Friday, November 29, 2019

Robert E. Lee Essays (4154 words) - Fitzhugh Family Of Virginia

Robert E. Lee Robert E. Lee They say you had to see him to believe that a man so fine could exist. He was handsome. He was clever. He was brave. He was gentle. He was generous and charming, noble and modest, admired and beloved. He had never failed at anything in his upright soldier's life. He was born a winner, this Robert E. Lee. Except for once. In the greatest contest of his life, in a war between the South and the North, Robert E. Lee lost (Redmond). Through his life, Robert E. Lee would prove to be always noble, always a gentleman, and always capable of overcoming the challenge lying before him. Robert Edward Lee was born on January 19, 1807 (Compton's). He was born into one of Virginia's most respected families. The Lee family had moved to America during the mid 1600's. Some genealogist can trace the Lee's roots back to William the Conqueror. Two members of the Lee family had signed the Declaration of Independence, Richard Lee and Francis Lightfoot. Charles Lee had served as attorney General under the Washington administration while Richard Bland Lee, had become one of Virginia's leading Federalists. Needless to say, the Lees were an American Political dynasty (Nash 242). Lee's father was General Henry Light-Horse Harry Lee. He had been a heroic cavalry leader in the American Revolution. He married his cousin Matilda. They had four children, but Matilda died in 1790. On her death bed she added insult to injury upon Henry Lee by leaving her estate to her children. She feared Henry would squander the family fortune. He was well known for poor investments and schemes that had depleted his own family's fortune (Connelly 5). Henry Lee solved his financial problems by marrying Robert's mother Anne Carter, daughter of one of Virginia's wealthiest men (Nash 242). Henry Lee eventually spent his family into debt. Their stately mansion, Stratford Hall, was turned over to Robert's half brother. Anne Lee moved with her children to a simple brick house in Alexandria. Light Horse Harry was seldom around. Finally, in 1813 he moved to the West Indies. His self-exile became permanent, and he was never seen again by his family (Thomas). Young Robert had other family problems. His mother became very ill. At the age of twelve he had to shoulder the load of not only being the family's provider, but also his mother's nurse. When time came for Robert to attend college, it was obvious his mother could not support him financially. She was already supporting his older brother at Harvard and three other children in school. In 1824 he accepted an appointment to the United States Military Academy. During his time at West Point Lee distinguished himself as a soldier and a student. Lee graduated with honors in 1829 (Nash 245). His graduation was dampened by a call to the bedside of his ailing mother. When he arrived home he found his fifty-four year old mother close to death. A death caused by struggles and illnesses of her difficult life. Robert was always close to his mother. He again attended to her needs until her death. On July 10, 1829, Anne Lee died with Robert, her closest son, at her side. Forty years later Robert would stand in the same room and say, It seems but yesterday that his beloved mother died (Connelly 6). While awaiting his first assignment, Lee frequently visited Arlington, the estate of George Washington Parke Custis. Custis was the grandson of Martha Washington and the adopted son of George Washington. After Martha's death Custis left Mount Vernon and used his inheritance to build Arlington in 1778. Arlington was set on a hill over looking the Potomac river and Washington D.C. (NPS Arlington House). Custis had only one daughter, Mary Anna Randolph. Mary had been pampered and petted throughout her life. Lee's Courtship with Mary soon turned serious, before long they were thinking of marriage. However, before Robert could propose he was assigned to Cockspur Island, Georgia. Robert returned to Arlington in 1830. He and Mary decided to get married. The two were married on June 30, 1831(Nash 248). Shortly there after the Lees went to Fort Monroe. Mary was never happy here. She soon went back to Arlington. Mary hated army life. She would, for the most part, stay at Arlington throughout the rest of Robert's time in the United States Army. The fact that he was separated from his family, and that he was slow to move up in rank, left Lee feeling quite depressed a great

Monday, November 25, 2019

How to Make a Fruit Battery

How to Make a Fruit Battery If you have a piece of fruit, a couple of nails, and some wire, then you can generate enough electricity to turn on a light bulb. Making a fruit battery is fun, safe, and easy. What You Need To make the battery you will need: Citrus fruit (e.g., lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit)Copper nail, screw, or wire (about 2 in. or 5 cm long)Zinc nail or screw or galvanized nail (about 2 in. or 5 cm long)Small holiday light with 2 in. or 5 cm leads (enough wire to connect it to the nails) Make a Fruit Battery Heres how to make the battery: Set the fruit on a table and gently roll it around to soften it up. You want the juice to be flowing inside the fruit without breaking its skin. Alternatively, you can squeeze the fruit with your hands.Insert the zinc and copper nails into the fruit so that they are about 2 inches (5 centimeters) apart. Dont let them touch each other. Avoid puncturing through the end of the fruit.Remove enough insulation from the leads of the light (about 1 in. or 2.5 cm) so that you can wrap one lead around the zinc nail and the other lead around the copper nail. You can use electrical tape or alligator clips to keep the wire from falling off the nails.When you connect the second nail, the light will turn on. How a Lemon Battery Works Here are  the science and chemical reactions regarding a lemon battery (you can try making batteries from other fruits and from vegetables): The copper and zinc metals act as positive and negative battery terminals (cathodes and anodes).The zinc metal reacts with the acidic lemon juice (mostly from citric acid) to produce zinc ions (Zn2) and electrons (2 e-). The zinc ions go  into solution in the lemon juice while the electrons remain on the metal.The wires of the small light bulb are electrical conductors. When they are used to connect the copper and zinc, the electrons that have built upon the zinc flow into the wire. The flow of electrons is current or electricity. Its what powers small electronics or lights a light bulb.Eventually, the electrons make it to the copper. If the electrons didnt go any farther, theyd eventually build up so that there wouldnt be a potential difference between the zinc and the copper. If this happened, the flow of electricity would stop. However, that wont happen because the copper is in contact with the lemon.The electrons accumulating on the copper terminal react with hydrogen ions (H) floating free in the acidic juice to form hydrogen atoms. The hydrogen atoms bond to each other to form hydrogen gas. More Science Here are additional opportunities for research: Citrus fruits are acidic, which helps their juices to conduct electricity. What other fruits and vegetables might you try that would work as batteries?If you have a multimeter, you can measure the current produced by the battery. Compare the effectiveness of different types of fruit. See what happens as you change the distance between the nails.Do acidic fruits always work better? Measure the pH (acidity) of the fruit juice and compare that with the current through the wires or brightness of the light bulb.Compare the electricity generated by fruit with that of juices. Liquids you can test include orange juice, lemonade, and pickle brine.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Piracy in Somali - Is it Politically or Economically Motivated Essay

