Legal Drinking Age Should Be Lowered - 2099 Words

When thinking of alcohol, individuals may associate this substance with fun, partying, friends, and the feeling of being invincible. Although there are a legal alcohol drinking and purchasing age in various countries, it is easily accessible to those who are underage. Alcohol is a monitored and controlled substance that can be purchased legally, yet there are many concerns that surround the substance. There are pros, cons, and different patterns regarding alcohol and the legal alcohol drinking and purchasing age. As a result of alcohol use, there have been many fatalities and injuries due to impaired driving, while also being linked to patterns of violence, dependence, and aggression. Current debates surrounding Minimum Legal Drinking Ages (MLDA) state that the legal purchasing and drinking age should be lowered. The legal alcohol drinking and purchasing age should not be lowered as it could result in more fatalities and injuries among young adults, an increase in alcohol dependence, and increase acts of aggression and violence within society. There are many factors to consider when studying current legal alcohol age debates such as factors of Public Health and Safety, factors of addiction, and socio-economic factors. There have been many studies surrounding this issue in many places of the world such as various parts of the world, such as Canada, the United States, and New Zealand. These studies take the various factors and differing drinking ages into consideration. ThereShow MoreRelatedThe Legal Drinking Age Should Not Be Lowered973 Words   |  4 Pages The Legal Age for Drinking Alcohol Should Not Be Lowered To 18 In the United States. Every state has the right to set its own legal drinking age. However, according to George Will in an article he wrote in the Washington Post about the legal drinking age, â€Å"drinking age paradox† â€Å"lowering the drinking age will cost the state ten percent of its federal highway funds and cause a significant uproar from contractors and construction unions.† It is therefore in the best interest of every citizenRead MoreThe Legal Drinking Age Should Be Lowered1732 Words   |  7 PagesThe definition of the word adult is: â€Å"a person who has attained the age of maturity as specified by law†(Dictionary.com). If this is so, then why is it that in the United States 18 year olds are legally considered adults in our society, but they can’t legally buy or consume alcohol? Yet at this age they are able to vote in an election, get married, serve on a jury, live on their own, purchase cigarettes, adopt a child, and defend our country. These are not easy tasks for one to take on, yet our governmentRead MoreThe Legal Drinking Age Should Be Lowered955 Words   |  4 PagesIn the United States of America, the National Government requires the states to enforce a legal drinking age of twenty-one. Where as the world average drinking age is eighteen, and in some Countries it is even lower where it is possible to get a beer at sixteen years of age. Taking that into consideration, there is a great deal of controversy in the United States on what the legal age should be to purchase and consume an alcoholic beverage. The largest issue being that you are considered to be anRead MoreThe Legal Drinking Age Should Be Lowered1170 Words   |  5 PagesFor a majority of the 20th century, the United States drinking age has been a big issue. After prohibition had concluded in 1933, twenty- one was the new legal drinking age. Meanwhile, during the Vietnam War, eighteen became the new legal drinking age. Finally in 1984, Congress pa ssed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act (MLDA). Since then, twenty-one years old has been the legal age to drink in the United States. There are several ways alcohol has been a reason for death such as, alcohol poisoningRead MoreThe Legal Drinking Age Should Be Lowered1553 Words   |  7 Pagesold male who lives in Oregon. To celebrate his 18th birthday, he decided to go out with some friends and have a few drinks. He knows that the legal drinking age is 21, but he thinks what is the harm? I am 18 and in other countries, you are allowed to drink before you turn 21. Later that night as John gets in the car with his friends after a few hours of drinking, everything seems to be going well as they are driving down the freeway on their way over to his friend Dan’s house that is just a few milesRead MoreThe Legal Drinking Age Should Not Be Lowered988 Words   |  4 PagesThe Legal Drinking Age Should Not Be Lowered There are copious amounts of people who believe that the legal drinking age should be lowered to eighteen. Others think the drinking age needs to remain the same. A few of those also conclude the legal age of adulthood should be raised to 21. The belief is if the adolescent brain has not matured enough to support alcohol use by age 21, it cannot make the responsible decisions required at 18 years of age. Voters should make the decision toRead MoreThe Legal Drinking Age Should Not Be Lowered1117 Words   |  5 Pagesto the legal age of alcohol consumption have been going on for many years. While some feel that 