Migraine Headaches and Monosodium Glutamate Essay -- Health Medicine P

Migraine Headaches and Monosodium Glutamate For a countless number of years now, my sister has experienced excruciating migraine headaches; ones that keep her out of school too much during the year. She has seen different doctors and they have all tried to figure out what the cause is, but so far, it is yet to be done. I started looking around and saw that MSG has been know to trigger migraine headaches, and it occurred that this could be a possibility in my sister’s case. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is a salt added to foods to enhance flavor. This additive helps to bring out natural flavors that make foods taste their best. MSG is made from starch, corn sugar, or molasses from sugar cane or sugar beets and is produced by a natural fermentation process that has been used over time to make foods like beer, vinegar, and yogurt. (http://ificinfo.health.org/brochure/msg.htm) MSG and Head Pain Because MSG is a flavor enhancer for foods, many competitors in the food industry use lower quality foods and just add it in because of its cheap price. This allows the manufacturer to have a large gain in the economy. There is a large investment in MSG that leads food giants and glutamate manufacturers to get together to finance â€Å"medical research studies† to prove the safety of the additive to the consumer. Obviously, the research done in these studies funded by the manufacturer will â€Å"prove the safety† of MSG. The FDA’s Advisory Board consists of food industry reps as opposed to an unbiased group. It would only seem natural that the board accepts these research studies. When doctors look at these reports, they see that they are industry funded and don’t take into consideration that MSG could be causin... ...estigating this topic was to find the role, if any, that MSG played in the instigation of migraine headaches. In researching, however, I was presented with more information, finding out that MSG is known to cause more than just headaches, as shown in this study. Before looking into studies done on the topic of MSG’s effects on migraines, I deduced that there could possibly be a link between the two, however, this study gives much stronger evidence that MSG is troublesome more to some people than to others. Bibliography Diamond, S., Prager, J., & Freitag, F.G. (1986). Diet and headache. Is there a link? Postgrad Med, 279-86 Drouin, M.A., Herbert, M., Karsh, J., Mao, Y., & Yang, W.H. (1997). The monosodium glutamate complex: assessment in a double blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study Journal of Allergy Clinical Immunology, 757-62

Hi-Value Supermarkets: Every Day Low Pricing Case Study Essay

Problem Statement Hi-Value Supermarkets located in the Centralia, Missouri area are faced with the problem of deciding whether or not to change their sales strategy to everyday low pricing. This has become an important subject for Hi-Value due to their loss in sales of the last few quarters, and a possible future loss in market share in their area. Hi-Value has three stores in the Centralia area and all are perceived as having a high market value in comparison to its competitors. They has attempted to determine the strengths and weaknesses in accordance to its competitors by conducting a survey and two focus groups which provided some very key results. Going further into this problem we must also assess whether all products within the stores should entail everyday low pricing, and if not all which ones. We must also determine how much lower the standard price will be set for all products in order to be considered everyday low pricing. The survey and focus groups also identified that the variety of pro ducts the consumers are looking for are not present as well, and that must also be assessed. Situational analysis Hi-Value Supermarkets have multiple key strengths with their current position in the Centralia market, and they must be considered when determining their next moves to attack this current problem. Having three locations within the Centralia area is a huge benefit with covering multiple geographic sectors. Especially when there is no other competing supermarket chain with that many stores in the area. The fact that they have had a strong market share from 1995 to 2002 with an estimated 23% share of the market in 2002 is also very important. Hi-Value is in the position where all they need to do is at the very least sustain their current positions and any increase in market share is just a bonus. Being the oldest supermarket in the Centralia area is a key strength because it makes them a well known and identifiable name. Their high quality products sets a standard that some of their competitors do not have building an important reputation within the community. Survey and focus groups ma de it very prevalent that most consumers think that their stores are very well put together, sanitary, and  up to date. Descriptions of other competing stores did not entail the same qualities which helps in consumer preference especially because they are purchasing consumable products. Although Hi-Value has many key strengths, there are still some attributes that hinder their chances of success in multiple sectors. Obviously their current pricing strategy is the largest problem for the store. Although their products are of high quality and most consumers seem aware of this, the high prices in many categories may not seem worth the trade off. From the survey