Piracy in Somali - Is it Politically or Economically Motivated - Essay Example However the persistent attacks by pirate ships off the horn of Africa represent a realistic picture of the status of piracy in contemporary times, which is far removed from the romantic portrayal of the issue in the Hollywood blockbuster. Contrary to the depiction of piracy by the popular media, piracy in Somalia is real and an ever-increasing danger faced by the sea-farers. Somalia has gained global attention for repeatedly featuring as one of the top three global hotspots for maritime piracy. According to the ICC International Maritime Bureau's (IMB) report on trends in global piracy, about 439 pirate attacks were reported in the year 2011 of which 275 attacks were reported to have taken place off the coast of Somalia (ICC, 2012). The Gulf of Aden and and the northern, southern, and eastern coasts of Somalia are one of the heavily trafficked coasts in the world. It is on account of this reason that the waters in and around Somalia are vulnerable to such attacks, and categorized as piracy prone. The constant acts of piracy in Somalia have resulted in a rapid economic and political decline of the nation and have attracted severe criticism worldwide. The country was labeled as the World’s most dangerous country by the Forbes Magazine (O'Malley, 2009). Figure 1: Source: Onuoha, 2009: 35 Despite the implementation of stringent measures to counter maritime piracy in Somalia, the number of incidences reporting attacks and hijacking by the Somalian pirates refuse to die down. Piracy has been one of the most dreaded acts of hostility faced by sea-farers and it cannot be hoped to be countered by mere naval means. Measures such as disbanding the criminal structure of the booming "industry", achieving political stability and strengthening the nation's economy must be looked into, in order to prevent such acts of terrorism and bring the phenomenon of piracy to a complete halt. 2. Piracy in Somalia: Brief background The term maritime piracy is defined by Piracy Repo rting Center of the International Maritime Bureau of ICC as "an act of boarding any vessel with the intent to commit theft or any other crime and with the intent or capability to use force in the furtherance of that act" (Wu and Zou, 2009: 139). The Geneva Convention on the Law of the Sea 1958 defines piracy as any illegal and/or hostile acts leading to the detention, harm or injury to the crew or passengers on board; as well as intentional destruction, capture and seizing of property on the ship. It also includes acts which are committed beyond the jurisdiction of a particular state1. The issue of maritime piracy has been in existence historically and no strategy has achieved complete success in eradicating this evil. The policy initiatives taken at national as well as international level have so far been merely able to partially suppress the phenomenon. However despite such measures incidences of hijacking, random pirate attacks, and armed hostility continue to be reported. The is sue of piracy in Somalia is of a more serious nature, due to its weak economic structure and long-term political instability. These two factors combined have caused the elevation of piracy from mere erratic sea attacks to the status of an organized crime. Today, maritime piracy is internationally recognized as an issue of serious concern and active steps have been taken to ensure that such activities are curbed instantly. Piracy off the Somali coast did not begin with a group of bandits looking for money or

Monday, November 18, 2019

Variations on the Modern Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Variations on the Modern - Essay Example The aim of this study is to discuss different versions of modern architecture movements in Italy and Scandinavia in order to show how modern architecture responded to the political and cultural subtexts. Modern architecture was flourished later in both Italy and Scandinavia than Germany, Holland, France and Russia. William J. Curtis notes that Modernism's influence was slight in Scandinavia in the 1920s1 and it formed relatively late in Italy2. Furthermore, both Scandinavia and Italy brought their own interpretation to the â€Å"international style†. However, their similarities end here; since their political, cultural and also ecological conditions were extremely different. While modern architecture emerged in Fascist Italy ruled by a dictator, democratic welfare states prevailed in Scandinavia at that time; hence, there was a stark difference between the political climates of Italy and Scandinavia. Their cultures also differed; whereas nationalistic tendencies and nostalgia for the Roman heritage were predominant in Italy, communal values were strong in Scandinavia. In line with their differences, they both developed a different variation of Modernism. While Italian Modernism highlighted nationalism and magnanimous Roman heritage; Scandinavia adopted a modernism with a human face stressing organic and natural life. As a matter of fact, in Italy, modernism grew in two directions: Noveconto and Italian Rationalism. The Classical Novecento movement, represented by Giovanni Muzio, paved the way for the development of Italian Rationalism represented by â€Å"gruppo 7†3. Sebastian Larco, Guido, Frette, Carlo Enrico Raba, Adalberto, Luigi Figini, Gino Pollini and Guiseppe Terragni formed Gruppo 7 in 19264. Throughout the 1930's, both Novecento and Italian Rationalism coexisted as alternative variations of modernism. Although Novecento, originated in Milan, used modern technology of concrete construction, it was highly committed to the traditional Itali an house. Gio Ponti, the famous architect and editor of the magazine of the Italian house Domus, described Italian house as setting for Italian life as follows: â€Å"the place that we have chosen for enjoying our life†5. Ponti's description highlights the stark difference between Novecento and Le Corbusier's â€Å"international style†, since Le Corbusier defined the house as â€Å"a machine for living in†. While Ponti's approach stressed the organic and humanist aspect of the house, Le Corbusier's definition was more mechanistic. Furthermore the Novecento houses were more decorative and furnished in Italian taste, while â€Å"the international style† was against any ornaments. Indeed, modern Milan houses incorporated common features of traditional Italian chimneys and sundials6. Although Italian Rationalism could be regarded as more radical than Novecento and closer to the spirit of machine civilization, it was still â€Å"fully contextual as well, rela ting to historical Italian culture†7. Besides Italian culture, Italian Rationalism was also intertwined with Fascist nationalism. It was not just Italian Rationalists were ardent fascists, but their work also reflected the Fascist ideology; although The Italian Fascist Party's relation to Italian Rationalism was ambivalent. Giuseppe Terragni's Casa del Fascio could

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Identification of Epitope in EAV N Protein

Identification of Epitope in EAV N Protein Identification of a novel conserved B cell epitope in the N protein of EAV (Bucyrus strain) Running title: Identification of epitope in EAV N protein. Highlights: One EAV N-specific mAb 1C11 was developed. A minimal linear peptide epitope within the N protein was identified. The identified epitope was conserved among different regional EAV strains. The mAb and identified epitope may be useful diagnostic tools for EAV infection. Abstract Objective: To identify the minimal epitope of N protein of the equine arteritis virus (EAV). Methods: The full-length sequence of EAV N gene was cloned by RT-PCR and ligated into pET32a vector for expression. The recombinant pET-N protein was expressed in E. coli and purified by Ni affinity chromatography. The purified N protein was used to immunize mice for preparing monoclonal antibody (mAb). The reactivity of mAb was evaluated by Western blot and immunofluorescence assay (IFA). The peptides were identified using the prepared mAb by indirect ELISA and Western blot. The homology analysis was performed using DNAMAN software. Results: Recombinant EAV N protein was successfully expressed in the procaryon expression system. An EAV N-reactive mAb was selected and designated as 1C11. Indirect ELISA results showed that overlapping domain of MBP-N10 and MBP-N11 was recognized by the mAb 1C11. Further, the indirect ELISA and Western blot showed that 101QRKVAP106 was the minimal linear epitope of the EAV N protein. The homology analysis showed that the identified epitope is conserved among all EAV isolated strains, with the exception of the ARVAC which is a modified live virus vaccine strain. Conclusion: One EAV N-specific mAb was developed and a minimal linear peptide epitope within the N protein