21 should remain as the legal minimum consumption age, others disagree. By examining different aspects of alcohol consumption such as social motives and health related concerns one is more able to fully grasp the role that alcohol plays in our society. Through research and analyzation one can come to the conclusion that a lowered legal drinking age is not the answe r. The legal drinking age should not beRead MoreThe Legal Drinking Age Should Be Lowered Essay1548 Words   |  7 PagesIn the United States, the legal drinking age is twenty-one. In all fifty states, however, there are exceptions for underaged drinking at home, under adult supervision, or for medical purposes (â€Å"Drinking Age†). Overall, the legal opportunities for any person under twenty-one to legally drink alcohol are very scarce. There are many different points, made by people from both sides of the issue about whether or not to lower the drinking age to eighteen, or leave it where it currently stands at twenty-oneRead MoreThe Legal Drinking Age Should Be Lowered1481 Words   |  6 Pagesthe century, underage drinking happens every day in the United States and for some this might seem unacceptable but for most this is all because an unfair law put up by the government. The legal drinking age should be lowered from 21 to 18 because, among other things; 18 is the age of adulthood in America and adults should have the right to make their own decisions, also traffic accidents and fatalities are most common among newly-legal drinkers regardless of their drinking age; and, this law has notRead MoreShould the Legal Drinking Age Be Lowered?2541 Words   |  11 Pagesabysmal failure. It hasnt reduced or eliminated drinking. It has simply driven it underground, behind closed doors, into the most risky and least manageable of settings,(Debate) said John McCardell of â€Å"Choose Responsibility†. Choose Responsibility is a non-profit organization that is for lowering the drinking age to 18. Young adults can vote, fight and die for their country overseas, and purchase tobacco at age 18, but why cannot they have a beer? Drinking among the youth in the United States has escalated

Sports Drinks Industry Analysis Free Essays

Executive Summary We have noticed an increasing number of businesses catering to the recent rise of a new target market: the health-conscious consumer. At Nike, our goal has always been to give consumers what they want now, as well as to anticipate their future tastes, and to thus tailor our strategy to accommodate those tastes. We have recognized an unfilled market potential in the non-carbonated energizing sports drink arena, thus developing an entirely new product category. We will write a custom essay sample on Sports Drinks Industry Analysis or any similar topic only for you Order Now Our branding strategy is to enter the market by carving a new niche of protein-enriched energizing sports drinks. Our objective is to educate consumers about the new drink, as well as to make a profit and gain market share in the industry. We hope that by being market leaders, our name will become synonymous with the new drink category, and will aid in our sustaining a competitive advantage over the copy-cats that are sure to flock the market after the new products’ introduction and subsequent success. Our primary target market is 18-34 year old females who will use our sports drink whenever they needed a boost: at work, in the gym, or just when they felt like it. The secondary target market is 18-34 year old males who fall into much the same socio-cultural and economic category as the primary target market. The Nike Motion energy drink will be positioned as a high-end item, costing $2 per environmentally-friendly can. It will come in a variety of fruit flavors and will boast the replenishment of electrolytes and other essential vitamins and minerals. We hope that high-frequency mass market penetration using multi-media advertisements will spread the word and raise awareness about Nike Motion. National distribution will follow in supermarkets, pharmacies, health food stores, and gourmet retailers. The Nike brand name, accompanied by its strong brand image, will differentiate the product and maintain its popularity via the market leader and differentiation strategy the company has chosen. [2. 0] Environmental Analysis Economic Trends: The X and Y generations, our target markets, comprise about 110 million people of the United States population. They are, generally speaking, well-educated, and earn relatively higher incomes, thus allowing for much of their disposable income to be spent on health-oriented products, such as the new beverage we are planning to launch, Nike Motion. Neither positive, nor negative economic trends, such as changes in interest rates, inflation, DGP, etc. are not likely to have a significant impact on our product, since it’s not a high priced luxury item whose demand would be affected by theses factors. The quality of sports drinks consumed doesn’t really depend on the income of the consumers, since these are relatively inexpensive, everyday products. As a general trend however it is worth mentioning that the economy as a whole