Defining Marketing Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Defining Marketing Paper - Essay Example Marketing, when broadly defined, means the process of making a product sell by attracting customers. However, this definition would be incomplete. I define marketing as – Any activity that leads to the delivery of a product to the right people, which is done keeping market needs in mind. The aim is to be able to connect with consumers, to make a social impact and in turn, cultivate a long term association between a company and its consumers through the products, ultimately to make profits and run the business. Perreault, Cannon and McCarthy define marketing as – ...the performance of activities that seek to accomplish an organization's objectives by anticipating customer or client needs and directing a flow of need-satisfying goods and services from producer to customer or client† (2011, p.7). From this definition, it is apparent that the aim of marketing is to assess the needs of the customers and satisfy those needs through goods and services. As per the America n Marketing Association's definition of marketing, it is – ...the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large (Kotler and Keller, 2012, p. 4). By and large, these two definitions of marketing mean the same. However, in the second definition, a social aspect is added (â€Å"society at large†). For the success of any business, the selling of a product or service is vital. The entire purpose is to sell something. While the right kind of marketing results in an upsurge of product sales, bad marketing may result in negative publicity. The wrong kind of marketing may also lead to an irreversible damage to the image of the company and its relationship with customers. An example of good marketing or a good marketing strategy is that of Herbal Essences. The hair care products marketed by the company are targeted at a specific age group â€⠀œ young women. The product names as well as the bright colors of the packages are attention grabbing. The packaging and naming itself explains the purpose of the product. For instance, the aqua blue colored â€Å"Hello Hydration† product (Perreault, Cannon and McCarthy, 2011). Customers are encouraged to buy shampoo and conditioner bottles together through the clever use of matching and curvy packaging. The company also seeks eye level placement in retail stores. The online, television and print advertising purports a â€Å"mythical quality† to highlight the organic origin of the product. With the help of a Facebook Fan page and a customer review page on its website, the company has also been successful in connecting with its customers. The marketing mix strategized by the company has been successful in increasing the sales of the company (Perreault, Cannon and McCarthy, 2011). The company's marketing strategy led to the delivery of the product to the right people. An other example that can be used to illustrate the definition of marketing is that of Dove. The social aspect of marketing can be exemplified here. While Dove earlier used models whom the mainstream considered â€Å"beautiful†, it moved on to a new approach in which it projected that every woman is beautiful. This was a result of a moral problem that Dove's Marketing Director underwent when her daughter suffered

Alvin Ailey's Polotics in the Art of Dance Research Paper

Alvin Ailey's Polotics in the Art of Dance - Research Paper Example Ailey was most popular as one of the first few African Americans who dared revolutionize their dance styles, which ultimately led to his contribution to modern American dance. It is in this respect though that he was able to subtly express for the first time his political convictions. At the height of his success as a choreographer, when he was recognized no longer just for his art but also for how he used it to advance his political cause, Ailey was awarded the Spingarn Medal. Renowned composer-conductor Leonard DePaur, his presentation of the award, mentioned that Ailey â€Å"would confound and confuse America's critics by refusing to conform to their pre-conceptions of what a black choreographer must be† (NAACP 1977, p. 100). With this distinction, it is clear that Ailey had been able to infuse his politics in the development of his choreography and in the performance of his dance. Through his art, he was able to challenge stereotyping that was brought about by racism and b igotry. This paper seeks to explain the bases why Ailey incorporated his political activism into the art form that he specializes in and how this has contributed to America’s struggle against racism. I. ... Aside from the treatment that they receive from the whites because of their race, Ailey and his mother also suffered due to their constant lack of income. Ailey’s family was basically working class and his mother picked cotton and occasionally did domestic chores for the more affluent white families (Cardwell 2006, p.38). This childhood of want and inequality had influenced the development of Ailey’s political views early on. However, it took time before this actually was brought out into the open through his choreography. Prompted by his keen interest in dance, Ailey went to undergo formal training in dance with the tutelage of Lester Horton, who was recognized then as the principal promoter of the modern dance in Los Angeles. In the 1940’s, it was in Los Angeles and New York only that African Americans could train alongside with the whites. It was also during this period that Ailey was able to come across other African America dance artists who trained under Ho rton. When Horton died though, Ailey took over the company. As a result, he achieved a freer hand in determining the styles and contents of every dance production that the company came up with. During these particular times though, it was clear that Ailey was more concerned with the rapid development of his artistic talents in dance, as well as the continuous improvement of his dancer’s talents. However, by 1958, when the struggle for the civil rights of African Americans reached its peak, Ailey also began to show his political inclinations. The most glaring examples of these are Blue Suite and Revelations, which â€Å"focused on the experience of African Americans† (Foulkes 2002, p. 180). Both dance productions highlighted the uniqueness of the