Asia Animals Essay Research Paper In Asia free essay sample

Asia Animals Essay, Research Paper In Asia, there are many different sort of mammals, reptilians, birds, and other kinf of animate beings. They have a assortment of endangered species, excessively. In China, there are many endangered species like the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelams, and some sorts of reptilians. These are the to I? m traveling to speak ing to you about. Cobra Cobra ( serpent ) , common name for certain members of a household of deadly serpents, known for their daunting behaviour and lifelessly bite. Cobras are recognized by the goons that they flare when angry or disturbed ; the goons are created by the elongate ribs that extend the loose tegument of the cervix behind the cobras # 8217 ; caputs. These reptilians are found throughout the Philippines, southern Asia, and Africa. The male monarch cobra is the universe # 8217 ; s longest deadly serpent. It averages 3.7 m ( 12 foot ) in length but is known to turn to 5. We will write a custom essay sample on Asia Animals Essay Research Paper In Asia or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 5 m ( 18 foot ) . It is olive or brown in colour, with bronzy eyes ; some persons are banded. It is found in the Philippines, Malaysia, southern China, Myanmar ( once known as Burma ) , India, Thailand, and the Malay Peninsula. It eats chiefly other serpents. The other cobra of Asia is known diversely as the common, Asiatic, Indian, or spectacled cobra ( due to the eyeglass-shaped form on its tegument ) . It rarely reaches a length of more than 1.8 m ( 6 foot ) . The goon of the common cobra is, proportionally, much larger than that of the male monarch cobra and is normally xanthous to brown, with a black-and-white spectacle form on top and two black and white musca volitanss on the lower surface. This snake causes many deceases each twelvemonth in India, where it is regarded with spiritual awe and is rarely killed. The common cobra is often used by snake smoothies. It ranges from the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea to China and Malaysia. Many species of cobras are indigens of Africa. Among them is the expectoration, or black-necked, cobra, found from southern Egypt to northern South Africa. This serpent can spray its venom from a distance of about 2.4 m ( 8 foot ) into the eyes of its victims, doing impermanent sightlessness and great hurting. Assortments of the ptyalizing cobra scope in colour from dull black to tap, the paler-colored 1s marked by a black set around the cervix. The rinkhalss, a different type of ptyalizing cobra confined to southern Africa, is one of the smallest of the cobras, making merely approximately 1.2 m ( 4 foot ) in length. It is dark brown or bl ack with ridged, or keeled, graduated tables and pale rings on the cervix. The asp, or Egyptian cobra, is found along the northern seashore of Africa. The venom of cobras frequently contains a powerful neurolysin and Acts of the Apostless on the nervous system. With effectual serum more available, nevertheless, the high decease rate from cobra bites in some countries of Asia has decreased. Cobra venom has been used for many old ages in medical research because it has an enzyme, lecithinase, that dissolves cell walls every bit good as membranes environing viruses. lizards in the United States, normally called American chameleons, are besides popularly called chameleons. Siberan Lttes Tiger, largest member of the cat household. It lives in Asia and belongs to the same genus as the king of beasts, leopard, and panther. Two major races are the Siberian tiger and the Bengal tiger. The modern tiger is thought to hold originated in northern Asia during the Pleistocene Epoch ( see Quaternary Period ) and dispersed due south thenceforth, traversing the Himalayas merely approximately 10,000 old ages ago. The really rare Siberian tiger measures 1.4 to 2.8 m ( 4.6 to 9.2 foots ) long, non including the tail, which is 69 to 95 centimeter ( 27 to 37 in ) in length, and weighs 180 to 306 kilograms ( 400 to 675 pound ) . It has thick xanthous pelt with dark chevrons. The Bengal tiger, which is about 3 m ( about 10 foots ) long, including the tail, and normally weighs 180 to 258 kilograms ( 400 to 569 pound ) , is found on the mainland of southeasterly Asia and in cardinal and southern India. Its coat lies flatter than that of the Siberian tiger, the tawny colour is richer, and the chevrons are darker. The tiger on the island of Sumatra is even smaller and darker. The tiger is a lone animate being, males and females coming together merely at copulating clip, to portion a putting to death, or to imbibe and rest at irrigating holes in countries with limited H2O. The litter Numberss one to six greenhorns, which stay with the female parent into their 2nd twelvemonth. The diet is varied, runing from cervid and cowss to toads and fish ; carrion is besides eaten. The Bengal tiger inhabits grassy or boggy countries and woods, where it is good camouflaged by its colour. Those populating on islands have about disappeared. Lttes have been hunted to near extinction by poachers in many Asiatic states. Tiger organic structure parts are sought for usage in traditional Chinese medical specialty and alien formulas. All races of the tiger have been declared endangered.

