The Impact of the Black Death during the 14th Century Essay

The Impact of the Black Death during the 14th Century - Essay Example Cultural changes occurred as people had to cope with the consequences of the plague, creating a situation where changes occurred in order to combat the disease through means that reflected beliefs and traditions. The effects of the plague were written about through firsthand accounts of its devastating effects by Henry Knighton. He relates that in one day 1312 persons died from the disease. In relating the devastating effects of the disease in regard to how the affects reached farther than just human mortality, he reports that the sheep populations were also affected, creating a sense of the expanding ripples of effects that spread throughout all of human existence as the disease became an enemy to fight against and try to prevail. Knighton reports that the Scots believed that the disease was a condemnation of the English who seemed to have caused the wrath of God. However, soon the disease reached the Scottish shores and five thousand Scots were dead from the disease.1 One of the pr ominent theories on how the disease began its travels across the known world was through the use of a disease as a biological weapon. Allegedly, the Mongols during their siege of Caffa in Crimea hurled dead bodies, rotting with disease, into the holds of their enemies.2 From there, the disease began to proliferate and travel through trade routes as individuals and vermin carried the disease. A key understanding was made during the development of the plague in regard to the epistemology of disease control. According to Walsh, â€Å"Global shipping traffic has long served as a conduit for disease.3 The plague was spread through maritime routes, the rats on board the ships carrying fleas that transmitted the plague.4 While full understanding of how disease was spread was not understood, it was understood how this disease was traveling from place to place, but finding a way to contain the disease was not as easily grasped. In Venice, however, ships were quarantined in order to prevent the spread into the city, but this was not successful and even Venice eventually fell to the disease.5 It was during the period of time of the Black Plague that the term quarantine was coined in regard to efforts to contain the spread of the disease.6 The impact of the plague was harsh, quick and severe, impacting regions through decimations of populations that significantly changed the course of human development in the Western world. As an example, the art world was detrimentally affected as both artists and clients of artists were lost, thus changing the landscape. The first half of the 14th century had seen a great deal of activity, the world of art beginning to experience an expansion in style which was halted during the first breakout of the plague in 1348 and again in 1361. Central Italy was the core of the explosion in art advancement, but during this time it was stalled as it was also one of the worst areas hit by the plague.7 Death became personified in many of the works o f the period, stalking the population through imagery that suggested that there was an intent behind the spread of the disease as it ravaged populations and spread across continents. A preoccupation with death is visibly evident in the artwork of the period as well as the literature.8 It can be said that it was during this time that death became known as a cruel specter in the

Social Media Marketing of UnME Jeans Research Paper

Social Media Marketing of UnME Jeans - Research Paper Example As the paper outlines, social media marketing programs usually center on efforts to create content that attracts attention and encourages readers to share it with their social networks. Considering that the aim of the marketing strategy adopted by the company is to boost sales, it becomes evident that the section of funds allocated for television advertisements are not as effectively utilized as they would have been if invested in internet marketing. It is seen on Slexchange that the largest percentage of online purchases is in the apparel section (Steenburg & Avery, 2011). This means that UnMe jeans must pay particular attention to this sector of marketing. The aspects that must be taken into consideration, to conclude upon the most effective form of marketing are the efficiency of the marketing vehicle in reaching the targeted audience and the deliverance of the brand image. Assessing the issues contained in the UnMe jeans case, it would appear that the major issue or weakness affe cting UnME is restricted budget allocation for internet marketing. As per the media plan adopted by Margaret Foley, in Exhibit 1, the highest percentage of the budget has been allocated for television advertising, with a very small percentage for search marketing and online banners. It would be more economical to invest in online marketing and cut down on traditional forms of marketing. With the emergence of Web 2.0, it has become the most preferred form of interaction with the targeted audience, pushing magazines and newspapers further into the background. But UnMe’s strategy of sticking to the traditional methods could be construed as its key weakness. As per the current media plan, since television advertising has been allocated the maximum funds, UnMe faces the threat of losing a targeted audience. On the same lines, the changing behavior of the targeted audience is a key external threat for it as well. The targeted audience is teenage girls who value unique styles, are s ocial and take an interest in brands that have unique features. This targeted group has clearly migrated from television, newspapers, and magazines to Web 2.0, the reasons being: They do not have control over the information provided to them through newspapers, television or radio. The audience is forced to see a large number of advertisements, causing too much clutter, making it impossible to reach the targeted audience effectively. Considering the control they can have over the online content they choose to view, other forms of interaction became a pleasurable experience. UnMe jeans would be able to garner sizable opportunities by allocating higher funds for online marketing due to the reason that the targeted audience can be reached more specifically. The targeted group being teenage girls, it would be easier to locate them on social networking sites and provide them with banners and ads that would interest them. Further, the advertisements could be customized according to the ch oice of the audience through virtual places. The banner ads which interest the consumer lead them to go through the product list of the brand out of their own will, having a positive impact on the willingness of the consumer. It is seen that most people that work from home or households spend about 30% of their time on web-based applications and the internet.