Situation Analysis For 42below Feijoa Vodka Marketing Essay

Situation Analysis For 42below Feijoa Vodka Marketing Essay 42 Below Vodka which is the worlds most awarded vodka according to its website is one of New Zealands most recognized alcohol exports to the world. 42 BELOW Limited, is a drinks manufacturing company based in downtown  Auckland,  New Zealand. Their foremost product is the  vodka  42 BELOW, the  gin  South Gin, as well as  420 spring water  (which is sparkling mineral water) and the cheaper brand  of Stil Vodka (Wikipedia, 2012).   42 Below is made from  genetic engineering-free wheat. The name also refers to the southern latitude where the product is manufactured just north of  Wellington  on New Zealands 42nd parallel and it is also a reference to the 42% alcohol content of the beverage. The specific product that will be the focus of this assignment is the 42 Below Feijoa Vodka which is made with the feijoa, a native  New Zealand  fruit, and has 42% alcohol content. It also has the hint of guavas and pineapple as well and is a relatively new product for the company. Vodkas are considered to be spirits that are principally neutral that is, without distinctive character, aroma, taste or colour (MediaWiki, 2012). Nevertheless, buyers do distinguish between them according to taste, alcohol content, and most notably, price. The target market for this product: 42 Below Feijoa (referred to in this report as Feijoa) will be the youth and this product will especially be marketed with a kiwi-culture concept to those with a patriotic streak. A price of around $37.99- $42.99 puts this vodka in the mid-price range which will also be a plus. 42 Below undertook a preliminary public tender of shares and warrants in 2003. On 27 September 2006 the firm received a takeover offer of $0.77/share from  Bacardi Ltd  , which expanded the value of the business to NZ$138 million. Bacardi looked at 42Below as a fledgling company but with much long-term growth potential in the international market. The takeover was victorious and 42 BELOW Limited is now completely owned by the Bacardi group. Market of interest, trends and size Market of interest: The New Zealand vodka market is currently saturated with a variety of products but 42 Below Vodka is a brand that has immense local brand awareness. In the language of Kiwidom, 42 Below is world famous in New Zealand. To capture market allocation, 42 Below Vodka has had to establish and cultivate a strong brand-name. This report discusses the introduction of Feijoa to Kiwis (here and abroad) and the best ways to achieve profitable sales. Feijoa is out to recapture Kiwis who are patriotic and always crave for a taste of New Zealand beginning with those who are in the country and continuing abroad. Trends and size of the market: Statistics New Zealand records that the volume of spirits (containing more than 23 percent alcohol) increased 217,000 litres (1.7percent) to 13 million litres in 2011 and according to them vodka sales were up 9% in popularity. This shows that the market size for Vodka in New Zealand is substantial and that the trend of the spirit market, especially that of vodka, is that it has continually increased in size. This also reiterates that the demand for vodka and vodka based products is going from strength to strength in New Zealand. External environment impacts Analyzing the environmental aspects is advantageous for comprehending how the present trends and developments could influence the promotional plan of our product. It is very important to keep up with the trends in the market to gain a competitive edge over our rival companies. Some of the current trends in the external environment and how these could affect out marketing plan are listed below. Social Networking One of the key trends in society today is the use of social networking. It is vital for our company to create and manage a Twitter Account as well as a Facebook page, which will permit current and potential consumers of our products to keep in touch with the company, ask questions and keep up-to-date on all our company and product promotions. A campaign that uses promotions, contests and other creative ideas on Facebook will allow Feijoa to have a higher level of input from and better communication with the consumer. These channels can also be used to maintain a high standard of our product with the consumers. Online Websites Online Websites are also great place for buyers to gather information regarding products on sale. It is therefore essential that our company has a technologically advanced and informational website about our products and the company. Consumers should be able to query about our product, locate information and buy said items using our website. We will look at upgrading our current website to this level: http://www.42below.com/ Corporate Social Responsibility Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is the responsibility of an organization for the impacts of its decisions and activities on society, the environment and its own prosperity. (MPI, 2012) it is seen as trendy for alcohol-based companies to integrate CSR into its advertising. At present, companies try to communicate messages like: Drink responsibly and You dont want to spoil a great party. A company sees it as its responsibility to inform consumers about responsible alcohol consumption. (ECMAM, 2009). Feijoa has plans to incorporate CSR into our promotions activity because