The Praxis Source Based Essay Sample is the Best Resource to Improve Your Academic Performance

The Praxis Source Based Essay Sample is the Best Resource to Improve Your Academic PerformanceIf you're looking for a resource to help improve your own personal academic performance, a first rate resource is the Praxis Source Based Essay Sample. The collection of essays and exam preparation material on this website will provide you with all the necessary study materials to do well on the exam.There are a lot of students who miss out on the academic essay requirement as well as examination preparation because they lack the time to spend on such activities. In case you're one of them, the Praxis Source Based Essay Sample is available to you at no cost! You will get all the essential resources you need to study and learn effectively in these brief yet informative articles.The site's essays help students in developing their creative writing skills, writing technique, essay writing format, and essay contents. The articles are written by a diverse range of professional writers, including s ome of the best essay editors. The resources are organized in such a way that it becomes very easy for you to find a topic of interest, make an outline, prepare a first draft, and finally submit the article for approval.Writing is certainly a basic task to learn but has never been easy for a lot of people. This will prove to be a great help for any student studying for his or her exams. An interesting point about this site is that it offers a free membership to its members. You can use the resource for as long as you want to get all the help you need for your studies.The articles are considered helpful in two ways. The first and the most important is that they give you a guideline on how to approach an essay and how to plan and arrange your own essay contents. Second, the essays also help you improve your academic record. These help enhance your marks and add confidence to the marks you've already attained.The resource provides you with a tutorial on how to find an initial set of to pics for your essay, what to include and not to include in your essay, and which questions you should answer. It also includes a list of questions you should ask yourself before you write your essay. This will help you a lot in writing the best essay possible.You should consider these tips and ideas if you're facing a tough time before your test day. Praxis Source Based Essay Sample is an excellent resource to help you out in writing and understand how to come up with excellent essay topics for your next test.

The Effects of Restrictions on Fast Food in America free essay sample

As a result, â€Å"Surgeon General David Satcher declared that the nations obesity epidemic had gotten so dire that it could overtake tobacco as the leading cause of preventable deaths and called on everyone from school administrations to food companies to get back to a skinnier America. † (Morrison, 2012). According to Morrison (2012), â€Å"the $200 billion fast-food industrys massive size ad budgets are hard to ignore especially considering kids taste for the stuff†. The sole purposes of fast food restaurants advertising are to influence the buying habits of targeted demographic groups in specific geographical locations. For example, fast food restaurants will target primarily African American and Hispanic children who traditionally live in the low income areas where these restaurants are located. Since these areas are not equipped with the proper knowledge to make healthier choices or the monies to buy healthier food options, fast food is their most affordable and convenient food choice. We will write a custom essay sample on The Effects of Restrictions on Fast Food in America or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page These advertisements do not identify what’s really inside these foods nor did they offer any healthy alternatives. Since fast foods have been comparable to that of cigarettes, can fast foods be just as addictive? The answer to that question is yes because it’s simply a matter of the fast food chains being negligent and misleading in posting their nutritional information. Especially since fast food is very addictive and obesity is considered a disease. According to Fortuna (2012), â€Å"As of 2010 70% of adult Americans were overweight or obese† (p. 56). It’s a known fact that children adopt their adult habits based on their earlier child habits. Therefore, a child’s poor dietary habits will follow them through their adulthood. As mentioned earlier, in 2001 child obesity was determined to be a major healthcare concern. The children during the 2001 year are now adults and are most likely included in the 70% of overweight or obese adults. Not until recent years, many of the major fast food chains have introduced healthy alternatives to their daily menus, but in actuality most of the alternatives that may seem healthier are not. For example the apples in a McDonalds â€Å"Happy Meal† sounds like a good alternative for children instead of the French fries, but if