Thursday, December 26, 2019

The Palace of Palenque Royal Home of Pakal the Great

One of the finest examples of Maya architecture is without a doubt the Royal Palace of Palenque, the Classic Maya (250–800 CE) site in the state of Chiapas, Mexico. Fast Facts: Palenque Known For: The palace of the Maya king Pakal the GreatCulture/Country: Maya / UNESCO World Heritage Site in Palenque, Chiapas, MexicoOccupation Date: Classic Maya (250–800 CE)  Features: Palace buildings, courtyards, sweat baths, Pakals throne room, reliefs, and painted stucco murals. Although archaeological evidence suggests that the Palace was the royal residence of Palenques rulers beginning in the Early Classic period (250-–600 CE), the Palaces visible buildings all date to the Late Classic (600–800/900 CE), the period of its most famous king Pakal the Great and his sons. Relief carvings in stucco and Maya texts suggest that the Palace was the administrative heart of the city as well as an aristocratic residence. The Maya architects of the Palace inscribed several calendar dates  on the piers within the palace, dating the construction and dedications of the various rooms, and ranging between 654–668 CE. Pakals throne room, House E, was dedicated on November 9, 654. House A-D, built by Pakals son, contains a dedicatory date of August 10, 720. The Architecture of the Palace at Palenque The main entrance of the Royal Palace at Palenque is approached from the north and east sides, both of which are flanked with monumental staircases. The complex interior is a maze of 12 rooms or houses, two courts (east and west) and the tower, a unique four-level square structure dominating the site and providing a stunning view of the countryside from its top level. A small stream at the back was channeled into a vaulted aqueduct called the palace aqueduct, which is estimated to have held over 50,000 gallons (225,000 liters) of freshwater. This aqueduct likely furnished water to Palenque and to crops planted north of the Palace. A row of narrow rooms along the southern side of the Tower Court may have been sweat baths. One had two holes for the passage of steam from a subterranean firebox to the sweat chamber above. Sweat baths at Palenques Cross Group are symbolic only—the Maya wrote the hieroglyphic term for sweat bath on the walls of small, interior structures that did not have the mechanical ability to generate heat or steam. U.S. archaeologist Stephen Houston (1996) suggests they may have been sanctuaries linked to divine birth and purification. Court Yards All of these rooms are organized around the two central open spaces, which acted as patios or courtyards. The largest of these courts is the East Court, located on the northeast side of the palace. Here a wide-open area was the perfect space for public events and the site of important visits of other nobles and leaders. The surrounding walls are decorated with images of humiliated captives illustrating the military achievements of Pakal. Although the layout of the Palace follows a typical Maya house pattern—a collection of rooms organized around a central patio—the Palaces interior courts, subterranean rooms and passages do remind the visitor of a maze, making Pakals Palace Palenques most unusual building. House E Perhaps the most important building in the palace was House E, the throne or coronation room. This was one of the few buildings painted in white instead of red, the typical color used by the Maya in royal and ceremonial buildings. House E was built in the mid-7th century by Pakal the Great, as part of his renovation and enlargement of the palace. House E is a stone representation of a typically wooden Maya house, including the thatched roof. At the center of the main room stood the throne, a stone bench, where the king sat with his legs crossed. Here he received high dignitaries and nobles from other Maya capitals. We know that because a portrait of the king receiving visitors was painted over the throne. Behind the throne, the famous stone carving known as the Oval Palace Tablet describes the ascension of Pakal as ruler of Palenque in 615 and his coronation by his mother, Lady Sak Kuk. Painted Stucco Sculpture One of the most striking features of the complex palace structure is its painted stucco sculptures, found on piers, walls, and roofs. These were sculpted from prepared limestone plaster and painted in bright colors. As with other Maya sites, the colors are meaningful: all worldly images, including the backgrounds and bodies of humans, were painted red. Blue was reserved for royal, divine, heavenly objects and personages; and objects belonging to the underworld were painted yellow. The sculptures in House A are particularly remarkable. A close investigation of these shows that the artists began by sculpting and painting naked figures. Next, the sculptor built and painted clothing for each of the figures on top of the naked images. Complete outfits were created and painted in order, beginning with the underclothing, then the skirts and belts, and finally ornaments such as beads and buckles. Purpose of the Palace at Palenque This royal complex was not only the residence of the king, provided with all the comforts such as latrines and sweat baths, but also the political core of the Maya capital, and was used to receive foreign visitors, organize sumptuous feasts, and work as an efficient administrative center. Some evidence suggests that Pakals palace incorporates solar alignments, including a dramatic inner courtyard that is said to demonstrate perpendicular shadows when the sun reaches its highest point or zenith passage. House C was dedicated five days after a zenith passage on August 7, 659; and during nadir passages, the central doorways of houses C and A seem to be aligned with the rising sun. Edited and updated by K. Kris Hirst Selected Sources French, Kirk D., Christopher J. Duffy, and Gopal Bhatt. The Urban Hydrology and Hydraulic Engineering at the Classic Maya Site of Palenque. Water History 5.1 (2013): 43–69.  