Marketing Principles

Question: Write an essay on the Coca Cola Company. Answer: History of Coca Cola and Background Information The Coca Cola Company is the largest beverage selling company of the world (Pendergrast, 2013). It has large number of product brands and it one of the most popular brands in the world. The company was founded in the year 1886 in the United States of America. The Coca Cola was originally launched as a patent medicine, but it was acquired by Griggs Candler, who led the soft drink brand to be a market leader in the 20th century (Pendergrast, 2013). Coca Cola is one of the third most promising brands in the entire world, according to a survey in 2015 (Pendergrast, 2013). In the year 2008, the company took initiative of sponsoring big games and the online presence in social networking websites like Facebook (Pendergrast, 2013). The online activity of the company helped them to gather twenty two million admirers worldwide. The company has a long history of being a profitable company and it also undertakes active steps in the protection of the environment and the community. The Coca Cola brand has a huge variety of products like Diet Coke, Coca Cola Vanilla, Coca Cola Cherry, Coca Cola with Lime, Coca Cola zero, Thumbs Up, Fanta, Sprite and others (Douglas Craig, 2013). The main attributes of the products are different fruity flavors combined with the carbonated water, which gives each of the products a unique taste (Aaker, 2012). The Fanta, which was acquired by the Coca Cola Company in the year 1960, is a favorite among the people. The product is in the maturity stage of the product life cycle. The product is fast approaching to the decline stage. Micro Analysis of Coca Cola Core competencies The Coca Cola is a world renowned company with a list of core competencies (Pfitzer, Bockstette Stamp, 2013). The strong brand name of the company gives the brand a greater bargaining power. The company has a wide network and connections with the distributors and bottlers. The large number of distributors and contacts of the organization creates symbiotic relationships between them. The company has formulated innovative business level strategies, which makes them different from their competitors. The company undertakes innovative advertisements that are based on the local culture and traditions (Benard, Oketch Matu, 2015). This advertisement promotes the brand name of the company and creates a differentiating factor. The company engages in extensive market research and believes in the construction of local offices in order to expand the customer base of the company. Areas of improvement The Coca Cola faces challenges from the market leaders like Pepsi and should develop differentiation strategies. There is a need to ensure more product diversification strategies, unlike Pepsi, which has number of products in the snacks segments such as Kurkure and Lays. The Coca Cola Company has not emerged in the health beverage sector, which is an emerging sector for the health conscious consumers. Target customers The company does not believe in a specific segment of people for promoting its products. The main consumers of the Coca Cola products are the young generation in the 12-30 years age group (Kohli, Suri Kapoor, 2015). The company considers each consumer as a target customer and the maximum potential for the product promotion are in the age group of 18-25 years. The brand considers the people with busy lifestyles and the youths as the most important target audience (Kohli, Suri Kapoor, 2015). The target consumers are usually students as well as the family oriented people. The brand appeals to all the consumers irrespective of gender, lifestyle, social class and personality. The brand attracts the middle class and upper middle class families. The brand is considered as a status symbol for many people. Key competitors The major competitor of Coca Cola is Pepsi and the indirect competitors are Red Bull, Vitamin C, Mountain Dew, Lipton and others (Lemley McKenna, 2012). The carbonation quantity of Pepsi is 1 gram less than that of Coca Cola. The marketing campaigns of Coca Cola use a classic appeal and are made for appeal of all sections of the consumers. The Pepsi take initiatives of capturing the attention of the younger generation by referring to the pop culture (Miller, 2014). Coca Cola has been accredited for creating some of the famous TV adverts as compared to Pepsi, who primarily focuses on the pop stars. Macro Analysis of Coca Cola The Coca Cola is affected by the political factors like changes in laws or regulations, changes in the area of non-alcoholic business, political circumstances (especially international markets), ability to penetrate in emerging markets and others (Kwabo, 2014). The company takes note of the economic