you read the nutrition guide they are actually just as bad or worst for children health wise due to the way they are prepared, packaged and preserved. Today, fast food restaurants are being blamed for being a major contributor to today’s over all poor eating habits and obesity problem. It’s the customer’s decision to buy and spend their hard earned money on whatever they choose to eat. However, there are other contributors such as not enough daily physical activity, the lack of proper nutritional information being readily available, healthier food choices are more expensive than most fast foods. Government intervention with the fast food industry will ultimately affect the economy. The restriction on fast foods will have consequences such as increased unemployment, increased fast food prices, and the possibility of shutting down fast food chains. The fast food industry is the second largest employer outside of the United States government. With that said, any major government regulation will cause a ripple effect throughout the food industry. â€Å"In the US, economists estimate the cost of obesity-related healthcare and lost productivity at between $147 billion and $190 billion a year† (New Scientist, 2012, p. 2). Based on these figures, should the government intervene with fast food industries and how they conduct business or should more nutritional information be publicly available for Americans to utilize? The Interagency Working Group was established during 2001 which consisted of the Federal Trade Commission, Food and Drug Administration, Agriculture Department and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These agencies were â€Å"instructed by Congress to prepare voluntary guidelines that would limit the marketing of certain foods and beverages to children† (Morrison, 2012). Of course these draft guidelines were met with great opposition from the industry advocates because this could be in violation of the First Amendment. Simply put, if the powers are not granted to the federal government by the Constitution or by a constitutional amendment, they dont have the power. The 10th Amendment states, â€Å"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people. There is nothing about diet, rent, health care, housing, or junk food in the Constitution, but the 10th Amendment give the States the right to regulate pretty much everything that not regulated by the federal government under the Constitution. The 9th Amendment also plays a part in this as well stating The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. Which essentially means that the Constitutions failure to specifically mention all the rights we have shouldnt be used to deprive individuals of those rights. The right to eat what you want is just one of those rights, just like the right to wear a hat or clap your hands together or whistle a tune. If the Constitution had to address every one of those rights by name, itd be a million pages long. So, instead of doing that, the 9th Amendment just says, yeah, we couldnt write down every right, but dont interpret that to mean that theyre not protected. In 2010, President Barack Obama signed the healthcare-reform legislation into law, which required restaurants with 20 or more locations to have and list the calorie count on menus. Also, state and municipal levels are taking proactive measures in promoting healthier lifestyles by limiting how restaurants market their products to children (Look Ahead, 2011). As a nation, America is becoming more health conscious and serious about the associated health risks of that being overweight and obese currently present. Let’s face it; it is more expensive for the average person to be overweight in America. At this point, the government is taking the proactive measures to educate Americans about living a healthier lifestyle. Fast food is food that can be prepared quickly and easily and is sold in restaurants and snack bars as a quick meal or to be taken out. Inexpensive food, such as hamburgers and fried chicken, prepared and served quickly. Asking someone what it means to them they would probably answer by suggesting a Big Mac, or two piece chicken with a biscuit. Fast food restaurants are being scrutinized because of the fat contents, which is said to be unhealthy and is causing obesity. It is also said that fast food restaurants is paying employee’s less wages and over working them by not allowing them to have breaks. If there becomes a law to restrict fast food restaurants the economy will be hit with more hardship. Some people believe that by offering healthy foods will encourage individuals to make better choices. Better choices can save lives and decrease health cost. Citizens of the United States believe that fast food is bad for your health. The mayor in the city of LA, California, believes that by banning fast food restaurants in low income area is no different than banning liquor and cigarettes. In 2012 a public interest law group at John Hopkins outlined the rationale: â€Å"Given the significance of obesity epidemic in the United States and the scientific