of 400 Centralia residents 30% said Hi-Value prices were above average. The size of their supermarkets also poses as a weakness because they are smaller in comparison to many competitors which leads to less space for products. This means that it is more likely that a product has a higher chance of not being stocked and the consumer does not have as much variety to choose from. Each store has been renovated throughout the years, but they are still located in older buildings which does hinder their public image. With their current position, the company has multiple opportunities to focus on that could lead to future success. As the present time, there is not one food store in Centralia who advertises on television. By starting an advertising campaign after the decision on changes to be done to the store, Hi-Value has the ability to publicly announce their updated policies via television making the entire centralia sector aware. The ability to expand each store is also an option that may be worth investing in. Lack in variety was a very prevalent weakness that consumers pointed out and this could solve that problem. Centralia is also a very high traffic trade area in central Missouri leaving Hi-Value with a high opportunity to gain a larger consumer base if they make the right decisions to increase market desirability. There are three major competing stores within the Centralia area that must all be assessed and compared to when determining the right moves for Hi-Value to make. Harrison’s, Grand America, and Missouri Mart are all very different Supermarkets with a variety of strengths and weaknesses. As explained in its description, Harrison’s has a very positive image in the  eyes of its customers. Their store is 50,000 square feet which is over twice the size of Hi-Value’s average size. This gives them room to hold a very wide range of general merchandise. Their current strategy is also everyday low prices and survey results prove that consumers believe they have the lowest everyday prices which gives a current competitive edge. Grand America is a 39,800 square feet supermarket and has the newest building making it the most modern store in Centralia. The store is considered by Hall officials as a secondary competitor being highly regimented and lack innovative merchandising appeal. Their greatest product strength is the dairy department which is highly regarded by its customers. One thing to consider with this supermarket is that their competitive pricing strategy entails listing prices of their competitors for individual items. Missouri Mart is the food volume sales leader in Centralia. They are the main competitor of Superior supermarkets. Around 32% of Hi-Value customers shop Missouri Mart regularly and must be taken in the highest consideration when analysing competitors within the market. It is also important to note the key findings gathered from the two focus groups. Price was determined by both groups as the most important factor in store choice explaining a lot in the loss of market share that Hi-Value is facing. 20 of 24 participants also agreed that the quality of meat was the second factor in store choice. Hi-Value is ranked as a medium between its competitors. Produce quality, variety, and display is ranked third in importance and Hi-Value was ranked in the lower tier of those categories. Hi-Values best attribute in accordance to the focus group is their shopper convenience. Recommendation and Implementation My recommendation for Hi-Value is to remodel and expand all of their stores and implement an Everyday low pricing strategy. This strategy will be very costly upfront, but Hi-Value has been an existing store for a long time and in order to continue their existence they must evolve with current trends in the market. The two main problems that keep coming up are their lack in variety and high pricing. This recommendation would cover both problems and give them the ability to begin gaining market share from their competitors once again. This is definitely a strategy built for the long term and the  benefits may not be as noticeable at the very beginning, but it should be the most beneficial option for the future of the company. Multiple steps will be made in order for this strategy to become a reality. Each store must go through a construction process to expand and gain space which will take time and a possible loss in sales for the time being. This public construction will definitely be noticed by the consumers, and may help gain awareness of the companies changes. Updates in all store accessories should be implemented if necessary. This will increase efficiency for all aspects of the store and with a predicted increase in customer traffic it will be a necessary expense. Everyday low pricing should be set at a competitive level near Grand American and Missouri Mart prices but not to the point at which perceived quality is compromised. Due to each of its competitors having different strengths, it would be best to provide this pricing strategy for all products in the Supermarket. As stated in the text everyday low pricing also has the possibility of lowering operating costs with reduced inventory and handlin g costs due to more steady and predictable demand. It may also reduce labor costs related to less frequent temporary price reductions. It is also an option to conduct a local television commercial promoting Hi-Values positive new changes, but the possibility of this happening is determinant of how much expansion will end up costing.