factors prevailing in the market and designs its policies accordingly (Karnani, 2013). For example, during recession the company utilized the loans for research on new products that can capitalize a strong economy. The social factors like the lifestyle of the people, time management, demographics of the target audience and others, affect the functioning of the Coca Cola Company (Jackson Ahuja, 2016). The technological factors influence the functioning of the brand such as packaging design, new equipment, new set of factories and the effectiveness of the brands marketing, advertising and promotional initiatives (Moreira et al., 2013). These factors collectively represent the PEST analysis of Coca Cola. The Porters five forces theories is applied to Coca Cola and interesting results has been drawn from it. The threat of new entrants poses medium pressure to the brand as Coca Cola is a brand itself (Kokwaro, Ajowi Kokwaro, 2013). It has loyal customer base and increased market share for a long time. There is a threat of substitute products as Coca Cola lacks an absolutely unique flavor and its taste is very similar to that of Pepsi. The bargaining power of buyers is lessened by the brand loyalty of the consumers (Barreto, 2013). The bargaining power of suppliers is negligible as Coca Cola is the largest customer of its suppliers (Illy et al., 2013). The companys main competitor of the company is Pepsi, which has a wide variety of beverage products. SWOT Analysis Strengths The biggest strengths of Coca Cola are that the company is widely recognized across the world (Carroll, 2013). The brand can be easily recognized by its distinct logo, promotion, color and style. The consumers purchase the product not only because of the taste but due to the universal appeal of the brand. The company enjoys a dedicated base of loyal customers all over the world. The company enjoys higher brand equity, great company valuation, vast distribution network, vast global presence and the largest market share (Carroll, 2013). Weakness The Coca Cola undergoes a high level of competition from Pepsi, low product diversification, absence in the health beverage segment and others. The company has also faced certain water management issues in the past (Rani et al., 2012). They consume vast amount of water in water scarce areas, due to which several groups had raised lawsuits against Coca Cola in the recent past (Rani et al., 2012). The company also faced blame for mixing pesticides in the drinking beverage for removing the contaminants. Opportunities The Coca Cola has innumerable opportunities in the food and health business (Ayub et al., 2013). The diversification strategies and the cross selling of their products would prove to be beneficial for the business. There are several opportunities for the company in the developing countries, as the consumers in the developing countries are becoming increasingly addicted to carbonated drinks. The packaged drinking water of the brand, Kinley, has huge potential for expansion (Kotler, 2012). There is a need to improve the supply chain operations of the Coca Cola Company, which is the backbone of the business. There are number of opportunities in the lesser selling products of the brand, which the company should promote on dedicated basis. Threats The Coca Cola Company faces a number of threats like raw material sourcing and the indirect competitors (Raja Kumar, 2014). There is a rising water scarcity, which is the main ingredient of the Coca Cola. The rising coffee chain outlets like Caf Coffee Day, Starbucks and others, give a tough competition to the company by offering substitute products to aerated drinks. PARAMETERS APPLICATION IN COCA COLA Strength Popular, huge customer base, brand equity, global presence, largest market, vast distribution network Weakness High competition from Pepsi, low product diversification, water management issues Opportunity Food and Health business, diversification, cross selling, supply chain operations Threat Raw material sourcing, indirect competitors, rising water scarcity, rising coffee chain Fig: SWOT analysis of Coca Cola Source: Created by author Section 6: STP The segmentation, targeting and positioning strategies of the company helps the organization to determine the appropriate products for specific segments of consumer. The company has no specific market segments but customizes its marketing strategies by innovating new products. The company uses a mix of niche marketing and undifferentiated targeting strategies (Kotler, 2012). The main motto of the company is to drive sales and for this purpose it is important to perform segmentation and target strategies. The Coca Cola product is acceptable by all age groups, but there are some products which enjoy a niche target segment, such as