evidence and legal basis supporting the zoning of fast food outlets, municipalities have an effective, yet untried, tool to address obesity in their communities. † â€Å"The over concentration of fast food restaurants in conjunction with the lack of grocery stores places these communities in a poor situation to locate a variety of food and fresh food. † This is known as, â€Å"food apartheid† (Saletan, 2008). Do we believe they should ban these restaurants, or should they just restrict them? Obviously, fast food restaurants are not healthy; but they help the economy by providing jobs to people around the United States and the World. Fast food restaurants generate billions of dollars per year, and they help the economy in different ways other than just providing jobs; but they do some of the worst things that something you can consume, can do to your body. Which one of these two out-weights the other is a debate that could go on forever. Do we want unhealthy people with jobs? Or do we want healthy people in the United States, but potentially jobless? Ideally we want both; we want healthy people with jobs, and we want the obesity rate to go down in the United States. In reality these questions are not a matter of one individual’s opinion; this is a matter of what the government wants for its country and what they prefer. There are ways to pick one side and counter the other, but it is hard and it will probably take a very long time for our country to decide. Whether our country decides to restrict fast foods by restricting the way they sell it—referring to TV and radio commercials—or whether they want to restricts what they sell. They could also ban them and prohibit people from consuming these products in the United States. These are all controversial matters that will not go down easy; they would have to take into consideration our civil rights and try to determine whether they can restrict us, as citizens, from deciding what we want to put in our bodies. The matter of the fact is that even if no restrictions or bans are put in place to try to fight obesity in this country, us, as individuals can make the decisions to not consume fast food; everyone knows fast food are not healthy, its proven. The same way that one can decide not to smoke or drink, one can also decide not to consume the types of food that can be just as detrimental to your health as some of the known street drugs. References Freeman, A. (2007). Fast Food: Oppression Through Poor Nutrition. California Law Review, 95(6), 2221-2259. Fortuna, J. L. (2012). The Obesity Epidemic and Food Addiction: Clinical Similarities to Drug Dependence. Journal Of Psychoactive Drugs, 44(1), 56-63. doi:10. 1080/02791072. 2012. 662092 LOOK AHEAD 2011. (2011). Advertising Age, 82(2), 4-21. ) MORRISON, M. (2012). Can kids food mascots survive the obesity war? (Cover story). Advertising Age, 83(17), 1-21. New Scientist. 11/24/2012, Vol. 216 Issue 2892, p28-29. 2p. Saletan, W. , July 31, 2008. Food Apartheid Banning fast food in poor neighborhoods. Slate. Retrieved from: http://www. slate. com/articles/health_and_science/human_nature/2008/07/food_apartheid. html

African Economy essays

African Economy essays Ghana is an African country located on the western side of Africa. Its neighbors are Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and Cote D'Ivoire to the west. It has a population of 18,100, 703 and a population density of 197 people per square mile. Ghana is 92,098 square miles and English is its official language. The capital city of Accra has around 1, 673,000 people residing in it. There are the physical statistics, now onto the more interesting part. The country's greatest strengths lie in its natural resources. In those terms, it is very rich. Cocoa, its biggest export, accounts for 15% of the world's supply. Also its gold production, in recent years, it's exported as many as one million fine ounces. Ghana also has a good supply of bauxite, diamonds, coffee, rice, cassava, timber and rubber. Moreover, since 1983, the economy has steadily grown. With economic recovery policies intact, the economy has raised 5% a year since 1983. Tourism also is growing within Ghana. Tourist rates are increasing also. With all these cash crops, costly goods, and economic restructuring, one would wonder why they need assistance at all. Ghana's weaknesses though, almost outweigh the strengths. Like most countries in Africa, Ghana is in heavy debt since its independence in 1957. It also suffers from high budget deficits. All of the foreign investors that come in only invest in the gold fields. The richest business, Ghana isn't getting that profit. Because of clearing the land for farm use and urbanization, 70% of the forest has been destroyed. With the new urban communities and mining, pollution is a very serious problem in this small nation. As for other statistics that are related, its farming does well because of the two rainy seasons. There is only one doctor for every 12,523 people, but because of hygienic lessons, that doesn't cause too much of a problem. The major caus ...