it is important for any alcohol selling company to notify customers that it is fundamental to drink responsibly. Green Image The idea of going green is very popular in todays society. The buzz today is to try and protect our planet and her resources. Integrating the idea of being green in our marketing can be very advantageous in getting customers to buy our product. For our company to exploit this trend, we will advertise about the green aspects of our manufacturing and bottling process. Our company can also donate funds to green causes for every bottle of Feijoa bought. Competition Analysis An analysis of the current competition for 42 Below Feijoa Vodka, centered on the 3 most popular vodkas sold in New Zealand today, is presented. Using SWOT analyses, the identifiable weaknesses and strengths of Feijoa in the light of this competition has been examined. Key threats and key opportunities have also been identified. Current Situation 42 Below Vodka is a well known brand in New Zealand. It is, as they say, world famous in New Zealand. Made in the Wellington using the pure softness of New Zealand sparkling water, 42 Below Vodka has fashioned itself as a popular brand of vodka in New Zealand and abroad. 42 Below Vodkas current goal is to expand its vodka range and offering customers first-rate feijoa based vodka at an affordable price. Feijoa plans to target the higher class youth market consisting of high-end nightclubs, hotels, and restaurants plus the demographic that frequents these enterprises: youthful professionals, younger professional people, and others with an prosperous standard of living. Problem Identification The fundamental problem that Feijoa faces is entering into an already overcrowded New Zealand market with absolutely no taste awareness for a feijoa based alcoholic beverage. A strategic plan for acquiring considerable market share is crucial. Opportunity Because 42 Below Feijoa is entering an entirely innovative niche in the market, it has the prospect of building everything from square one including: image, a name for the product, and strategies to market the product. The first thing we need to do is create a brand image for Feijoa whereby it will begin to establish a connection with its target audience. The branding aim is to position Feijoa foremost in the minds of its target consumers whenever they think of buying highest quality pure vodka for their businesses, special events, parties and getaways. Feijoa will also need to develop an exceptional and continuing image of this vodka for targeted consumers. For example, another vodka distributed in New Zealand, Absolut Vodka, has a website that can attract and grip the attention of even a teetotaler, because the imagery and list of possibilities on their website are so compelling. Feijoa needs to develop an image that will boost our products status value and impression and enthralls its target market. Feijoa will have to implement clever marketing strategies in order to activate and propagate such a mesmerizing image for its product, Situation Analysis 42 Below Feijoa Vodka is entering into a completely new market segment under flavored vodkas where the targeted consumers already have preferences when it comes to buying vodka. Thus, it is necessary to carry out a SWOT analysis of both 42 Below Feijoa and the competition so that the company can obtain a lucid view of this new environment. An industry analysis will help Feijoa to create the precise brand awareness for its own vodka and to understand the nature of its competing products. There are currently many brands of flavoured vodka in New Zealand liquor stores. Its popularity can be attributed mainly to its neutral flavour and adaptability as a mixer. Many vodkas are reasonably priced and are intended to be mixed with other drinks like orange juice or apple cider or mixed in Bloody Marys, martinis and other cocktails. Other brands of vodka are dearer and drunk ice-cold, either straight-up (neat) or on-the-rocks (on ice). Flavoured vodkas are well liked. 42 Below Feijoa Vodka has impending competition from a wide range of pre-existing flavoured vodka products in its selected environment. Feijoa will understand how to best penetrate its new market after carrying out a full examination of its competitors. Competitor Analysis Vodka is usually distilled from rye and wheat grains or from beets or potatoes. After distillation, charcoal is usually used to filter the vodka. The more one distils and filters vodka, the clearer and purer its taste becomes. Therefore, the expensive vodkas are usually those that have been distilled and filtered numerous times. Vodka needs to be diluted before it is packaged as it has a very high percentage of ethanol, usually 95-96% (Wikipedia, 2012). Vodkas are considered to be spirits that are principally neutral that is, without distinctive character, aroma, taste or colour (MediaWiki, 2012). Nevertheless, buyers do distinguish between them according to taste, alcohol content, and most notably, price. There are three broad categories of flavoured vodka in relation to cost and it is useful to 42 Below Vodka to see where its product is positioned. Feijoa has completed an environmental scan of three price ranges of flavoured vodka in Auckland lower range, mid range and premium priced. To best understand the competitive environment, three of the most popular flavoured vodkas from different price categories have been identified for