Literacies for Learning Essay Example for Free

Literacies for Learning Essay The necessity for educational institutions to equip students with the skills to cope in a rapidly changing, culturally diverse and globalised 21st century society, has led academics, such as the New London Group, to encourage educators to acknowledge the various literacy forms utilised in the new millennium (The New London Group, 1996) and to adopt a pedagogy of multiliteracies. This essay will explore the components of a pedagogy of multiliteracies and identify the transformations needed for the successful implementation of multiliteracies into educational practice. Likewise, the notion of language as a social practice which influences teaching content and assessment practices in secondary education will be examined, as will the use of multiliteracies in the teaching of the Mathematics curriculum. To understand the role of multiliteracies in pedagogy theory development, it is important to define the term literacy. Literacy is an evolving term that refers to an individual’s ability to construct and comprehend meaning via the accepted symbol systems of one’s country or language group (Winch, Johnston, March, Ljungdahl, Holliday, 2010). These symbol systems include written and spoken language and visual information such as icons and other graphical information. While literacy was traditionally viewed as a cognitive process with a focus on reading, writing and numeracy identification, in recent years its definition has become broadened to encompass the burgeoning text types being generated via multimedia and information technology (Winch et al., 2010). These electronic text types have quickly established themselves as integral components of a diverse range of 21st century vocations and social interactions (Tan, 2006).  A pedagogy of multiliteracies encompasses multimedia and digital text forms as well as traditional written and spoken texts. Likewise, the central role of literacy in a diverse range of knowledge domains and vocations has resulted in educators being encouraged to view literacy as a vital skill underpinning successful teaching and learning in all curriculum areas. The New London Group (1996) viewed the role of design as an ever changing paradigm of three stage teaching and learning processes. The first step, ‘Available Designs’ is determining what resources are available. These resources include texts, symbols, audio and visual resources. The second step is ‘Designing’ which takes these ‘Available Designs’ and places them within a social context, such as the classroom or learning environment, and is facilitated by an individual such as a teacher. This step creates an output with new meaning for both the learning environment and facilitator. This knowledge or new meaning is known as ‘Redesign’ (The New London Group, 1996). Literacy is a social practice that is not just taught in secondary schools, it is something which is part of each individual’s everyday life. According to Anstey Bull (2000), the way in which an individual may read the world will be strongly linked to the contexts of their own life. The NSW Department of Education and Training (2006) maintains that literacy is a skill that continues to grow and develop and is fundamental to students’ success at school as well as for the rest of their life. For literacy to be successful in schools, it is planned in collaboration with parents and teachers. This collaborative approach reinforces that literacy is inherently a social practice. This approach must include a range of social influences and practices, in order to increase student’s knowledge and skill in the real world for real purposes (NSW Department of Education and Training, 2006). As literacy development is undoubtedly a whole school and community approach, it is essential that a multiliteracies pedagogy, be utilised in the teaching of all curriculum areas. The impact of societal and cultural change is clearly reflected in the mathematics curriculum through the use of digital technologies such as graphical programs and spreadsheets. This use of technology provides numerous opportunities for the teaching of multiliteracies. Through explicit teaching and learning  experiences of digital texts, students are provided with the skills to successfully navigate and comprehend information communicated digitally. These skills can be acquired through students being provided with opportunities to access information via Internet websites. Likewise, students can use information technology to construct their own texts, thus allowing them to communicate their understanding of concepts to others. This may be achieved by encouraging students to construct texts through the use of software programs such as Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Visio, both of which allow students to communicate information graphically. These digital mediums allow students to acquire skills which will assist them in acquiring real world skills which they can utilise to gain and construct meaning, both in and out of the classroom. (Winch et al., 2010). Technology is an essential part of the transformations taking place in the social, political, cultural and economic spheres of contemporary society (Groundwater- Smith, Brennan, McFadden, Mitchell and Munns, 2009). Secondary school teachers need to prepare students with the skills necessary for life in a rapidly changing, technological world. In order to equip students with these skills, teachers must possess deep knowledge of relevant technologies (Treadwell, 2008). The Mathematics curriculum includes teaching of: statistics, probability, algebra, financial concepts, economics, technology, measurement and trigonometry. These strands include skills applicable to an individual’s school/work life, social life and personal life. Mathematics content areas, focus on aspects of society, reform, technology and life skills. It is important for teachers to link the social practice of literacy with the factors of a pedagogy of multiliteracies to create the best teaching environment they can (The New London Group, 1996). Walsh (2006) cites an example of successfully teaching his students literacy practices, through social relationships. Students worked in groups and were able to demonstrate specific social language structures. They were able to â€Å"enact, recognise and negotiate† in a social environment (The New London Group, 1996, p. 3) by design and re-design of Internet web pages. The created web pages were diverse, with each student using their own discourse to create what they believed the web page should contain. Prior to using multi-modal and digital literacy mediums in their teaching, it is essential that teachers be aware of cognitive and language factors in learning. The  ability to use multimodal learning, digital literacies and