was identified. The EAV N-specific mAb and the defined linear peptide epitope of EAV N protein may be useful for the development of specific diagnostic tools and design of vaccine. Keywords: Epitope; N protein; Equine arteritis virus; Monoclonal antibody Introduction Equine arteritis virus (EAV) is the etiologic agent of equine viral arteritis (EVA) which is a respiratory and reproductive disease of horses [1-3]. EAV was à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ rst isolated from horses in Ohio in 1953. It is the prototype virus of the family Arteriviridae (genus Arterivirus, order Nidovirales) [4, 5]. EAV infection of horses has been reported in many countries including New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa [6-10]. EAV is a positive-sense, enveloped and single-stranded RNA molecule with a length of 12.7kb [11]. It contains two large open reading frames (ORFs, 1a and 1b) and seven smaller ORFs (2a, 2b, and 3 to 7). ORFs 1a and 1b encode two replicase polyproteins (pp1a and pp1ab), whereas the ORFs 2a, 2b, 5, 6, and 7 encode the known EAV structural proteins E, GS, GL, M, and N, respectively [12]. Moreover, ORFs 3 and 4 encode glycosylated membrane-associated proteins whose functional role is still under debate [13, 14]. EAV N can be used as an alternative protein candidate of diagnostic antigens and accounts for 35-40% of the total virion protein [15]. B cell epitopes involved in the immune response against EAV [16]. In the present study, we aimed to identify the precise B cell epitope using a monoclonal antibody (mAb) against EAV N protein. Our result will provide important information for developing serological diagnosis of EAV infection and understanding the antigenic structure of EAV N protein and vaccine design. Materials and methods Ethics statement Care and use of laboratory animals and all animal experiments were in accordance with animal ethics guidelines established by the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee in China. All animal studies were approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Harbin Veterinary Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (SYXK (H) 2006-032). Cell lines and virus SP2/0 myeloma and Rabbit kidney 13 (RK-13) cells were cultured and maintained in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium (DMEM; Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA, USA) in a humidified 5% CO2 atmosphere at 37 °C. All culture media were supplemented with 10% heat-inactivated fetal bovine serum (GIBCO, Invitrogen) and antibiotics (0.1mg/ml streptomycin and 100 IU/ml penicillin).The Bucyrus strain of EAV (GenBank accession No. NC-002532.2, a highly cell culture-adapted strain provided by the key laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Animal Viral Diseases in Yunnan province, China) was propagated in RK-13 cells and stored at -80à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™. Expression and characterization of recombinant EAV N protein The full-length sequence of EAV N gene was cloned by RT-PCR using the following primers: 5†²-CCCGGATCCATGGCGTCAAGACGATC-3†² (upstream) and 5†²-TTTGTCGACTTACGGCCCTGCTGGAGGCGCAAC-3†² (downstream). The primers contained BamH I and Sal I restriction sites (italicized). The purified and digested PCR product was ligated into an expression vector pET32a (Novagen, Germany). The pET-N recombinant plasmid was transformed into E. coli BL21 (DE3) and 1mM isopropyl-ÃŽ ²-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG, Invitrogen, USA) was used for inducing expression of N protein. The recombinant proteins were obtained from the bacterial lysates. The insoluble inclusion bodies were washed and solubilized with phosphate buffered saline (PBS, pH 7.4). Then, the recombinant N protein fused with 6 His-tags was evaluated by SDS-PAGE and purified by Ni affinity chromatography according to manufacturer’s instruction (Invitrogen). Preparation and characterization of mAbs against N protein EAV N-reactive mAb was generated as previously described [17]. Briefly, 6-week-old female BALB/c mice were immunized with the purified recombinant N protein (100ÃŽ ¼g per mouse) mixed with an equal volume of Freund’s complete adjuvant (FCA, Sigma, USA). Two booster injections containing the same amount of purified N protein in an equal volume of Freund’s incomplete adjuvant (FICA) were given at 2-week intervals. The purified N protein without adjuvant was injected intraperitoneally as the final immunization. After three days of the final injection, the mice were euthanized and their splenocytes were fused with SP2/0 myeloma cells using polyethylene glycol (PEG4000, Sigma). The hybridoma cells were seeded into 96-well plates and selected in hypoxanthine-aminopterin-thymidine (HAT) selection medium (DMEM containing 20% fetal bovine serum, 100g/ml streptomycin, 100IU/ml penicillin, 100mM hypoxanthine, 16mM thymidine, and 400 mM aminopterin). After 5 days, the medium was re moved and replaced with hypoxanthine-thymidine (HT)-DMEM medium (DMEM containing 20% fetal bovine serum, 100g/ml streptomycin, 100IU/ml penicillin, 100mM hypoxanthine, and 16mM thymidine). After selection in HAT and HT medium, hybridoma supernatants were screened for evaluating reactivity and specificity of mAb by Western blot and immunofluorescence assay (IFA). The class and subclass of the mAb was determined using a SBA ClonotypingTM System/HRP (Southern Biotechnology Associates, Inc., Birmingham, AL35260, USA). Polypeptide design and expression Eleven overlapping peptides spanning the N protein were designed (Table 1,). For each peptide, a pair of oligonucleotide strands was synthesized. Each pair of oligonucleotide strands was annealed and cloned into the BamHà ¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚   and Sal I sites of pMALâ„ ¢-C4x vector and expressed as MBP-N fusion proteins. These MBP-fused proteins were named consecutively MBP-N1 to MBP-N11. The recombinant plasmids were transformed into E.coli Rosetta (DE3) (Novagen). Each MBP-fused polypeptide was induced by IPTG and screened by indirect ELISA. Briefly, MBP tags and purified N protein were used as negative and positive controls, respectively. Ninety-six-well microtiter plates were coated with expressed MBP-N fusion proteins at 4à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™ overnight and blocked with 5% skim milk for 1 h at 37à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™. After washing three times by PBST (PBS plus 0.5% Tween-20), 100 ÃŽ ¼l of mAb was added to wells and incubated at 37à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™ for 1 h. Then, the plates were washed three ti mes by PBST and incubated with diluted horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-conjugated goat anti-mouse IgG (Abcam, UK) at 37à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™ for 1 h. The color was developed and the reaction was stopped with 2M H2SO4. The absorbance at 450 nm was measured. All assays repeated three times and the average of the three values was calculated. Identification of the epitopes The MBP-N-fusion proteins were identified by indirect ELISA and Western blot using the mAb. Indirect ELISA was performed as mentioned above. For Western blot, the purified MBP-N recombinant proteins were electrophoresed on SDS-PAGE, and then transferred to a nitrocellulose membrane. Nonspecific antibody binding sites on the membrane were blocked with 5% skim milk in PBS overnight at 4à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™. The membrane was washed and incubated with mAbs for 1h at 37à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™. The membrane was incubated with HRP-conjugated goat anti-mouse IgG secondary antibody after five times washing with PBST. Following another five times washing, the color was developed using 3,3-diaminobenzidine (DAB) and terminated by rinsing the membrane with deionized water. Homology analysis To evaluate the conservation of the identified linear epitope among EAV from different geographic areas, the identified epitope and the corresponding regions of other regional EAV virus strains were aligned using DNAMAN software (Lynnon BioSoft Inc., USA). Results Production of recombinant EAV N protein and mAb As shown in Fig.1a, Recombinant EAV N protein was successfully expressed in the procaryon expression system. A clear single target band with expected molecular