Misogyny Of Hip Hop The Solution - 1564 Words

’Kayla Morgan Jeffrey Baggett English 102 April 25, 2016 Misogyny In Hip Hop: The Solution In today’s society many individuals listen to music. With so many different genres to choose from in the music industry, one of the most popular genres of music is Hip Hop. With the constant urge for new artists, lyrics, and rap styles, it seems as though Hip Hop is the holy grail of music. One of the main problems with Hip Hop is the misogyny of women. Adams and Fuller (2006) define misogyny as the â€Å"hatred or disdain of women† and â€Å"an ideology that reduces women to objects for men’s ownership, use, or abuse† (p. 939). Popular American hip-hop and rap artists, such as Eminem, Ludacris and Ja Rule, have increasingly depicted women as objects of violence or male domination by communicating that â€Å"submission is a desirable trait in a woman† (Stankiewicz Rosselli, 2008, p. 581). These songs condone male hegemony in which â€Å"men find the domination and exploitation of women and other men to be not only expected, but actually demandedâ €  (Prushank, 2007, p. 161). Young adults between the ages of 16 and 30 are the most likely age group to consume rap/hip-hop music, and in turn, may become desensitized to the derogatory lyrics condoning relationship violence and sexual aggression (Smith, 2005). Specifically, college-aged individuals have been influenced by the prevalence of sexually explicit media and the negative images of women presented in hip-hop culture, which â€Å"teach men that aggressionShow MoreRelatedRap Hop And Hip Hop Culture1550 Words   |  7 PagesMost hip hop songs and videos have lyrics and scenes that demean and humiliate women. Showing scenes of violence to women, demeaning them and depicting them as sex objects or subjects of submission to men is Misogyny. Present also is brutality against women descriptions. There have been voluminous scholars talking about it yet the argument is unquenched. Misogyny in hip hop society has its core deep in the American ethos, and it has its outcome on the same nation. Misogyny in songs is taking ringRead MoreDon t Understand Hip Hop Music s Appeal And Why Youth901 Words   |  4 PagesThe first claim Carl and Virgil make is that adults don’t understand hip hop music’s appeal and why youth listen to it (Taylor and Taylor 210). That claim, however, doesn’t have any substantial, credible, information to back it up. In fact, in a radio broadcast by Talk of the Nation, â€Å"A Look at Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes†, they discuss that one man as an adult listened to hip hop music as well, stating it was part of the urban culture and he loved listening to it, until he started learningRead More Hip Hop vs. Ethics Essay1665 Words   |  7 PagesEthics of The Music Industry Works Cited Not Included Hip-hop culture has been socially labeled as deviant, a counter-culture, un-American because of its lack of moral. Specifically, gangsta rap which glorifies guns, sex, violence, drug use and gang activity has been castigated. This type of rap promotes a nonconformist and rebel adaptive behavior. As a result, it gives hip-hop culture a deviant label. A simple definition of deviance is behavior that does not conform to group-shared norms;Read More Portrayal of Women in Rap and Music Videos Essay1725 Words   |  7 Pages Misogyny and degradation of women is present in almost every genre of music, yet the one genre that completely revolves around demeaning women is rap. Over the years rap and rap music videos have continually become more sexual and degrading towards women. Rap has been criticized numerous times for this reason, and that is because rap is one of the most popular genres of music for the younger generations. It is more than a genre of music, it is a complete industry fill ed with clothing and other merchandiseRead MoreDestroying The Culture : Music Is A Form Of Expression1963 Words   |  8 Pagescompares it to a jungle filled with drugs and poverty. Throughout the song, they wonder how they are able to endure the issues and remain sane. These songs served as templates and influenced many artists in that era and some current ones today. As hip hop and rap continued to gain popularity and become accepted, new artists began to emerge with songs containing political, social, and cultural messages, creating the â€Å"golden age† from 1986-1994 (Mcquilliyah). African American artists refused to succumbRead More Bigger Thomas, of Native Son and Tupac Shakur Essay6110 Words   |  25 Pagesthe only version of Tupac Shakur many Americans knew was a frightening and unidimensional caricature.