genres specific to each curriculum area must be carefully planned by the teacher. According to Winch et al., (2010) a multiliteracy pedagogy involves developing the ability to use language purposefully and skillfully in a range of social settings, rather than learning isolated segments of knowledge such as grammar conventions and spelling. Multiliteracy includes the use and creation of multimodal and multimedia texts (Winch et al., 2010). Multiliteracy seeks to address the rapid changes in literacy brought about by globalisation, cultural and social diversity and information technology (Winch et al., 2010). In response to these societal changes, The New London Group (1996), questioned the role of schools and outlined a need for change in literacy teaching due to key changes in three areas of life: working life, public life and personal life (life worlds). Central to these changes, was the need for schools to integrate learning with life experiences that students have both in and out of the classroom. â€Å"As these three major realms of social activity have shifted, so the roles and responsibilities of schools must shift† (The New London Group, 1996, p.18). The New London Group advocated for a change in the way, education was delivered, by enhancing the existing structures and overlaying with a new â€Å"what† and â€Å"how† of literacy teaching (The New London Group, 1996). The ‘how’ of pedagogy comes from a view of how learning is acquired, embedded and utilised. The New London Group (1996) proposed that a pedagogy of multiliteracies is a complex blend of four methods of design. The first is Situated Practice which involves learning by creating meaningful learning experiences that allow students be in an environment where the learning replicates the social use of what is being learnt. It is an environment where risks can be taken and ‘trial and error’ is used to gain mastery of skills or knowledge. It should be used â€Å"developmentally, to guide learners to the experiences and the assistance they need to develop further as members of the community, capable of drawing on, and ultimately contributing to, the full range of it’s resources.† (The New London Group, 1996, p. 33). Situated Practice should be designed to motivate students to want to know, and engage students in their learning in a safe environment . Assessment or evaluation is not considered part of Situated Practice. Overt Instruction is the second method of how a pedagogy of mulitliteracies is  implemented.  This involves teachers guiding and using effective teaching techniques such as scaffolding or explicit instruction to build student’s knowledge and confidence. Examination of the current secondary school’s Mathematics curriculum, (NSW department of Education and Training, 2010) reveals many opportunities for teachers and students to collaborate and engage in dialogue related to mathematical concepts which will guide and provide a scaffold for student learning. For example, the teacher makes links with prior learning, through asking open questions to the group, and uses multi-modal methods such as mathematical symbols, diagrams, charts and pictures to add to the learning. With each progression of new learning in the lesson, the teacher labels a new part of the diagram. Overt Instruction â€Å".includes centrally the sorts of collaborative efforts between teacher and student wherein the student is both allowed to accomplish a task more complex than they can accompli sh on their own and they are conscious of the teacher’s representation and interpretation of that task.† (The New London Group (1996, p. 20). Thirdly, Critical Framing focuses on the â€Å"how† of a pedagogy of multiliteracies, through the use and application of real world knowledge. This method is where assessment and evaluation of one’s self understanding can begin in relation to cultural, social, political and historical influences on what has been learned (New London Group, 1996). Teachers are able to encourage students to apply their learning in a practical sense and assess the transfer of student’s knowledge or skill. This knowledge is based on what they have previously learned, and requires students to â€Å"constructively critique it, account for its cultural location; creatively extend and apply it and eventually innovate own† and strengthen their ability to demonstrate what they have learned (The New London Group, 1996, p. 37). A mathematical example of this process is the conversion of degrees to radians. Its real life use is the calculation of the speed of a piece of machin ery. This calculation includes the formula in terms of radians rather than degrees. Finally, Transformed Practice is â€Å"where we try and re-enact a discourse by engaging in it for our real purposes† (The New London Group, 1996, p. 36).  Students need to think and learn outside their own discourse and think about how they can re-create their meaning, linking their own discourses to understand what they have learned. An example of this practice was where students were asked to plan and present a lesson including a Wiki activity and a Prezi (presentation tool) that teaches the concepts from a previous mathematics lesson. In groups, students collaboratively utilised the Internet to research topics, and create: work sheets for others to complete, interactive wiki activities, team tasks, and their own YouTube clips. The lesson included the use and creation of multimodal texts and scaffolding of existing knowledge. Students developed new knowledge through authentic multimodal texts such as image, sound, video and written text (Tan, 2006). Gunning (2002) explores the impact of reading and writing difficulties in a social stance, and highlights that poor instructions given by teachers can contribute to a student’s difficulties. Gunning’s (2002) observations and research serve as a reminder that teachers must be sure to provide the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of multiliteracies, to ensure each student has the opportunity to progress. Teachers need to evaluate their current practice and identify the text types typically used in the Mathematics content areas and consider the social needs and teaching strategies that will develop student’s literacy skills (Goos, Stillman., Vale, 2007). In a mathematics lesson, students were introduced to the ‘Simpson’s rule’ formula. The lesson’s aim was for students to measure the area beneath a real life object, gain an understanding of what is needed to complete the formula and how the variables are calculated. Students were required to work collaboratively in pairs, discussing various ways in which measurements were taken in order to obtain an accurate result in working out the area of the object. Likewise, students were required to engage in higher order thinking, in order to formulate possible solutions to