State corportate crime Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

State corportate crime - Essay Example Dailmer-Benz came into existence in the year 1926. It was mainly because of the Nazi Party’s help the company was successful to make a rapid growth in the world market. Warfare was the main thing which helped the company in its business. In any case, the company took a safe side of an opportunist organization during the World War II. This is why it was successful in remaining untouched even in the time of Allied Force’s recurrent bombing. As far as we can know from the company’s history, labor exploitation had reached to its zenith during this time and the most unfortunate Jews were the preys to that situation. On the other hand, some American corporations were too clever to stand by both the Americans as well as the Nazis. This was done for the fulsome benefit which they had prospected in the warfare. We get two of the major American automobile companies’ name in this context; they are: General Motors and Ford. Expansion was an ever going process for these companies from the early 1930’s. But, with the beginning of World War II, they realized the golden chance to make the best use of the troublesome market. Many of us will be shocked to know about their deeds in that period. Ford and General Motors were directly involved in helping the Nazis in the warfare. Both the companies supplied 90% of the vehicles, especially trucks, used by the Nazi Army. There were two types of trucks which were built by these corporations. They were the â€Å"mule† trucks and â€Å"heavy-duty† trucks. Nazi German Eagle was an award which was given by the Nazis for any help or patroniz ing from somebody or some organization. It will almost unnerve us to know that the very first person to get this award was the Chief Executive of Ford, although being an American company. The nation America was fighting against the Nazis to save the lives of Jews and

Charles Peirce's The Doctrine of Necessity Examined Essay

Charles Peirce's The Doctrine of Necessity Examined - Essay Example Charles S. Peirce wonders whether we necessarily have to see or notice signal effects of some element that may have happened by pure chance so that to ascertain that real chance exists. He wonders whether there are some occurrences or effects that may have gone unnoticed or unobserved. He gives an example of how physicists claim that gas particles move about randomly, considerably as if by pure chance, and that by the assumption of probabilities, there certainly will be situations contrary to the second law of thermodynamics whereby concentrations of heat in the gases lead to explosive mixtures, which must at the time have tremendous effects. He claims this assumption could be false because it has never happened like that. â€Å"What we are, that only can we see† (Dickinson). This is a popular quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson from his publication, Nature. Emerson believed in facts. Emersonian philosophy seemingly emphasized on seeing, and perception. Emerson would, therefore, prob ably support Charles on this argument, because Charles insists that he cannot support or believed in things that allegedly happened without any evidence or that have never happened. Another argument of Charles S. Peirce about this issue is that he is not of the belief that there is any person who can ascertain that the precise, universal compliance of facts to natural law is proved evidently, or depicted particularly possible, by any observations made so far. He noted that those in support of the doctrine of exact regularity used hypotheses other than proven experimental result of facts to support their arguments. He, therefore, dismissed this notion as it shows high levels of poor reasoning. Charles affirms that, sometimes people cannot help to believe a given proposition. However, he noted that this was of collective thinking which is wrong. Some people conclude a proposition to be true while others look at it as â€Å"we† instead of â€Å"I†. This leads to the propo sition being true to certain people and wrong to others depending on their levels of ignorance, or the evidence they have. He calls this problem â€Å"inability to conceive† and claims that every man passes through this stage with respect to the number of beliefs they have. The mind of man is sometime subjected to this blind coercion, but it is cast off as time goes through rigorous thinking. As a result, Charles confirms that, the things that are not conceivable today will turn out to be indisputable in future. This is supported by the countercultural philosophy of Emerson whereby he lobbied to create a structure of a form of life that will go past the status quo expectations and thinking models. This was in favour of deeply independent and creative manifestations of universal truths. This, he argued, will also help solve the problem of inability to conceive by stating, â€Å"Every man has a form of mind peculiar to himself.† The author confirms that the principles of mechanics are indeed natural beliefs, which have been confirmed by experience. The only problem is that those that were formulated long time ago were exceedingly erroneous. As a result, they need to be continually corrected and purified from natural illusions. This process of products adapting to recognizable usefulness or ends, as seen in nature, is never quite perfect. The author, therefore, finds this argument well

2.4 Consumer Behaviour & Holidays Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