SWOT analysis. Lower cost range: Vodka Cruiser Mid cost range: Absolut Premium cost range: Grey Goose The subsequent discussion and charts discuss the results of this analysis for Cruiser, Absolut and Grey Goose. Internal environment impacts Financial Analysis In 2003 42 Below vodka was being distilled in a garage in Wellington. Now the spirits firm is New Zealands most exponentially growing listed company and has just been taken over by U.S. alcoholic beverage giants, Bacardi who paid NZ$138m (US$91m) for it. Just as impressive as the growth in revenue, which increased by 2,116% over the last two years, is where 42 Below vodka is being sold. The companys markets are the US, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand in that order. (iStart, 2007). Internal Organisation and Structure Bacardi Limited is the company that has bought out 42 Below in 2006 and has made 42 Below its irreverent completely out there vodka for those who want to do things differently. The board of Bacardi Limited consists of 14 members of the Bacardi kin and four autonomous directors. Bacardi Limited runs its empire with the presence of an International Leadership Team that looks after the main decisions of all its brands, 42 Below being one of these. The Leadership team is made up of the chief executives based all over the world: The Chairman of the Board of Bacardi Limited since 2005 is Facundo L. Bacardi who is also the great-great grandson of Company founder Don Facundo Bacardà ­ Massà ³ and a fifth generation family member. President and Chief Executive Officer of the company is Ed Shirley who was elected a Director by the Board in March 2012. Ron Anderson is the Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer and is responsible for commercial capabilities of the internationally known portfolio of premium spirits with focus on enhancing sales force capabilities, commercial effectiveness and implementing robust go-to-market programs (Bacardi, 2012). Scott M Northcutt is Senior Vice President of Human Resources of Bacardi Limited and is responsible for all everything to do with employee career improvement, employee pay schemes, progression planning, as well as management and organisation advancement. Silvia Lagnado, Jacques Croisetià ¨re, Stefan Bomhard, Caroline Basyn, Robert Furniss-Roe, Jon Grey, Paolo Perego, Eduardo Sà ¡nchez, Siddik Tetà ­k and Atul Vora make up the rest of the members of Bacardis Leadership Team. 42 Below has acquired its own Managing Director, Paul Dibbayawan, who was headhunted by Bacardi to manage 42 Below and joined this iconic NZ brand last year. Manufacturing Processes 42 Below Feijoa Vodka is made from genetic engineering-free wheat from the Canterbury Plains and pure New Zealand still and sparkling mineral water. And, because 42Below is truly obsessed with creating great vodka, it uses a high saturation distillation process with the vodka distilled 4 times and filtered through 35 separate filters (Bacardi, 2012). The result is distilled twice, prior to being rinsed in spring water, achieving a saturation point that brings a high level of purity and freshness to the vodka. 42 Below then faces distillation a third time. It is then charged with charcoal to eliminate any final contaminations before being filtered. It is then diluted with local sparkling spring water (DrinkSupermarket, 2012). 42 Below is diluted with water from the mineral springs from deep underneath the volcanic highland in the heart of New Zealands North Island. This spring has been graded AA by World Health Organisation indicating water of supreme cleanliness and purity (DrinkSupermarket, 2012). Human Resources The person in-charge of Bacardi Limiteds HR activities is Scott M Northcutt but 42 Below is a Kiwi company with its own Managing Director Paul Dibbayawan. When Bacardi Limited took over 42 Below, the entire staff was retained and the production remained in New Zealand to keep the identity of this iconic Kiwi brand. 42 Below has a very relaxed HR management style. The companys headquarters has been famous for announcing (on their walls) that they cull their staff once every six weeks so that their vodka secrets do not leak out. Management As discussed above Bacardi Limited has its own Leadership Team that functions as its International Management system as well but 42Below is also a Kiwi company with its own Managing Director Paul Dibbayawan who is now settled in Takapuna. 42Below is run like a publicly listed company. Whilst we are not a publicly listed company, the Bacardi CEO is really setting the direction for us to be governed in the same way. We are putting a lot of the systems in place as if we were. It just makes perfect sense. The regulations and transparency are there for a reason so it is only sensible to follow that best practice. Stated Dibbayawan in an interview (The Director, 2008). Research and Development 42 Below has hired the vodka professor and his job involves going around the world running sessions called vodka university (The Director, 2008). They mix and match all vodkas and mixers from all over the world with bar-people and this process is what they classify as research. Marketing Function When it comes to 42Below, they dont sell a product; they sell an idea, an experience even. 42Below doesnt have sales reps, it has ambassadors. Nobody has titles, except for kind of nickname titles. The creator and boss of 42Below had the title of Chief Vodka Bloke. The