is growing in the United States as well as in other parts of the world, allowing for an ever increasing standard of living. Cultural and Demographic Trends: Socio-culturally, our target market is health-conscious and youth-oriented. The individuals comprising our target market of 18-34 year old men and women, are generally perceived as individualistic, with a focus on making healthy decisions via food choices (salad bars and the organics market have boomed), and exercise (from going on athletics-oriented vacations, to spending lunch hours in the gym). There is also a change in the lifestyle of Americans, and people around the world: fast paced, always on the go, eating out and socializing more. These people rarely have the time to cook at home, decreasing the regularity of consuming healthy meals. One of the best alternatives of getting the needed vitamins and nutrition is via healthy beverages, such as Nike Motion. The U. S. population’s general aversion to high calorie, high sugar, and high carbohydrate beverages will likely be beneficial to our new product. Demographically, a traditional family structure is becoming less typical, with an increasing number of couples co-habitating without being married, lower birth-rates, and a greater concentration on health and weight maintenance. As a result of these trends, consumption of youth-oriented products has grown as people strive to be in good shape. The Nike Motion energizing sports drink will provide the energy these people need to accomplish their objectives. Ethnic trends are likewise changing, with baby boomers retiring, and an increasing young Latino population emerging, along with an influx of Asians. The Hispanic population, becoming the largest minority segment in 2002, has grown 70 percent over the past decade to approximately 37 million (14. 1 percent of the U. S. population). These youths lead fast-paced lifestyles, frequently juggling school, work, and personal lives. For the younger generation, regardless of ethnic background, feeling tired is not an option. The popularity of the sports and energy drinks has proven this fact. We at Nike thus believe that Nike Motion will be a tremendous success, appealing to a health-conscious population with our alluring natural ingredients, while simultaneously satis fying the increasing need for energizing products. Political and Legal Environment: The political environment could have a significant effect on us if we were to market Nike Motion in foreign countries. Constant changes in exchange rates and political systems are important to keep in mind. As to the legal environment, each and every firm operates in nations of laws and rules that have to be obeyed. Coca Cola recently got into trouble due to an advertising message in which they, allegedly, portrayed Gatorade in an unfavorable light. The case was settled outside of court, but has cost millions of dollars for Coke. 2 Physical Environment and Technological Trends: The current physical environment, especially in metropolitan areas such as large cities, is very much conducive to the use of our product. Available in a large number of various retailers, our goal is to be the Starbucks of sports drinks – on every corner, there when you need it. Retailers stocking our product will be dispersed throughout the city, with a significant concentration in areas of business and entertainment (for example, in the downtown financial district, as well as near the Broadway theaters), as well as near learning centers and gyms. We want to make sure that Nike Motion is widely distributed and readily available, both to impulse shoppers, as well as for the more traditional type of buyer. Changes in technology may lower entry barriers and create new product processes. To enter the sports drink industry, large capital investments are required for production facilities, marketing, and etcetera. Technological changes, such as the internet, can create additional possibilities for promotion, via viral campaigns via the internet and emails that are so popular with our target market. Global Trends: Due to advances in technology and communication, we can safely say that the world has never been as united as it is currently. The internet, along with television, and to a lesser degree, radio, have served as outlets for disseminating cultural views, and incorporating adaptations of traditional ethnic ideas and beliefs into the mainstream, both within a country and internationally. Products ranging from clothing to music to the culinary arts have become widely accepted. We feel that sports drinks fall into this global category as well. From Europe to Latin America to the United States, lifestyles are becoming faster-paced (though to varying degrees) and are influencing the demand for products that will accommodate such consumer choices. In the last year alone, sales of sports drinks have increased by 10%. 3 [3. 0] Mission Statement Nike’s mission states: â€Å"If you have a body, you are an athlete. † Nike Motion, the new protein infused energy drink brought to you by Nike, targets the athlete in us all, whether you are on the track or on the couch, by providing hydration and energy with essential vitamins, minerals, and exotic herbs, proven to enhance performance, raise energy levels, as well as enhance mental agility. Nike motion is crucial for both body and mind. [4. 