2.4 Consumer Behaviour & Holidays - Case Study Example The regular elements that basically impact the holiday decision-making process are levels of contribution, situational variables, expectation, sentimentality and fantasizing. Then again, this is altogether different from customary decision-making process that is generally sequenced and organized. In this model, the requirement for a particular administration or item is distinguished and data pursuit and different choices are assessed. The consumer is further headed towards acquiring an item and there in the wake of setting a buying decision (Moore & Simmons, 2010). In the conventional consumer decision-making, the technique for hunting down data is generally organized and it is either outer, interior or both of them. Data gathering process in the holiday decision-making is a continuous and nonstop process. The data is gathered throughout and after the holidays experience and it is generally memory based than outer based. Holiday decision creators are low data searchers and data is ac cumulated in a non-reason way. Then again, in conventional consumer decision-making, get-together data is exceptionally vital and the data is seen as the main impetus in the consumer decision-making process. Under this model, the consumers are sharp data searchers and they complete a genuine research before settling down on a specific item (Weiss & Wenger, 2002). The interviews conducted in the case shows the different behaviour of the two persons who were deciding on going for a trip. The first issue talks about a situation where the decision maker is confused about finally going on a holiday or not in spite of the fact that they had already decided on two destinations for their holiday. This clearly shows a confusion in the decision making process. Thus as a holiday service provider it will be very difficult to assess whether or not to consider them as a consumer. The next scenario talked about is a

Hamlet's antic disposition. Is his madness feigned or real Research Paper

Hamlet's antic disposition. Is his madness feigned or real - Research Paper Example The spontaneity of the act that he puts on seems, at a later stage, to have led commentators on the play to have thought that his was not an act in the first place. His disavowal of what later we realize was a true love for Ophelia, is one of the incidents in the play that are cited to damn Hamlet as insane. The vision of the ghost, some say, seems to be a vision of a madman, who has been deranged by the death of his father and what seems to him a betrayal by his mother. These, for some critics are also validated by his musings on the very nature of death during the graveyard scene. Coupled with a suicidal tendency, these musings of one of Shakespeare’s most famous characters leads not an insignificant number of critics to believe that his state of mind is not one of sanity. All of these, however, can be refuted if one is to look at the play from another perspective. Hamlet, G. Wilson Knight says, presents an antithesis to what the Danish court stands for, life. Whether this i s a result of his direct encounter with death is unclear. However, his musing on death and his rejection of Ophelia are instances where he rejects the vital activities of life. He contemplates suicide, another instance of his revulsion for the life and vitality that are represented by the other members of the court. Knight affirms the essential righteousness of the aims of Hamlet. Deprived of his rights and parental love, Hamlet is morally superior to Claudius who has murdered his own brother out of love for the throne and for Gertrude. However, Hamlet remains in Knight’s words, a â€Å"negation of life† (Knight 187). It is this distance from vitality that places Hamlet in a position where he appears to be insane. To make my point clearer, I shall make a reference to Michel Foucault’s theories of insanity. Foucault saw insanity as a deviation from the normal codes of society. It is, according to him, a means employed by the so-called ‘sane’ society to define itself, that is, it serves as a kind of touchstone for mainstream society (Foucault). Hamlet, here is such a severe contrast to the life-affirming but wicked Claudius and the majority of the other characters that are faithful to him, that he appears to be an aberration. This has been construed as insanity by many. However, this would be to state that in some way or the other, Hamlet can be seen as a mad person. This does not present the facts in a true light. The standard, against which Hamlet’s behavior seems to be a deviation from the norm, is that of the Danish court. However, the moral values that Hamlet employs are those of Renaissance humanism (Kettle 238). Hamlet is a highly educated person. His values are shaped by the dominant ideology of the time, humanism, which talked about the ability of man to rise to infinite heights which were unthought-of before. Seen in this context, the very pessimism that we had attributed to Hamlet seems to be an optimistic atti tude that has seen through the facade of the Danish court. The baseness of the king and his followers rankles Hamlet, one who has recognized the infinite potential of man. What Marcellus unwittingly says about the condition of Denmark , Something is rotten in the state of Denmark (1.4. 90) is exactly what Hamlet feels about the state of his homeland. It is against this backdrop that Hamlet appears to be ins