International Business - Bicycles and Economy Essay

International Business - Bicycles and Economy - Essay Example The era which was about providing a core product to the customer has gone far behind, also the era of providing the actual product has merely ended, and customers now have more willingness to get the augmented product, which means few frills attached services along with the product as well. Keeping the customer's preferences, likes and dislike, the launch of a cycle would not be that unusual, but the idea is to prepare a plan that could lead to success in various countries. The country selection for the launch of our product is a critical decision, one cannot simply expect to have our product launched in any country and yet it remains a successful launch. Bicycles are common modes of transportations used worldwide specially by students and also people who love racing on bicycles, therefore neither a small country can help us launching our product, nor a big country having a lot of poverty in it can. We all have to think keeping the nature of product and nature of market in the mind. "As the world's economies become more integrated and international business becomes more globalized, the nature of international business management concerns changes as well. New areas of international business research have arisen that could not even have been imagined by observers twenty-five years ago"(Ricks, Wright 687, Vol 25: 1994). The product now has to be la... ntries in which it could gain some market, according to the visual analyses, which should be very accurate, the three countries in which the product should be launched are, United Kingdom, Australia and South Africa. The reason of not launching the product in the countries that are below poverty line is simple, we cannot expect those countries to use our product that are having much lower class which is using cycles that are just serving as a core product, due to poverty these countries might not have been able to afford our product, and also there is a good competition in such countries with their privately made bicycles which people over there are use to. There are however different sort of issues in launching the product in the above mentioned three countries but yet the reward is likely to be fruitful, as these countries serve as a base to make the product well known through out the world and sooner if launching would be successful in these three countries then the product is going to be launched internationally and we are likely to have more contracts from the other countries as well. The most prominent reasons for launching the product in these three countries are that, the people living there are mostly on foot and students use bicycles for traveling short distances, also racing is another feature of these countries, cycles are used commonly in having races there. The other reasons for launching the product in these countries might be related to the economy and living standards, as I have earlier mentioned that our product would not be launched in the countries that are below poverty line, so launching them in much stable countri es is a very good options. It is difficult to say that the economies of these three countries would be anymore disturbed by our

Company Law Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Company Law - Coursework Example Sale of DVD players can be impacted due to recycling old DVD players and hence investing in both the companies results in conflicts of interest. According to section 175, it is the duty of a director to avoid a situation in which his direct or indirect interest conflicts with the interest of the company in which he is already a director. It is not an infringement if the situation is not likely to give rise to conflict of interest or if the investment is already authorised by the board. In the new Act, shareholders’ approval of the conflict of interest is required either by resolution or by Articles. 2,3. In Boardman v Phipps4. the defendant had acquired special knowledge by virtue of being his solicitor and abused it for his personal benefit along with another. Held that as a fiduciary, he should have avoided conflict of interest. In Peso Silver Mines Ltd. v. Cropper,5 a leading Canadian case law involved conflict of interest arising out of fiduciary duty, the defendant took a dvantage of a rejected business opportunity by the plaintiff and utilised it for his personal benefit along with others. ... he resigned from the plaintiff company and secured the contract meant for plaintiff company in the name of his newly formed company.8 Another relevant case is Bhullar v Bhullar 9 wherein the principle of directors avoiding conflict of interest has been upheld. It was held that failure to pass information to the company about a business opportunity and utilising it for personal benefit amounted to breach of duty against conflict of interest. This put to rest the decision in London and Mashonaland Exploration Co v New Mashonaland Exploration Co10 that â€Å"directors did not have a duty not to place themselves in a position of conflict†11. In Plus Group Ltd v Pyke12, it was held that it was not a breach of fiduciary duty to work for a competing company as he had been effectively excluded from the company of which he continued to be a director. 13 A codification of common law, section 175 can apply to multiple directorships apart from exploitation of property, information or busi ness opportunity a director is able to access by virtue of his position. The director’s duty to inform conflict of interest cases even if the company or the directors are not interested in them. This statutory duty is not breached if already authorized by the company in the prescribed manner. Originally shareholder could only authorize such a conflict of interest. Now under the statute, in the case of a private limited company, it can be authorized by other directors who have no conflict of interest in the particular matter, provided the company’s articles also permit. In the case of a public limited company the non-conflicted directors can authorise provided the articles specifically permit it. If all the directors are conflicted, then shareholders’ approval will be required. This duty came