0] Market / Industry / Competition Analysis Competition Analysis of Sports Drink Industry Sports drinks experienced a remarkable growth in the late 1990s and early 2000s, growing almost 56 percent between 1997 and 2002. As a result of this increase in demand for sports drinks, a large number of products started flooding the market. This influx, however, is controlled by a limited number of established and powerful companies, namely Gatorade and Powerade. Gatorade, produced by PepsiCo, is a market leader, boasting 80 percent market share. Its chief competitor, Powerade (produced by Coca Cola), accounts for 19 percent of the remaining sports drink market. PepsiCo’s market share however is not safe. Since 2002, its share declined by 4 percent, while Coke’s Powerade grew by nearly 30 percent. 4 Most of the industry’s growth is driven by reaching new demographics, including ethnic groups, children and more serious exercisers. Attempts by other companies to market sports drinks have often failed, or achieved considerably less success than the existing players. Nike, in an attempt to avoid territorial battles, plans to carve a new niche, the energizing sports drinks with various essential nutrients, thus emerging as a market leader in this new category. As mentioned previously, given its established, strong brand image, and its association with everything healthy, such a move should not prove impossible. Porter’s Competitive Forces According to Porter’s Five Competitive Forces, the power of suppliers is low because the ingredients used, as well as the packaging, are commodities that can be easily substituted, and therefore do not involve high switching costs. The market is not dominated by a few large suppliers, but is rather fragmented, allowing for price competition. The power of buyers is medium, because even though there are many buyers, some of them are rather powerful. There is little chance that existing customers would integrate backwards. Sports drinks are differentiated products but can be replaced by a limited number of substitutes, water being the biggest threat. The consumers, according to trends in the macro environment will increasingly search for sports drinks on the store shelves. The small number of firms makes for a high degree of rivalry, with a few large companies competing amongst themselves, as well as vying to establish a significant foothold in order to prevent smaller firms from entering the market. The energy and sports drink products are thus differentiated, and vary in more than just price. The threat of new entrants is low to medium due to the fact that the attractive high-growth industry of sports drinks has very high barriers to entry; namely, it is capital intensive, requiring a lot of marketing and advertising of these products, discussing their benefits, as well as positioning them apart from the rest. Likewise, it necessitates large economies of scale in production. Such resources are difficult to achieve, and if marketing to the masses, it is something only large, wealthy companies can achieve. The threat of substitutes in this arena is quite high, in that the products currently on the market often differ in little other than brand and consumer perception. The switching costs from one brand to another are virtually zero, but companies can succeed if they’re able to retain their loyal customer bases. [4. 0] Summary of marketing activity in the industry Pricing strategy It is safe to state that there are no significant pricing differences among the brands, they are competitively priced. Both Gatorade and Powerade sell at about $1. 50-2. 00 for a 32 oz. bottle, depending on the location and on the type of retailer. There are really no pricing wars in this industry, since consumers are very brand loyal. Looking at the distribution channels, we can see that these sports drinks are sold at most retailers that sell groceries and other beverages. Retailers include: supermarkets, delis, vending machines, street vendors, cafeterias at gyms, etcetera. We see a potential advantage in selling Nike Motion at existing Nike outlets, such as sporting goods stores, and in Nike’s flagship stores, Niketowns, that are located in major cities around the world. Advertising and Promotions When discussing advertising and promotional strategies, we have to note that even the most successful companies need advertising and other promotional vehicles to further the success of their brands. Sports drink makers, given the degree of competition in the industry are doing just this. Gatorade spent $180 million on advertisements last year while Powerade spent less than $20 million, per Nielsen Monitor-Plus. Since these sports drinks primarily target health-conscious consumers and athletes, some of the most important promotional vehicles include sponsorship of sporting events, and signing of top athletes for promotional deals. Coca Cola was, for example, the official sponsor of the summer Olympic Games in Athens with its Powerade Drink. â€Å"We f ocus on niche audiences of top athletes, either through major events such as the Olympics, close relationships with sporting bodies, or by working with sports experts to produce targeted advertorial,’ says a Coca-Cola spokeswoman. ‘Consumer education is key,’ she adds. 6 Powerade earlier launched an online version of its LeBron James comic in its quest to position the brand as the sports drink for the next generation. A first for Coke and its partner DC Comics, the interactive site included flash technology and voice-overs by Mr. James across 12 Webisodes, as well as an instant win component and video games. 