marketing and promotions output from 42Below is distributed under the title of propaganda (42Below, 2012). When one goes through each of the propaganda material, youd notice that none of the twelve current marketing posters sell 42Below as a product; they all sell the experience of purity, kiwiness, uniqueness, perfection, irreverence, everything that 42Below is famous for. An innovative orientation for the intuitive sensing of what the market needs involves an entrepreneur who can come up with a new idea first and then think about how and where he will sell the product (Stokes, 2000). This opportunity-focused posture was adopted by 42Below and allowed strategies to emerge over time (Rahoi-Gilchrest, 2007). Instead of selling vodka, they sold stories and experiences that are unique from branding to production; a positioning that gave them an exceptional competitive advantage (Morrish  HYPERLINK #idb19et al.HYPERLINK #idb19, 2010). Location 42 Below vodka is headquartered in the Britomart area where a large poster announces that We have to kill all our staff every six weeks.   The company recently had to move into bigger premises from its Penrose location, and has taken over a building in the Britomart complex in the Auckland CBD. External Relationships As a company that believes in marketing dreams, visions and experiences in contrast to products, 42Below has created and nurtured many external relationships to help it achieve its aims. 42Below has long supported Hollywood by supporting our own Wellywood greats like Peter Jackson and hopefuls like Mark Albiston and Louis Sutherland. The Lord of the Rings Oscar party included goody bags to the VIPs that included 42Below products amongst other things. Albiston and Sutherlands participation and win at the Aspen Shortfest was made possible by 42BELOWs sponsorship. 42BELOW has also been one of the principal sponsors at the New York Film Societys event honouring Michael Douglas in 2010. 42BELOW has also supported NZ Music Month. 42 At The Zoo was seen as a celebration of New Zealand Music Months success for a decade. 42BELOW also hosts a  Cocktail World Cup in New Zealand every year since 2004. Vodka cocktail making or mixology, as 42Below calls it has become a world renowned skill for bar managers everywhere. 42Below flies in the proven mixology team from all over the world to New Zealand annually to participate in this competition. 42Below has also co-sponsored events like Hilarity For Charity 2012 in support of the Alzeimers Association in Los Angeles in January this year. 42Below has many other external relationships that helps it market dreams, visions and experiences. High Quality Competitive Positioning Perceptual Map High Price Low Price Low Quality Ethical standing For Paul Dibbayawan the four elements of social responsibility for drinking is a very important factor when it comes to marketing the drink. He has strict guidelines that stop the company from participating in any marketing propaganda that could involve minors, drink driving, binge drinking or being sexually liberal. We dont want to be appealing to minors we dont want minors to drink. We dont want drink driving thats a big problem in New Zealand. We dont want excessive binge drinking. And we dont want people to think that if they drink the brand, theyll immediately be sexually successful. (The Director, 2008) Another important thing about the socially responsible marketing strategies of 42Below is that they do not participate in mass marketing like billboards, newspapers or magazines as these according to Dibbayawan do not actually reach the target audience and may lead to minors buying the product instead. Other (A Culture of Excellence) 42Below has a culture of excellence when it comes to its products and this is illustrated by the list of awards that the different flavours and the original vodka have won over the years. The original vodka has won gold for 7 years straight and silver the year it was introduced to the world competitions. 42Below currently has the reputation of winning more vodka awards than any other brand in the world. This culture of excellence is a huge marketing advantage for 42Below especially when launching a new product like Feijoa Vodka since this excellence can be used to catapult Feijoa above its competitors. Situational Analysis Summary 42Below Feijoa Vodkas environmental scan has determined that Feijoa has a number of competitive advantages over brands in the NZ flavoured vodka market. As a quality brand, it surpasses vodka in the lower and mid price ranges. Its major competition in the mid price category is Absolut but Feijoa has a unique filtering process with distinctive and pure NZ ingredients and it has 2% more alcohol content than Absolut. Based on the SWOT analysis (please refer to diagram) of other well-known vodka brands in NZ plus 42Below, we are able to create a perceptual/positioning map (please refer to diagram) that indicates the market positions of assorted vodka competitors and how competitive Feijoa can be. Moreover, this analysis will give me leeway to suitably adapt the brand and its marketing campaign. According to the positioning map, Feijoa holds a spot at the top end of high quality however is positioned with an unexpectedly reasonable price that does not correspond with its excellent quality. In other words, compared to its competition, 42Below Feijoa Vodka is a high quality product at a relatively low price.