ï ¿ ½ (127) In order to get out of the ghetto, Shakur intevented himself as a gangster rapper, personifying violence, reveling in a contrived world of misogyny and excess, and while in the twilight of his career he may have tried to deliver more positive messages to his fans, mainstream America, at the incessant proding from the mainstream media who cultivated and projected this violent image in effortsRead MoreEffects of Rap Music on Crime14002 Words   |  57 Pagessales figures are obvious testimonies to its popularity and commercial success. This was made particularly evident in October 2003 when, according to the recording industry bible Billboard magazine, all top 10 acts in the United States were rap or hip-hop artists;1 and again in 2006, when t he Academy award for Best Song went to It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp, a rap song by the group Hustle Flow. Such developments may also signal rap’s increasing social acceptance and cultural legitimization (Baumann

The Golden Lily Chapter 23 Free Essays

string(161) " was on his left cheek, an abstract design made of clustered crescents of various sizes and orientations, lying together so that they almost looked like a vine\." IT TOOK SONYA a few days to recover, thus delaying her return to Pennsylvania. When she was ready to go to the airport, I offered to drive her. The rental car had been found, but Dimitri was using it to clean up after the mission. We will write a custom essay sample on The Golden Lily Chapter 23 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Within twenty-four hours, the Warriors had vacated their compound, which had turned out to be a rental facility generally used for retreats. They’d left almost no trace of their presence behind, but that hadn’t stopped the guardians from scouring every inch of the abandoned compound. â€Å"Thanks again,† Sonya told me. â€Å"I know how busy you must be.† â€Å"It’s no problem. It’s the weekend, and anyway this is what I’m here for – to help you guys.† She laughed softly to herself. Her recovery in the last couple of days had been remarkable, and she now looked as pretty and bright as usual. She wore her auburn hair down today, letting it fall in fiery waves around the delicate lines of her face. â€Å"True, but it seems like you keep having to go above and beyond your job description.† â€Å"I’m just glad you’re okay,† I said earnestly. I’d grown close to Sonya and was sad to see her go. â€Å"Back in that arena†¦ well, it was kind of terrifying.† Some of her amusement faded. â€Å"It was. I was out of it most of the time and not really able to process what was going on around me. But I do remember your words. You were pretty amazing, not to mention brave, to face down that crowd and defend me. I know how hard it must have been to be in opposition with your own kind.† â€Å"Those people are not my kind,† I said adamantly. Some part of me wondered exactly who my kind were. â€Å"What’s going to happen to your research now?† â€Å"Oh, it’ll continue back East. Dimitri will be returning soon too, and there are other researchers who can help us at Court. Having an objective spirit user like Adrian was extremely useful, and we’ve got plenty of data to keep us busy now, thanks to the blood samples and aura observations. We’ll let Adrian continue with his art and get in touch later if we need him again.† I still couldn’t shake the guilt over how my refusal to give more blood had indirectly resulted in Sonya’s kidnapping. â€Å"Sonya, about my blood – â€Å" â€Å"Don’t worry about it,† she interrupted. â€Å"You were right about me being pushy and also that we need to focus on Dimitri first. Besides, we might be making some headway with getting Alchemist help.† â€Å"Really?† Stanton had seemed pretty against it when we spoke. â€Å"They said yes?† â€Å"No, but they said they’d get back to us.† I laughed. â€Å"With them, that’s a pretty positive answer.