Workers with disabilities Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Workers with disabilities - Research Paper Example The legislations aim to ensure that both the public and the private organizations accommodate the eligible and qualified disabled individuals in their system. The workers suffering from disabilities can perform well if provided with opportunities and appropriate accommodations by their employing organizations. However, there are instances of biasness and discrimination against such individuals on the basis of their disabilities. Thus, regardless of the vast economic development throughout the world and the enormous progress made in the field of anti-discrimination against individuals on the basis of their race, nationality, gender, color as well as disabilities, the workers with disabilities continue to face workplace or employment discrimination till date. The study attempts to analyze the current situation and legal precedence prevalent regarding the prevention of workplace discrimination on the base of disabilities. For this purpose, the study discusses the Federal Laws in practic e to prohibit such kind of discriminations amongst the individuals. The study also discusses the role played by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in providing a fair environment to all individuals irrespective of their disabilities. The role of the EEOC on instances of alleged discrimination by the employees has also been discussed. The study confers about the history of the formation of the prevalent federal regulations against disability discrimination. The study is significant because in spite of the numerous regulations implemented by the Government of US and enormous effort made by the Government, there is still large number of discrimination cases visible. Therefore, the study is significant to understand the past context and the present scenario of workplace discrimination against the disabled population. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Introduction 5 Workers with Disabilities Continue To Face Workplace/Employment Discrimination 6 History of the Anti-Di sability Discrimination Movement 8 Current Federal Laws Prohibiting Job Discrimination against the Disabled Workers 11 Conclusion 13 References 15 Introduction Disability is a very wide concept and hence there are various perceptions and definitions of disability. The Oxford dictionary defines disability as a â€Å"physical incapacity that is either congenital or caused by injury or disease limiting an individual’s ability to work† (Mathaphuna, 2007). The Americans with Disability Act defines disability as â€Å"a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of an individual, a record of such an impairment and being regarded as having such an impairment† (The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 2011). The disabled people all over the world generally face a lot of discrimination in their workplace, though they are otherwise competent in their work. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), wh ich was formed in 1965 under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, imposed laws prohibiting the discrimination by the employers amongst their employees on the basis of race, religion, nationality, color, gender, age or disability. The EEOC had enforced regulations against any kind of discrimination in hiring, promotion, dismissal, salary and all the other relevant terms as well as conditions of employment. The government of United States realized the significance of guarding the interests of the disabled people and checking unjust treatment of the disabled employees. The American with Disability Act (ADA) was hence passed in 1990, to minimize the workplace discrimination against the disabled workers. The Act banned discrimination ag

Dowry System Essay Example for Free

Dowry System Essay Dowry System is a common social problem. its harmful for our society. now we will read a paragraph about Dowry System. lets go for read Dowry System paragraph. Dowry is the money or property that is demanded by the bridegroom when he marries a bride. The system of dowry has now become a curse to the society. The torture upon the women by men is a very common sight of today. Sometimes the women become a victim of loss of life as a result of the torture by their husbands. The main reason of dowry is negative attitude of the parents of the bridegroom and the lack of education of the bride. The bridegroom takes dowry and the womenfolk become victims of dowry. The dowry system affects the whole society. The parents of the bride sell properties and become penniless to fulfill the demand of the bridegroom. Sometimes they cannot keep their word they give before getting their daughters marrying. On the other hand, the bridegroom gets huge property without any efforts. I have the social voice. This social curse can be eliminated by making womenfolk educated and self-dependent. The menfolk also should be given proper education to change their attitude. Gender discrimination Gender discrimination means to create difference between men and women. Specially in the third world countries women is considered inferior to men. In spite of their having merits and capabilities, they are not given what they deserve. They are working in the family and out side the family, but their contribution is not seen with due honour. There are various reasons why women are not given equal rights. Firstly most of the people of our country are not educated. They fail to see the potentialities of the women and the contribution they have made in different