Diet Coke. The target customers of Diet Coke are the health conscious clients. The company has implemented competitive positioning strategies to remain ahead of the competitors in the beverage segment (non alcoholic). The Coca Cola Company has undertaken various segmentation strategies for the creation of competitive edge. The various factors of segmentation are- geographic, place of consumption, type of product, demographics and others (Kotler, 2012). The Coca Cola targets the various market segments with different innovative ads. The company uses the non aerated beverages in order to target the health conscious consumers. The brand usually targets the young population of the countries. The Coca Cola has made innovative positioning strategies and has positioned its products as thirst quenching and refreshing (Rani et al., 2012). The brands products are supposed to bring in joy to the consumers. The Coca Cola products are associated with spending a good time with family and friends. The products are positioned as high quality with a strong brand value (Kotler, 2012). The company should use more differentiated products, which can appeal to more number of target audiences (Kotler, 2012). The company should launch innovative products as well as innovative supply chain mechanisms. Marketing mix Products Coca Cola has a wonderful marketing mix consisting of products, place, price and promotion (Raja Kumar, 2014). The Coca Cola Company has a wide range of products in the beverage industry. There are a large number of products like beverage, juices, packaged drinking water and others. The company has its market presence in more than 200 countries. The Coca Cola is the no 1 brand in the non aerated beverages. Price The pricing strategy of the Coca Cola is done in an intelligent manner. The price segments are done according to the geographic segment and the market segment (Kotler, 2012). The company adopts different pricing strategies for different countries, which best satisfies the local customer preferences. The sub brands of Coca Cola brand have different pricing strategy, which is primarily based on the prices of the competitors (Rani et al., 2012). The beverage market is considered as oligopoly market, which indicates that there are few sellers and a large number of buyers. It is important to maintain a mutual balance between the pricing strategies of different sellers. Place The Coca Cola brand and its products are the favorite brands across the people of the world. The distribution strategies of Coca Cola are similar to the distribution patterns of FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) category (Rani et al., 2012). The Coca Cola possess a strong network of distribution channels, which makes it possible for every consumer at each corner of the world, to enjoy the taste of Coca Cola. The company has also embarked on the distribution of non aerated drinks as well as carbonated beverages in the rural areas. The Coca Cola has bulk delivery channels in large supermarkets, club stores and mass merchandisers. The company has also smaller distribution channels like drug stores, convenient stores, small supermarkets and others (Rani et al., 2012). The company has also erected dedicated vending machines at important destinations like airports and railway stations. Promotion The Coca Cola brand believes in the active promotional campaigns in order to gain higher visibility in the market (Rani et al., 2012). The brand engages in several advertising and promotional techniques so that they could create an increased demand in the market. It associates the product with behavior and lifestyle of the consumers (Rani et al., 2012). The company believes in value based advertising (Carroll, 2013). The company uses a lot of celebrities and famous personalities for the purpose of the promotion of the products. The company believes that marketing is an excellent tool for gaining the emotional benefits of the consumers (Carroll, 2013). The company allows attractive price discounts and various kinds of allowances to the retailers and the distributors. The Coca Cola brand should try to launch products in the health beverage sector. There are an increasing number of health conscious clients (Carroll, 2013). The launch of products in this sector would ensure that the company enjoys higher sources of revenue. Recommendations The marketing mix of the Coca Cola Company should be revised and improved as per the market needs. The company should try to capture new market segments and should use one of the many tactics of venturing into a new market. The different strategies are franchising, licensing and exporting. The company should use innovative promotion strategies like eye catching positions, sales promotion, acquiring shelves, under the crown scheme