† I fell silent for a moment, wondering if this meant everyone would forget about my blood. Between the Warriors and the potential of Alchemist aid, surely my blood was no longer important. After all, initial study had found nothing special. No one had any reason to worry about my blood anymore. Except, the thing was†¦ I was kind of worried. Because no matter how much I dreaded being experimented on, that nagging question wouldn’t leave me alone: Why hadn’t the Strigoi been able to drink my blood? Sonya’s earlier mention of auras reminded me of another burning question. â€Å"Sonya, what does purple mean in someone’s aura? Adrian says he saw it in mine but won’t tell me what it is.† â€Å"Typical,† she said with a chuckle. â€Å"Purple†¦ well, let’s see. From what I’ve observed, it’s a complex color. It’s a spiritual but passionate color, tied to those who love deeply and also seek a higher calling. It’s interesting in that it has such depth. White and true gold tend to be the colors associated with higher powers and metaphysics, just as red and orange are linked to love and baser instincts. Purple kind of has the best of all of those. I wish I could explain it more clearly.† â€Å"No, that makes sense,† I said, pulling into the airport’s circle driveway. â€Å"Kind of. It doesn’t exactly sound like me, though.† â€Å"Well, it’s hardly an exact science. And he’s right – it’s there in you. The thing is†¦Ã¢â‚¬  We’d stopped at the curb, and I saw her studying me carefully. â€Å"I’ve never noticed it before. I mean, I’m sure it’s always been there, but whenever I looked at you, I just saw the yellow of most intellects. Adrian isn’t as adept at reading auras as I am, so I’m surprised he noticed what I missed.† She wasn’t the only one. Spiritual, passionate†¦ was I really those things? Did Adrian believe I was those things? The thought made me feel warm all over. Elated†¦ and confused. Sonya seemed like she was about to say more on the matter and then changed her mind. She cleared her throat. â€Å"Well, then. Here we are. Thank you again for the ride.† â€Å"No problem,† I said, my mind still swimming with visions of purple. â€Å"Have a safe trip.† She opened the car door and then paused. â€Å"Oh, I have something for you. Clarence asked me to give it to you.† â€Å"Clarence?† Sonya rustled through her purse and found an envelope. â€Å"Here you are. He was pretty adamant you get it – you know how he is when he gets worked up about something.† â€Å"I do. Thanks.† Sonya left with her luggage, and curiosity made me open the envelope before I drove away. Inside was a photograph, showing Clarence and a young guy, close to my age, who looked human. The two of them had their arms around each other and were smiling at the camera. The unknown guy had straight blond hair that just barely brushed his chin and stunning blue eyes that stood out against suntanned features. He was extremely handsome, and although his eyes mirrored his smile, I thought there was a little sadness too. I was so caught up in his good looks that I didn’t notice his tattoo right away. It was on his left cheek, an abstract design made of clustered crescents of various sizes and orientations, lying together so that they almost looked like a vine. You read "The Golden Lily Chapter 23" in category "Essay examples" It was exotic and beautiful; the rich indigo ink a near match for his eyes. Studying the design more closely, I noticed something familiar about its shape and swore I could see a faint glimmer of gold edging the blue lines. I nearly dropped the picture in shock. The crescents had been tattooed over an Alchemist lily. I flipped the picture over. One word was scrawled on it: Marcus. Marcus Finch, whom the Warriors had claimed was an ex-Alchemist. Marcus Finch, whom the Alchemists had claimed didn’t exist. The crazy thing was, unless someone locked away like Keith counted, there were no â€Å"ex-Alchemists.