Culture and disease Essay

Diabetes is a common chronic disease whereby blood glucose or sugar levels in the blood are too high. Glucose mainly comes from foods that are consumed and by the help of insulin hormone they can get into the body cells to provide energy. Diabetes is classified into two types whereby in type 1 diabetes the body is unable to produce insulin whereby with type two the body does not make insulin or use it well in the body. Therefore, when body lacks enough insulin to convert sugar into energy, the sugars stay in the blood and this leads to the disease condition of diabetes. The two common types of diabetes are type 1 and type II diabetes. The condition mainly affects the old people due to lack of exercise and poor eating habits. Within the Italian community, the most common condition presented is diabetes mellitus but unlike other places in Italy it affects children between the ages of 0-14. Diabetes mellitus occurs when the pancreases is not capable of producing enough insulin which is meant for converting sugar into energy. When the cells are not responding well to the insulin which is produced a disease condition can arise. This leads to lack of absorption of glucose into the cell of the body and therefore high levels of glucose are found in blood. The disease manifest itself in different symptoms such as frequent urination, leathery weigh loss, hunger and excessive thirst. The disease can be controlled by exercising regularly and eating well balanced diet and avoiding a lot of sugary meals. Condition can be treated by administration of insulin so as to convert the excess sugar in the blood to energy so that it can be utilized by the body cell. This condition in severe state it can cause renal failure, heart disease, blindness, and stroke or limb amputation. There is quite a high prevalence rate of diabetes in Italy which is about 3-4% of its population and it increases with age. Most of them have type II which is diabetes mellitus and it occurs mainly at the onset of adulthood. Agent or causative agent of diabetes mellitus in Italy and elsewhere are not known since the disease occurs when the body can not produce insulin properly. Type I mainly occurs in young people whereby islet of langerharn cells stops producing insulin completely. In the report by John (2002), diabetes can also arise as a result of auto immune problem whereby the body turns against its own cells thus damaging them and rendering important processes to take place. Type II mainly affects the old people but it’s also gaining roots in younger generation due to lifestyle i. e. As a result of poor diet and sedentary lifestyle. In this type, the body is unable to utilize insulin in converting blood glucose levels to energy. Other causes of diabetes includes:- – Obesity- This mainly occurs as a result of metabolic syndrome. It occurs as a result of extra energy. – Diabetes can also be caused by excessive chronic stress due to excessive utilization of thoughts. Therefore, the best way to overcome all these causes is by living a healthy lifestyle exercising regularly and being cautious on what you are eating. Diabetes mellitus can also result due to hereditary factor whereby the disease is passed through the generation on families. It can also result due to the environmental factors of the surrounding. In genetic diabetes, these individuals have a common genetic marker Type I can occur as a result of vital infection or other microorganism which damages the islet of langerharns cells in the pancreas. Type II is mainly associated with old age, obesity and genetic factors. Italian population is said to be more vulnerable to diabetes than the rest of the European countries. This is much contributed by their lifestyle and the diet they utilize. One thing in Italy is that almost half of its population are said to be overweight and they are clinically tested and proved to be obese. Obese is one of the factors that caused diabetes. Their stare of obese prevents them from working and living normal life due to the bulkiness of their bodies. Failure to work and live normal life hindered them from obtaining financial help from state to help them fight the condition. There state of obesity is also contributed by their diet since they mainly consume fatty foods which are rich in carbohydrates and therefore they end up accumulating a lot of energy which is not utilized in their bodies leading to obesity (James, Kelly, 2007) [PR] There are quite a number of environmental factors which contributes to diabetes. One major environmental cause of diabetes is persistence organic pollution in the environment and insulin resistance. Around 1940, Italian was quite persistent in the use of DDP pesticide which was quite dangerous to crops for consumption and also human. Even after it was banned it remained in the environment causing more harm to human. They slowly biodegrade and finally enter into the food chain which is finally consumed by human. Therefore, high levels of persistence organic pollutants cause types II diabetes. Environmental contaminant which mainly causes diabetes acts through estrogen receptors which results to disruption of endocrine by the chemicals which are incorporated in pollutants. Due to the industrial activities of Italy these pollutants are quite many within the environment and have resulted to diabetes type II since they hinder utilization of insulin by the cells. The mode of transmission of diabetes underlies some of