7 Gatorade on the other hand is the official sponsor of the National Football League, the official sports drink of the National Basketball Association, WNBA, Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer and a host of others around the world. In all, Gatorade has struck roughly 900 sponsorship deals with sports events over time, according to tracking by the IEG Sponsorship Report. Gatorade also will sponsor branded content during the National Basketball Association’s playoffs on ESPN, TNT and FSN networks. On TNT, broadcast personalities will air live sideline segments dubbed â€Å"Heard Around the Cooler† about game strategy, injuries, statistics and other insights, while ESPN will air branded â€Å"Cooler Talk† segments on its â€Å"Sports Center. † Challenges One of the biggest challenges these companies face is the problem of attracting more female consumers. According to the Mintel International Group, an industry observer, consumption patterns always leaned heavily toward males, but the trend showed signs of changing as more female teens reportedly were drinking more and more sports drinks. This reflected female teens’ ongoing interest in losing weight and increasing interest in exercise. 8 Sports beverage producers also began targeting the fast-growing Hispanic population. Gatorade’s Xtremo! was the first to appeal to this potential market with a line of more exotic and tropical flavors including mango and tropical. The effort was supported by bilingual packaging and Spanish-language advertising. Coca-Cola’s Powerade brand also began using Spanish-language advertising to tap into this market. We think that the most important industry factors that will be influential in our planning is the degree of competition that we’re hoping to offset with powerful and wide-reaching marketing campaigns. As I’ve mentioned earlier, there is a very high level of competition especially between Gatorade and Powerade. Both these companies spend millions of dollars on building their brands and their loyal customer base. We can see, however, a slight difference between the promotional techniques of the two. Gatorade is more centered on the top-athlete, while Powerade tries to depict a more cutting-edge picture that appeals primarily to the iPod generation. There might be another niche that is underserved, and that could be just what Nike Motion needs. An underserved niche, such as women and men of Generation X and Generation Y, might have a need for nutritious, on-the-go beverages that fit into their busy life-styles. Nike could target these niches successfully due to its existing brand image. [5. 0] Marketing Objective The Nike brand is a well known brand, its swoosh is one of the most recognizable signs out there, having established brand loyalty among many. Based on our market research, the brand extension of Nike Motion would have great potential for being the next great beverage among athletes and non-athletes. We would pursue a mass market penetration strategy for a saturated market, while still allowing for a vast opportunity in high profits and gaining market share due to Nike’s brand recognition. Our primary objective is to create product awareness among the target audience by 30 percent in one year and our secondary objective would be to increase market share. We would also want to inform our target audience about the features and benefits of our product and its competitive advantage, leading to a 10 percent increase in sales in one year. Many individuals are unaware of Nike’s new brand extension of a sports drink. Therefore we would pursue a high reach and high frequency strategy in our advertising in order to have maximum exposure. In order to accomplish this we would conduct a SWOT analysis to gain a better understanding of our target market and market segment. We want to achieve this objective by using secondary and primary research to get an in depth understanding of our target and to formulate a strategy to develop our campaign. Based on our research, trends and attitudes are moving toward health conscious products. How to cite Sports Drinks Industry Analysis, Essays

Wheels Novel Shane free essay sample