sectors of our life. They think, as women are physically weaker than men, they will not be able to perform many duties that men can do and hence they must be dominated by men. Secondly people of our country are superstitious. They do not know their religion properly. In religion men and women have been given equal position. But in the name of religion they try to dominate over women and do not give opportunity to flourish. Female children are the worse sufferers. Even their birth is not received warm heartedly where at the birth of male children they distribute sweets to express their happiness. The female children are considered burden of the family. They are not given equal food, equal opportunity for education. They become objects of negligence and victims of social injustice. This is a great problem which is to be solved. If our people are educated and given proper knowledge of religion they will understand the value of woman and can learn about the contribution they are making. If our female children are groomed up properly they will be able to carry any responsibility bestowed upon them and our society will advance very quickly. Illiteracy has been the bane of independent India. It is a shame to note that, the country that gave Epics like the Ramayana and the Mahabharata to the world should, in the 21st Century turn out to be one among the most illiterate countries of the world. How this has come to be is of course not far to seek. Even in the understanding of a layman, it is clear that India has remained so very illiterate because it has, for centuries been slave to someone or the other. The rulers, whoever they may have been never wanted the Indians to be educated as, an educated mass of men would be difficult to reign, and so they never wanted them to raise their heads, and so, kept them away from the light of education. So much of course can be understood but, the sad story of the Indian masses is that even their own rulers, the Indians had no different attitude, they also wanted the Indians to remain mostly illiterate for much the same reason as the foreigners had wished. Just like the foreign rulers the Indian rulers also thought that an educated public may not be so easy to control so they also followed the track laid by their predecessors. Besides this, if the masses remained uneducated, any kind of manipulation could be easily managed in the favour of the rulers. Thus, since the Indian rulers also wanted to keep the Indian masses away from the light of knowledge, the result is for all of us to see that, even after fifty years of independence, India is still lagging behind the world in its ratio of educated/literate and the illiterate. This goes without saying that, an educated gentry is far more difficult to handle and to satisfy than an uncouth ^educated lot. For this simple reason the Indian rulers kerned it fit to keep education a far off dream for the majority and the image that the foreigners had established has been maintained by our Indian rulers for simple selfish reasons that are obvious. For this reason I feel that, the rate of literacy in India is no surprise. This has been the definite policy of the Indian rulers just to suit their vicious designs and their own inefficient policies. Illiterate masses can be led like sheep and goats very easily however and wherever they are taken. They can be very easily aroused on any emotional issues, they can be easily convinced into understanding and thinking as their rulers want them to. If the masses were to be educated it would not have been so easy for the politician to do what and how he wants to do on any issue. People would have to be convinced with genuine reasoning to the correctness of all that is being done or being planned. For this simple reason, even the dawn of the 21st, Century finds India listed among the countries with the lowest ratio of education. Now, after a little over fifty years, the Government has seen and understood the folly of such a lame policy of education. Now the Government is re-scheduling its literacy programmes and making a mark of the fundamental right of each resident of India to the right of education. If the masses had not been kept illiterate, they would have in so many years, raised a hue and cry about their right to education and the Governments of the past years would not have found it all so very smooth sailing. However, at least now the Government has awakened to the fact and need of correct education but, let us remember that the decades already lost cannot come back or regained. For, to complete the task in hand and to manage the huge backlog makes the job rather cumbersome and time consuming besides being difficult to achieve. It is hoped that, if the direction taken is continued we will in the course of another decade be higher on the grade educated/literate countries.

Marketing Communication Strategies of Skoda