Mendez, Alonso, and Carol Karasik. Centering the World: Zenith and Nadir Passages at Palenque. Archaeoastronomy and the Maya. Eds. Aldana y Villalobos, Gerardo, and Edwin L. Barnhart. Oxford: Oxbow Books, 2014.  Ossa, Alanna, Michael E. Smith, and Josà © Lobo. The Size of Plazas in Mesoamerican Cities and Towns: A Quantitative Analysis. Latin American Antiquity 28.4 (2017): 457–75.  Redmond, Elsa M., and Charles S. Spencer. Ancient Palace Complex (300–100 BC) Discovered in the Valley of Oaxaca, Mexico. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 114.15 (2017): 3805–14.  Stuart, David. Reconstructing a Stucco Text from Palenque’s Palace. Maya Decipherment: Ideas on Ancient Maya Writing and Iconography.  2014. Web.

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Essay Abraham Lincoln - 1426 Words

As the 16th president, Abraham Lincoln was known to be the greatest American President. He guided his country through one of the most catastrophic experiences in its history, the Civil War. He was a very unique president, being the first president to have a beard, being the tallest president standing at 6’4 and also being the first to be assassinated. Abe Lincoln accomplished many things in the 4 year term he had served before being assassinated. With his intelligence and hard work, he made a difference in the United States. For example he released the Emancipation Proclamation which was one of his greatest accomplishments. He passed the Homestead Act, Morrill Act, and National Banking Act. If Abraham Lincoln had not become†¦show more content†¦Abraham Lincoln had various jobs. He worked as a store keeper, and later was chosen to become militia captain in the Black Hawk War and postmaster. Lincoln’s political career began in 1832. Even though he did n ot win a seat in the State Legislature, two years later he won a seat as a Whig. He served four terms as a Whig and by doing so he started becoming popular statewide. Lincoln later began to study law and in 1836 he was licensed to practice. Being successful he moved to the new capital Springfield. November 2, 1842 he married Mary Todd who came from a very wealthy family later had four sons by the name of Robert, Edward, William, and Thomas. Out of the four only Robert had survived into adulthood. Forming a partnership with William H. Herndon Lincoln became Illinois’s brightest lawyers. In 1858 Lincoln ran against Stephen A. Douglas for Senator. He lost the election, but in debating with Douglas he gained a national reputation that won him the Republican nomination for President in 1860 (www.whitehouse.gov/). As president of the United States, Abraham accomplished a lot in four years. One of his major achievements that will always be remembered and still recognized today that had made a difference in the United States was the Emancipation Proclamation. It was his hard work that had kept the union together during the civil war. He did have to face many problems during the Civil War such as him not being prepared for such battle because he had to beShow MoreRelatedWheres Abraham Lincoln in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter?542 Words   |  2 Pagesnovels Pride and Prejudge and Zombies and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Grahame-Smith has collaborated on two film adaptations, Dark Shadows, and his own novel, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Seth Grahame-Smith and his wife, Erin, live in California with their two children Jacob and Joshua. Currently Grahame-Smith’s novel Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is being adapted for film, and Smith is said to be writing a sequel/ spin off of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, staring Henry Struges. 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Specifically, John Wilkes Booth was an American play actor and a big sympathiser for the Confederacy. Booth was well known for his hatred towards the President and his crazy ideas and motives, which lead to the killing of Lincoln. Many conspiracies and theories today believed the assassination of Abraham Lincoln was handled by John Wilkes alone, but other conspiracies believedRead More Abraham Lincoln Essay706 Words   |  3 Pages Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the U.S (1861-1865) who brought the Union to victory in the Civil War. Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809 in Kentucky. His father was Thomas Lincoln and his mother was Nancy Hanks, both were pioneer farmers. When Abraham Lincoln was two they moved to nearby Knob Creek, Indiana. The following year his mother died. In 1819 Abraham Lincoln’s father married Sarah Bush Johnston, a kind widow who gained Abraham Lincoln’s friendship. Abraham Lincoln grew upRead MoreThe Assassination Of Abraham Lincoln1064 Words   |  5 PagesColin Shafer Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination President Abraham Lincoln was the first United States president ever to be assassinated while in office. He was president during the Civil War and had many people that did not like him. John Wilkes Booth did not like Abraham Lincoln and was responsible for the President’s death. Abraham Lincoln was born in Harden County, Kentucky on February 12, 1809. His parents were Thomas and Nancy Hanks Lincoln. In 1818, his mother died while he was just nine yearsRead MoreThe War Of Abraham Lincoln906 Words   |  4 Pageselection of Abraham Lincoln. South Caroline issued the â€Å" Declaration of the Causes of Secession† because they believed Lincoln was anti-slaver (Bartels). However during the most consequential period in American history, on November 1860 Abraham Lincoln was elected as the sixteenth president of the United States and the first Republican President. As the commander in chief the union army, Lincoln needed to bring an end to the war and reunite the nation. On November 19, 1863 Abraham Lincoln gave one ofRead More Abraham Lincoln Essay576 Words   |  3 Pages Abraham Lincoln, from the backwoods of Hodgenville Kentucky, rose to become one of the greatest presidents of the United States. During his attempt to keep the Union in the Civil War, h e gained more power and authority than any president before him. A excellent politician, Lincoln was always looked upon for leadership for he put reason and thoughtful decisions behind his word.Abraham Lincoln, born to Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hawks on February 12, 1809, was conceived in a log cabin built by his fatherRead More Abraham Lincoln Essay1617 Words   |  7 Pages Abraham Lincoln Why I chose to research Abraham Lincoln’s life. Ever since I was a small boy in elementary school, and all throughout my grade school days, there were many great names that were spoken of and taught about. Names such as George Washington, (our first president) John Hancock, John Adams, and Mark Twain were among many others who contributed to the betterment of our great country, the United States of America. Yet there was one name that resounded in my classrooms, and in my ears

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Marketing Management Market of Singapore

Question: Discuss about the Marketing Management for the Market of Singapore. Answer: Introduction The BreadTalk Group Limited is a Singapore based bakery company that was established in 2000. This company is famous for the range of variety of cakes and breads they sell in the market of Singapore. The company has decided to expand the market and increase the range of customers. In this assignment, the marketing strategies that are required for BreadTalk in order to expand their business at the international level are discussed in details. At present, the market segment of BreadTalk is limited to Singapore and in the southern region of Asia. Hence, in order to establish as a global brand, it is necessary for the company to strengthen their market in the South East Asian region. They need to make full use of the healthy reputation they have in the Asian region that can help them to increase the brand awareness in the international market. Market segmentation and target market are the most important strategy tools for a business organization (Wedel and Kamakura 2012). These can help them to divide the market based on the consumer choice and characteristics of a particular market. The excellent quality of bakery products of BreadTalk can is best for the class of people, who like to have good experience with food. With the help of inspiring tagline like Bread can communicate with you and Breads that can inspire the customer to think differently it is possible to attract the consumers, who are passionate about food. Moreover, with the help of situation analysis, it is possible to make the best use of the opportunities that exist in the consumer market or a region. With the support of the marketing mix tools, it is possible for BreadTalk to make strategies for the critical parameters or business like product, place, price and promotion. The products for BreadTalk includes innovative bakery and the price of these products are usually kept on the higher side so that it is possible to maintain the premium quality. The company has nearly 1000 outlets in the Asian region and in order to rise at international level they need to open stores outside the Asian countries. They can use the strategy of Bread Showroom with a view to promote their products (Breadtalk.com 2016). The premium quality and the wide range of breads, pastries, cakes and other popular bakery products that are sold by BreadTalk are the biggest strength that will help the company to retain the present reputation. With the help of revolutionary and innovative marketing strategy, the company can gain significant competitive advantage over their rivals bakery companies. The company can also diversify into ne w sectors with the help of innovative bakery products. This will help the company to attract the customers from the rival companies like Cheesefactory and Starbucks and thereby expand the market segment. They can also make full use of the opportunities that exist in the countries outside the Asian region. Hence, the BreadTalk is able to establish their reputation as an international bakery brand with the help of appropriate marketing tools. Reference Breadtalk.com. (2016). BreadTalk Group - Our Strategy. [online] Available at: https://www.breadtalk.com/en/strategy [Accessed 30 Sep. 2016]. Wedel, M. and Kamakura, W.A., 2012.Market segmentation: Conceptual and methodological foundations(Vol. 8). Springer Science Business Media.