SWOT Analysis of Danone UK

SWOT Analysis of Danone UK EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Activia and Actimel are the two probiotic yoghurt brands that are currently being marketed by Danone in the UK. The current market strategy for these products is that they are healthy food and part of a healthy lifestyle. Some modifications were made in the currents marketing strategy, which include modifying the current target market for both brands. These brands have the potential to make Danone UK Limited the market leader in the United Kingdom. 1. DANONE: THE PROBIOTIC BRANDS; THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE. Danone UK limited, is a UK based subsidiary of the French company group Danone, which has its organizational headquarters situated in France. Danone UK is into the production and marketing of dairy products and water. Most of group Danone brands are household names in the United Kingdom and internationally, and they include the probiotic dairy brands; Activia and Actimel (DATAMONITOR, 2009). The dairy division of the Danone group, is a leader in the production of dairy products worldwide, and presently holds about 22% of the dairy products global market share (DATAMONITOR, 2009). Group Danone has different subsidiaries in varying countries and each brand has a unique attribute and name that appeals to the region or country where they are marketed. 1.1. SWOT ANALYSIS The strength, weakness, opportunities and threats that are currently influencing Danone UK are highlighted in the table below. Table: 1 STRENGTHS Health conscious company Innovative Products and marketing Customer oriented Research focused WEAKNESSES Lack of long term planning uncorroborated claims OPPORTUNITIES Health consciousness among populace Growth in awareness on digestive health Probiotic bacteria awareness THREATS New entrants Increased competition Stores own brand Increase in cost of milk and production Consumer unawareness on benefits of good bacteria Government regulation on health claim of probiotic brands 1.2. PEST ANALYSIS GRID The grid below highlights some of the factors that affect the market presently and therefore gives an idea on the way forward in the present market environment. Table 2: POLITICAL ECONOMIC SOCIAL TECHNOLOGY Government debt Recession Unemployment Trends in Research Government policy Research sponsorship Advert withdrawal E-commerce Cold weather New technology Migration 2. MARKET ANALYSIS: UK YOGHURT MARKET The UK yoghurt market comprises of the spoonable yoghurts (pots), drinkable yoghurt (drinks) and tube yoghurts. (Mintel Oxygen, 2009) The market share value of the drinking yoghurt has seen a decrease in recent years as more people turn to more healthy option of yoghurt products that more often come in pots and tubes; the tube yoghurt is more attractive for children as parents can pack it into lunch boxes for them, thus this area has also seen a significant growth in recent years. The pots yoghurt market saw an increase in sales as they offer fewer calories and some come with health claims that lead to an increase in sales, the most active category in recent time has been the probiotic or healthy yoghurt category (spoonable) (Euromonitor,2009). Development of new products and increase in sales in some categories of the yoghurt market have mostly been due to health issues, as the behaviour of consumers suggest that they prefer a healthy lifestyle and also love to indulge, thus the development of new products that offer both a healthy and indulgence option. This trend has lead to the improvement in performance of the yoghurt market generally, in comparison to other desert options. The yogurt and Fromage Frais (pots and tubes) currently hold about 15.60% of the dairy market share in the UK (Data Monitor, 2009). The pots and tubes are the best performers in the market, and they hold about 85% of the market share, while the drinking yoghurt has been largely affected by competition from other markets that offer or claim to offer a more healthy option in form of drinks e.g. smoothies and fruits juices (or soft drinks). 2.1. MARKET SEGMENTATION Majority of the market share for 2008 as seen above was held by top manufacturers which include Muller, Danone and Yoplait. Supermarkets own brands are gradually gaining a large percent of the market share, with other brands constituting about 27% of the total market share. The probiotic yoghurt brands of Danone UK are doing well in the market currently, and account for about 19% of the UK yoghurt market share. 2.2 COMPETITOR ANALYSIS Muller dairy UK is Danone UK main competitor and the current market leader. Muller has being the market leader for a while and they function across the entire yoghurt category. Some of the Muller brands are not doing so well in the market, with some consumers perceiving it as too sweet and unhealthy, but with recent brand repositioning, re-launches and new products introduced in the market they are able to continually hold onto the number one spot. Weakness: The major weakness of the Muller brands is that consumers still perceive them as unhealthy, as they usually have high sugar content (Mintel Oxygen, 2009). 