Marketing Communication Strategies of Skoda Marketing The Process Precisely defined, marketing is the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion and distribution of ideas, goods and services to satisfy customers (Google). It is a dynamic process of ensuring a close fit between the core competencies of an organization and the external demands placed upon it. The fundamental role of marketing is often associated with the promotional aspect of a product or service. It consists of making the consumer aware of what youre offering, and convincing them to buy it. Marketing Communications Marketing Communications Mix Marketing Communications takes a leap further to streamline the actions a firm takes to communicate with end-users, consumers and external parties. It identifies the best media available for any particular product or service to communicate with the market (Smith Taylor, 2005). It is primarily concerned with demand generation and product and service positioning. The marketing communications mix is essentially a conceptual framework that helps to structure the approach to marketing. It covers all the communication tools available to a marketer, such as advertising, sales promotion, direct marketing, sponsorship, e-marketing, corporate identity, etc. This report is an attempt to study the marketing communications strategies and mix for consumer vehicle brands in the UK, namely Skoda and Volkswagen Passenger Cars (now-on referred to as Volkswagen or VW). These are two sister companies and hence an interesting comparison. Automotive Industry Marketing The competitive nature of the automobile industry in the UK has prompted the automobile manufacturers to explore new and innovative marketing strategies to thwart the deadly competition. Almost all companies offer diverse range of vehicles in almost all segments as a part of their marketing strategy. This is in the endeavor to make sure that the customer is driving one of their vehicles only. The automobile industry relies not just on one medium of advertising and promotion; rather they aim to develop a combination of almost all options to leave the most impact-ful trail of marketing. The audio-visual medium is a rage since it gives the vehicle manufacturers an opportunity to flaunt their cars. The print medium, on the other hand, provides an opportunity to explain the functions of a car in detail and highlight their unique selling proposition (USP) to the customers. More recently, the automobile industry has shifted focus to the online medium, exploring the internet, which offers greater flexibility in terms of utilizing its interactive features such as demonstrating the interiors of the car with its salient features, etc. Aims Objectives: The aims and objectives of the report shall remain the following: Study the automobile industry dynamics in the UK, with specific focus on history and evolution of Skoda and Volkswagen as significantly important brands. Study the marketing communications strategies and tactics used by Skoda and Volkswagen to fight competition. Study the campaigns, media used and the brand image projected by Skoda and Volkswagen and how successful have they been in reaching out to their target. Chapter 2: Literature Review UK Automotive industry Market Overview The UK automotive sector is a highly flexible, dynamic and a global enterprise. The UK is the 12th largest automobile producer in the world and UK car industry has always been export-oriented and is known for exclusive brands, such as the Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Land Rover, Aston Martin and Jaguar. Amongst the key multinational players are: Ford, Toyota, Diamler-Chrysler, GM and Volkswagen. The top five UK car producers include Nissan, Toyota, Honda, MINI and Land Rover (Cunningham et al., n.d.). The automotive sector in the UK is in a state of constant change which is imperative for adapting to challenging commercial, regulatory and technological trends worldwide. However,at present, the UK car industry is in major turmoil. With credit crunch, spiraling oil prices and fragile consumer confidence, the industry is witnessing its worst since 1966. The buyers are shunning dealerships in droves and the manufacturers are in deep thoughts of how to revive the declining sales. The slowdown in the UK mirrors the difficult conditions being experienced across the main European markets. (Paul Everitt, SMMT). The major trends in the UK automotive industry over the last five years, as identified by the Society of Motor Manufacturers Traders Ltd (SMMT), depict the following: UK new car market has eased in recent years, after witnessing a peak of 2.579mn in the fiscal year 2003. The market is now contested by many marques. Fuel-efficiency is a big issue in the UK automotive industry. UK vehicle output has declined, but will recover over the next 18 months (figures as of 2007). In the year 2006 there were 1.65 million cars and commercial vehicles (CVs) produced in the UK alone. In the year 2006 the UK new car market eased to 2.345 million units, its lowest level since 2001. Estimates show that over 2 million vehicles are currently scrapped each year. Global automotive market is very positive and is largely driven by Asian demand, in particular in China and India. Skoda- The Brand and the Re-Branding Skoda Auto is an automobile manufacturer based in the Czech Republic. It was once one of Europes leading producers of quality, highly engineered cars but its fortunes plummeted under the post-Second World War communism phenomenon. It was until 1989 when Volkswagen took a 30% stake in the beleaguered car firm, that there were any signs of hope for the uplift of the company. In 21991, Volkswagen bought Skoda outright and this was when the journey of improvement triggered off for Skoda. Backed by VWs expertise and investments, the design of Skoda, both in terms of style and engineering, improved greatly. Although Skoda cars were quite at par with those of the rivals, in terms of function, style and value for money, the entire brand image of Skoda lagged far behind. As Chris Hawkens (Marketing Director Skoda, 1999) stated: All the research showed quite substantial levels