difference in concordance rate. In Italy one of the major transmission modes is through genetic transmission which is mainly from substantial differences in preference rate of the disease which is mostly present in the same ethnic group and to those people who are under similar environmental burden. Apart from genetic transmission, diabetes can posses the mode of inherited transmission. This is also genetically connected whereby phenotype and pathophysiological levels indicates that genetic compounds are likely to be heterogeneous. Different mode of transmission of diabetes can be evidenced in discrete families and it can act as an overall mode of inheritance. Therefore, diabetes is mainly transmitted through genetic since it’s a hereditary disorder and can be passed from one generation to another within the same family (altha, Edgren, 2007) [PR]. There are quite a number of control methods which are used to control diabetes in Italy. These modes of control can be used to minimize the risk of infection in most prone areas of Italy. The first main control measure is by ensuring that the right diet is consumed foods with high energy context should be avoided such as consumption of a lot of carbohydrates in diet, sugary things, snacks fatty foods, potatoes and other meals which have a lot of energy. These foods can lead to obesity which is one of the major causes of diabetes. Therefore if they are avoided the risk of one being obese is reduced which consequently reduce the prevalence rate of acquiring diabetes. Another control measure which needs to be taken into account and which is less practiced in Italy is exercising regularly. Regular exercise helps to burn excess fats and energy which makes one’s body physically fit. In Italy due to most of the people being overweight they do not exercise regularly and this makes their bodies to retain a lot of energy and therefore they become prone to infection. Regular exercise therefore can be used as a control measure in preventing diabetes among the Italians. Exercising healthy lifestyles is also another thing that can help in the control of diabetes this is mostly encouraged in those families who have a life history of diabetes since by doing so they minimize the risks of inheriting disease from their relatives. Government of Italy can also come in to ensure that the danger posed to its citizens of acquitting diabetes as a result of harmful environmental effects like the use of DDP. Therefore, government should ban the use of such chemicals which are harmful to human life and also to ecosystem at large. The main treatment methods used for curing and maintaining diabetes at minimum are change in diet, administration of oral medicine, and in other cases daily injection or insulin or Byetta are mainly used to improve insulin concentration in the blood so that it can convert excess glucose in the blood to energy so that it can be utilized by the cells. Apart from these medicines in most of the routine hospitals in Italy they use acarbose and metform which are known to reduce the disease prevalence in the country by increasing the levels of insulin in the blood. They also use sulfonylurea and combination of different drugs in treating diabetes. These form of treatment resulted to different complication among those who were treated. These complications ranged from mild to severe complications such as diabetic retinopathy, diabetic neuropathy, coronary artery disease, and nephropathy and obstatic arteriopathy of lower limbs. This showed that the medication had vast adverse effect on the health of patient which did not cure the disease but brought about more complication to patients. In determining the social and cultural influences of diabetes in Italy, anthropological methodology was employed which signified that:- – They came up with ways of breaking the social network providing support of young people and this contrasted greatly with the ideas of health cares that held conferences, meeting and social support networks. – Diabetes patients were excluded at any age without minding about their development they were categorized by age and not individual ability and preference. – People were encouraged to take care of themselves at an early age which ensured that they were separated from the family and peer. According to Italian population, they considered the type of treatment offered inconvenient and mostly since it was associated with so many side effects to most of the patient who treatment was administered to and acted well on a very small percentage of patients. Therefore, patients in Italy do not believe that there is effective medication for diabetes and hence they opt for just natural ways of curing the diseases i. e. by use of diet exercising. Therefore since statistics shows that there is quite high prevalence rate of diabetes in Italy as a result of poor diet and lack of exercise. The country need to come up with ways of minimizing this incidence rate since their treatment methods are not quite effective and they end up causing move harm to patients. Reference: Altha Robert, Edgren Ken R, (2007), The Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine, (vol 5) Jacqueline L. Longe Ed 3 Detroit, Gale on line update. Anne Dornhorst Gary Frost, Robert Mosses, (2003), Nutritional Management of Diabetes Mellitus, New York: John Willey and Son. James Enger, Kelly, (July-August 2007), Dangerous diabetes obesity connections on How to reduce your Risks now, ‘’vibrant life’’: 6-11.