weight was displayed. Accordingly, the recombinant EAV N protein was suitable as an antigen for immunization and hybridoma screening. Purified proteins were utilized to immunize BALB/c mice. After cell fusion and selection, an EAV N-reactive mAb generated from one hybridoma cell line was selected for its strong reactivity against N protein. This mAb was designated as 1C11. As shown in Fig.1b, c, mAb 1C11 reacted with recombinant N protein and total protein of EAV (Fig.1b, c). The reactivity of mAb was also assessed using RK-13 cells by IFA (Fig.1d). The mAb only reacted with EAV infected cells and not reacted with uninfected control RK-13 cells. Identification of EAV N epitope To localize linear antigenic epitopes within the N protein, 11 16-amino acid long MBP fused peptides (MBP-N1 MBP-N11) were expressed and probed by mAb 1C11 by indirect ELISA. The results showed that MBP-N10 (91TVSWVPTKQIQRKVAP106) and MBP-N11 (95VPTKQIQRKVAPPAGP110) epitopes were recognized by the mAb 1C11 (OD450 > 1) (Fig. 2a). All the left fragments (MBP-N1-9) failed to react with the mAb. Because adjacent epitopes have 12 overlaps, we deduced that the linear epitope located in the overlapping domain of MBP-N10 and MBP-N11 (95VPTKQIQRKVAP106). To identify the minimal linear peptide epitope within this overlapping domain, a series of truncated polypeptides were expressed as MBP-fusion proteins. Ultimately, the indirect ELISA and Western blot showed that 101QRKVAP106 was the minimal linear epitope for the reactivity of the EAV N protein recognized by mAb 1C11 (Fig. 2c, d). Homology analysis Sequence alignment was performed to evaluate the conservation of the identified epitope among different regional EAV viruses (Fig. 3). The identified epitope is conserved among all EAV isolated strains, with the exception of the ARVAC which is a modified live virus vaccine strain. Discussion Mapping location of viral protein epitopes and defining the degree of their conservation may play an important role for understanding of the antigenic structure, virus-antibody interactions. It may be very useful for vaccine design and clinical applications. In this study, the B cell epitopes of EAV N protein were identified using a mAb. Epitope mapping using mAbs has become a powerful tool to study protein structure and provides new tools to diagnose diseases and design vaccines [18]. Here, we defined one peptide epitope of EAV N protein in by using an EAV N-specific mAb. To our knowledge, epitope on the N protein of EAV has been published, but no previous studies about 101QRKVAP106 have been reported. Starick et al. [19] produced a mAb against the N protein to detect EAV. Weiland et al. [20] used the same method to produce a mAb against the N protein of EAV and to distinguish different virus isolates from semen and tissue samples after passaging through RK-13, Vero and fetal equine kidney cells. However, the minimal epitope of these mAb was not defined precisely. Similar to the work of Starick et al. and Weiland et al. [19, 20], a mAb named 1C11 against EAV N protein was prepared by using recombinant N protein expressed in E. coli and used for identifying B-cell epitopes on EAV N protein. mAb 1C11 reacted well with EAV by WB and IFA, thus this antibody may be a useful detection tool in EAV diagnosis. mAbs are useful and effective for mapping antigenic epitopes of viral proteins. In this study, for epitope mapping, 11 overlapping peptides from EAV N protein were expressed with MBP tags and identified by ELISA to screen linear epitopes. The ELISA results showed that the epitope located in the sharing region of MBP-N10 (91TVSWVPTKQIQRKVAP106) and MBP-N11 (95VPTKQIQRKVAPPAGP110). Then this region (95VPTKQIQRKVAP106) was expressed, and 7 peptides with deletions were obtained to identify the precise epitope. According to the results of ELISA and Western blot, 101QRKVAP106 was considered as the minimal linear epitope of EAV protein. This result is different from the previous studies [15, 21] which stated that the precise epitope of N protein located in amino acids 1-69. This may be due to the difference of the specificity and reactivity of the mAbs. Sometimes, a mAb can react with different locations of a viral protein. Sequence alignment showed that the identified epitope is very conservative among distinct regional EAV strains, but with a mutation of one amino acids on the ARVAC N protein epitope. This result suggests a slight regional difference emerged in this epitope. Therefore, it is possible to distinguish anti-Bucyrus EAV antibody from anti- ARVAC EAV antibody by using the epitope as antigen. This will be helpful in distinguishing the distinct regional EAV infection. This finding indicates that the N epitope of EAV identified in our study have a potential use in serological monitoring and differential diagnosis. In conclusion, one EAV N-specific mAb was developed and a minimal linear peptide epitope within the N protein was defined. The EAV N-specific mAb and the defined linear peptide epitope of EAV N protein may be useful for the development of specific diagnostic tools and design of vaccine.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Lost Characters in Ernest Hemingways The Sun Also Rises :: Hemingway Sun Also Rises Essays

The Lost Characters in The Sun Also Rises In the novel The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemingway, the lost generation is discussed. After the WWI, many were affected in different ways. This post-war generation is described by discrimination, lack of religion, escapism and inability to act. The First character that is introduced into the novel is Cohn. He, as an outsider, is Jewish. Throughout the novel he is looked down upon in one way or another, but already he is separated from the rest which is shown when he is being described: "He had a hard, Jewish, stubborn streak" (p 18). This quote already shows that he is Jewish, and therefore different from the rest. Also, the fact that his streak is `hard [and] ...stubborn" shows that he is hard to deal with or be around. Even thought he is discriminated against, he is one of the very few that inform these people of the `lost generation' exactly how worthless they are when he says to Jake "You know what's the trouble with you? You're an expatriate. One of the worst type... Nobody that ever left their own country ever wrote anything worth printing. Not even in the newspapers" (p 120) and "Hello, you bums" (p50). He literally rubs into Jake's face what kind of a waste he has become once he left his country. It is r ather surprising that the one who is much disliked and discriminated against sees the worthless characteristics of the others. The significance of the word `bums' used must be noticed since a bum is an idle worthless person by definition. This very well describes the `lost generation.' Nevertheless, racism isn't the only separation that the people make. Even the concierge, who one would think would not be too proud, "[takes] great pride in telling me which of my guests were well brought up, which were of good family, who were sportsmen, a French word pronounced with the accent on the men. The only trouble was that people who did not fall into any of those three categories were very liable to be told there was no one home, chez Barnes" (p 60). This shows how important wealth and back ground is, but the ones who are part of the `lost generation' are not included into any of those simply because their background is forgotten, and they are all worthless people.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Marketing Plan- Pepsi in Pakistan