of rejection of the Skoda brand by consumers. (Creativity Works, 2003) Trying to Sell Skodas is Like Trying to Sell Nuclear Waste. Hawken took up the initiative to challenge the negative perceptions about Skoda and to create a new brand platform to ensure future growth. The action plan called for innovation and a carefuly integrated marketing communications strategy which comprised of three core strands: Advertising Direct marketing Public relations As a result, the entire image of the Skoda brand improved and eventually changed altogether. Volkswagen The Brand Volkswagen commercial vehicles is another brand of the Volkswagen group, like Skoda, and is a separate marque to Volkswagen Passenger Cars since 1995. VWs relationship with the UK automobile industry dates back to 1952 when the first two models of Beetles were introduced into the market. In 1953 Volkswagen Motors Ltd officially became the UK importer, and the brand thereon went from strength to strength and became to be knows as the peoples car. The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand runs a combination of three core values: innovative, providing enduring value and responsible. Technology, people and the environment dominate the philosophy and actions of Europes largest automaker. Double marketing has been the key for Volkswagen. It is not about stuffing multiple messages into one campaign, ratherrunning multiple campaigns on different messages concurrently. Volkswagen has more often indulged in launching many models collectively and hence has exploited this marketing strategy. The campaigns of 2006 provide a classic example of this phenomenon at Volkswagen: the Unpimp my ride campaign about design and control, the obeying your fast campaign for the GTI and the safe happens bold TV ads for the Jetta. Chapter 3: Research Methodology The research methodology for this report entails a careful blend of both primary and secondary sources available. Primary Sources of Data Five customers of Skoda and Volkswagen were randomly interviewed for their views about the marketing strategies of both the companies, using open-ended questions to yield maximum response. This helped to assess their response towards the media and campaigns deployed by these brands and to evaluate the extent of impact and penetration of the marketing tools used into the target customers. Attempts were made to interview at least one reliable personnel from the respective companies. However, due to lack of time and confidentiality issues of the company, this mode of research did not yield any reliable information for evaluation purposes. Secondary Sources of Data The secondary sources tapped include various books, published material, both from official as well as unofficial sources and both from electronic as well as print media. These include expert reviews on the marketing strategies of each company, company annual reports and other authentic related articles available on marketing strategies of Skoda and Volkswagen. Various advertisements, both from the print as well as electronic media, have also been carefully studied to conduct a comparative analysis for both the companies. Chapter 4: Discussion Analysis Skoda Turning Negative Perceptions into Positive Rather than try to make it into a hero brand, which wasnt realistic, we made it the underdog, and everyones on the side of the little guy. (James, 2002) Under the marketing communications strategy deployed by Hawkens and the innovative It is a Skoda, honest campaign, the market share of the company almost doubled. He confronted head-on the cars negative image using subtle, intelligent humor, targeting Skoda rejecters precisely. The rejuvenating marketing communications strategy of Skoda comprised of (James, 2002): Advertising: targetting the entire country, primarily through TV. Drect Marketing: targetted prospective buyers and existing customers, designed to encourage test-driving the new car. Public Relations: played a supplemental role by image-changing articles. Press was fed with information about motoring awards and VK backing. The success stories about Skoda now read Historys biggest comeback since Bobby Ewing stpped out of the shower, the new Skoda is hip and sexy yes, sexy. For a budget of about $7 million, Skoda witnessed increased sales, more than 23%, over the course of the 18-month campaign which marked the turn-around for the brand (James, 2002). Skodas Marketing Communication Mix The recent marketing communication strategy of Skoda constitutes the following key elements: TV Advertising Most Talked About Add of 2007 TV advertising has always been a win for Skoda. The baking of add of 2007 is a remarkable example of the strategic advertising vision of the company. The award-winning add featured a group of master bakers creating a life-size car out of cake icing, jelly headlights and full of lovely stuff strapline. The Favorite Things soundtrack provided the background score for the extremely attractive recepie. The cake add was indeed a radical move for Skoda. It was accompanied by columns in leading journals and magazines as the PR team took the initiative to send cake tins with ingredients to journalists. As a part of the direct marketing campaign, chocolate scented air fresheners were sent to potential and existing custoemrs of Skoda. Being an extremely bold positoning, Skoda adds communicated the message of how Skoda delivered exceptional customer service (Turner, 2007). Award winning website Skoda UKs official website (www.skoda.co.uk) is yet another critical