† You were in it for life. You couldn’t walk away. Yet, that obscured lily spoke for itself. Unless Marcus had had a name change that somehow eluded the Alchemists, Stanton and the others were lying to me about knowing who he was. But why? Had there been some rift? A week ago, I would have said it was impossible that Stanton wouldn’t tell me the truth about him, but now, knowing how carefully information was parceled out – or not – I had to wonder. I stared at the picture a few more moments, caught up in those haunting blue eyes. Then, I tucked it away and returned to Amberwood, resolved to keep the photograph a secret. If the Alchemists wanted to deny Marcus Finch’s existence to me, I would let them continue until I figured out why. That meant my only lead was Clarence and the absent Warriors. Still, it was a start. Somehow, sometime, I was going to find Marcus Finch and get my answers. I was surprised to see Jill sitting outside our dorm when I walked in. She was in the shade, of course, still able to enjoy the nice weather without the sun’s full force. We’d finally moved into a sort of autumn around here, not that eighty was what I usually associated with brisk fall weather. Jill’s face was pensive, but she brightened a little when she saw me. â€Å"Hey, Sydney. I was hoping to catch you. Can’t find you anymore without your phone.† I made a face. â€Å"Yeah, I need to replace that. It’s been a huge pain.† She nodded in commiseration. â€Å"Did you drop Sonya off?† â€Å"She’s on her way back to Court and Mikhail – and hopefully a much more peaceful life.† â€Å"That’s good,† said Jill. She glanced away and bit her lower lip. I knew her well enough by now to recognize the signs of when she was bracing to tell me something. I also knew better than to push the matter, so I waited patiently. â€Å"I did it,† she said at last. â€Å"I told Micah it’s over†¦ really over.† Relief flooded me. One less thing to worry about. â€Å"I’m sorry,† I said. â€Å"I know that must have been hard.† She brushed curly hair away from her face as she considered. â€Å"Yes. And no. I like him. And I’d like to keep hanging out with him – as friends – if he wants to. I don’t know, though. He took it kind of hard†¦ and our mutual friends? Well†¦ they’re not very happy with me right now.† I tried not to groan. Jill had made such headway with her status here, and now it could be shattered. â€Å"But it’s for the best. Micah and I live in different worlds, and there’d be no real future with a human anyway. Besides, I’ve been thinking a lot about love†¦ like, epic love†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She looked up at me for a moment, her gaze softening. â€Å"And that wasn’t what we had. Seems like if I’m with someone, that’s what I should feel.† I thought epic love was kind of a stretch for someone her age but didn’t say so. â€Å"Are you going to be okay?† She snapped back to reality. â€Å"Yeah, I think so.† A small smile played over her lips. â€Å"And once this has passed, maybe Eddie will want to go out sometime – away from campus, of course. Seeing as we’re ‘related.'† Her words were almost a repeat of what I’d heard the other night at Clarence’s, and I stared in surprise as realization dawned on me. â€Å"You don’t know†¦ I thought you would since Angeline’s your roommate†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Jill frowned. â€Å"What are you talking about? What don’t I know?† Oh God. Why, oh why, did I have to be the one to deliver this news? Why couldn’t I be locked away in my room or the library doing something enjoyable, like homework? â€Å"Eddie’s, um, asked Angeline out. I don’t know when it’s going to happen, but he decided to give her a chance.† He hadn’t borrowed my car, so presumably there’d been no date yet. Jill looked stricken. â€Å"W-what? Eddie and Angeline? But†¦ he can’t stand her†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Something changed,† I said lamely. â€Å"I’m not sure what. It’s not like, er, epic love, but they’ve gotten closer these last few weeks. I’m sorry.† Jill seemed more devastated by this than breaking up with Micah. She looked away and blinked back tears. â€Å"It’s okay. I mean, I never encouraged him. He probably still thinks I’m dating Micah. Why should he have waited around? He should have someone.† â€Å"Jill – â€Å" â€Å"It’s okay. I’ll be okay.† She looked so sad and then, amazingly, her face grew even darker. â€Å"Oh, Sydney. You’re going to be so mad at me.† I was still thinking of Micah and felt totally confused at the topic change. â€Å"Why?† She reached into her backpack and pulled out a glossy magazine. It was some kind of southern California tourism one, with articles and ads highlighting the area. One of the pages was marked, and I turned to it. It was a full-page advertisement for Lia DiStefano, a collage of pictures of her various designs. And one of the photos was of Jill. It took me a moment to catch it. The picture was a profile shot, with Jill in sunglasses and a fedora – as well as that peacock-colored scarf Lia had given her. Jill’s curly hair streamed out behind her, and the angles of her face looked beautiful. If I hadn’t known Jill so well, I would never have identified her as this chic model – though it would certainly be obvious that she was a Moroi to anyone who knew what to look for. â€Å"How?