2.3 COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE: Danone Has exclusive patent on the friendly bacteria (Lactobacilli casei Imunitass) used in addition with other bacteria in Actimel. All probiotic brands by Danone are considered healthy, hence the first choice for consumers who prefer a healthy way of life. 3. BRAND POSITIONING Probiotic yoghurts contain live bacteria that positively aid the consumers digestive system by improving microbial balance in the intestine. The probiotic brands Actimel and Activia are in the spoonable (Activia), drinking (Actimel) and the healthy option categories. In comparison, some major competing brands are perceived as unhealthy with great taste and very sweet e.g. Muller brands are perceived as unhealthy due to the sweet taste and the fact that the brands are positioned as all day snacks (Euromonitor , 2009). PERCEPTUAL MAP Healthy Actimel Activia Muller Vitality Poor taste Great taste Muller Light Unhealthy 3.1 ACTIVIA Activia is in the class of spoonable yoghurt (pots), and is in the healthy brand category. It contains the probiotic bacterium (friendly bacteria) that helps in improving the functions of the digestive system. Activia comes in fat free and low calorie flavours that consumers see as a great benefit; thus Activia has seen a rapid increase in market share since its launch in 2002, and it is one of the best performers in its category due to innovation which comprises health benefit and indulgence (Mintel Oxygen, 2009). It has a wide range of flavour in packs of four and eight pots and recently it has been proposed to introduce single pots for people with a busy lifestyle or people on the go. 3.2 ACTIMEL This is in the drinking yoghurt category, and contains the probiotic bacteria L.casei Imunitass; its main function is boosting and providing support for the immune system. Actimel has 13 different varieties, and 4 have zero percent fat content. Actimel aids the bodys immune system by fighting off germs when consumed on a daily or regular basis (Danone, 2009). 3.3 BRAND PERSONALITY GRID The consumer perception of Activia and Actimel are highlighted in the personality grid below (Table 3 and 4). ACTIVIA PERSONALITY VALUE BENEFIT ATTRIBUTE Physically fit Quintessential Indulging Wide variety range Healthy Innovative Convenient Handy Delightful Trustworthy Rich taste Relieves bloating Reliable Variety ACTIMEL PERSONALITY VALUE BENEFIT ATTRIBUTE Healthy Nutritious Boost immunity Wide product range Tasty Trusted Rejuvenation Different flavours Immunity Reliable 4. TARGET MARKET AND STRATEGY: THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE Target Market Activia Women ACTIMEL Senior citizens Adults Rest of population 4.1 MARKETING STRATEGY (PRESENT SITUATION): The Probiotic brands are currently marketed as health beneficial products, with the emphasis on â€Å"good bacteria†, and the need to see the brands as part of a healthy way of life and not just as a snack. 4.2 ACTIVIA The current marketing strategy for Activia focuses solely on women and it was put in place in response to consumer demand for healthy products. Activia is positioned as an indulgent healthy food that helps women in reducing the feeling of being bloated especially after meals, and also aids in regulating the function of the digestive system. In a recent advert a woman is seen feeling more physically fit and flexible after having a pot of Activia. An interactive website has also been set up for Activia and the content is specifically for women as it gives them health tips and encourages them to share their story on the benefits of Activia. The website has a health based outlook that further reinforces the fact that Activia is a healthy brand. (Danone , 2009) Adults on the go are gradually being included in the current strategy, with the plan to introduce single pots of Activia (Mintel Oxygen, 2009). 4.2.1 DRAWBACK This strategy targets only the women in the population, and in some ways most women in a particular age demographic i.e. 25 and above. Although this strategy has been successful so far; what steps can be taken to prevent the present segment of consumers from shifting loyalty to a brand that is healthy, of good quality and is priced lower. What can be done to increase the present target market, as large segments of the population which include children, active adults and the elderly have not been included in this strategy. 4.2.2 MODIFICATION As manager of the probiotic brands of Danone UK Ltd, I will increase the target market to include families and the elderly. The family market will include children and men, while the elderly include men and women from age 55 and upwards. This segment of the population (55+) is going to see a rapid increase in sales and market share in the future as the population ages, and with the right marketing mix of price, distribution and place, this target segment offers great potential of growth for the future of the market (Mintel Oxygen, 2009). The family segment will come with a rebranding option that will target the women who have families. As women do most of the household shopping, when they buy Activia for themselves, they will have no option but to buy for their families. More flavours and packaging should be introduced to appeal to children and their parents. The current marketing strategy for the women consumers also have to be continued and improved to make the customers remain even when offered cheaper varieties, and to do this, loyalty programmes have to be introduced i.e. where consumers gain points for each pack of Activia bought. Although this might seem expensive for the company at the start of the program, as it has to be in conjunction with supermarkets, but in the long run it will be advantageous as we would have gained a loyal customer base. The present website also has to be improved to include healthy recipes tips as women love to cook healthy for their families. An interactive educational website should be introduced for children; activities on the website can include opportunity for children to pick their favourite Activia flavours, competitions that will include one where kids get the opportunity to mix different fruity flavours and submit their entries online, with opportunities to win prices. When children are loyal to their favourite brand (Activia) parents will have no choice but to also become loyal, in that way we also get families to be consumers of the Activia brand. Thus our market share will see an increase that will come from this segment of the population. 