and others. There should be increased focus on the indirect sales channels, which involves engaging more number of agencies and wholesalers to cover their individual areas. There is a lot of competition in the market, which makes it essential for the brand to apply innovative tactics for enjoying higher market share. The company should strive to provide more infrastructures for providing more facilities to the customers. The Coca Cola Company should customize their products as per the local needs of the customers. The company should bring in some products fo r the older age group in order to broaden the target audience base of the company. The company should also take initiatives for greater access in the rural areas. The company should strive to launch newer innovative products for better market access. Conclusion The Coca Cola brand has been widely accepted by the audience. The consumers are aware of the high brand value of the Coca Cola brand. The consumers prefer to stay loyal to the Coca Cola brand. The products are competitively priced and are usually at the higher price ranges. The company engages in the extensive promotion strategies so that there is greater brand awareness. The company also engages in a number of events including recreational activities and sports. The company should venture in new markets as it would mean higher revenues for the company. The Coca Cola Company should engage in greater marketing activities so that there is profit maximization of the brand. The greater marketing would lead to greater visibility in the target market, which means the company would be more popular and successful. References Aaker, D. A. (2012). Brand extensions: the good, the bad and the ugly.Sloan management review,31(4). Ayub, A., Razzaq, A., Aslam, M. S., Iftekhar, H. (2013). A conceptual framework on evaluating SWOT analysis as the mediator in strategic marketing planning through marketing intelligence.European Journal of Business and Social Sciences,2(1), 91-98. Barreto, A. L. C. (2013).Sunlover and its internationalization to Brazil(Doctoral dissertation, NSBE-UNL). Benard, K., Oketch, O., Matu, P. M. (2015). Innovation in the Language of Coca Cola Television Advertisements.Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences,6(4), 375. Carroll, A. (2013). Have a Coke and a Smile: Is the Aqueduct Alliance Coca-Cola's Solution to Escape Future Liability for Groundwater Depletion.Pac. McGeorge Global Bus. Dev. LJ,26, 475. Douglas, S. P., Craig, C. S. (2013). Dynamics of international brand architecture: Overview and directions for future research.DYNAMICS,21. Illy, M., Pereira, D., Ireton, A., Panyawuthikrai, J., Hewitt, J. (2013). A Global Brands Experience in China; past decisions and current problems facing the worlds largest beverage manufacturer. Jackson, G., Ahuja, V. (2016). Dawn of the digital age and the evolution of the marketing mix.Journal of Direct, Data and Digital Marketing Practice,17(3), 170-186. 11 Karnani, A. G. (2013). Corporate Social Responsibility Does Not Avert the Tragedy of the Commons--Case Study: Coca-Cola India.Ross School of Business Paper, (1210). Kohli, C., Suri, R., Kapoor, A. (2015). Will social media kill branding?.Business Horizons,58(1), 35-44. Kokwaro, P. L., Ajowi, J. O., Kokwaro, E. A. (2013). Competitive Forces Influencing Business Performance of Bicycle Taxis in Kisumu City, Kenya.Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences,4(2), 719. Kotler, P. (2012).Kotler on marketing. Simon and Schuster. Kwabo, F. U. (2014).An examination of how the market entry decision influences the business ability to internationalise and survive in a foreign market (The case study of Diageo in African market)(Doctoral dissertation, University of East London). Lemley, M. A., McKenna, M. P. (2012). Is Pepsi Really a Substitute for Coke? Market Definition in Antitrust and IP. Miller, J. (2014).Minority Representation in Popular Culture. Florida Atlantic University. Moreira, M., Enterprises, C. C., Tjahjono, B., Cranfield, S., Juliao, J. (2013). APPLYING PERFORMANCE MEASURES TO SUPPORT INFORMED DECISION MAKING AT AN OPERATIONAL LEVEL.Advances in Manufacturing Technology XXVII, 563. Pendergrast, M. (2013).For God, country, and Coca-Cola: The definitive history of the great American soft drink and the company that makes it. Basic Books. Pfitzer, M., Bockstette, V., Stamp, M. (2013). Innovating for shared value.Harvard Business Review,91(9), 100-107. Raja, R. V., Kumar, A. (2014). The impact of harmful ingredients over the consumers in reference with coke and pepsi.ZENITH International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research,4(6), 147-162. Rani, B., Maheshwari, R., Garg, A., Prasad, M. (2012). Bottled waterA global market overview.Bull. Environ. Pharmacol. Life Sci,1(6), 01-04.