Shane perceives Jess as an outsider to the normal group of people he socializes with. Jess ignores the signs and tries to create friendship between Shane and her by creating an atmosphere full of happiness and gives Shane a gift while he is in hospital. Shane starts to see Jess as a very thoughtful person when he opened his gift and revealed an electronic chess board. Shane remarks that he does not know how to play chess, and is thankful when Jess enlightens him that she will come over every weekend and teach him how to play. The relationship between the two characters at this point has not truly started yet, with Shane still wary about Jess. Shane and Jess’s relationship starts to grow and becomes closer and closer later on in the book. Shane is grateful that Jess is the only one from school who has visited him since he came to rehab and unlike their first interaction, Shane is now eager to see Jess when she comes ever weekend to rehab and challenges him in a game of chess. Like most relationships between people there will always be hiccups along the way. We are confronted with a change in progress between Jess and Shane’s relationship when they are fooling around in the hospitals gymnasium. Jess challenges Shane to a wheelchair race and questions Shane to whether she can use his new chair. Thinking twice, Shane agrees and let’s Jess use his new chair that is far lighter than the hospital chairs that she generally uses. Giving Jess a head start, Shane quickly catches her with a great amount of effort. Shane finishes first and while he rests, he watches Jess finish speeding towards him with fear covering her face. Shane I can’t,’ she shrieks and at that moment she collides with Shane. Jess lays on top of Shane at this point, only centimeters away from his face. Jess looks into Shane’s eyes and surprisingly to Shane, Jess kisses him. Shane finds himself kissing back without realizing what is going on. Shane becomes puzzled on what has just happened and has an aggressive outbreak at Jess, telling her that he is ‘Not a friggin’ charity case! ’ Jess responds with sadness saying that Shane is stupid if he thinks she only kissed him because she feels pity towards him. As Shane watches Jess leave, he realizes that the relationship between him and Jess now, is very brittle. A week after their dispute, Jess returns like every other weeked to challenge Shane to another game of chess, not acknowledging their fight. When Shane returns back at school, he notices that Jess is back to her old dorky self again. He attempts to thank Jess for the wheelchair access but she quickly becomes shy and leaves, leaving Shane confused. He is amazed by the way Jess responded to seeing him and at this point the relationship becomes awkward once again. The relationship starts to even out when Shane is told that Jess’s dad didn’t die, he in fact left her family when she was only a child. Wanting the relationship to heal, Shane reacts in a nurturing manner giving support as she cried. Jess notices that Shane is not irritated about her lying and is relieved. After a lot of thought, Shane realizes that he and Jess have always had a bond even through their ups and downs and knows that it is more than friendship. Shane convinces himself to ask Jess the big question, unaware that his friend Ryan is at her house. He arrives at her front gate with flowers on his lap that he had previously bought from a nearby florist, with the flowers specially picked out for her. Abruptly, Jess comes out of the front door with Ryan following, grasping her hand. At this stage Shane is confused to why they are together as Jess and Ryan walk over to greet him. Jess reveals that Ryan bet him to it and they are now a couple as Shane sat shocked in his chair. Although he is upset, he states that he is happy for the both of them. Jess acknowledges the flowers on Shane’s lap, knowing that it is too late Shane that they are for his mother to save the embarrassment. The relationship between Jess and Shane has now become awkward due to the fact that Jess is now focusing on Ryan instead of Shane but still remaining close friends. Until the last number of pages in the novel, the relationship between Shane and Jess remained the same. Shane has always been uneasy about Ryan and Jess dating but has always covered it up when they are around only wishing that he was in Ryan’s position. Before his Nationals race, he is asked out by another competitor at his racing school. Shane reveals that it is Jess that she likes, knowing his feelings are for only her. Rachel gives Shane advice pointing out that he should tell Jess that he likes her, slowly building Shane’s confidence. He finally decided to tell Jess that he loves her, Jess did not react but quickly became nervous leaving Shane quite anxious as he punched the wheels on the wheelchair and sped off. Their relationship at this point is building but still remains awkward from when Shane told Jess he loved her. It wasn’t until a week later when Jess went to Shane at his home to congratulate him about making Nationals. Everything was usual until Jess told Shane that she had broken up with Ryan and that she had feelings for someone else who turned out to be Shane. At this leg in Shane and Jess’s relationship, they are both interested in each other and are closer than any other point in the book. In conclusion, whilst observing the relationship between Shane and Jess, you are shown their friendship between the two characters is genuine and that it turns out to be more.