the dilemma. These experiences provided students with the opportunity to be inclusive in their learning, and consolidate their understanding of key concepts that are relevant to the lesson goals (Prain Hand, 1999). Teacher observations and questioning during group work, guided the student’s discussions, with the teacher embracing a teaching style where multiliteracies were used. The New London Group (1996) have profoundly impacted on teaching practices, literacy research, policy curriculum and pedagogy (Mills, 2006). Gee (1991) explores  social literacy and the impact of a student’s discourse that are established outside the classroom, from their social group, fa mily and cultural ties. Their view of literacy as social practice and their emphasis on incorporating the rapidly increasing number of electronic and multimodal text types in 21st century society into teaching practice represents a clear break away from the single dimensional teaching of literacy. However, for multiliteracies such as digital literacies, multimodal resources and ICT to provide best learning for students, teachers must be prepared to embrace the view that literacy is a social practice and and an essential skill underpinning all curriculum areas. Teachers also need to recognise that each lesson they teach to students provides the opportunity to develop the student’s literacy skills. In order to facilitate this change in pedagogical ideology, teachers must be prepared to evaluate their current teaching practice and adopt a more holistic approach to developing literacy skills in their students. As a consequence, students should be exposed to participative learning experiences with re al life learning outcomes. References Anstey, M., Bull, G. (2000). Developing multiple and critical readings of text. Reading the visual: Written and illustrated children’s literature (pp. 201-214). Sydney: Harcourt. Gee, J. (1991) What is literacy? In C.Mitchell K. Weiler (Eds.), Rewriting literacy. New York: Bergin Garvey Goos, M. Stillman, G. Vale,C. (2007). Teaching secondary mathematics. Crows Nest, NSW: Allen Unwin. Gunning, T. (2002). Factors involved in reading and writing difficulties. Assessing and correcting reading and writing difficulties (2nd ed., pp. 26-62). Sydney: Allyn Bacon. Mills, K. (2006). Discovering design possibilities through a pedagogy of multiliteracies. Journal of Leading Design, 1(3), 61-72 NSW Department of Education and Training. (2010). NSW Department of Education and Training. (2007). Literacy K-12 Policy Retrieved from https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/policies/curriculum/schools/literacy/PD20050288.shtml?query=literacy+policy New South Wales Department of Education and Training. (2006). State literacy plan 2006-2008: Equitable literacy achievements for all students. Retrieved from http://www.curriculumsupprt.education.nsw.gov.au/policies/literacy/guidelinies/plan/index.htm Prain Hand (1999) Tan, L. (2006). Literacy for the 21st Century. Retrieved from http://iresearch.osprey.url3.net/iresearch/slot/u110/litreviews/literacy4_21st_century.pdf The New London Group. (1996). A pedagogy of multiliteracies: Designing social futures. In B.Cope M. Klantzis (Eds.), Multiliteracies, literacy learning and the design of social futures (pp. 9-37). London: Macmillan. Walsh, C. (2006). Beyond the workshop. Doing multiliteracies with adolescents. English in Australia, 41(3), 49-58 Winch, G., Johnston, R., March, P., Ljungdahl, L., Holliday, M. (2010). Literacy: Reading, writing and childrens literature (4th ed.). Melbourne: Oxford University Press Cope, Bill and Mary Kalantzis (eds), Multiliteracies: Literacy Learning and the Design of Social Futures, Routledge, London, 2000, 350pp. | link

Carl Orffs Philosophies In Music Education :: essays research papers

While Carl Orff is a very seminal composer of the 20th century, his greatest success and influence has been in the field of Music Education. Born on July 10th in Munich, Germany in 1895, Orff refused to speak about his past almost as if he were ashamed of it. What we do know, however, is that Orff came from a Bavarian family who was very active in the German military. His father's regiment band would often play through some of the young Orff's first attempts at composing. Although Orff was adamant about the secrecy of his past, Moser's Musik Lexicon says that he studied in the Munich Academy of Music until 1914. Orff then served in the military in the first world war. After the war, he held various positions in the Mannheim and Darmstadt opera houses then returned home to Munich to further study music. In 1925, and for the rest of his life, Orff was the head of a department and co-founder of the Guenther School for gymnastics, music, and dance in Munich where he worked with musical beginners. This is where he developed his Music Education theories. In 1937, Orff's Carmina Burana premiered in Frankfurt, Germany. Needless to say, it was a great success. With the success of Carmina Burana, Orff orphaned all of his previous works except for Catulli Carmina and the En trata which were rewritten to be acceptable by Orff. One of Orff's most admired composers was Monteverdi. In fact, much of Orff's work was based on ancient material. Orff said: I am often asked why I nearly always select old material, fairy tales and legends for my stage works. I do not look upon them as old, but rather as valid material. The time element disappears, and only the spiritual power remains. My entire interest is in the expression of spiritual realities. I write for the theater in order to convey a spiritual attitude.1 What Orff is trying to say here is that he does not use "old" material, but material that is good enough to be used again. If one eliminates the fact that this material was written many years ago, then there is nothing to stop that material from being any less legitimate in recent times. Orff's work in Music Education has been astounding. In the early 1920's, Orff worked with Mary Wigman. Wigman was a pupil of Emile Jaques-Dalcroze, another very influential name in Music Education. In fact, Orff's approach to music is very similar to Dalcroze's, but Orff focuses on education through percussion instruments. In 1924, Orff joined Dorthee Guenther and together

Fragrance Marketing Plan