Contents acknowledgement3 executive summary4 challenge5 new product category5 product line extension5 incremental improvement5 introduction to the company5 sigtuation analysis7 company analysis7 mission statement7 vision statement7 market share8 customer analysis8 customers:8 consumer decision process:9 competitors10 collaborators11 climate:12 economic effect analysis12 political effect analysis13 technological factors:14 social and cultural analysis14 swot analysis of pepsi15 strengths15 weaknesses15 opportunities16 threats16 market segmentation16 behavioral base16 congnitive base17 selected market strategy17 product17 branding:17 logo18 pepsi slogan18 product line19 packaging19 price20 prices of different bottles21 discounts21 placement/distribution channel22 indirect distribution22 direct distribution22 promotions22 conclusion23 suggestions23 bibliography24 references24 evidences24 visiting cards24 acknowledgement ? We owe our gratitude to Allah Almighty whose shower of blessings and kindness has been on us throughout the working on these pages. It is His help that we finally able to compile this document. Related article: co.uk/gardenia-marketing-plan/">Gardenia Target MarketWe are indebted to our respected teacher Miss Fiaza Rehman who’s indispensable and intricate comments on various aspects conjoined with motivation made us come forth holding such as project. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ? Purpose of this project is to study the strategies which Pepsi is doing in Pakistani market for its product Pepsi cola. Pepsi International is a world renowned brand. It is a very well organized multinational company, which operates almost all over the world. In Pakistan It also has proved itself to be the No. 1 soft drink.Now days Pepsi is recognized as Pakistanis National drink Pepsi's greatest rival is Coca Cola. Coca Cola has an international recognized brand. Coke’s basic strength is its brand name. But Pepsi with its aggressive marketing planning and quick diversification in creating and promoting new ideas and product packaging, is successfully maintaining is No. 1 position in Pakistan. Pepsi is operating in Pakistan, through its 12 bottlers all over Pakistan. These bottlers are Pepsi's strength. Pepsi has given franchise to these bottlers.Bottlers, produce, distribute and help in promoting the brand. Pepsi also launched its fast food chain KFC i. e. â€Å"Kentucky Fried Chicken. † We also did analysis of the soft drink industry in Pakistan and worldwide. The soft drinks set to become world's leading beverage sector. Global consumption of soft drinks is rising by 5% a year. CHALLENGE Pepsi is doing new product development on frequent interval of times. The purpose of which is to refresh the brand. By new products and innovative ideas consumers can easily be attracted.In following ways Pepsi is doing new product development. New product category Pepsi which is mainly a company of soft drinks after establishing a brand in Pakistan Pepsi came into several new product category. Lays, kurkuray and aqua fina, fast food restaurants are the examples of new product category. Product line extension Mountain dew is the most recent addition in the product line of soft drinks which is very popular especially among the youngsters. However Pepsi launch its several variants with a minor difference on frequent interval of time.There have been many Pepsi variants produced over the years since 1903, including Diet Pepsi, Crystal Pepsi, Pepsi Twist, Pepsi Max, Pepsi Samba, Pepsi Blue, Pepsi Gold, Pepsi Holiday Spice, Pepsi Jazz, Pepsi X (available in Finland and Brazil), Pepsi Next (available in Japan and South Korea), Pepsi Raw, Pepsi Retro in Mexico, Pepsi One, Pepsi Ice Cucumber and Pepsi White in Japan. * Line Filling Pepsi claims that they are doing mass marketing but there was an unfilled gap in the consumers. The diabetic patient can’t use the regular Pepsi because f the sugar. So Pepsi had introduced diet Pepsi to fill the gap in their drinks as of then onwards even diabetic people became their consumers. Incremental Improvement Pepsi jumb o is an example of incremental improvement made by Pepsi. It was 2. 25 liter bottle introduced few years ago in Pakistan. The purpose of this packing is to offer the Pepsi to a family for one or two time meals. Price of this pack is also kept low so that is can be affordable easily by the consumers. INTRODUCTION TO THE COMPANY Pepsi International is a world renowned brand.It is a very well organized multinational company, which operates almost all over the world. They produce, one of best carbonated drinks in the world. Pepsi is a symbol of hygiene, quality and service, all over the world. Pepsi is producing Cola for more than 100 years and it has dominated the world market for a long time. Its head office is in New York. HISTORY OF PEPSI COLA It was first introduced as â€Å"Brad's Drink† in New Bern, North Carolina in 1898 by Caleb Bradham, who made it at his pharmacy where the drink was sold.It was later named Pepsi Cola, possibly due to the digestive enzyme pepsin and kol a nuts used in the recipe. Bradham sought to create a fountain drink that was delicious and would aid in digestion and boost energy. In 1903, Bradham moved the bottling of Pepsi-Cola from his drugstore to a rented warehouse. That year, Bradham sold 7,968 gallons of syrup. The next year, Pepsi was sold in six-ounce bottles, and sales increased to 19,848 gallons. In 1909, automobile race pioneer Barney Oldfield was the first celebrity to endorse Pepsi-Cola, describing it as â€Å"A bully drink†¦ efreshing, invigorating, a fine bracer before a race†. The advertising theme â€Å"Delicious and Healthful† was then used over the next two decades. In 1926, Pepsi received its first logo redesign since the original design of 1905. In the year 1929, the logo was changed again. In 1931, at the depth of the Great Depression, the Pepsi-Cola Company entered bankruptcy – in large part due to financial losses incurred by speculating on wildly fluctuating sugar prices as a r esult of World War I. Assets were sold and Roy C. Megargel bought the Pepsi trademark. Eight years later, the company went bankrupt again.Pepsi's assets were then purchased by Charles Guth, the President of Loft Inc. Loft was a candy manufacturer with retail stores that contained soda fountains. He sought to replace Coca-Cola at his stores' fountains after Coke refused to give him a discount on syrup. Guth then had Loft's chemists reformulate the Pepsi-Cola syrup formula. During the Great Depression, Pepsi gained popularity following the introduction in 1936 of a 12-ounce bottle. Initially priced at 10 cents, sales were slow, but when the price was slashed to five cents, sales increased substantially.With a radio advertising campaign featuring the jingle â€Å"Pepsi-Cola hits the spot / Twelve full ounces, that's a lot / Twice as much for a nickel, too / Pepsi-Cola is the drink for you,† arranged in such a way that the jingle never ends. Pepsi encouraged price-watching consum ers to switch, obliquely referring to the Coca-Cola standard of six ounces per bottle for the price of five cents (a nickel), instead of the 12 ounces Pepsi sold at the same price. Coming at a time of economic crisis, the campaign succeeded in boosting Pepsi's status. In 1937 500,000,000 bottles of Pepsi were consumed.From 1936 to 1938, Pepsi-Cola's profits doubled. Pepsi's success under Guth came while the Loft Candy business was faltering. Since he had initially used Loft's finances and facilities to establish the new Pepsi success, the near-bankrupt Loft Company sued Guth for possession of the Pepsi-Cola company. A long legal battle, Guth v. Loft, then ensued, with the case reaching the Delaware Supreme Court and ultimately ending in a loss for Guth. PEPSI COLA PAKISTAN The market in Pakistan is surely dominated by Pepsi. It has proven itself to be the No. 1 soft drink in Pakistan. Now days Pepsi is recognized as Pakistanis National drink.In 1971, first plant of Pepsi was constru cted in Multan, and from there after Pepsi is going higher and higher. Pepsi is the choice soft drink of every one. It is consumed by all age groups because of its distinctive taste. Compared with other Cola in the market, it is a bit sweeter and it contributes greatly to its liking by all. Consumer’s survey results explain the same outcome and Pepsi has been declared as the most wanted soft drink of Pakistan. SITUATION ANALYSIS COMPANY ANALYSIS MISSION STATEMENT â€Å"To be the world's premier consumer Products Company focused on convenient foods and beverages.We seek to produce healthy financial rewards to investors as we provide opportunities for growth and enrichment to our employees, our business partners and the communities in which we operate. And in everything we do, we strive for honesty, fairness and integrity. † VISION STATEMENT â€Å"To be the world's best beverage company†. Being the best means providing outstanding quality, service, cleanliness and value, so that their every customer is contented and happy with their products. † â€Å"To increase the value of their shareholder’s investment through sales growth, cost control and wise investment of resources. † MARKET SHAREWhen