Marketing Management Free Essay Example, 1250 words

The bread and bakery industry of the region has a highly diversified consumer portfolio. Talking in regards to the future market trends for this particular sector in the Singapore region, it can be said that the manufacturers and retailers will try to attain a growth in the business by leveraging on the highly diversified consumers base. In order to develop a competitive edge in the business as well as for better positioning of their products, the manufacturers and retailers of the bread industry will try to introduce innovative products which will be segmented and targeted specifically to consumers on the basis of their age group. Market Growth While discussing the factors of market growth, it has to be brought in to focus that the bakery market of Singapore grew at a rate of 7.9 % on a compound annual basis between the 5 year period of 2004 to 2009 (Datamonitor. com, 2012). During this period the bread and rolls division in the bakery sector in Singapore, accounted for over 29% market share. In regards to the recent times, it has been projected that the bakery sector of the Asia Pacific region, which includes the Singapore bakery market is valuated at over 68.5 billion USD along with a compounded annual growth rate of over 6% between the five year period of 2008 to 2013 (Byrne, 2010). We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing Management or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now It is of considerable importance to state that the bakery industry of Singapore is also undergoing significant changes as consumers are getting increasingly health conscious. As a result, in the recent times, a new variant like the breakfast cereals are increasingly making a place in the diet of the consumers based in Singapore. Forecasts highlight while attaining a growth rate of over 6 percent in the five years period till the year 2013, the breakfast cereals market is valued at around 3.3 billion USD for the entire Asia Pacific region (Weston, 2010). Competition Talking about the competition existing in the Singapore bakery market, it has to be said that the market is highly open to both domestic as well as international level competition (TMCNews, 2006). It is of high importance to say that Singapore being both a transit zone as well as a global financial hub has a highly diversified incoming and outgoing population with varying food tastes. This makes the market highly attractive in nature. Talking about the foreign competition that has an influencing role in the Singapore bakery sector, the global and internationally popular fast food brands like McDonalds, KFC, Krispy Kreme, Dunkin Donuts as well as a series of other brands has to be taken into consideration.

Top 10 Italian Pronunciation Mistakes

Learn to speak your best Italian by avoiding these 10 common mistakes all beginners tend to make. 1. Mumbling It might sound obvious if you want to make yourself heard, but you must open your mouth in order to speak Italian. Native English speakers, accustomed to a language that doesnt have the big, round, vowel sounds common in Italian, should remember to open wide and enunciate. 2. Consonants that Count Twice Being able to (and hear the difference, too) is imperative. The Italian language doesnt waste letters; as a phonetic language, it’s spoken the way it’s written. So if a word contains double consonants (cassa, nonno, pappa, serra), you can assume both are pronounced—the meaning changes depending on whether a particular consonant is doubled. If youre unsure how to pronounce i consonanti doppie (), try pronouncing it twice or holding it for an extra beat. 3. Third-to-Last Verbs As with most Italian words, when pronouncing the various conjugated verb forms of the stress falls on the next-to-last syllable. The one exception is the third-person plural form, in which the stress falls on the third-to-last syllable (words in which the accent falls on the third-to-last syllable are known as parole sdrucciole). 4. One in a Million Ask a beginner (or even an intermediate) Italian language learner to pronounce terms such as figlio, pagliacci, garbuglio, glielo, and consigli and often their first reaction is a look of bewilderment: the dreaded gli combination! Even the short-cut explanation that in Italian gli is pronounced like lli in the English word million often doesnt help (nor do other technical descriptions about how to pronounce gli improve the long odds of mastery). Perhaps the most effective way to learn how to pronounce gli is to listen and repeat until it becomes second nature. Remember, though, even Michelangelo was a beginner once. 5. MonDAY to FriDAY Except for Saturday and Sunday, the days of the week in Italian are pronounced with the accent on the last syllable. Theyre even written that way to remind speakers, e.g., lunedà ¬ (Monday), how to pronounce them. But too frequently, non-native speakers ignore the accent and persist in placing the accent on the first (or other) syllable. Dont shortchange the giorni feriali (workdays)—the accent marks the stressed vowel of a word in Italian. 