DEDICATION/STUDENT BIO: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: MISSION STATEMENT: Blossom Beauty is all about empowerment. Our tag line ‘let your inner beauty grow’ perfectly encapsulates the purpose of our brand. That is, to the let the natural beauty of young women flourish and grow, as they grow. At Blossom we believe that makeup shouldn’t be about covering up imperfections or looking like someone different, it’s about learning how to enhance what you already have. At Blossom, our mission is to provide young women with natural cosmetic and skin care products that will magnify their true beauty. We also aim to empower our Blossom beauties by providing them with guidance in using our products. † PART I: RESEARCH BACKGROUND HISTORICAL RESEARCH: In ‘Hope in a Jar: The Making of America’s Beauty Culture’ (1998), a study on the evolution of cosmetic use, Kathy Piess explains that leading up to World War I, the use of makeup was viewed as immoral and ofte n linked to prostitution (p 134-167).However, the end of the war saw the movement of women into the workplace and the widening acceptance of cosmetic use, as Piess states ‘a democratic vision of beauty began to break down traditional representations of women’ (ibid. ) This uprise challenged male perceptions of the time, as demonstrated by a quote from Alain Rustenholz’s ‘Make Up’ (2003), ‘For the working woman, beauty has become the leading guarantee of efficiency†¦ In earlier days, only a husband or a lover had rights to a woman’s beauty.Today, she is beautiful for everyone†¦ A woman’s beauty is an essential element of the daily performance that the century has put on for itself in the working world’ (p 70. ) Piess goes on to clarify that the increasing use of cosmetics represented a sense of freedom and individuality felt by women. ‘Makeup was no longer just a sign of a vanity, but a true expression of fem ininity’ (p 134-167. ) The social acceptance of cosmetic use meant that feminine beauty and consumption would become intertwined. KelleyMassoni points out in ‘Fashioning Teenagers: A Cultural History of Seventeen Magazine’ (2010) that women began to purchase beauty products as a means to self-fulfilment and social acceptance, and this subsequently influenced the mindset of adolescent women (p 18. ) According to historian Lizbeth Cohen in ‘A Consumer’s Republic: The Politics of Mass Consumption in Postwar America’ (2008), after World War II women were viewed as the ‘consumers’ of society and advertisers pursued this idea by targeting younger women as a way of influencing spending habits early on (p 105. Throughout the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s, cosmetic manufacturers targeted the seemingly endless teenage market. In ‘Hope in a Jar’ (1998) Piess explains that brands like Covergirl, Maybelline, and Revlo n all ‘created beauty images that meshed closely with the ways high school students themselves classified girls into cliques and codified their evolving sense of personality’. By the mid 60’s, teenage girls, who comprised 11% of the population had bought nearly one-quarter of all cosmetics and beauty preparations (p 134-167. While the teen girl market was burgeoning, Piess adds that during this time, children were largely off-limits. Eye shadow and rouge were considered improper for young girls and advertising was targeted towards parents rather than children. By the 1980’s and 90’s, however in America and Europe, cosmetics were designed for and marketed to ‘tweens’ (girls between childhood and teen years) and then to children as young as three. The practice of encouraging young children to learn how to apply makeup has not developed without controversy.Cosmetic ingredients were largely unregulated in the US until the 2000’s, lea ding some critics to question the safety of cosmetic products, while others believe that such products force children to grow up too fast, or undermine their self-esteem. However, with a movement into natural cosmetic and skincare products in the last century, teens may be able to transition into the world of beauty in a healthier way. * Cohen, L. (2008)  A Consumer's Republic: The Politics of Mass Consumption in Postwar America. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, p. 105. * Massoni, K. (2010)  Fashioning Teenagers: A Cultural History of Seventeen Magazine.California: Left Coast Press, p. 18. * Piess, K. (1998)  Hope in a Jar: The Making of America's Beauty Culture. Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania Press, p. 134-167. * Rustenholz, A. (2003)  Make Up. London: Hachette Illustrated, p. 70. LITERATURE REVIEW: ‘Blossom Cosmetics’ sells 100% natural cosmetic and skin care products directed towards teens and tweens. This literature review will cover the history o f cosmetic use by women and teens, what goes into marketing to this age group and the representations of femininity and adolescence in media and marketing.The review will give an overview of the Australian cosmetics and toiletries industry, the intentions behind consumer purchase of natural products, and the advantages and disadvantages of natural and chemical-based products respectively. In order to define a gap in the market, this review will also give insight into current trends appealing to the teen and tween demographic of Australia and how teens are responding to cosmetics today. The sheer influence media and celebrities have on young people is explained in â€Å"Advertising to Children†.Marcia Amidon Lusted states that since the early 1980’s, advertisers have discovered children and teens make up an enormous market. One market-research group estimated that U. S teens spent more than $159 billion dollars in 2005. Amidon Lusted goes onto discuss some of the ways c ompanies cater to this tough market of teens. KAGOY or ‘Kids are Getting Older, Younger’ refers to the way that kids today are identifying themselves with the adult world at earlier and earlier ages.One of ways marketers react to this social change is through the strategy of ‘tweening’, the marketing of products that were once thought suitable for teens to younger and younger kids (Amidon Lusted, 2009, p 35-40). Through analysis of the August 2012 issue of ‘Girlfriend’ magazine – an Australian publication directed at teen girls, current trends appealing to this young demographic are revealed. With teen role model and burgeoning actress Emma Stone on the cover, the issue features articles like ‘hot Aussie bands to add to your playlist, 95 ways to keep warm this winter and why quiet girls can come first’.Style inspiration is heavily drawn from youthful celebrities like Elizabeth Olsen and Kate Bosworth, and posters feature the actors and actresses from recent blockbusters like ‘The Hunger Games’. Most interestingly is an article called ‘The Business of Beauty’, which praises natural beauty and promotes self-esteem for young girls (Girlfriend, 2012). Murphy’s â€Å"New Girl Order: Youth, Gender, and Generation in Contemporary Teen Girls' Media† also examines how the young women of Generation Y in particular, have become a key market for media industries.The book analyses various marketing campaigns, but most interestingly is that of 90’s cosmetic brand Flygirl. The analysis concludes that the campaigns careful balance between the importance of external appearance and the development of inner strength is necessitated by