Monday, December 2, 2019

Olympics Raising the UKs Profile

Executive Summary The Summer Olympics is among the world’s favorite sporting event. The popularity of this event means that the sport has a global audience. Apart from the sporting aspect of the Games, the Olympics are also seen as an avenue by sponsors to market their products.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Olympics Raising the UK’s Profile specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More With the next Olympics scheduled for the summer of 2012 in London, preparations are underway. The body tasked with this responsibility is the London Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games. This report examines the marketing practices that the organisation is using to raise its profile, as well as the technological challenges and opportunities at its disposal. Introduction Every four years, in recent decades, thousands of athletes all over the globe, with a similar number of coaches and officials, and accredited media repre sentatives and hundreds of thousands of spectators have gathered for more than two weeks to participate in, report on and watch a sporting event which is in turn viewed on television, listened to on the radio, read about in the print media and followed on the Internet by billion of people around the world. Each Olympic Games has cost enormous sums of money to stage, funded by the taxpayers, sponsors, and television companies and their advertisers. Sporting records have invariably been broken, and national and international heroes created. It is the world’s biggest peace-time event: the Summer Olympic Games (Girginov Parry, 2005). This report critically examines the marketing practices of the organizations tasked with staging the event, the London Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG). The report will, in particular, evaluate the effectiveness of the marketing practices adopted by the organization, and the use of new technology for future competitive advantage. B rief history of the modern Olympic Games The history of the Olympic Games begins at least 3000 years ago in ancient Greece. In their ancient form, while they celebrated physical excellence, the Games served a primarily religious purpose. In their modern form, while still ostensibly about physical excellence, they also play a cultural and economic, and often political, role. The history and global significance of the Olympic Games, in sporting, cultural, economic and political terms, therefore, justifies their serious consideration as an object of academic enquiry (Veal, 2007). There is a widespread sense of public ownership of the Olympic Games, which does to extend to other sporting events such the World Cup.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The relationship between the media and the Olympic Games For some 25 years, newspapers enjoyed a monopoly for coverage of the Olympic Games. Interestingly, the arrival of new media forms has always been perceived as a threat and usually had to face strong opposition. In 1920, the first radio station, KDKA, went on air in Pittsburg, USA. KDKA is also accredited with broadcasting the first ever-sporting event, which was a boxing match in 1921 (Smith, 2000). Broadcasting services in Great Britain began in 1922 with the establishment of the British Broadcasting Corporation. Sports commentary, however, was not allowed until 1925. Radio commentaries were covering the Olympic Games in Paris (1924), Amsterdam (1928), and Los Angeles (1932), but due to technical limitations, this medium remained local and regional until 1936 (Findling Pelle, 2004). By the time that the radio made its genuine debut as an international communication medium at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, television had already made its appearance. The first regular television services began in Germany in 1935, followed by Britain in 1936, France in 1937, the former USSR in 1938 and the United States in 1939. However, it was not television, but the cinema, which was responsible for making the first moving pictures of an Olympic Games: in 1900 in Paris and a special feature on the Olympics in 1912, in Stockholm. These developments in cinematography had an impact on the TV coverage of the Games, which began in 1936, in Berlin (Dorling Kindersley Publsihing Inc., 2000). Over the years, the relationship between the Olympics and the media has evolved into three intertwined symbolic associations- economic, promotional, and passion. The economic association is based on the economic interests of the two companies. TV companies pay fees for rights, but at the same time derive profit because of the advertising revenue from sponsors (Shilbury, 2003). The promotional association suggests that sport is a major source of revenue and program content. It is, therefore, in the best interest of other media to sustain and promote a positive image of th e Olympics. The passion association stems from the media dual responsibility to inform, analyze and comment, and to be a counter-authority. Despite their economic interest in sport, it is the nature of the media to keep a distance from it, to maintain their credibility, and to serve the truth and their audience. The International Olympics Committee grants TV rights to air Olympic Games based on exclusivity per country or region, and free coverage to the largest possible audience (Preuss, 2004).