Below are two articles that I wrote for This Season mini magazine in 2008. I also did the photography displayed below in the article. This Season mini magazine is a magazine that I helped in founding at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln. It is a student run quarterly magazine that feature local fashion businesses in the Lincoln area.
All about TXCD Grad Students and their work
Have you ever looked at a silk dress, and thought “I just have to have that.” But then you look at the highly priced tag and the care label that says “dry clean only,” and you second guess buying it. Karlin Warner, a current University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduate student, noticed this problem and has been in the lab working on a way to fix this problem.
Warner, a Textile Science major, has spent her two years in grad school developing a solution to bring down the high price of silk and inconvenient care instructions while making the process of producing silk more eco friendly.
In today’s industry, Formaldehyde is commonly used to treat silk. It’s desirable because it is inexpensive and improves silk’s resiliency. The down fall is that it effects the growth of plants and animals, much in the way it does affect humans. It interferes with the growth and development of plants and is toxic to fish and other aquatic organisms. It is also a carcinogen, dangerous to pregnant women and the fetus and causes sensitivity to the respiratory system. Warner has been working with catalyst free wet cross linking of silk with citric acid. This process will improve silk’s wrinkle. Using citric acid will not only be green and help the environment, but it will also price silk garments at a lower price while creating a cheaper method of production. Using citric acid will make that silk dress that you just have to have less expensive, easier care instructions all while being green!
Photo description: Karlin Warner performing tear strength tests on cross linked silk in the Home Economics laboratory on East campus. After cross linking she performs a series of tests to see how it improves the wrinkle resistance by doing a Wrinkle Recovery test. She also does several others tear strength, abrasion resistance and whiteness index tests to see how the chemical treatment effects the other mechanical properties of the silk.
This Season's Summer Events
With nice weather and new trends, deciding what to wear to various summer events can be a challenge. No one wants to show up to a baseball game looking too dressy or a first date looking too casual. Wearing the trends for this season while keeping your own personal style will help achieve a flawless look for any summer occasion.
Late Night Date
Whether you are going to a late night movie, eating dinner at a fancy restaurant or just taking a walk through the park, looking and feeling your best is what matters most. Here is your chance to take your casual daywear to the next level. Put on some Mary Jane heals or wedges with a flirty dress. Pick a dress with a short hemline in a lightweight fabric. Go for dramatic colors like neon or a dark metallic. Adding punch with accessories is always fun. Try an oversized contrasting bag or a small clutch. Take a light colored trench coat in case the summer night gets a little chilly.
Summer Day Fun
Along with summer brings many fun activities during the hot sunny days. Looking causal and being comfortable are key when dressing for summer day events. Going to a baseball game, barbeque or road trip with your friends? A lightweight cotton or sheer fabric is your best bet; neither will get too hot and they will look great throughout the entire day because wrinkling will be at a minimum. A short cotton skirt with volume paired with a lightweight tank is good for any daytime occasion. Look for floral prints and bright colors. Denim is great for laid-back events; try and stay away from the “daisy-duke” length and opt for a longer more tailored style. Look for high waisted denim shorts and tuck in a loose airy tee.
You can dress your summer look up or down with the accessories you choose. Large and in charge sunglasses can dress up an outfit while aviators can send a casual vibe. A sheer printed headscarf is great when humidity takes over your tresses. A fitted cotton or sheer flowy dress with a great tribal pattern can be worn loose for a causal look or with a skinny belt worn at the waist for a dressier look. Wedges will dress the outfit up while flat strappy sandals will dress it down. Staying close to this season’s trends while maintaining your personal style will have you looking great for the fun summer days!
Below is an advertising strategy I wrote in my advertising strategy class while a student at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln.
Marfio’s Tijuana Takeout CASE
Statement of the Problem:
A needed strategy to successfully meet Tijuana Takeout’s projected sales goals.
Critical Factors:
Company Analysis
· Located on the interstate highway that skirted the town.
· First fast food outlet that would be passed by drivers coming from the west.
· Open from 11AM to 11PM, seven days a week
· 8 small tables for dining
· 8 car parking lot
· Home delivery in evenings and weekends is getting little use.
· “Grand Opening” Marfio and family delivered leaflets to every household in the town.
· Week of “Grand Opening” he ran spots on the local radio station which he wrote and recorded.
· Also did a quarter-page ad in the local newspaper, which in casual chats few people remembered the article
· Large banners to reach passing travelers
· Opening failed to generate the attention he anticipated, percentage sales was down.
· 3% of sales revenue to advertising during the first year of operation a reducing to 2% by the end of the second year as sales increased.
· Sales are down so far that Marfio either has to scale back his plans or devote a higher percentage of sales revenue to advertising.
· Marfio’s observations were that he was getting little passing trade.
· Few calls for delivery.