the shared characteristics of this generation. Through further analysis, â€Å"New Girl Order† explains that girl-focused media promotes conformity while simultaneously flattering the teen girl demographic with messages about the importa nce of their individuality (Murphy, 2008).While cosmetic brands are faced with the challenge of tapping into the psychology of teenagers, they are also confronted by the parents of this market. â€Å"Children’s Market – Doing It for the Kids†, an article written for the Cosmetics Business website by Julia Wray discovers how brands are appealing to both parents and children. Consumer analyst for Mintel, Ricky Lakhani explains, â€Å"due to added work pressure and lifestyles becoming more hectic, women are delaying starting their families until later in life, which is having a bearing on their ability to spend more on products for their children†.The article explains that unlike the teens they will become, the tween market doesn’t desire to be treated like adults, but they won’t suffer being babied either, and now the beauty world is starting to take note of this emerging demographic. Pacific World Corp and Walmart caused a stir when they anno unced their new line GeoGirl, a makeup brand for 8-12 year olds. The states that it is likely that similar offerings will hit store shelves in coming years as brand owners seek to engage with this potentially lucrative market (Wray, 2011).An article written by Felicia Kamriani for Hollywood Weekly discusses the ways teens and tweens are responding to cosmetics today. Young girls use makeup as a form of expression of their individuality and independence, but also because they have an inherent desire to feel accepted and liked. Marshal Cohen, NPD Group Chief Industry Analyst is quoted in the article saying â€Å"†¦ tweens make the decision to purchase based solely on brand recognition – they have a strong desire to fit in and be ‘just as good as’ their peers.While the teen market uses style as their indicator of fashion acceptance, the tween market uses brands†. Many teens and tweens are following the eco-natural trend, wearing lighter, barely-there mak eup. Today, more cosmetics companies are focused on developing safer products free from toxic substances (Kamriani, 2008, p 10). An overview of the Australian cosmetics and toiletries industry from Austrade reveals that there is room for the introduction of natural products in particular. The Australian cosmetic and toiletries industry has domestic sales of approximately A$5 billion per annum.Australian products achieve global success because of their reputation for being clean and green. We are also known for our natural and organic products. There is currently a growing demand worldwide for natural skincare and body products and Australia has the advantage of already being recognised in this sector of the market (Austrade, 2009). But why the push for natural products? Chen’s evaluation of the â€Å"Effectiveness of the Natural Cosmetic Product Compared to Chemical-Based Products†, discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the natural cosmetic and the chemical-bas ed product respectively.A survey conducted for this study revealed that out of the 87% of people that actually used cosmetics, 94% believed that chemical-based cosmetics would cause side effects. Natural cosmetics are made from raw materials, less harmful to the earth, and less harmful to the skin. However, natural cosmetics may contain plant-derived materials benefice to microbial growth and only a few preservatives, if any at all, which means a shorter shelf-life. Chemical-based cosmetics incorporate synthetic materials which achieve desired results quickly, but often at a cost.According to a study by the North American Contact Dermatitis Group, preservatives are the second most common cause of allergic and irritant reactions to cosmetics (Chen, 2009). â€Å"Consumer Purchase Intention for Organic Personal Care Products† examines the effects of consumer values and past experiences on the purchase intention of organic products. As part of the study, an online survey was cond ucted with 207 panel members. The results indicated that environmental consciousness and appearance consciousness positively influence toward buying organic or natural cosmetic products.The study suggested that retailers can develop effective marketing strategies emphasizing ecological beauty, product safety and affordable prices to increase the sale of organic and natural personal-care products (Kim et al, 2011). Based on this preliminary research, I have found that there is a definite gap in the market and a desire for natural Australian-made cosmetics. There is clearly a level of concern from the parents of the teens and tween that are so strategically marketed to and to succeed as a brand, Blossom would need to achieve the ‘cool factor’ for the tween/teen demographic to respond.However, to fully understand this target market and the objectives and strategies of competing cosmetic brands, primary research, including surveys, focus groups and ethnographic studies must be carried out. * Amidon Lusted, M. 2009. â€Å"Advertising to Children†. ABDO Publishing Company, Minnesota. p 35-40. * Girlfriend Magazine. 2012. [ONLINE]. Girlfriend Magazine. August Issue. Retrieved from:http://au. youth. yahoo. com/girlfriend/blog/galleries/g/-/14415833/2/august-2012-girlfriend-mag-sneak-peek/ * Murphy, C. 2008. â€Å"New Girl Order: Youth, Gender, and Generation in Contemporary Teen Girls' Media†.UMI Dissertation Publishing. * Cosmetics Business (2011)  Children's Market – Doing It For The Kids. [online] Available at: http://www. cosmeticsbusiness. com/technical/article_page/Childrens_market_doing_it_for_the_kids/61075. * Kamriani, F. 2008. â€Å"Teens and Cosmetics: It's Not Like It Used to Be†. Hollywood Weekly, Iss. 10 p. 10. * Austrade. 2009. Cosmetics and Toiletries Overview. [online] Available at: http://www. austrade. gov. au/Cosmetics-and-Toiletries-overview/default. aspx * Chen, Q. 2009. â€Å"Evaluate the Effectiveness of the Natural Cosmetic Product Compared to Chemical-Based Products†.International Journal of Chemistry, 1 (2), p. 57-59. * Kim, H. and Chung, J. 2011. â€Å"Consumer Purchase Intention for Organic Personal Care Products†. The Journal of Consumer Marketing, 28 (1), p. 40-47. TARGET MARKET RESEARCH: In researching the target market of Blossom Beauty products, I designed two surveys, one for 10-16 year old young women and one for parents, and mothers in particular. The results of each survey indicated that all participants in the 10-16 year old group had been using cosmetic and skincare products since the ages of 10-14.In contrast to this are the survey results from the group of mothers, which indicated that participants had started using cosmetic and skincare products from the ages of 13-20. This demonstrates that a shift in the social acceptance of youth cosmetic use has created a potential gap in the market for such a product. On asking the 10-16 year old participants how they learnt to apply makeup, the majority revealed that it was their mother/family members that had taught them, with friends and personal experimentation following closely behind.This shows that family members, in particular mothers, are most influential in cosmetic-related decisions for this age group. 