6. On a Roll If you can relate to the following statements, it should be obvious what troubles many who are learning to speak Italian: After several years of studying Italian I’m still unable to pronounce the letter RI would very much like to learn how to roll my Rs when I speak or sing ItalianDoes anyone have any tips on how to learn to roll your Rs? No matter how good my vocabulary or accent gets, this is a dead giveaway that Im a foreigner! Learning how to pronounce the letter r is a struggle for many, but remember: rrrrruffles have rrrrridges! 7. Italian Surnames Everyone knows how to pronounce their last name, right? In fact, posts on the About.com Italian Language forums such as how do I pronounce my last name Cangialosi? are common. Since surnames are obviously a point of pride, its not hard to understand why families would insist on pronouncing them a certain way. But second- and third-generation Italian Americans who have little or no knowledge of Italian are often unaware of how to correctly pronounce their last names, resulting in anglicized versions that bear little resemblance to the original form. When in doubt, ask a native Italian. 8. Its brus-KET-ta Dont correct me when I order. Too often, wait staff at Italian-American restaurants in the U.S. (and diners as well) dont know how to pronounce the word. In Italian, there is only one way to pronounce the letter c when followed by an h— as the English k. 9. The Morning Espresso Down that small cup of very strong coffee and jump on board the fast train to make an early morning meeting. But be sure to order an espresso from the barista, since an express(o) is a train. Its a common mistake heard everywhere, even on printed signs and menus. 10. Media Misinformation Advertising is pervasive nowadays, and because of its influence, it’s a common source of difficulty in pronouncing Italian. Jingles and taglines frequently mangle Italian words and Italian pronunciation beyond recognition, and brand-naming consultants invent pseudo-Italian names for products. Imitate at your own risk.

War Is The Continuation Of Politics - 1179 Words

Humanity has resorted to war as a fundamental way to settle their differences. War, per Clausewitz is the act of force to compel the enemy to do our will. Sun-Tzu believed that war was to subdue the enemy without fighting. However it is defined, every culture has its motives for why they go to war and how it should be conducted. Western states attempt to settle their differences by diplomatic means; when diplomacy fails, war ensues. War is often used as the means to an end and according to Clausewitz â€Å"war is the continuation of politics.† The Western way of conducting war is built on five foundation; superior technology, disciplined soldiers, the means to finance wars, and military traditions. Disciplined soldiers, superior technology, and the financial means to fund wars are three elements that have defined success and shaped conflicts throughout Western Civilization. Disciplined soldiers have always been the core of any effective military strategy based on the employment of tactics and the effectiveness of their weapons. Superior discipline and training was an integral part of infantry training and the basis for Western success. Starting in the sixteen century European states experienced a military revolution that transformed armies into disciplined and powerful military machines that lay the ground work for world dominance. Key to this revolution were larger standing armies, increase fortification, tactical innovations, and gunpower weapons which ledShow MoreRelatedThe Moral Implications Of The Us Invaded Iraq1689 Words   |  7 Pages Carl Von Clausewitz was a Prussian Military Theorist in the early eighteen hundred`s who focused on the moral implications of war. He once said â€Å"War is the mere continuation of politics by other means†, a statement that has become all too relevant in the twenty-first century. 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Mustard Gas Is A Group Of Chemical Compounds Used In Chemical Warfare, Essay Example For Students

Mustard Gas Is A Group Of Chemical Compounds Used In Chemical Warfare, Essay so called because of its mustard-like smell. Mustard gas contains carbon, hydrogen, and chlorine, with either sulfur or nitrogen. When it comes in contact with skin, mustard gas causes severe blisters. Clothing can be worn to protect the skin, but breathing it produces extreme damage to the lungs and other internal tissues. These compounds are particularly harmful to moist areas of the human body, such as the eyes, armpits, and groin, and concentrated exposure may be fatal. Mustard gas is generally a solid or liquid, but can also be sprayed as an aerosol. Modern gas warfare began during World War I (1914-1918). In April 1915, after several experiments using tear gas, German forces used chlorine