Platos Phaedo The Souls Immortality free essay sample

In the dialogue, Socrates discusses the nature of the afterlife on his last day before eing executed by drinking hemlock poison. Socrates has been imprisoned and sentenced to death by Athenian political leaders for not believing in Athenian gods and for corrupting the youth of the city. The dialogue is told from the perspective of one of Socrates students, Phaedo of Elis. Having been present at Socrates death bed, Phaedo relates the dialogue from that day to Echecrates, a fellow philosopher. By engaging in dialectic with a group of Socrates friends, including the Thebans Cebes nd Simmias, Socrates explores various arguments for the souls immortality in order to show that there is an afterlife in which the soul will dwell following death. Phaedo tells the story that following the discussion, he and the others were there to witness the death of Socrates. One of the main themes in the Phaedo is the idea that the soul is immortal. We will write a custom essay sample on Platos Phaedo: The Souls Immortality or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Socrates offers four arguments for the souls immortality: The Cyclical Argument, or Opposites Argument explains that Forms are eternal and nchanging, and as the soul always brings life, then it must not die, and is necessarily imperishable. As the body is mortal and is subject to physical death, the soul must be its indestructible opposite. Plato then suggests the analogy of fire and cold. If the form of cold is imperishable, and fire, its opposite, was within close proximity, it would have to withdraw intact as does the soul during death. This could be likened to the idea of the opposite charges of magnets. The Theory of Recollection xplains that we possess some non-empirical knowledge (e. g. The Form of Equality) at birth, implying the soul existed before birth to carry that knowledge. Another account of the theory is found in Platos Meno, although in that case Socrates implies Anamnesis (previous knowledge of everything) whereas he is not so bold in Phaedo. The Affinity Argument, explains that invisible, immortal, and incorporeal things are different from visible, mortal, and corporeal things. Our soul is of the former, while ur body is of the latter, so when our bodies die and decay, our soul will continue to live. The Argument from Form of Life explains that the Forms, incorporeal and static entities, are the cause of all things in the world, and all things participate in Forms. For example, beautiful things participate in the Form of Beauty; the number four participates in the Form of the Even, etc. The soul, by its very nature, participates in the Form of Life, which means the soul can never die. The Phaedo was first translated into Latin from Greek by Henry Aristippus in 1160.

Condom Distribution essays

Condom Distribution essays Should Condoms be distributed in High Schools? More than half of American teenagers have had sexual intercourse and face significant health risks. Each year, over one million teenagers become pregnant, one in seven teenagers contract and STD, and one in five hundred students in college campuses are infected with HIV(The National Coalition To Support Sexuality Education). This quote shows why condom distribution should be available in schools. This topic about condom distribution has caused many heated debates around the nation. People who are in favor of distribution will ensure that teenagers practice safe sex and that the rate of STDs and pregnancies will decrease. The opponents say that giving condoms out in high schools would be like encouraging sexual activity among teenagers and put the idea that pre-martial sex is acceptable. So with all of this in mind, is there a need for condom distribution programs? Yes, there is a need for condom distribution programs. Parents and educators seem to be forgetting that there are a great number of teenagers who are sexually active in todays society. The solution to all of this is not a simple one. Deciding whether to put baskets with condoms in the schools nurses office is only one way of getting started with condom distribution programs. But to be more successful its going to require more thought, energy, and a lot of patience, keeping in mind that todays teens are very open minded and independent. Adults are always emphasizing abstinence. Sure abstinence is the best form of birth control and the best way to not contract a STD. But adults also have to realize that all this is not very cool for teens now days. So if they are not going to be able to convince teenagers that abstinence is the best choice, then they should encourage condom distribution in schools, for their own kids safety. The reason why parents find i...