Pepsi was introduced in Pakistan, it faced fierce competition with 7up, lemon and lime drinks, which was established during 1968, in Multan. Pepsi introduced its lemon and lime, â€Å"Teem† to compete with 7up. It successfully, after some years, took over 7up, and this enhanced Pepsi's profits and market share. In Pakistan, Pepsi with 7up enjoys 70% of the market share where as the coke just has 20% markets share. Pepsi is operating in Pakistan, through its 12 bottlers all over Pakistan. These bottlers are Pepsi's strength. Pepsi has given franchise to these bottlers. Bottlers, produce, distribute and help in promoting the brand.Pepsi also launched its fast food chain KFC i. e. â€Å"Kentucky Fried Chicken. † CUSTOMER AN ALYSIS CUSTOMERS: There are three types of customers 1. Consumer 2. Business 3. Government Pepsi main focus is the consumers which are the end users. Pepsi has to make its marketing strategies keeping in view the consumer buying behavior. To forecast the behavior of the consumer is a business problem. Physical aspect of the consumer can be satisfied but it is difficult to satisfy the consumer psychologically. Consumer buying behavior is affected by certain factors like Cultural factors, Social factors, Personal factors and Psychological factors.So the producer should keep these factors in Mind while promoting their product so that they can acquire the customer and increase their market share. There are different consumers in a society whose behavior is not the same. Every consumer has a different perception of different products. Some consumers are impressed by one quality of the product which may be in the view of other consumer not that impressive. So to deal with different consum ers in a society one should know about the consumer buying behavior process which may help in making a true picture of their product in the mind of the consumers.About 75 million cases a year for Pepsi alone; the total beverage market is about 120 million cases of which 65% per cent are Pepsi products; about 20 to 22 per cent are Coca-Cola products and Zum Zum cola and Mecca Cola, Amrit Cola and Muslim Cola†¦ there are so many colas; there is RC and Double Cola which are franchised products. Altogether they have around 5 per cent of the market. Due to the Afghan and Iraq wars, they did get a little footing especially in the frontier and Islamabad area but still they are not hugely popular * ? Total annual sale of soft drink in Pakistan 120 million cases * ?Pepsi annual sales in Pakistan 75 million * ? Market share of Pepsi 65% * ? Consumption growth 1. 7 % per year CONSUMER DECISION PROCESS: Consumer decision process or consumer buying behavior is explained in some steps which are discussed below: * Need Identification The consumer is thirsty and he wants to quench his thirst. * Information Search He will search as to what will satisfy his thirst the most. * Evaluation of Alternatives He will now evaluate from the wide range of beverages available to him that which one of them is suitable to him in terms of quality, taste and is pocket friendly. Selection After evaluating the product he will select a product. * Purchase The consumer will buy the selected product. * Post-Purchase Experience: It is the experience that the consumer gets after using the product. He will use the product again if he feels that his satisfaction after use is more or equal to the price of the product. After looking at above mentioned example, we can get an understanding that a product should be so desirable that whenever a person identifies his need, he selects our product among various substitute products and he feel satisfies so that he retains the use of that product.COMPETITOR S Company who directly target your customers. The marketing concept states that to be successful, a company must provide greater customer value and satisfaction than its competitors do. Pepsi has a tough competition with Coca Cola while it faces a little competition with the local producers like RC Cola, Shandi Cola etc. The local producers hardly affect the sales of Pepsi in the market. There are different types of competitor in the market. Some of them in which our product lies are discussed below: ? Close Competitor Pepsi and Coke are close competitors.It means that both have direct competition in the market, their products are close substitutes for one another. Both the products can influence the market share of one another through effective strategies made to cope up with their competitors. * Distant competitors Pepsi cola and Nestle juice are distant competitors of one another. It means that their products satisfy the same want but they are in indirect competition with one ano ther. * Strong Vs Weak: Coca Cola and Pepsi are strong competitors. In Pakistan Pepsi is the market leader and Coca Cola is its competitor.The Pepsi makes defense strategies so that it can maintain its position in the market. While Coca Cola is a challenger and it makes attack strategies so that it can become the market leader. Pepsi and Shandi Cola are weak competitors. Pepsi is the market leader and Shandi Cola is the follower. Pepsi is not in direct competition with the Shandi Cola. It means that Shandi Cola has little effect on the sales of Pepsi. COLLABORATORS Pepsi Cola International has given franchises all over Pakistan. These companies have installed their plants in different parts of Pakistan with these specified areas and names e. g.City| Name of Franchise| Karachi| Pakistan Bottlers| Lahore| Riaz Bottlers| Faisalabad| Punjab Beverage | Multan| Shamim ; company| Pepsi Cola provides consumers place utility which is, where ever and whenever you want it, you get it! Pepsiâ⠂¬â„¢s channel of distribution is very aggressive according to the consumers, manufacturers and distributors. Pepsi has 12 different units in different areas of Pakistan, which make the Pepsi easily available all over the country. The cities in which the Pepsi units are: * Lahore * Sukkur * Karachi * Multan * Dera Ghazi Khan * Islamabad * Faisalabad * Quetta * Hyderabad * Sahiwal * HattarPepsi is an international brand so it also has other units in other countries of the world like America, Europe, Afghanistan, Middle East and Central Asia. The big advantage for Pepsi in Pakistan is that it distributes the product through bottlers. So bottlers’ effort also contributes in the promotion of Pepsi. CLIMATE: ECONOMIC EFFECT ANALYSIS * Income and Income per Capita If the income level or per capita income of the people increases, it will have a positive effect on the consumption of Pepsi. * Inflation If the country faces inflationary trend in the market, the price of the Pepsi will ultimately increase which will lower its demand. Consumption Behavior Pakistan is a consumption oriented society. Due to demonstration effect the people are more inclined towards consumption than saving. So the people of Pakistan spent heavily on food items. Hence Pepsi has a good market share in the present circumstances. * Income Distribution It means how much is in the hands of rich and poor class. In Pakistan 10% rich people posses 93% of wealth and 90% people posses 7% of wealth. If there is balanced distribution of income in the country, the consumption of the people will increase hence increasing the sales of beverages as well. * Payment ModAs the use of plastic money is increasing the consumption pattern of the people are increasing. Although it will have a low affect on the consumption of Pepsi. * Employment Opportunities As employment opportunities increase the living standard of the people increase and the people consume more. * Aggregate Demand In case of Pepsi, aggregat e demand of the product increases in the season of summer as the hot weather makes the consumers want to drink more. * Aggregate Supply In summer season to cope up with the increasing demand they have to increase the aggregate supply of their product. * Economic PoliciesSome of the economic policies which can affect the market of Pepsi are discussed below: * Fiscal Policy It is the policy of taxes. If heavy tax is levied on Pepsi then its price will rise having negative effect on its consumption. * Monetary Policy Monetary policy is made to restrict or increase the supply of money in the market. If policies are made to restrict the flow of money in the market, inflation can be controlled hence increasing the real income of the people which will