gas against British and French troops in Ieper, Belgium. The Germans set up a series of cylinders filled with chlorine gas along their front line. Opening the cylinders, they released a cloud of chlorine gas that the wind carried to their enemys front line. Thousands of Allied troops succumbed to the effects of the gas, and because of this devastation, the gas became an instrument of psychological as well as physical warfare. Protective equipment such as gas masks was soon issued to troops. This solved the problem mainly, but still did not give complete protection. In September 1915 the British initiated a gas attack against the Germans. Some of the British troops were inadvertently exposed, and this led to the rapid development of projectiles filled with gas that could be fired into the enemys trenches from a safer distance. German chemist Fritz Haber supervised the first use of chlorine gas by the German military in 1915. Later, he directed the production of a deadlier form of gas, phosgene, as well as mustard gas. Mustard gas, first used in 1917, proved more stable than chlorine gas and phosgene, and could contaminate an area for days after its release. (Apparently those military scientists and leaders think more destruction is better. This just shows how sick the world is.) ? I am really against mostly all forms of violance, so spraying mustard gas on fighting soldiers would not get my support. I think it is ridiculous that military scientists and military leaders think that more harm is better. For all those sick, violant military people, I suppose mustard gas could be a useful tool of destruction. After all, it hurts and kills, and thats what the military is all about. In closing, I just want to say that instead of bombing countries and using chemical warefare, we should be spend more time trying to unite countries, work out disagreements and avoid war. I know I was supposed to mainly talk about my opinion on mustard gas, but mustard gas has to do with violance and war, and violance and war have to do with my opinion above. ?

The Opportunities of Guerrilla Marketing free essay sample

And in alternative media they are finding fresh approaches they are looking for. â€Å"Yesterday’s innovation has become today’s expectation; so the need for new media vehicles never lets up. † This is why the company GoCard Advertising in New York City, USA, is specialized in a type of marketing called guerrilla marketing, a form of alternative media. In this essay I will discuss new ways of reaching consumers in a non-traditional way and get to the bottom of the questions: â€Å"What are the opportunities of guerrilla marketing? † and How effective are new ways of guerrilla provisions in reaching consumers? † I would like to mention that a lot of the information given in this essay is not based on foreign figures or analysis, but on observation and conversation with people working in the alternative media business. The result of research has shown that there is plenty of literature about guerrilla marketing available, however, it mainly discusses how to carry out guerrilla marketing rather than showing the history, advantages or effects of it. Please keep that in mind while reading this essay. Guerrilla marketing vs. traditional marketing I would like to explain the term of guerrilla marketing by the following quote: â€Å"Guerrilla derives from the Spanish language and means small battle. Guerrilla warfare is a weapon of the weak against a military majority. It is about not revealing oneself as a soldier to prevent a direct confrontation with the enemy but ambushing them later on. † This points out the strong advantage of being unnoticed as advertising and therefore finding easy access to consumers’ minds. Guerrilla marketing is all about creating and executing unconventional, imaginative and innovative marketing programs that convey maximum impact and convince consumers to buy a certain product. Promotions are very cost effective and it is the main characteristic of guerrilla marketing to operate on a low budget, but still be remarkable. It is a great opportunity for small companies to get attention from their target audience and standing out before the market leaders. A recent example is a GoGorilla Media campaign for the new internet search engine â€Å"LookSmart†. It is fairly new and did not have the means for big and expensive advertising; hence the company hired GoGorilla Media to promote their product at the 2007 Search Engine Strategies Convention in New York City where internet giants like Google and Yahoo were also present. Approximately twenty models and actors were hired to stage a fake protest in front of the Hilton in New York City, where the convention took place. Later on the group of demonstrators went into the building and marched through the convention halls handing out Starbucks gift cards, buttons and their own constitution â€Å"LookSmart† had come up with. This campaign caused a lot of attention among the convention-goers and the goal