element of the marketing communications mix of the brand. The highly attractive, animated and engaging website played a crucial role in nurturing the marketing mix of Skoda. Its online marketing campaign won it laurels in 2008- the Best Motor Manufacturer Home Page and Best Motor Manufacturer for Purpose Intent (www.skoda.co.uk). The criteria for judgment included factors such as web design, use of animation, ease of navigation, and search tools available. The sites creative effectiveness has been demonstrated by a remarkable 400% increase in requests for test drives and brochures. MyClick Technology Skoda has indulged in a mobile WAP site MMS MyClick advertising platform as a recent communication strategy. This is an endeavor to deliver a unique brand experience to consumers on their mobile devices.The image recognition technology of MyClick allows Skoda to reach end users with instant services wherever they are. Skoda is using this idea to provide an interactive platform where mobile users can access its Believe In Life information by simply clicking their mobile phone camera (Roberts, 2008). Volkswagens Marketing Communications Mix Volkswagen, the brand, deploys two key elements in its marketing communications strategy: Online Marketing The official website (www.volkswagen.co.uk) provides the most life-like experience of choosing a car on the internet. It allows the visitors to access the retailers booking systems and book test drives in real time. Also they are able to see which models are available at any specific time and retailer and make online reservations. The dynamic feedback mechanism employed by the website allows the customer to search and modify their preferred car in real time hence, as initially imagined by Volkswagen. The website is much responsive and provides a much richer customer experience Double Marketing Volkswagen and the Blues A multi-tiered, fully integrated marketing strategy was incorporated for the multiple-model launch in 2003, with the help of The Blues promotional team (Volkswagen and The Blues, n.d.). The marketing strategy adopted covered a diverse range of communications media including: TV and radio ads Online marketing on The Blues website Paid advertising: print ads in leading journals, in-flight marketing campaign with major national airlines Events marketing: Radio City concert, presence at key film and music festivals, etc. Ancillary products Educational outreach: Letter from Volkswagen and logo presence in Teachers Guides sent to 45,000 teachers nationwide. Chapter 5: Conclusion Skoda has gone from trash to treasure with the overwhelmingly innovative marketing strategy of the Volkswagen group. This can be accredited to simply revamping the marketing communications mix, which even called for complete elimination of typical elements such as sponsorships. Instead it focuses primarily on four key aspects of marketing: advertising, direct mail, public relations and more recently online marketing. Ultimately transforming the company image from a joke to a hero brand, the correct marketing strategy and timely deployment of that strategy have radically changed the perceptions of Skoda and it is today one of the fastest growing car brands in the UK. Volkswagen Passenger Cars, on the other hand, is a brand of the same parent group, however with much lesser prominence as compared to that of Skoda. The most prominent feature of VWs marketing strategy is double marketing, vis-Ã ¡-vis the three-pronged strategy of Skoda. Both brands have strong market presence and are working effectively with their individual marketing strategies. However, those deployed by Skoda are much more impact-full and far-reaching than VWs. Chapter 6: Recommendations Skoda is suggested the following set of recommendations: Although the negative perceptions have withered off, the positive preconceptions are to be secured. Hence, Skoda needs to promote a we-are-not-as-bad-as-you-think impression. Create a new communications theme that is able to sustain the brands sense of individuality, without Skoda being perceived as just any other car brand. Volkswagen Passenger Cars is suggested the following set of recommendations: Enhance the marketing communications mix with more emphasis on the advertising campaigns, such as those launched by Skoda. References Creativity Works (2003) HOW SKODA USED CREATIVITY TO INCREASE SALES BY 27% Available at: www.dandad.org/inspiration/creativityworks/pdf/skoda.pdf [Accessed 8th November 2009] Cunningham, Margaret; Doherty, Joanne; Douglas, Thomas; Garland, Philip; Guo Xiadi; Harmer, Chris (n.d.) The Death of the Skoda Joke and the Rebirth of the Brand. Available at: www.busmgt.ulst.ac.uk/modules/bmg900j3/Skoda%20Report.ppt [Accessed 8th November 2009] James, Dana (2002) Rebuilding Reputations Skoda goes from trash to treasure Available at: www.amaphoenix.org/files/Rebuidling%20Reputation [Accessed 18th November 2009] Roberts, Benna (2008) Skoda users MyClick Mobile image recognition technology for Mobile Marketing Available at: http://www.gomonews.com/skoda-users-myclick-mobile-image-recognition-technology-for-mobile-marketing/ [Accessed 5th November 2009] Smith, P R Taylor, Jonathan (2005) Marketing Communications Turner,Clark (2007) How Skoda created the most talked about ad of 2007 Available at: www.utalkmarketing.com//Article.aspx?Skoda_created_the_most_talked_about_ad_of_2007 [Accessed 18th November 2009] Volkswagen and The Blues (n.d) Available at: www.sgptv.org/sponsor-casestudies/original/5.pdf [Accessed 5th November 2009]