· After 4 weeks repeat customers were low.
· Signs outside door where changed to “Tijuana American— we make burgers too.”
Consumer Analysis
· Family, lunch from businesses in the area.
· Target market- local residents and passing travelers
Industry Analysis
· National Restaurant Association’s 1991 Foodservice Industry Forecast, fast food (limited menu) sales are expected to grow to $74 billion in 1991.
· Introduction of new menu items by the fast food chains has detracted from the customer’s perception of the value for the price charged.
Market Analysis
· 1991 the worsening economic climate would lead consumers to postpone major expenditures on items such as automobiles, domestic appliances and household furnishings which would make more cash available for fast food purchases.
· Rate of increase is now slower than in the 1970s and early 1980s because of competition from family and food-bar restaurants, convenience stores, and the carryout for grocery stores
Product Analysis
· Mexican supplier, with an “authentic Mexican food” menu
· .50 to $1.00 higher than Taco Bell’s
· Marfio offers burgers .25 to .30 cents more than McDonald’s.
· Burgers scarcely sold.
Competitive Analysis
· Only Mexican-style food available was at Taco Bell.
· 1990’s Nation’s Restaurant News, Taco Bell ranked 9th in sales among U.S. fast-food chains
· Taco Bell was top in terms of growth of sales per unit, and posted an increase over the previous year of more than 16% of both 1989 and 1990.
· Taco Bell advertises heavily on television.
· A mile down the interstate was a cluster of fast food outlets and a shopping mall and supermarket complex. Taco Bell included.
· Nearest towns offering food lay 45 miles to the west.
· A sign 2 miles west of town to advertise on costing $600 a month or a six month contract for $1200 per month.
Recommendation of Alternatives:
A. A huge critical factor the Marfio’s fast food business is missing is the low number of passing trade. One of the primary sources of business for a fast food restaurant is travelers. Since Tijuana’s Takeout is located on the highway and skirts the town, a lot of traffic pass, making it a primary source to quickly pick up food. To become competitive with other fast food outlets, Marfio could pull in more traffic from travelers by advertising on the sign 2 miles west of town.
When Marfio chatted with customers, he did not receive positive feedback about the leaflets that were passed out, nor a huge response from the large banners or newspaper advertisement. Finding a medium to advertise with is a strategy that can pull in more customers to increase sales.
There is a lot of traffic on the highway and advertising on the big sign would give notice to the travelers before they arrived at the restaurant. The sign could aware the travelers that Tijuana Takeout is two miles ahead, so they can slow down on the highway and watch for the restaurant. The sign creates repetition for viewers, because they will be able to see the sign over and over again. Increasing the rate of traveling customers could potentially increase the amount of sales for the sign to eventually pay for itself.
· RISK: If the sign did not pay for itself, Marfio would be huge a large sum of money.
B. A primary source of business that Marfio’s company is missing is a drive through. When consumers want fast food, they want it fast. This is an important aspect that other fast food competition in the area have that Marfio’s does not.
Creating a drive through would pull in passing travelers. They wouldn’t have to worry about parking in the 8 space parking lot, or worry about finding a seat at the 8 small tables inside for dining. Since the location of Tijuana Takeout is located on the highway with people traveling, it would be very convenient for them to simply slow down and drive through the drive through to order food quickly and continue on their travels. Also, surrounding businesses and locals could easily pick up food from the drive through and take them with them.
· RISK: Since the parking lot is already small, creating a drive through could potentially make the parking lot even smaller.
C. Repositioning where and what mediums Marfio is using to advertise could potentially increase Marfio’s sales. When Marfio talked with customers he found that the most success he had had, was with the newspaper article. The leaflets are not working well because traffic in the restaurant is slow, so people are not taking them. He did not get much response on the radio station advertisement either when he chatted with customers.
To fix this problem of the media being used, Marfio could compete with Taco Bell’s advertising on a local television station focusing on the authenticity of the food served at Tijuana’s Takeout for a competitive advantage over Taco Bell. Discussing the location on the interstate highway is also a benefit to the restaurant.
· RISK: A television spot could go over 2% or 3% of sales revenue used to advertise.
Recommended Alternative and Rationale:
Recommendation B.
With the location of the restaurant right off the highway where many travelers are passing, the problem of small the parking lot and small amount of tables, and that it is the first fast food outlet that would be passed by drivers coming west prove that an important factor in the business is missing. This factor is a drive through.
Customers would easily be able to pull into the restaurant and quickly get there food coming off the highway, they would not have to worry about parking, and it would increase competition with places like Taco Bell, because they would see Tijuana’s Takeout before seeing Taco Bell. This strategy would be beneficial because Marfio would not have to necessarily spend more money on advertising, but instead cut back on the leaflets, delivery and use that money towards creating a drive through. After the success of the drive through, it would eventually pay for itself.