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Olympics Raising the UK’s Profile specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The interaction between the Olympics and the mass media resulted in a transformation of the Games from being merely a sporting competition for aristocratic elite, to a special genre appealing to millions. When the organizers of the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games demanded remuneration for the right to televise the compe titions, this unprecedented decision was met with a massive outcry from the networks (Girginov Parry, 2005). They argued that the Olympic Games were a news event, similarly to the print media; television should also have free and open access. The organizers insisted that the Olympics were an entertainment event and, therefore, subject to a rights fee, before contests could be included in television programming. This episode proved critical for the development of the Olympic Games as a media event (Mullin, 2007). The Olympics, as a genre of media experience, has a number of characteristics (Rogan Rogan, 2011). First, they are televised and rely on the impact of visual images. Second, the Games interrupt daily routines and at times virtually bring the life in a country to a halt. Third, the Olympics are monopolistic in the sense that all channels focus on the event, and it is very close to being watched at nearly all times (Girginov Parry, 2005). In addition, the Olympics competiti ons are live and unfolding. The IOC and the host city organize them in a location outside the media. The Games are also not spontaneous but pre-planned, announced and advertised in advance. In particular, the Olympics have unusual and unprecedented audiences who are drawn to watch television individually, as a family, a group of strangers in front of a street screen, as a community in the pub, or a virtual community on the Internet (Smith, 2000). The above characteristics of the Olympic Games as a media event portray them as a social construct, which is achieved through the contribution of three main actors: the IOC and the host city, TV networks, and the global TV audiences (Dorling Kindersley Publsihing Inc., 2000).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is important to note that the social construction of the Games has economic consequences, one of which involves the transformation of the audience from sport followers to a commodity with an economic value expressed in terms of its size and composition. Subsequently, audience demographic reports and media usage patterns become crucial for the commercial success of the media and of the Olympic Games (Girginov Parry, 2005). Millions of dollars are paid for broadcasting rights, but broadcasters charge their advertisers tens of thousands of dollars per second of airtime. Such profits are, however, contingent upon the delivery of certain viewing figure levels and failure to achieve these could result in huge losses for the media companies. For instance, NBC had to refund some US $ 90 million to its advertisers as compensation for the low ratings achieved by their coverage of the Barcelona Games of 1992 (Findling Pelle, 2004). Marketing through the Olympics The above discussion of th e integration of the media in the Olympic Games lays a foundation for the discussion that is going to follow about the marketing practices for LOCOG. This is because the kind of marketing strategy that is adopted by the body is typical of any sport marketing approach, which is largely depended on the mass media. Sport marketing can be approached through two different perspectives: marketing of sport and marketing through sport. On the other hand, marketing through sport is typical of a scenario where large corporations use sporting as an avenue to promote and advertise their products, usually to specifically identifiable demographic markets known to follow a particular sport. The perspective of sport marketing that is going to be given prominence in this report is that of marketing through sport (Jackson Andrews, 2005). Technological challenges and opportunities facing LOCOG The victorious bid team made some big promises in Singapore and wasted little time coming out of the blocks quickly. Sebastian Coe, chairperson of the LOCOG announced a first one hundred pays plan. One of the most important initial moves was the separation of the body responsible for building the infrastructure for the games- the Olympic Deliverance Authority- from the one responsible for the commercial and operational side of making the Games happen- the London Organizing and Committee of the Olympic and Paralympics