My Clothes

Clothes can tell a lot about a person. As we all know that clothes are very important thing which can describe our personality. In order to describe ourselves we always make sure that our clothes are perfect. The are a lot of examples can tell about someone judging from the clothes he or she wears. Let’s say for example, when you are going to job interview and wear t-shirt with jeans, this would make a bad impression about you. For job interview you should be wearing something formal like a black suit. Take, for instance the colors of clothes.The colors is very important thing because each color have meaning. To be more clear, the black color is the most misunderstood color. A black tie dinner is very formal and elegant. Women can wear that â€Å"must have little black dress† to the black tie dinner. Also the color white the color of purity. Brides wear white in many countries, because white symbolizes a virgin. White means kindness. In some cultures white is worn at fu nerals. A final example is that in every place or event you must be careful about what you are wearing.For instance, when you want to go to consolation you shouldn’t be wearing something with brightly colors or wearing a lot of jewelry, you can do that things you are going to party or to celebrates with friends. We must be careful to choose the clothes that really represents us and that sometimes or some places have a different type of clothes which you should be wearing. Finally, always make sure that you wear the perfect thing because people will judge you from your clothes.

Cempoala - Totonac Capital and Ally of Hernan Cortes

Cempoala, also known as Zempoala or Cempolan, was the capital of the Totonacs, a pre-Columbian group that emigrated to the Gulf Coast of Mexico from the central Mexican highlands sometime before the Late Postclassic period. The name is a Nahuatl one, meaning twenty water or abundant water, a reference to the many rivers in the region. It was the first urban settlement encountered by the Spanish colonization forces in the early 16th century. The citys ruins lie near the mouth of the Actopan River about 8 kilometers (five miles) in from the Gulf of Mexico. When it was visited by Hernan Cortà ©s in 1519, the Spaniards found a huge population, estimated at between 80,000-120,000; it was the most populous city in the region.   Cempoala reached its fluorescence between the 12th and 16th century AD, after the previous capital El Tajin was abandoned after being invaded by Toltecan-Chichimecans. The City of Cempoala At its height during the late 15th century, Cempoalas population was organized into nine precincts. The urban core of Cempoala, which includes a monumental sector, covered a surface area of 12 hectares (~30 acres); housing for the citys population spread far beyond that. The urban center was laid out in the way common  to Totonac regional urban centers, with many circular temples dedicated to the wind god Ehecatl. There are 12 large, irregularly shaped walled compounds in the city center that contain the main public architecture, temples, shrines, palaces, and open plazas. The major compounds were composed of large temples bordered by platforms, which elevated the buildings above the flood level. The compound walls were not very high, serving as a symbolic function identifying the spaces which were not open to the public rather than for  defense purposes. Architecture at Cempoala Cempoalas central Mexican urban design and art reflect the norms of the central Mexican highlands, ideas which were reinforced by the late 15th-century Aztec dominance. Most of the architecture is built of river cobbles cemented together, and the buildings were roofed in perishable materials. Special structures such as temples, shrines, and elite residences had a masonry architecture built of cut stone. Important buildings include the Sun temple or Great Pyramid; the Quetzalcoatl temple; the Chimney Temple, which includes a series of semicircular pillars; the Temple of Charity (or Templo de las Caritas), named after the numerous stucco skulls that adorned its walls; the Cross Temple, and the El Pimiento compound, which has exterior walls decorated with skull representations. Many of the buildings have platforms with multiple stories of low height and vertical profile. Most are rectangular with broad stairways. Sanctuaries were dedicated with polychrome designs on a white background. Agriculture The city was surrounded by an extensive canal