of reaching the target group and getting them to consider small businesses too, had been fulfilled. Significant about the guerrilla concept is, that the target audience is often left unaware they have been marketed to. Because of this, guerrilla marketing is sometimes called undercover or stealth marketing. All in all it is about delivering a sales message when people are not anticipating it, which is in an unexpected environment, such as a restaurant, through an unexpected vehicle like branded napkins. Traditional marketing is known as marketing broadcast to everyone by print media, such as advertisements in newspapers and magazines, TV commercials or radio. But this market saturated over the last past years. â€Å"Marketing today is not the same as it was in the 1960s and 1970s. Today there are products to satisfy almost every need. Customer’s needs are more than satisfied. They are hypersatisfied. According to this statement there is no call for necessaries anymore – the needs of consumers are fulfilled and now advertisers try to find ways to influence people’s minds to create a need for a product that nobody needs but many people then want. Another aspect of traditional marketing is the media overflow. People are exposed to hundreds of advertisements a day and to compensate all the information, consumers block out most of the sales messages they see. The reason for that is that consumers value messages less because those messages no longer solve their current problems. And while the goals of guerrilla marketing and traditional marketing are the same that is to convince people to buy a product, the means are different. People have gotten good at blocking out mainstream media messages. As a result there is need to invent ways to get into people’s heads. That’s where guerrilla marketing gets into the picture. 3 The pros and cons of guerrilla marketing Guerrilla marketing is controversial. For the advertising industry it is a little revolution and it is more and more replenishing traditional media which had its peak in the last twenty years. It is a way for companies to step out of the dark of traditional mass marketing and into the light of guerrilla marketing which, if done correctly, has a short but big impact on the target group. For advocates it causes debates about the ethics of guerrilla marketing methods and legality of certain campaigns but supporters of this movement insist on the effectiveness of guerrilla marketing. In the following I will discuss the chances and risks of guerrilla marketing and the effects it has on their audience. 3. 1 Chances of guerrilla marketing One of the most convincing reasons for choosing guerrilla marketing methods is that it is low budget operated. Companies spend hundreds of thousands of dollars every year for advertising like newspaper advertisements and TV commercials that is hardly noticed by the target audience. Take the example given in the book â€Å"Purple Cow† by Seth Godin: â€Å"One morning [†¦], I interrupted a few people who were reading the Journal over breakfast. [†¦] I asked them if they could name just two of the companies that had run full-page ads. Not one person could. Then I took one of the ads, folded down the bottom with the logo, and asked the Journal readers which company ran the ad. No idea. Finally, I asked them the million-dollar question (literally). Had they ever requested more information about a product because they’d seen a full-page ad in the Journal? You can probably guess the answer. † This is not a prestigious examination, but companies should face the fact, that this small example is possibly very close to the truth – that potential buyers block out most of the advertisements they get swamped with every day. So instead of splurging money for barely noticed traditional media, companies start taking new ways of reaching consumers. Small companies can spend a minimum amount of money and get the maximum impact. For instance the New York Department of Health which hands out free condoms every year to prevent an increase of AIDS has done a guerrilla marketing campaign with branded NYC Condoms in 2007. The condoms were black with â€Å"NYC Condom† written in Subway-style letters on it. They were handed out at several high-traffic Subway stations all over Manhattan and also placed in various bars and restaurants. The following two days there were articles in the newspaper about the branded condoms and people were actually selling a couple of these condoms on e-bay. This campaign had a lot of free publicity, caught the target audiences’ attention and therefore achieved the goal to awaken awareness of AIDS in New York City. The low budget characteristic holds another aspect. Small companies can afford to do marketing now in a way they could not do before. They don’t have to spend enormous amounts of money anymore to get recognition from their target group. The condom campaign is also a good example for another chance of guerrilla marketing. Because it is something out of