10-16 year old participants chose Clinique, Maybelline, MAC, Chi Chi, Bloom and Natio as their favourite beauty brands, while parent participants chose Ponds, Australis, Bonne Bell, Clinique and Bobby Brown as their favourite beauty brands during ages 13-20. When asked what kinds of cosmetic and skincare products they used when they were younger, the majority of these participants chose eyeliner, eye shadow, lipstick, mascara and powder, and few skin-related products, mostly from skincare brand Nivea.This contrasts with the majority of 10-16 year old participants who chose mascara, lip gloss/balm and light foundation as their preferred products. These makeup products are much l ighter than those used by their mothers when they were teens, revealing a change in product use and commonly used brands. In terms of skincare, 60% of the 10-16 year old participants carry out a daily skincare routine, that involves a cleansing or exfoliating face wash, toner and moisturiser, with most favoured brand, Clearasil. Whilst the above graph shows that 66. 7% of the 10-16 year old participants use makeup products everyday, 86. % admitted to not owning any natural cosmetic or skincare products. This reveals that there is a gap in the market for natural beauty products that are designed for everyday use. When asked which celebrities they considered most physically attractive, participants chose teen TV stars like Mischa Barton, Leighton Meester, Blake Lively and Selena Gomez, fashion icons like Lily Allen, Alexa Chung and Kate Bosworth and ‘teen heartthrobs’ including Justin Bieber and Zac Efron. These celebrities are portrayed as stereotypically ‘prettyâ €™ and desirable, reflecting the sheer influence the media has on teen perceptions of beauty.The above graph shows that 64. 7% of parent participants would expect to pay between $10 and $20 for their daughters’ beauty products. 52. 9% of participants would purchase their daughters beauty products from department stores, followed by 41. 2% who would purchase them from beauty-specific stores like Priceline, as shown in the above graph. When shopping in the beauty/hygiene aisle of the supermarket, 88. 2% of parent participants and only 40% of 10-16 year old participants indicated that they would be more attracted to light, clean coloured packaging in white or silver. In contrast, the results showed that only 11. % of the parent participants compared to 60% of 10-16 year old participants would be attracted to bright, loud coloured packaging in red or pink. 76. 5% of parent participants would allow their daughter to wear makeup every day, and 58. 8% believe it is appropriate f or young women between the ages of 10 and 16 to wear makeup, however, a strong 41. 2% believe it isn’t. Through analysis of these survey results, primary and secondary target market characteristics have been identified. Blossom’s primary target market of teens and tweens between the ages of 10 and 16 are inexperienced with cosmetic products compared to their mothers as teens.They are interested in using makeup, and require skincare products, but their mothers and family remain highly influential in their beauty-related decisions. The media, however, is also extremely influential in the decisions of this age group and a certain perception of beauty and what is considered attractive is based around current celebrities. The mothers of 10-16 year olds who make up Blossom’s secondary target market are key consumers as they are the ones who purchase their daughter’s cosmetic and skincare products.These mothers want natural products for their daughters, but at a n affordable price. This target market won’t pay more than $20 and expect to find these beauty products where they might buy their own. PART II: MARKETING INTRODUCTION: MACRO & MICRO ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS POLITICAL: The Advanced Association of Beauty Therapists (AABTH) have reported that as consumers are becoming increasingly wary of potential toxicity in cosmetics and toiletries, market segments offering fragrance-free products made using natural ingredients and essential oils are likely to record strong growth.While natural beauty products are in demand, there are strict guidelines based on the labelling of these products. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission enforce the labelling of cosmetic products under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010. There are mandatory labelling requirements for the labelling of cosmetic products manufactured in, or imported into, Australia. Ingredients, including colour additives, fragrances and perfumes must be listed on the co ntainer or the product itself. ECONOMIC:Blossom is primarily targeted towards young women between the ages of 10 and 16. However, as this market is often still financially dependent on their parents, we must take the pricing of our products into careful consideration. Many believe that the cosmetics industry is a recession proof market because history has shown that women continue to spend on items that have the ‘feel good’ factor and represent ‘value for money’, but in the case of spending money on children, we must consider how the recession has affected parents. REFERENCE) SOCIAL: The AABTH have also reported that there has been continued growth in the youth segment (the teen and tween boom), which is thought to account for roughly 20 per cent of the overall cosmetics and toiletries market. It is believed that manufacturers and marketers may develop an increasing array of youth products that mimic their adult counterparts. Whilst the market for youth-foc used cosmetics is booming, there is a great deal of controversy surrounding the selling of make-up to young women in particular.Young girls are constantly influenced by a dominant message about physical appearance equating with worth and it has been shown that an over-emphasis on looks and attractiveness leads to negative body image, disordered eating, depression, anxiety and low self-esteem. While some cosmetic companies are setting unrealistic standards of beauty for their customers, Blossom is based on the idea of natural beauty and the empowerment of young women. The Blossom Mentor Program for young women without role models is evidence of our efforts in fighting for a better result.TECHNOLOGICAL: Recent studies have shown that 93% of