Games (Great Britain Parliament, 2009). Effectively, this separated the day-to-day public purse commitments to regenerate East London from the revenue generation and Games delivery private sector responsibilities. This has proven to be a significant and successful move. While both organizations are joined at the level of the Olympics Board, each is free to develop the culture and approach that match their very different immediate priorities (Mullin, 2007). London has hosted Olympic Games twice in the past: in 1908 and 1948. Indeed, it is the only city to do so thrice. This im plies that the LOCOG has a point of references to refer. It is able to correct its past mistakes, and improve its successes. However, the fact that London has hosted the Games in the past and, hence, can borrow a lot form the past is limited by the dynamic nature of technology, which is a key factor in organizing and staging the event. One of the central challenges for London 2012 organizers has been to build a plan for the Games against a staggering technological pace of change (Rosner Shropshire, 2010). Coe and his team had no idea in 2005 when the bid was won what technologies would be contemporary in 2012 by 2012, and which would still be a figment of fanciful imaginations. The technology for London 2012 represents both a challenge and an opportunity for the Organizing Committee and its partners. The biggest challenge that is facing the LOCOG and its technology partners, which include BT, Atos Origin and Cisco Systems, is to deliver information around the world in real time (Ro gan Rogan, 2011). Internet development is changing and evolving at such a pace that even short time frame comparisons offer little guidance. For instance, the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano generated one terabit of data, or five times as the preceding Lillehammer Games. This amount of data can now be purchased for 60 British pounds on eBay (Mullin, 2007). This implies that the LOCOG and its technology partners are faced with the technological challenge of handling vast amounts of data. In addition, the lure for sponsors to grasp the moment to display their technology on the world’s biggest stage makes it worth the risk in order to create the ultimate corporate case study (Shilbury, 2003). BT, one of the main technology partners with LOCOG has embraced the challenge of delivering for London 2012. The scale of the media scrutiny is, vast and failure is not an option for both LOCOG and its technology partners. If BT communications lines go down in the middle of yet another World R ecord for Usain Bolt in the Men’s 100 Meter Final, or in the final strokes of Greg Searle’s gold medal 20 years on from his first, BT and LOCOG will be culpable in the eyes of the global public. London clearly signaled its desire to embrace new technology in all its forms with the early launch of its contemporary logo. The early message that the London 2012 Olympic Games would be a ‘new media’ Games was initially greeted with skepticism. However, LOCOG insisted that it could not be sure how the action would be distributed come 2012, that alternative methods of distribution to the TV screen or internet would be necessary and that the logo would need to work in all new media environments. These initial aspirations have been made a reality by the new media. For instance, the BBC Trust has recently approved plans to distribute BBC New through mobile phone applications. However, this, move is regarded as surrounded with controversy because it puts the BBC in di rect competition with commercial broadcasters; the new media market (Mullin, 2007). Marketing practices used by LOCOG There is a unique breadth of skills, which are required in an organization such as LOCOG to deliver the Olympic Games. Effectively, it is parts sports body, part business, part political entity and part project management organisation. In its business approach, LOCOG has to embrace marketing practices that ensure that its books stay balanced. This has been done through a number of ways, one of them being sponsorship. As a discipline, sponsorship has traditionally been rather uncomplicated. Rights holders such as LOCOG have a long tradition of selling attachment to their sporting event based on market value of their assets. The assets include advertising hoardings, tickets, television billboards, and corporate hospitality (Preuss, 2004). Nevertheless, sponsorship in the Olympics is quite different from sponsorship in other games such as World Cup. This is because ther e is no advertising inventory to bundle into the organizers sponsorship deals since the Games would unusually be shown on non-commercial terrestrial television in the domestic UK market. In addition, part of the equity in the Olympic Games brand is that the Games remain the only global sports property to continue to avoid any commercial messaging within the venues themselves. While this is part of the appeal and difference of the Olympic Games, and arguably valuable legacy of the obsession with