood is much greater, and accompanying stress and frustration may hinder the learner. In addition, the world is favorably disposed towards children, whose mistakes they find endearing, but often hostile towards foreigners with a similar language capability. For children, the vast majority of social interaction is not based on conversation but centered on a particular activity, such as a ball game, or painting. Therefore, a child may gain acceptance into a group of his or her peers without a common language, and through participation is able to learn the language. For adults the reverse is true. Little interaction will take place if adults without a common language meet, reflecting the central role that conversation plays in most adult interactions. Again, this is a sociological factor. On a German exchange, for example, a student would participate in events like family meals, at which they would understand little of the conversation. They would be able to acquire several items of vocabulary, and phrases such as Guten Appetit. However, it is unlikely that an adult would be able to have the benefit of such an opportunity. In the first place, it is unlikely that he or she would have been able to make such a friendship as to prompt an invit ation. Were this possible, conversational conventions would not allow for a silent participant, making the hosts feel as if they were in some way excluding their guest, and the guest as if he was not providing his or her share of the evenings conversation. Used to being able to participate, the guest would no doubt feel frustrated at being unable to express opinions already thought through in the second language. In this way, inhibitions bar the older learner from excellent language learning opportunities. Our life experience shows us that adults can indeed be successful in learning a new language, whether it is stock phrases from a phrase book, or the entire language. If enough time can be devoted to the language, fluency is achievable at any age. The main area where children are superior to adults is pronunciation. A child can easily sound like a native speaker, yet few adults manage to acquire a perfect accent, however hard they study. This may be because children have superior hearing and better control over their articulatory organs. Even within the native language, accents appear to become fixed after puberty. A Scottish child who moves to England will quickly exchange his accent for the one he hears at school, whereas a Scottish adult may spend the vast majority of his life in England, and yet retain his accent. But adults can alter their accent, through elocution classes, and an actor may possess a vast repertoire of regional accents. In both cases, acquiring a new accent is ad vantageous; therefore there is a genuine motivation to do it. Research substantiates this: Neufeld developed a successful pronunciation technique that moves gradually from listening to speaking. After eighteen hours of instruction, nine out of twenty students convinced listeners that they were native speakers of Japanese, and 8 out of twenty that they were Chinese.  [15]  Where there is no need to alter ones accent it is unlikely that the effort will be made. A native speaker of English, with a regional accent, will have no problem with being understood in any part of the country, and therefore has no motivation to adapt it. While children are more likely to alter their accent, and have physical advantages enabling them to do so, adults do not lack this ability. Some kind of choice, probably subconscious is made. Children wish to be like their peers, and adults wish to retain their developed sense of personal identity. The importance of accent is perhaps overrated. Fluency is the ability to communicate as well in a second language as in the native tongue, to be able to generate and to understand an infinite number of sentences, not to pass as a native speaker. A foreign accent doesnt often hamper comprehension if the sentence is grammatically correct; therefore accent is not a vital part of language. It is merely a social factor. The fact that adults do not acquire native-like accents is not proof of a critical period for language acquisition. Although children seem to have the upper hand in naturalistically acquiring language, for these various reasons, research shows that classroom learning actually favors the older learner. When language is not taught in a formal context, children excel. Perhaps it seems effortless because the young child is not told that it should be laborious. But a child introduced to language in the classroom, who has experienced school as boring and demanding, and is told that much learning of grammar will be required, and is constantly informed of his mistakes, will see language learning as an effort. Krashen recognizes these factors in his Affective Filter hypothesis,  [16]  basically an exploration of the different factors that may influence motivation, obviously an important factor influencing learning of any kind. Studies concentrating on a variety of first and second languages have shown that when older and younger students learning by the same method are compared, older students make better progress. When immigrants to Holland were compared, adults made faster progress than children did in learning Dutch  [17]  ; Swedish pupils were shown to make better progress in their English lessons the older they were  [18]  . The Total Physical response method of language teaching is supposedly more suitable for children, yet in a Russian study adults achieved better results.  [19]  Even in a supposedly more naturalistic technique, the French immersion system as practiced in Canada, where children acquire French through being taught a range of school subjects only in that language, those who entered the immersion program at a later stage were judged more proficient than those who participated from the start.  [20]  The situation is of crucial importance here. Effectiveness in a classroo m situation increases with age in all other subjects, and in adulthood, when education is by choice not compulsion, learners are even more motivated. Childrens physiological advantages do not produce greater success when they are compared with adults in an identical situation. This suggests that it is the situation in which the language learning is taking place that is of vital importance. Children mostly learn naturalistically, in a supportive environment, whereas adults learning through immersion often find society hostile. The constraints of a classroom mean that language learning is not as effective as naturalistic learning. An important part of the debate over the critical period has focussed on the Wild Children the few children who have been raised entirely without language and have been later discovered. These children cannot provide proof of anything in scientific terms. They are unfortunate human beings rather than a scientific experiment, with their lives before discovery shrouded in mystery. We could not use the fact that these children do not always acquire language to prove that no child would be able to under the same circumstances, since we cannot discount factors such as mental retardation, or the effects of their often brutal earlier lives. However, their achievements do challenge some theories advanced. History has provided us with two known examples of children who did not begin to learn their native language until past puberty. Two cases, Caspar Hauser and Victor, the wild boy of Aveyron, are distant in time and complicated by claims of hoaxing in the first instance and mental retardation in the second, which obviously cannot be proved or disproved. For what it is worth, both cases acquired language, Caspar (aged 16) perfectly, and Victor (aged around 12) imperfectly, but he is said to have attained a useful communicative ability.  [21]   More recently, other cases of children being raised without language have occurred, and have been subject to more stringent scientific exploration, and can therefore be more useful in a discussion of the critical period. Genie is perhaps the most notable example, being the eldest at the time of discovery, at thirteen years old, and subject to complete isolation before that time.  [22]  The case of Isabelle, aged six, is also notable for her perfect acquisition of language within two years, to the normal childs five. Genie was discovered in November 1970, having been isolated in the same room between the age of twenty months and 13 and a half years. Her only human contact was with her father and brother, who used only growling noises and violence to communicate with her. Genie was handicapped not only in her language development, but also in all forms of socialization. She had no reaction to temperature, no concept of ownership or of personal space, and could not even chew her food. At first, she was disinclined to vocalize at all, having been beaten by her father for making any noise whatsoever, and even in her tantrums she tended to use items of furniture to make sound, remaining eerily silent herself. Children begin to use words to describe a world they have already become familiar with, but Genie was faced with the task of acquiring words to describe an environment she could barely even understand. Under these circumstances it is not remarkable that she did not develop complete language compe tency over the first five years of her rehabilitation. However, her achievement in these years was not inconsiderable, as one researcher, Susan Curtiss points out: Genies language is far from normal. More important, however, over and above the specific similarities and differences that exist between Genies language and the language of normal children, we must keep in mind that Genies speech is rule-governed behavior, and that from a finite set of arbitrary linguistic elements she can and does create novel utterances that theoretically know no upper bound. These are aspects of human language that set it apart form all other animal communication systems. Therefore, abnormalities notwithstanding, in the most fundamental and critical respects, Genie has language.  [23]   Here we have an example of an individual past puberty who has made considerable progress in mastering her first language, has succeeded in the most fundamental and critical respects even if not completely. At the very least, Genie shows that the term critical period is misleading, since language exposure before puberty is not critical, and no fixed amount of time or developmental stage can be cited.  [24]   Isabelle, like Genie, was completely isolated from the speaking world, being imprisoned with her deaf-mute mother. Unlike Genie, she was not treated cruelly, and interacted with her mother using gestures of their own devising. On being discovered aged six, in 1938, she was thought to be uneducable, but within a week had begun to use words. She was noted to pass through the normal developmental stages of language acquisition, but at a vastly accelerated rate, catching up with her age group two years later.  [25]  The fact that Genie was more than twice Isabelles age is not necessarily the decisive factor here. Isabelle was not traumatized by her upbringing, and was not an unsocialised creature, like Genie. She understood the concept of communication, and had developed a language of a sort, the gestures she used with her mother. Her task was not so great as Genies, and so her greater achievement is proof only that a six-year-old can acquire language, and not that a thirteen-year-ol d cannot. The Critical Period hypothesis suggests that age is the primary reason for childrens apparent superior language learning ability. This may be a factor, but is far from being the only reason. Language is more complex than a simple response to a simple stimulus, as Lennebergs hypothesis may suggest. Even if it were proved that childrens ability proceeds entirely from their more suitable circumstances, the impossibility of exactly replicating these circumstances for an adult would mean that the discovery would not be of much functional use. As an adult language student it would be most useful to note that it may be my inhibitions rather that my inabilities that hinder me most in my studies, and that regarding grammar as laborious may indeed make it so!