the ordinary, something spectacular, one is not used to seeing all the time, the news about it spread fast. Also very important to consider is that people love giveaways and hardly anyone walks by without taking a freebie like the NYC Condom. With this simple action – taking something – the person is already involved and will think about the product he received. Furthermore guerrilla campaigns are unique. No campaign equals another which makes it special and differentiates itself from traditional marketing methods. A TV commercial is still a TV commercial and does only change within a certain range like the design for example. But guerrilla campaigns are always new and refreshing. Catching people by surprise is a pro as well. People do not have their defenses up as usually for traditional media like newspaper advertisements. This means, that it is easier for the advertiser to get into people’s heads and make them think about the product promoted in a campaign. Since guerrilla marketing is considered Out-Of-Home marketing, meaning everything which is not broadcast, the chances of reaching potential customers are big. When showing a TV commercial people can just change the channel and the chances of being recognized are lower than ever, but with guerrilla campaigns there is no â€Å"changing channels†. You can either reach a broad target group with, for example, outdoor campaigns where models hand out samples like the NYC Condoms, or one can specify the target group as much as needed for the product and, build up on this, find the perfect venue types where potential customers linger. With the NYC Condom campaign a broad target group was selected and reached through handing out the condoms at high traffic subway stations and bars. A campaign for a new credit card for Wal-Mart with Visa wanted to target only African Americans; accordingly convenience stores in highly populated African American neighborhoods were chosen to get GoMoney, US Dollar bills with removable stickers of the product, on it. 3. 2 Risks of guerrilla marketing Guerrilla marketing not only has positive aspects. Precisely because it is low budget operated and more companies can afford it, it has the downside of perhaps too many businesses trying to get on the guerrilla train and the consumers might be fed up with it soon. Guerrilla campaigns are often a one ime occurrence. It is not likely to happen again in the exact same way, thus the creativity has no borders which can be very hard on the marketers. They have to be as creative as they can, demanding a lot from the individual. Moreover it might be difficult to reach specific target groups such as â€Å"TV-shoppers† or â€Å"couch potatoes† who are likely to stay at home and watch TV rather than go outside. In this case traditional TV commercials will work more effectively. Besides those risks there is one aspect that has to be considered very serious before doing a guerrilla campaign: the legal aspect. . The legal aspect Before realizing a guerrilla campaign there is the legal aspect to consider. In the United States there are different laws for every state which makes it hard to tell what campaign can be pulled off in which state. A recent example explains how difficult it is to discern between legal and illegal: In Boston, Massachusetts there were â€Å"[†¦] electronic light boards depicting a middle-finger-waving moon man that triggered repeated bomb scares around Boston on Wednesday and prompted the closure of bridges and a stretch of the Charles River. Meanwhile, police and prosecutors vented their anger at Turner Broadcasting System Inc. , [†¦], which said the battery-operated light boards were aimed at promoting the late-night Adult Swim cartoon Aqua Teen Hunger Force. † This incident was on the news all over the US and Europe. However, this example is an exception. Most of the time guerrilla campaigns are not as dramatic. The company IBM had a campaign with street stenciling, which means putting designs on sidewalks with washable spray-paint. It turned out that the paint was not easy to remove thus â€Å"IBM has agreed to pay San Francisco a $100,000 fine and almost $20,000 in related costs to clean up after the companys Peace, Love and Linux ad campaign, in which the companys ad firm spray-painted logos on sidewalks and streets around the city† . IBM only had to pay a fine because the painting was still seen after months but usually legal measures like this are not given. GoGorilla Media has various products called â€Å"On the Edge† meaning that they are close to illegal. Some of these are, for instance GoProjection and GoMoney. The projection is done at nighttime at high traffic buildings such as arenas or stadiums. The owners of the buildings are not asked for permission, so when police arrives the causers have to be gone quickly. GoMoney are US Dollar bills with stickers of the advertiser on it. Those banknotes are placed in circulation at targeted venues. Putting stickers on US money is usually illegal but GoGorilla Media uses stickers that are removable. There are many ways to get around the law but sometimes â€Å"companies have to take a risk in order to be heard or seen by their target audience† . The legal aspect will always be a matter to consider when doing a guerrilla campaign but as seen, there are ways to get around it. The worst that can happen to the advertisers is that they have to pay high fines. 