ultimately affect the consumption of Pepsi. * Price Policy If price of Pepsi is increased its demand will decrease and vice versa. Income Policy If income of the people will increase their purchasing power will increase and hence increasing t he market share of Pepsi. POLITICAL EFFECT ANALYSIS * Political Stability: Whenever the government is considered to be stable, the business will flourish. If there is political stability in the country the policies and strategies made by Pepsi can be consistent to be implemented. Foreign companies are also keen to invest in those countries which are politically stable where they have no fear of decline in their market share or shut down due to sudden change of government. Mixed Economy In mixed economy government and private sector both plays their role in developing the economy of the country. Investment by foreign companies like Pepsi is more likely to flourish in mixed economy.? * Laws Formulation Government has given copy rights to Pepsi so that another company cannot sell their product by the name of Pepsi. The countries where laws are formulated, the strategies and activities of the company are different. TECHNOLOGICAL FACTORS: * Research and DevelopmentThrough research and de velopment quality of the product can be improved or better techniques or machinery can be developed which can increase the production. When technology is advance the supply of the product increase hence the company experiences growth in their business. SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ANALYSIS * Psychographic It is a combination of demographic and psychological factors. Psychological attributes mean how you perceive things. The company will focus on the behavior of consumers and make different changes in their product quantity or quality and in promoting their product so that they can attract the customers.Keeping in view that the behavior of different consumers is not alike they have to make their marketing strategies in accordance with their requirements so that they are convinced to buy the product. * Religious Religious factors can influence the market sales of Pepsi as it happened in 2003 when the U. S-led attack on Iraq, wide sections of society in Pakistan have banned American multination als Coke and Pepsi * Social Status Pepsi is a well renowned brand. People who are brand conscious will not drink beverages of lesser known brands such as Amrat cola.They will try to show their status by drinking Pepsi which is known to all as a quality drink. * Media It is a very important factor for marketing. Media these days is a very effective way of inspiring people to buy a specific product. A good promotion can boast up sales to a great extent. SWOT ANALYSIS OF PEPSI SWOT Analysis, which is based on thorough review of the business (corporation, product category competition, customers and products), identities and evaluates the internal strengths and weakness of the companies well as its external threats and opportunities.The marketing mix is driven by the results of the SWOT analysis. STRENGTHS * Demand of Pepsi is more than its competitors. * Company has a very established name and a good reputation. * Pepsi has large market share than its competitors. * As the target custom ers of Pepsi is young generation, so Pepsi has more brand loyal customers. * Most of the customers are satisfied with the price of the Pepsi. * Pepsi is an international company and it has a very strong position internationally. * The environment of factory is very good and attractive. * Pepsi spends a lot of budget on its advertising. Pepsi has a very vast distribution channel and it is easily available everywhere. * Employees are also motivated. * Pepsi offers many discount schemes for customers time to time. * Pepsi Cola is sponsoring sports, musical concerts, walks. * The location of the Pepsi plant is utilized that all major markets of Lahore are within the reach of the Pepsi plant within 30-45 minutes. WEAKNESSES * Pepsi does not offer any sort of incentive or discount to its retailers. * Pepsi target only young customers in their promotions. * Crown of the disposable bottle is not good. * Demand of disposal bottle is declining. Pepsi tin pack is not available in far off rural areas. * Pepsi is not considering many potential outlets like hotels, college canteens etc. OPPORTUNITIES * Company may start entering rural areas also. * The company may also diversify its business in some other potential business. * Increased interest of people in musical groups, cultural shows and sports has provided an opportunity for Pepsi to increase its sales through them. THREATS * The main competitor of the company is the Coca Cola. * At the international level, Pepsi has a very strong competition with Coke.Coke has started its advertisements more effectively to increase their demand and it is a very strong threat for Pepsi. * Cola drinks are not good for the health so the awareness level of the people is increasing which is a big threat to the company. MARKET SEGMENTATION It means that you divide the target market in to different groups. Market consists of buyers and buyers differ in one or more ways. They may differ in wants, resources, locations and buying practices. Th rough market segmentation companies divide large, heterogeneous markets into smaller segments that can be reached more efficiently and effectively with products nd services that match their unique needs. Segmentation is done on basis of the previously mentioned external factors and the following: BEHAVIORAL BASE It is how people perceive a specific product, in short psychological analysis of a product. Pepsi all over the world is recognized as a quality drink and therefore people drink it without any hesitation whenever they are thirsty or otherwise. So marketers of Pepsi have made it a drink for all people and for diabetic people they introduced diet Pepsi. CONGNITIVE BASE It pushes and pulls the consumer.If the outlook of Pepsi bottle is desirable and it attracts the consumer, he will buy it even if he isn’t thirsty. SELECTED MARKET STRATEGY PRODUCT The soft drinks market in Pakistan enjoys dynamic growth in both volume and value terms. Carbonated drinks have become part of the culture in Pakistan and multinational companies have maintained standards over the years to provide the nation with high-quality drinks. Rural areas of Pakistan have driven sales of carbonated drinks to new heights as more than 60 percent of the population resides in rural areas and young consumers are more attracted to advertising.Pepsi is the most popular and leader brand in the Pakistani market and is consumed by children and adults alike. Pepsi is a responsible corporate brand of Pakistan and have contributed a lot to the economy. In marketing, a product is anything that can be offered to a market that might satisfy a want or need. Until unless the product of the company is not strong in the market it cannot survive in the longer run. Pepsi has a product line comprised up of carbohydrate drinks, Lays and many other products in Pakistan.Pepsi’s product line satisfies consumer needs because Pepsi produces different types of soft drinks for different consumers. The most popular product of Pepsi is Pepsi Cola. Due to its good taste Pepsi is a well-known product. Thus Pepsi Cola satisfies the consumer’s needs efficiently by launching a desired product. BRANDING: Consumer view a brand name as an important part of the product and branding can add value to the product. A name, term, sign, symbol or design or a combination of these intended to identify the goods and services of one eller or group of seller and to differentiate them from their competitors. LOGO Logo is what establishes a brand name in the consumer mind. It is the brands identify, signature, image and more often it is a logo that makes of breaks a product logo plays a very effective role to improve the product or brand. Pepsi kept on changing its logo from time to time along with the trade marks. Evolution of Pepsi logo ? PEPSI SLOGAN 1909-1939:  Ã‚  Ã‚   | Delicious and Healthful | 1939-1950: | Twice As Much For A Nickel Too | 1950-1963: | The Light Refreshment | 1953-1961: | Be Sociable | 961-1963: | Now It's Pepsi For Those Who Think Young | 1963-1967: | Come Alive! You're In The Pepsi Generation | 1967-1969: | Taste That Beats The Others Cold | 1969-1973: | You've Got A Lot To Live, Pepsi's Got A Lot To Give | 1973-1975: | Join The Pepsi People Feelin' Free | 1975-1978: | Have A Pepsi Day | 1978-1981: | Catch That Pepsi Spirit | 1981-1982: | Pepsi's Got Your Taste For Life! | 1983-1983: | Pepsi Now! | 1984-now : | Pepsi, The Choice Of A New Generation | 2000 : The choice of a new generation. 