teenagers 12-17 are online—the largest percentage of any age group, 73% of teens are on social networking sites and 75% of them own a mobile phone. The constant growth and popularity of technologies like the internet and mobile phones, combi ned with the immense influence the media has on young people is staggering. With such an online presence and a truly transient nature, it’s crucial for Blossom to tap into this younger generation of technology-savvy teens to remain current. COMPETITOR ANALYSIS:COMPETITOR 1: Bloom Cosmetics Bloom is an Australian beauty brand, based on Melbourne that was founded in 1993 by Natalie Bloom. According to the brand’s website, Bloom was born from Natalie’s packaging design hobby, which turned into a business and eventually a brand. The Bloom product range originally included Essential Oil Blends, Massage Oils and Aromatherapy Lip Balms and now features over 350 products including colour cosmetics, an 80-shade nail polish range, the Australian-manufactured Bloom Organics range and a diffusion range ‘b collection by Bloom’.Bloom is now an internationally recognised beauty brand and stocked across the globe (Bloom Cosmetics, 2011). Product| EYES * Shadows * L iners * Mascara * Brow liners/gelsLIPS * Lipstick * Stains/tints * Gloss * Lip liners * BalmsFACE * Foundation * Tint * Concealers/highlighters * Primer * Bronzing * BlushTANNING/BRONZING GELS/CREAMSNAILS * Polish * Accessories e. g. files, removerSKIN * Organic body care & skincare * Organic accessories e. g. owels/bagsACCESSORIES * Wipes, sharpener, bags & brushesSince 2000, each Bloom product has featured the playful yet sophisticated ‘Miss Bloom’ illustration, contributing to the youthful sensibility of the brand. | Price| The price point of Bloom cosmetics ranges from $10 for accessories, $20-$30 for lip, eye and nail products, and up to $40-$50 for body care, skin care and face products. This is a higher price point in comparison with competing brands. | Place| Bloom products are available from the Melbourne flagship store, Myer, David Jones and Target department stores as well as online. Promotion| * Bloom blog * Facebook * Twitter * Youtube * Email subscription * Competitions * Collaborations * Children’s Hospital Foundation | People| * Specific selection of trained staff knowledgeable in beauty products in department & flagship stores. | STRENGTHS| * Huge product range * Multiple collaborations * Series of awards won * Internationally recognised/stocked * Organics & diffusion ranges * Charity support – corporate citizenship| WEAKNESSES| * As a ‘youthful’ beauty brand, selling tanners & heavy makeup doesn’t set healthy example for young people. Quite expensive for young people & parents in comparison with competitors e. g. Kit, Maybelline, GeoGIRL * Lack of information online| OPPORTUNITIES| * A ‘youth focused’/cheaper diffusion line or collaboration * Expansion and growth of international presence| THREATS| * Negativity from parents * Competition from competing international cosmetic and skincare brands. | COMPETITOR 2: GeoGIRL CosmeticsGeoGIRL is an American beauty brand; selling ‘natu ral’ cosmetic and skin care products in recyclable packaging for 8-12 year old girls. The GeoGIRL website explains that the brand was launched in 2011 by US department store Walmart. GeoGIRL products are ‘natural’, affordable and ideal for young, sensitive skin. The 69-piece GeoGIRL line features blush, mascara, face shimmer and lipstick. Each GeoGIRL product comes with directions (GeoGIRL, 2012).Product| EYES * Shadows * Pencil * Mascara * Brow gelLIPS * Gloss * Balm * Shine * TreatmentsFACE * Concealer * Tint * Powder * Blush/shimmerSKIN * Cleanser * Toner * Moisturiser/refresher * Remover * Body mist| Price| The price point of GeoGIRL cosmetics ranges from USD$4 to USD$6, relatively low in comparison with competing brands. | Place| GeoGIRL cosmetics are available online at www. drugstore. com. | Promotion| * Facebook * Youtube * ‘Green tips’ – association with environmental consciousness * Charity link – animal shelters & endangered wildlife * Media e. . US magazines – Seventeen, Marie Claire & Teen Vogue * Music video * Membership & competitions| People| * GeoGIRL has a FAQ page dedicated to concerned parents, which explains the monitoring of personal information & accounts by trained staff members. | STRENGTHS| * Wide range of media coverage * A percentage of profits go to voted charities * How-to and music videos * ‘Parents’ section of the website that addresses any concerns about the GeoGIRL products. * Customers can also sign-up to become a GeoGIRL to share their ideas online. WEAKNESSES| * Only available online from a participating website called ‘drugstore. com’ * Pricing for the products doesn’t exceed $6 US dollars, portraying a cheap or low-quality brand image * The brand is only available to an American market * Website is inconsistent and some parts are missing| OPPORTUNITIES| * Expansion to an international market * Distribution into bricks and mortar stores * Further brand extensions or collaborations| THREATS| * Competing global brands * Negativity from parents & industry |While Blossom Beauty will offer a smaller product range in comparison to Bloom and GeoGIRL, the price point will be higher than that of GeoGIRL to portray an image of quality and to cover costs, but lower than Bloom to remain affordable. Blossom will only be available to an Australian market to begin with, but may expand globally to compete with brands like Bloom. Blossom will focus on youth-appropriate products and promotion like GeoGIRL but will maintain a sophisticated appearance and reputation like Bloom. Bloom Cosmetics (2011)  Our Story. [online] Available at: http://www. bloomcosmetics. om/cms-home/bloom-story. phps. GeoGIRL (2012)  About GeoGIRL. [online] Available at: http://geogirl. com/about. SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS: STRENGTHS: * Blossom Beauty produces 100% natural skin care and cosmetic products for everyday use * Each product comes with a set of direc tions * Blossom has recruited a famous female celebrity ambassador to represent the brand * We support young women without role models with our Blossom Mentor Program * Blossom aims to collaborate with a major teen fashion brand * Our product is available online, in department and beauty-specific stores WEAKNESSES: Blossom will only be available to the Australian market to begin with * We may have to produce offshore to remain competitive and cover costs * We are yet to achieve any media coverage OPPORTUNITIES: * A focus on planet-friendly, cost-efficient packaging * Growth of customer base, with sustained loyalty past teen/tween years * Brand extensions into fragrance, body and hair care THREATS: * Lack of control if manufacturing offshore * Risk of over-pricing products * Competing brands with