system and a series of aqueducts which provided water to the farm fields around the urban center as well as the residential areas. This extensive canal system allowed water distribution to fields, diverting water from main river channels. The canals were part of (or built onto) a large wetland irrigation system that is thought to have been built during the Middle Postclassic [AD 1200-1400] period. The system included an area of sloping field terraces, on which the city grew cotton, maize, and agave. Cempoala used their surplus crops to participate in the Mesoamerican trade system, and historic records report that when famine struck the Valley of Mexico between 1450-1454, the Aztecs were forced to barter their children to Cempoala for maize stores. The urban Totonacs at Cempoala and other Totonac cities used home gardens (calmil), backyard gardens which provided domestic groups at the family or clan level with vegetables, fruits, spices, medicines, and fibers. They also had private orchards of cacao or fruit trees. This dispersed agrosystem gave the residents flexibility and autonomy, and, after the Aztec Empire took hold, allowed the homeowners to pay tributes. Ethnobotanist Ana Lid del Angel-Perez argues that the home gardens may also  have acted as a laboratory, where people tested and validated new crops and methods of growing. Cempoala Under the Aztecs and Cortà ©s In 1458, the Aztecs under the rule of Motecuhzoma I invaded the region of the Gulf Coast. Cempoala, among other cities, was subjugated and became a tributary of the Aztec empire. Tributary items demanded by the Aztecs in payment included cotton, maize, chili, feathers, gems, textiles, Zempoala-Pachuca (green) obsidian, and many other products. Hundreds of Cempoalas inhabitants became slaves. When the Spanish conquest arrived in 1519 on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, Cempoala was one of the first cities visited by Cortà ©s. The Totonac ruler, hoping to break away from Aztec domination, soon became allies of Cortà ©s and his army. Cempoala was also the theater of the 1520 Battle of Cempoala between Cortà ©s and the captain Pà ¡nfilo de Narvaez, for the leadership in the Mexican conquest, which Cortà ©s handily won. After the Spanish arrival, smallpox, yellow fever, and malaria spread throughout Central America. Veracruz was among the earliest regions affected, and the population of Cempoala sharply declined. Eventually, the city was abandoned and the survivors moved to Xalapa, another important city of Veracruz. Cempoala Archaeological Zone Cempoala was first explored archaeologically at the end of the 19th century by Mexican scholar Francisco del Paso y Troncoso. American archaeologist Jesse Fewkes documented the site with photographs in 1905, and the first extensive studies were conducted by Mexican archaeologist Josà © Garcà ­a Payà ³n between the 1930s and 1970s. Modern excavations at the site were conducted by the Mexican National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) between 1979-1981, and Cempoalas central core was recently mapped by photogrammetry (Mouget and Lucet 2014). The site is located on the eastern edge of the modern town of Cempoala, and it is open to visitors year-round. Sources Adams REW. 2005 [1977], Prehistoric Mesoamerica. Third Edition. Norman: University of Oklahoma PressBruggemann JK. 1991. Zempoala: El estudio de una ciudad prehispanica. Coleccion Cientifica vol 232 INAH Mexico. Brumfiel EM, Brown KL, Carrasco P, Chadwick R, Charlton TH, Dillehay TD, Gordon CL, Mason RD, Lewarch DE, Moholy-Nagy H, et al. 1980. Specialization, Market Exchange, and the Aztec State: A View From Huexotla [and Comments and Reply]. Current Anthropology 21(4):459-478.del Angel-Pà ©rez AL. 2013. Homegardens and the dynamics of Totonac domestic groups in Veracruz, Mexico. Anthropological Notebooks 19(3):5-22.Mouget A, and Lucet G. 2014. Photogrammetric archaeological survey with UAV. ISPRS Annals of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences II(5):251-258.Sluyter A, and Siemens AH. 1992. Vestiges of Prehispanic, Sloping-Field Terraces on the Piedmont of Central Veracruz, Mexico. Latin American Antiquity 3(2):148-160.Smith ME. 2013. The Aztecs. New Yo rk: Wiley-Blackwell.Wilkerson, SJK. 2001. Zempoala (Veracruz, Mexico) In: Evans ST, and Webster DL, editors. Archaeology of Ancient Mexico and Central America: An Encyclopedia. New York: Garland Publishing Inc. p 850-852. Edited and updated by K. Kris Hirst