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury Essay -- Literature Fahrenheit 451 Book

Fahrenheit 451 There appears to be some writing on the note ... Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, is a science fiction novel that discusses and shows the life of a very controlled society. The society is not allowed to read books and is punished for doing so. The books are burned at 451 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the temperature it takes book paper to burn (Bradbury 1). Although society today isn't like that as far as books are concerned, the author still shows some trends that are occurring today. Some of the characters in the novel are similar to people in today's society in the way they act towards society's views. The society in Fahrenheit 451 is similar to the society in "Those Who Walk Away From Omelas," a story by Ursula LeGuin. Although the novel and the short story have a completely different plot and narrative, the themes and moral issues are similar. The society in the novel is a very controlled society as far as values and beliefs are concerned. The government has set rules and regulations that books are not allowed and will be burned if they are being read or seen by anybody. Instead of the fire department putting out fires, they are actually the ones setting the books on fire. The beliefs are forced into people's heads by television or the radio that books are bad and should never be read. Most of the people in this society listen to whatever the government tells them and believe that books are not good and will alarm the fire department if anyone is going against the rules. The people of this society are stuck in this matrix, or belief system, and they have no choice to get out, similar to the movie "The Matrix." They have to obey all the rules of the matrix perfectly or else they will be the "outcas t" an... ... today's society are similar to some of the characters in the novel. Fahrenheit 451 can also be related to some stories in literature because of the issues and themes it discusses. Both today's society and the society in the novel have certain rules that the people in the matrices are supposed to follow but the rules in the novel are less common and their punishments tend to be stranger and harsher. Whether or not these rules and beliefs are morally right or fair is a different subject, however, it doesn't seem fair to make the laws so strict without any flexibility. When doing this, there tends to be more rebellion, which is seen in the novel Fahrenheit 451. Works Cited Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. New York: Ballantine Books, 1953 Kennedy, X. J., Dana Gioia. Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Eight Edition. New York: Longman, 2002

BMW case study

Case went UP on BMW BMW is in the midst of implementing changes to increase its sales and improve its Image in the US market. In this phase BMW should target achieving 100,000 units by the year 1 996 in order to hold a competitive place in the US luxury car market. The mall problem BMW is facing in the US market Is poor customer satisfaction Index which Is negatively affecting the brand Image. BMW should concentrate on Improving customer satisfaction by way of investing Into opening Its own exclusive showroomsIn key locations in the US which will serve as an example for other dealers to emulate. By Investing In customer experience of buying and owning a BMW car from Its dealers the company can achieve Its target goal and entrench Itself strongly Into the US luxury car market. The goal BMW should strive to achieve Is to sell 100,000 units by end of the year 1996 which translates to about 10% year on year sales growth from the year 1992. This goal also means BMW gets about 8% market sh are of the luxury automobile sector In the year 1996 considering 3% annual growth rate n the luxury segment.This goal is realistically achievable given that the efforts of the Second Great Opportunity have already started yielding results with a 23% unit sales increase for the year 1992. This is also very important to have this goal in order to keep up the momentum gained by the recent revamped advertising campaigns and strategies implemented. There can be an argument to make the goal as to increase market share to 10% but to achieve this figure the number of unit sales needed is higher than the capacity of BMW to produce vehicles and makes it come close to a ass producer which is clearly not in the Bum's global strategy.The primary impediment to achieving this goal is the abysmal customer satisfaction score of BMW as given by the JDK Power Consumer Satisfaction Survey which is way behind all of the competitors. This is an indication that though the product itself is brilliant the e xperience of buying and owning the car leaves a lot to be desired which directly means lesser sales. It sets a trend of negative feedback on the brand image and impacts sales growth. The other impediment of the introduction the new LincolnContinental Mark VIII model leading to stiffer completion on the sentiments of â€Å"Buy American†, is less of a threat due to the fact that BMW has already started the plan to build a new manufacturing facility in Suppurating , South Carolina, which will be operational by 1995. Buyers of BMW cars as per company records, are from the younger age bracket and are very demanding customers, which directly means that they are harder to satisfy. The primary place of Interaction for a customer Is the dealerships and franchises.They are the face of the company as far as the customer Is concerned and all their experiences of buying and owning a BMW car stems from the dealer they went to. The solution to Improving the customer satisfaction Is best ach ieved by enhancing the dealer experience. The detailed plans laid out by the â€Å"Integrated BMW Network Development Concept† should be Implemented at the earliest and should be the primary area of Investment for BMW. The effort of putting together the ‘Retail Operations Concept' with the detailed ‘Dealer OperatingSystem' (DOS) has already been done but hasn't been fully implemented yet. BMW across US which can serve as the showpiece of how a showroom and dealer should function as laid out by the DOS. This will go a long way into establishing best practices among the dealers and introduce uniformity in customer experience as the other dealers follow the example set by BMW. Also they should audit the existing dealer network and terminate the underperforming dealerships. All this goes a long way towards increasing customer satisfaction which in turn will lead to direct sales increase.