4.5 ACTIMEL The current marketing strategy for Actimel is capitalising on the immune system boosting characteristic of the probiotic bacteria in the drink and also the claim that it improves the body capacity to combat stress for people with busy lifestyles, through the action of the bacteria in the gut. In recent times, the company has also aimed to encourage the use of Actimel by patients in the hospital as a recent study shows that Actimel has the capacity to aid patients fight off infections. Advertising and promotional activities by Danone on Actimel has helped to boost the image of this brand by placing it as a brand that supports active lifestyles and is also healthy. 4.5.1 DRAWBACK An advert for Actimel was recently banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), that the claims made by Danone on Actimel (that it boosts the natural defence of children) were not supported by sound scientific evidence (BBC, 2009); a few consumers will brand Actimel as untrustworthy. To restore the image of Actimel, scientific evidence that proves that it helps boost the natural defence of children has to be peer reviewed before publishing. Although some health professionals have said it improves immunity, this has to be reinforced so the customers can have trust in the brand. The target population for Actimel has to re-defined, as it is currently vague (covers the whole segment of the population). 4.5.2 MODIFICATION The target market for Actimel has to be clearly defined, as it seems to target all the members of the population at the moment. The population has to be segmented, and each segment given a definite strategy and marketing plan that is specific for it. The proposed target market will be segmented as shown in fig 4. There is a lot of potential in targeting the elderly and hospital patients, as they need things to help boost their immunity, and Actimel can perform that function, hence there is an opportunity of growth here. The current market strategy of positioning Actimel as a healthy lifestyle choice is great, and will work well with all segments of the population especially the adults with an active way of life. The brand should be repositioned in the children segment, as the problem with the advert can affect sales that are generated. Thus positioning it as a healthy option for children, that offers the benefit of friendly bacteria, with proven scientific studies will enable Actimel regain the trust of consumers from this segment of the population. 5. CONCLUSION Actimel and Activia have been doing well so far in the UK market, and have the potential to do better in the future. The current marketing strategies for these two brands need to be improved on. The segmenting of the target population for Actimel will give a clearer view of the market strategy put in place to enable it gain more market shares from competitors like yakult and Muller vitality. The target market for Activia will need to be expanded in order to enable Activia gain market shares in the mainstream yoghurt market. It is perceived as a healthy brand, thus it has the potential to get more market share if the target population is increased. In the future the customer base of Activia and Actimel will remain loyal as loyalty schemes will be introduced to enable them stay faithful to the brand as long as the option of indulgence and healthy living at the right price is offered. New flavours that will keep consumers interested and innovative products will definitely make and keep Danone as a leader in the UK yoghurt market. References BBC. (2009, October). Healthy yoghurt advert banned. Retrieved December 1, 2009, from News Website: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8305918.stm Danone . (2009). Danone Activia. Retrieved December 29, 2009, from Your digestive health matters website: http://www.danoneactivia.co.uk/ Danone. (2009). Actimel L.casei Imunitass. Retrieved November 30, 2009, from How Actimel Can Help You: http://www.actimel.co.uk/Benefits/Default.aspx Danone UK Ltd. (2008). Danone. Retrieved November 30, 2009, from About Danone Mission Website: http://www.danone.co.uk/mission.htm DATAMONITOR. (2009). GROUPE DANONE. London: Datamonitor. Euromonitor . (2009). Yoghurt United Kingdom. London: Euromonitor International. Mintel Oxygen. (2009, May). Yogurt UK May 2009. Retrieved November 27, 2009, from Market Share and Product Positioning website: http://academic.mintel.com/sinatra/oxygen_academic/search_results/show/display/id=393957/display/id=460332#hit1 Mintel Oxygen. (2009, May). Yogurt UK May 2009. Retrieved November 27, 2009, from Segment performance website: http://academic.mintel.com/sinatra/oxygen_academic/search_results/show/display/id=393957/display/id=460332?select_section=460331 Mintel Oxygen. (2009, May). Yogurt UK May 2009. Retrieved November 28, 2009, from Table of content website: http://academic.mintel.com/sinatra/oxygen_academic/search_results/show/display/id=393957/display/id=460331?select_section=460345