2003 : Zinda Dilon Ki Pehchan. 006 : Generation next. PRODUCT LINE SODA| WATER| CHIPS| JUICES| Pepsi cola| Aquafina| Lays | Tropicana | Teem | | Kurkure | | Mirinda | | | | 7up| | | | Dew | | | | Pepsi twist| | | | PACKAGING â€Å"Packaging is a part of product planning in which a firm researchers, designs, and produces its packaging. † The physical container may be a cardboard, metal, plastic or wooden box; a cellophane, wax paper, or cloth wrapper; a glass, aluminum, or plastic jar or can; a paper bag; styro foam; some other material; or a combination of these products frequently have more than one physical container.But packaging depends upon the product nature as well as structure means either it is liquid, semi liquid or solid. In case of Pepsi Cola, they take the packaging designs by considering what is better for company and what is better or convenient for the transportation. For protecting the syrup, Pepsi Cola uses the glass as well as plastic bottles of different quantity. The variants that are offered by Pepsi in terms of size and quantity, 1. 175 ml Mini Bottle(not available now) 2. 250 ml Regular Bottle 3. 300 ml Tin 4. 1000 ml Regular Liter Bottle 5. 1500 ml Disposable BottlePRICE The amounts of money charged for a product or service, or sum of the values that consumers exchange for the benefits of having or using the product or services. As price gives us the profit so this P is very important for business price of produ ct should be that which gives maximum benefit to the company and which gives maximum satisfaction to the customer. Following factors Pepsi kept in mind while determining the pricing strategy. * Price should be set according to the product demand of public. * Price should be that which gives the company maximum revenue. Price should not be too low or too high than the price competitor is charging from their customers otherwise nobody will buy your product. * Price must be keeping the view of your target market. The price of Pepsi Cola, despite being market leader is the same as that of its competitor Coca cola. Sometimes, Pepsi places its customers into some psychological pricing strategies by reducing a high priced bottle and consumers think that they save a lot of money from this. PRICES OF DIFFERENT BOTTLES Regular bottle e= rupees 12 Non Returnable/disposable= rupees 17 Liter Bottle=rupees 30 . 5 Liter Bottle= rupees 60 2. 25 Liter Bottle= rupees 70 DISCOUNTS Pepsi Cola offers va rious discounts to those retailers who have the maximum sales of Pepsi products on daily, monthly and on seasonal basis. Some of the main discounts given to the retailers are as follows: Quality Discount Following are discounts offered by Pepsi. 1/10 Discount I. e. one case of Pepsi is free on buying 10 cases of Pepsi at one time. 2/20 Discount I. e. two cases of Pepsi are free on buying 20 cases of Pepsi at one time. Seasonal Discount Following are discounts offered by Pepsi.Pepsi also offers seasonal discounts schemes by reducing price in Ramadan and on Eid. Pepsi also offers trade in allowance for retailers. PLACEMENT/DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL The Pepsi uses the following two channels for the distribution of their products. INDIRECT DISTRIBUTION Indirect distribution involves agency holders e. g. Riaz Bottlers Pvt. Ltd. Lahore franchise has divided its region i. e. Lahore and Kasur districts in two categories. Local Zone These are 62 agencies distributing Pepsi Products (250ml Sd) onl y around Lahore in their respective allocated sub zones. Out Station Zone 7 dealers have been appointed by the bottlers for far distant places and in out skirts of Lahore and Kasur the dealers involved in direct distribution are only authorized to sell 250 ml (STD) bottle of Pepsi, Team and Marinda. DIRECT DISTRIBUTION The factory vehicles operate on 45 direct routes in Lahore selling non-returnable bottles Litter, Pet and Can. PROMOTIONS In Pakistan Pepsi is the most liked soft drink especially by young generation so the Pepsi cola company has devised such marketing strategy which attracted them. For this reason they started monitoring the habits of the generation.What they saw was that the students were crazy about cricket and usually liked to idealize them so in order to increase their sales the Pepsi cola company paid high amounts of money to the cricketers to act as their spokes men. Some of the most famous cricketers in the modern era have acted as spoke persons also film star s have been acting as spoke persons. The Pepsi cola company has after doing research also has introduced different size of bottles offered at lower prices so that everyone can afford them. Also Pepsi Company has introduced other soft drinks including mountain dew, seven up and marinda.Pepsi company has introduced other flavors such as Pepsi twist, Pepsi max diet Pepsi. Pepsi Cola Company has also become official sponsors of Pakistan cricket and has sponsored a number of series. Also Pepsi has donated a lot to the earth quake victims and has launched a number of prize schemes to attract new customers As a result of this marketing strategy Pepsi has become the largest seller of soft drinks in Pakistan and is slowly forming a monopoly in drinks market. Although many soft drinks like Pepsi have been introduced such as Amrit Cola, Quibla Cola offered at lower prices but none of these drinks have been able replace it.Frequency of the Pepsi ads varies from time to time. When the season is on Pepsi do heavy advertisement especially in ramzan days or eid occasions but this advertisement not remain consist. We can hardly see the ads of Pepsi now as there is winter season. CONCLUSION Pepsi is a well renowned company and it has maintained its position well by understanding the client psychology, by ensuring quality, by introducing ingenuity in products, by enlarging its product base, by keeping economic factors in view and by intense and jazzy advertisements.Whenever and where ever there is a spotlight event, Pepsi must figure in, like the one day international cricket matches between India and Pakistan many other such occasions. The key word for success in the Marketing World is to â€Å"remain in the spotlight† and that is what Pepsi is doing. SUGGESTIONS The marketing world is full of surprises. Who could imagine that Coca Cola would be overtaken by Pepsi? If Coke could be overrun by Pepsi, it would be no wonder that Pepsi might be overtaken by some other bevera ge. The need then is to combine quality with ingenuity.Along with that, the reputation of the company has to be kept robust. Today we live in a fast moving world where novelty and newness count a lot. One cannot rest on one’s laurels. Fresh efforts, newness of approach must remain the cardinal principles of a well orchestrated marketing strategy and the campaign must be relentless. A continuous bombardment in advertisement would convince the clients that Pepsi is a part of their lives. In order to live with style, Pepsi ought to be an essential ingredient of one’s life.The Pepsi is at its maturity stage and the sales of company are not growing very rapidly. Company is doing a lot of promotional activities to let the product remain in the market. It holds a large share of the market and whenever the sales state declining, the company can improve it by different promotional activities. Marketers of Pepsi can try to improve sales by improving one or more marketing mix ele ments. They can cut prices to attract new users and competitor’s customers. They can also launch a better advertising campaign or use aggressive sales promotion to improve the sales.Thus, Pepsi is at its maturity stage. BIBLIOGRAPHY The following are the reference material where the information is collected. i) Company websitewww. pepsico. com ii) Project Outline REFERENCES The person from whom the information is collected. i) NameTousif-ur-Rahman Khan ii) Designation/PositionBusiness Unit Manager iii) Cell No. 0302-8465226 iv) Email Addresstousif. [email protected] com. pk EVIDENCES VISITING CARDS The visiting cards of the persons relevant to marketing department are attached herewith.