Norman Rockwells Painting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Norman Rockwells Painting - Essay Example This article states that the painting was inspired by Rockwell’s when he visited the Soviet Union. The painting offers a learning experience for teachers, students, and adult learners. The artist had an insightful observation of Russian classroom experience of schoolchildren in the 1960s. The artist was reflecting what he observed during his visit and was amused with what he saw. This made him to reflect but and inspire other students in both upper and lower primary. It was also an inspiration to parents and teachers on the extent to which children can stay focused on their own. The author believes that the problem we all live with has been embraced and become an important symbol of civil rights. It acts as a remembrance of the day when the United States Supreme Court declared the racial segregation unconstitutional. The painting bears a black girl who is determined to go to school and she is under escort. Additionally, the author asserts that the painting is a symbol of victo ry on the black race following the court verdict that state law establishing separate public schools for whites and blacks were unconstitutional. The artist was quick to take note because he was a supporter of tolerance and equality. The author outlines that the federal Supreme Court declared segregation illegal in public schools. Norman Rockwell drew the picture to show a young black girl in a uniform walking to school in little rock. The child is protected by US federal marshals, something which has never been realised.

Relection on Total knee replacement surgery Research Paper

Relection on Total knee replacement surgery - Research Paper Example After the knee is open, a four-step procedure is undertaken to have the knee completely replaced with metallic components, some plastic spacers and button, to enhance the normal functionality of the knee joints. The first step of the knee replacement surgery entails the removal of the damaged knee components, where the damaged knee cartilage on the surface of both tibia and fibula are removed, together with some reasonable amount of the underlying bone (Scuderi & Tria, 2002). This marks the preparation of the knee, for a total replacement, since the already damaged components are removed and the knee is now ready to take a replacement. This step is followed by positioning the metal implants. Here, the components of the knee; the cartilage and the bone surface, are now replaced with some metal components that recreate the surface of the joint (Bellemans, Ries & Victor, 2005). During this replacement, the metal components, which have been prepared to suit the natural knee components, a re either cemented or pressed to fit into the remaining bone component. The next step that follows the positioning of the metal implants is the resurfacing of the patella (the knee cap), which requires the knee cup to be cut and then resurfaced with a plastic button, which will not collide with the metallic implants that have been implanted on the knee (Scuderi & Tria, 2002). However, as explained by the surgeon, depending on the case and extent of the knee damage, the knee cap might not be resurfaced. The final step of the Total knee replacement surgery is to place the spacers. This step entails putting some medical-grade plastic spacers between the metal components that have been implanted on the knee, to create a smooth gliding surface (Bellemans, Ries & Victor, 2005). My feeling during the procedure was that the patient may fail to function fully after the knee is replaced, because the operation was being undertaken for a 70 year old woman. I also felt that the Total knee replac ement surgery was not a very complex sort of operation, although it required a high degree of concentration and precision, lest the metal implantations done on the knee fails to fit accurately and thus lead to more knee problems. The lesson that I learnt from the Total knee replacement surgery procedure is that; it is a surgical procedure that is compatible with all ages. Additionally I learnt that the Total knee replacement surgery is not uniformly done to all people, and that some aspects of the procedure depends on the patient, their situation, and the extent to which their knee is damaged either through injury or arthritis. While the Total knee replacement surgery basically follows a four-step procedure, I realized that the final step of the surgical procedure, referred to as spacer insertion, is not a mandatory or universal step in the Total knee replacement surgery, since it can be omitted for some patients. Another invaluable lesson that I learn regarding the Total knee repla cement surgery is that; the medical history of the patient is fundamental in determining their qualification for the procedure. This is because, the medical history helps the surgeon to assess the strength of the patient

Associate Level Material Essay Example for Free