amateur deals, it makes life harder for Organizing Committees (Jackson Andrews, 2005). Another marketing strategy that is being used by LOCOG is merchandising. A short visit to the Adidas store in Oxford Street demonstrates that this phenomenon has gone full swing. Aisles are often full of the very tourists Britain aims to lure come Games-time. This is an area, which the Beijing Games failed to maximize, probably because the implications of a scale merchandising operation were too explicitly commercial in a communist country. Certainly, the sponsor village was hidden away in the outskirts of the Olympic Park, in Beijing. In contrast, products could already be found on the shelves in London as early as of 2010 (Rogan Rogan, 2011). Following the above marketing strategies coupled up with ticketing, LOCOG now has the vast majority of its revenue commitments filled. This puts it in an admirable position since it is able to consider supplier deals, which shave cost from the accounts, as well as drive revenue. Traditionally, Olympic Organizing Committees have been criticized for fire sales at the end of their tenure. For instance, Vancouver’s final; sponsor signed up a matter of weeks before the event. This is far less likely concerning London 2012. Instead, there are expectations of creative supplier barter deals, which minimize significant remaining cost liabilities for the organizers and maximize the impact of the Games (Great Britain Parliament, 2009). Recommenda tions for strategic responses to the above discussions There is no doubt that the LOCOG is enthroned with a big task of organizing and staging the London 2012 games. One of major challenges discussed earlier that the organisation is facing is the dynamic nature of the technology. If the organisation has to ensure that its promise of staging an Olympics that has never being witnessed, it has to be at par with the technological advancements of the day. This can be achieved by collaborating with technology companies that are able to deliver real time events to the global audience, hence, ensuring that consumer get real value for their money (Rosner Shropshire, 2010). Given the global reach of the event enhanced by the new media, there is no doubt that marketers are bound to take advantage of the event and use it to market their product even if they are not official sponsors (Great Britain Parliament, 2008). This phenomenon is known as ambush marketing. As such, LOCOG should put in pla ce the necessary measure and legislation to deal with such cases. This is because such behaviors deprive the real sponsors the exclusive rights to market the event, which beats the logic of paying the rights fee. Fortunately, the organisation did take the requisite measures as seen with the creating of the Olympic Rights Association to oversee the use of the Olympic Brand (Great Britain Parliament, 2008). Conclusion In conclusion, this report has a brief history of the modern Olympic Games and the role of the media in the Games. The report dealt in depth with the marketing practices that LOCOG, which is organizing for the Olympics in 2012, is using. The report saw that sponsoring and merchandising are some of the key strategies embraced by the organisation. The report has also examined the technological challenges and opportunities faced by the company. The rise of the new media is posing a major threat and opportunity for the organisation, but this can be remedied by choosing the r ight technology partners. Reference List Dorling Kindersley Publsihing Inc., 2000. The Olympic Games. London: Dorling Kindersley. Findling, J., Pelle, K., 2004. Encyclopedia of the modern Olympic movement. London: Greenwood Publishing Group. Girginov, V., Parry, J., 2005. The Olympic games explained: a student guide to the evolution of the modern Olympic Games. London: Routledge. Great Britain Parliament., 2009. Potential benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics. London: The Stationery Office. Great Britain Parliament., 2008. Preparing for sporting success at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and beyond. London: The Stationery Office. Jackson, S., Andrews, D., 2005. Sport, culture and advertsing: identities, comodities and the politics of representation. London: Routledge. Mullin, B. J., 2007. Sport marketing. London: Human Kinetics. Preuss, H., 2004. The economics of staging the Olympics. London: Edward Elgar Publishing. Rogan, M., Rogan, M., 2011. British and t he Olympic Games: past, present and legacy. London: Troubador. Rosner, S., Shropshire, K., 2010. The business of sports. New York: Jones Barlett Publishers. Shilbury, D., 2003. Strategic Sport Marketing. London: Alen Unwin. Smith, S., 2000. The Olympics at the millenium: power politics, and the games. New York: Rutgers University Press. Veal, A. J., 2007. The Olympic Games: a social science perspective. London: CABI. This report on Olympics Raising the UK’s Profile was written and submitted by user Jul1us to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.