established reputation and brand extensions * Negativity from parentsMARKET OVERVIEW: OBJECTIVES & STRATEGIES: Objectives| Strategies| * Position Blossom as a leading skincare and cosmetics brand, dedicated to the welfare of young women * Push the visibility of Blossom in the market through strategic promotional efforts| Work with PR team to form a strong concept and consistent brand message communicated through campaign shoot to be featured in Dolly/Girlfriend magazines, buses, billboards and online 2-3 months before line is released. * | Develop relationships with department stores e. g. MYER and David Jones, as well as beauty-specific store e. g. Priceline for distribution by June/July. | * | Launch line through event, coinciding with International Women’s Day in June/July – focus on mother-daughter relationship. | * | With the assistance of web expertise, develop e-commerce website by June and maintain consistent brand message in social networking via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr and Pinterest. * Diversify Blossom from competitors * Achieve a positive reputation through association|   Identify key Australian female celebrities who are viewed as positive role models and represent the values of Blossom and reach out to them to secure a brand ambassador by early 2013. | * | Kick start Blossom Mentor Program and design school workshops by August. Connect with The Butterfly Foundation charity, work with PR team to publicise the program e. g. magazines, internet and POS promotion and get brand ambassador involved. * Build a loyal customer base that transcends teen years| Align Blossom with youth-focused fashion destinations, online or in-store e. g. Factorie/ASOS etc and collaborate on a line as a goal towards the end of the year. | * | Research growing market and move into brand extensions by the beginning of 2014, branching out into fragrances, bath & body or haircare. | TACTICAL MARKETING PROGRAMS: PRODUCT: The Blossom Beauty range will consist of one cosmetic line and one skin care line.The all-natural cosmetic line will focus on the ‘basics of natural beauty’ and will be made up of lip glosses, balms and ti nts, mix and match eye shadows, mascara, easy-to-use eye liner and eye crayons, mineral blush and cheek tint, mineral powder and tinted moisturiser, as well as a variety of makeup related tools including brushes, a case, mirror, sharpener and eyelash curler. The 100% natural skin care range will also be focused on the essentials, with a cream cleanser, exfoliating facial scrub, nourishing moisturiser, toner and acne serum.Cosmetic and skin care products will look and smell delicious in feminine coloured packaging and each will come with a brief set of instructions on how to achieve the desired result. PRICE: Blossom beauty products will be priced anywhere between $15 and $30. This price point is slightly lower than competing brands to keep it accessible for teens and affordable for their parents as a secondary target market. The price may seem higher than other teen-friendly beauty products but only to cover the costs of natural ingredients and product tie-ins. PLACE:Blossom product s may have to be manufactured offshore in order for the brand to remain competitive. The products will be packaged in Australia and distributed to major department stores like Myer/David Jones, in beauty-specific stores including Priceline and online from our e-commerce website. PROMOTION: Much like other well-known cosmetic brands, Blossom will have a strong commercial presence. Blossom advertisements will be featured in print media (e. g. Dolly and Girlfriend magazine) and outdoors, on billboards and on buses. Each advertisement will feature bright natural colours, youthful imagery and our brand ambassador.Blossom has chosen these promotional tools in order to connect directly with teens, tweens and their parents. That is why the brand will also maintain a strong online identity through social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter and the Blossom website that will include how-to videos, interactive quizzes and games, competitions and brand information. Blossom will also be pr omoted through collaborations with online and bricks and mortar shopping destinations and its Mentor Program for young girls. Each promotional method reinforces the brands message of the positivity of natural beauty and the empowerment of young women.PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS: FINANCIAL: Month| Objective| Budget| Jan-Feb 2013| Brand ambassador chosen|   | | Market research conducted| $6000 for focus groups$300 per personal interviews – 6 interviews to represent different ages within target market – $1800| | Workshops designed|   | March-May|   Campaign shoot| $20,000| |   Promotional activity| Outdoor – Bus/Billboard: $20,000Magazine: $25,000| | Website design| $10,000-$20,000 to build website10% of cost to build website per month for website maintenance| | Cosmetic and skin care line manufactured| $20,000| June-July| Launch event| $20,000|

The Tools of Empire Essay - 717 Words

Looking back over the millennium now ending, one question in particular stands out: how did the inhabitants of Western Europe, a backwater in the year 1000AD, manage to gain economic and military dominance over much of the globe? Not so long ago, the answers to this question seemed obvious: Europeans were racially superior, and besides, God wanted them to win. As historians have shed race-driven and providential views of human history, new explanations have had to be formulated. Some of these new explanations are surprising; most of them conflict at some point with each other. Imperialism has been linked to multiple theories of the actual origins of the imperialistic Headrick uses the argument that technology made the creation of empire a†¦show more content†¦One of the most important tools in this phase was the steamer. These were ships that were equipped with a low pressure steam engine that drove a paddle wheel by converting the steam energy into kinetic energy, the energy of motion. The first steamers into India were two ships known as the Diana and the Pluto. These ships were brought in to be used as pleasure steamers for Nawab of Oudh (Hedrick 19). This ship was then commandeered by the British during their war with the Burmese in 1824. The Diana was the greatest investment the British could have acquired, it used its engines to pull sailing ships into lines and its loud cannons and fiery engines struck fear into the heart of their enemies. During this time the Select Committee on Steam Navigation to India was formed. The purpose of this committee was to recommend plans to British investors. The committee questioned three people, T homas Love Peacock, Francis Rawdon Chesney, and Macgregor Laird. 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