Associate Level Material Essay Introduction Due in Week One: Give an overview of the company and the security goals to be achieved. 1 Company overview As relates to your selected scenario, give a brief 100- to 200-word overview of the company. Sunica Music and Movies is a multimedia corporation that currently has four locations. Due to jumbled inventory, no internet commerce, and other factors they have been losing more and more customers. By installing a WAN, they will be able to keep track of their inventory better. They will also be able to keep their finances in order. There are also plans to make it where people can order online. In the end the company is going to make sure that their network is fully functional for all four stores, be secure for their customers, and protect all the assets of the company with a proper plan and proper security. 2 Security policy overview Of the different types of security policies—program-level, program-framework, Issue-specific, and system-specific—briefly cover which type is appropriate to your selected business scenario and why. I feel that issue specific would be the proper system to use for this company. The problems they have are issue specific and can be solved by addressing specific issues. By fixing each issue seprately, they will be able to become the safe and reliable company they want to be. 3 Security policy goals As applies to your selected scenario, explain how the confidentiality, integrity, and availability principles of information security will be addressed by the information security policy. 1 Confidentiality Briefly explain how the policy will protect information. By installing a WAN, Sunica makes sure that the inforamtion stays within the company itself. That make it more difficult for hackers to infiltrate their system. 2 Integrity Give a brief overview of how the policy will provide rules for authentication and verification. Include a description of formal methods and system transactions. This system will make sure that their is no unauthorized access to any of the information. It will also keep logs to where if anything does go wrong they can pinpoint exactly where and when it happened. It will also stay updated to the point where there wont be any unneccesary issues. 3 Availability Briefly describe how the policy will address system back-up and recovery, access control, and quality of service. By having a WAN the company will maintain all control of their system. Which will make backup of the system easier. And it will also allow them to be able to recover anything lost with more ease. And finally it allows tem to make sure that everything stays up to date so that the material will always be accesible and at the highest quality possible. References Cite all your references by adding the pertinent information to this section by following this example. American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

Don DeLillos White Noise :: Free Essay Writer

Don DeLillo's White Noise WHITE NOISE is probably Don DeLillo's most popular novel, largely because most readers see it as DeLillo's warmest and most human book. In this story, the ideas that seem to captivate DeLillo are fleshed out in real life in a way that none of his other books quite achieves. Of course, there are a few stubborn souls (like me) who still feel THE NAMES, or one of his other books is better. But I think everyone agrees, WHITE NOISE is a winner. It won DeLillo the National Book Award in 1985, and it also won a larger reading audience for a great American writer. DeLillo has said that Ernest Becker's THE DENIAL OF DEATH was a book that influenced him at the time he wrote WHITE NOISE. There's certainly no denying that death, and the many things we do to avoid facing it, is a major focus of DeLillo's novel. Becker's book, which won the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction in 1974, has as it's thesis the assertion that "the idea of death, the fear of it, haunts the human animal like nothing else; it is a mainspring of human activity---activity designed largely to avoid the fatality of death, to overcome it by denying in some way that it is the final destiny for man." Becker's point is that this is *the* driving force in the human psyche today...which I think is overstating the matter a bit...but it certainly is a reality that all of us face in some way, sooner or later. As I looked through Becker's book last month, I was surprised to discover that it's actually an exposition of the work of Otto Rank. Rank was the third of the three famous defectors from Freud's inner psychoanalytic circle early this century (the others being Alder and Jung), and he's known in the literary world to a certain extent because of his intimate involvement with Anais Nin. Like Jung, Rank developed a psychology of mythology and religion...and, in particular, Rank's emphasis was "The Hero" motif. This is what Jung called "the puer aeternus" (or the female "puella")---the eternal youth...who never ages...who never dies...to whom death is nothing. In psychology, this idea is linked closely with that of narcissism, which is considered prevalent in society today. Just look at all the things we do to avoid the appearance of aging! Jack Gladney is, at best, an unlikely Hero, I think.