3. 4 Effects guerrilla marketing has on their audience One unbeatable advantage of guerrilla marketing campaigns is the â€Å"Wow-effect† which does not work for traditional marketing. One campaign done by GoGorilla Media was at the Boston Marathon in 2006. Models were placed at each mile with banners that had uplifting slogans for the runners on it, promoting Nike. At the end of the marathon there was a big marching band also promoting Nike. The marathon was actually sponsored by Adidas but most onlookers thought that Nike sponsored the marathon because of the high presence of the company’s promotion banners . The bystanders liked the marching band and thought it was a â€Å"cool thing†. This is what you call the â€Å"Wow-effect†. Spectators and participants of the marathon were surprised to find a marching band and cheerful banners along the route and they liked it. They were not aware that it was an advertising campaign and enjoyed the happening. This example can be projected on many other guerrilla campaigns where the audience is caught by surprise, which creates a comforting effect for them. This leads to the next effect – the telling about it. People are always longing for sensations and guerrilla marketing plays with this characteristic of human beings. Thus they are likely to tell their family and friends about such a campaign when they see it. A further effect which often happens is identifying with the product. A good example to make this circumstance clear is GoCard with its postcard advertising. Postcards are placed in venues like bars or restaurants most likely close to the restrooms. The cards are designed to catch someone’s eye. People see it, think it is awesome and take it. That is the first action. Nobody forces them to take it; they can decide and pick whatever they like. People choose cards since they like the design, the witty slogan or pictures and take it because they can identify with it. Someone who likes animals would not take a card with a fur advertisement. All the above effects get the audience involved with thinking about the product advertised in a campaign, or on a postcard. In many cases this involvement leads to buying the advertised product, respectively dealing and thinking about the promotion, like the NYC Condom campaign intended to encourage AIDS awareness. Those statements are merely subjective since there are no facts or appraisals about the effects of guerrilla marketing. This field is not yet explored for its effectiveness in view of the fact that it is a rather new movement in the marketing and advertising business. 4 Word-of-mouth marketing as a side effect of guerrilla marketing The chances and risks as well as the effects of guerrilla marketing are already discussed. Another aspect which was mentioned before should not be underestimated: Word-of-mouth. It is indeed a form of marketing of its own, but with guerrilla marketing it found an additional way of expressing itself. Word-of-mouth marketing is based on people spreading the news about a certain product. They are usually called early adopters. If they like the product, they recommend it to their family and friends. A perfect example is digital cameras. â€Å"Digital cameras are well on their way to replacing film cameras. This shift was not caused by great ad campaigns from the camera companies. Instead, it is the direct result of early adopters successfully selling cameras to their friends. † Word-of mouth marketing is hard to get and rare. Lately there has been a new form of it, stealth marketing. Consumers are being paid to try out new products and they are obliged to tell others about it. But why should companies reach for such drastic methods when they can get the same effect with guerrilla marketing? In chapter 3. 1 the NYC Condom campaign was mentioned. The fact that it got free publicity; it was mentioned in various newspapers two days in a row, and was also traded on e-bay, shows that people were talking about it. Accordingly Word-of-mouth was created. This does not happen with every single guerrilla campaign but with this being said, Word-of-mouth can be a side effect. 5 Differences between Germany and USA GoMedia is an American business which sometimes operates international. The company exists since1994, which shows that there is a market for guerrilla marketing in the United States. But to what extend does it work for German companies too? Following a conversation with the founder of GoMedia, Alan Wolan, who worked in Berlin for a couple of years, the German market is about two years behind the American market concerning advertising issues.