† I demanded. â€Å"How did this happen?† Jill took a deep breath, ready to accept her blame. â€Å"When she dropped off the costumes and gave me the scarf, she asked if I’d let her take a picture to see how the colors photographed. She had some of the other accessories in the car, and I put those on too. She wanted to prove to me that with the right coverage, she could hide my identity. But I never thought†¦ I mean, she didn’t say she’d use it. God, I feel so stupid.† Maybe not stupid, but certainly naive. I nearly crumpled up the magazine. I was furious at Lia. Part of me wanted to sue for using a picture of a minor without permission, but we had much bigger problems. How wide was this magazine’s circulation? If Lia had only put Jill’s photo on display in California, maybe no one would recognize her. Still, a Moroi model could raise eyebrows. Who knows what kind of trouble this was going to cause for us now? â€Å"Sydney, I’m sorry,† said Jill. â€Å"What can I do to fix this?† â€Å"Nothing,† I said. â€Å"Except to stay away from Lia.† I felt ill. â€Å"I’ll take care of this.† I really didn’t know how, though. I could only pray no one noticed the picture. â€Å"I’ll do whatever you need if you think of something. I – oh.† Her eyes lifted to something behind me. â€Å"Maybe we should talk later.† I glanced back. Trey was walking toward us. Another problem to deal with. â€Å"Probably a good idea,† I said. Jill’s heartache and publicity would have to go on the back burner. She left as Trey came to stand beside me. â€Å"Melbourne,† he said, attempting one of his old smiles. It faltered a little. â€Å"I didn’t know you were still around,† I said. â€Å"I thought you’d left with the others.† The Warriors had scattered to the wind. Trey had said before that they traveled for their â€Å"hunts,† and Master Angeletti had also mentioned gathering from various places of the country. Presumably, they had all returned to where they’d come from. I’d thought Trey would simply disappear as well. â€Å"Nope,† he said. â€Å"This is where I go to school, where my dad wants me to stay. Besides, the other Warriors never had a permanent base here in Palm Springs. They’ll move on to wherever†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He couldn’t finish, so I did. â€Å"Wherever you get a tip-off about monsters you can brutally execute?† â€Å"It wasn’t like that,† he said. â€Å"We thought she was one of the Strigoi. We still do.† I scrutinized his face, this guy I’d thought was my friend. I was pretty sure he still was. â€Å"Not you. That’s why you threw the fight.† â€Å"I didn’t,† he protested. â€Å"You did. I saw you hesitate when you could have taken out Chris. You didn’t want to win. You didn’t want to kill Sonya because you weren’t sure she really was Strigoi.† He didn’t deny it. â€Å"I still think they should all be destroyed.† â€Å"So do I.† I reconsidered. â€Å"Well, unless there’s a way to save them all, but that’s unclear.† Despite how much I’d said while advocating for Sonya, I wasn’t quite comfortable letting him on the secrets and experiments. â€Å"If the Warriors travel around, what’ll happen the next time they’re in this area? Or even ll.A.? Will you join them again? Will you travel to the next hunt?† â€Å"No.† The answer was hard. Blunt, even. Hope surged in me. â€Å"You’ve decided to split off from them?† The emotions on Trey’s face were hard to read, but they didn’t look like happy ones. â€Å"No. They decided to cut us off – me and my dad. We’ve been outcast.† I stared for a few moments, at a loss for words. I didn’t like the Warriors or Trey’s involvement, but this wasn’t quite what I’d been trying to achieve. â€Å"Because of me?† â€Å"No. Yes. I don’t know.† He shrugged. â€Å"Indirectly, I guess. They don’t blame you personally or even the Alchemists. Hell, they still want to team up with the Alchemists. They figure you just behaved in your typically misguided way. But me? I’m the one who pushed to let you in, who swore everything would be fine. So, they blame me for the lapse of judgment and fallout that came from it. Others are taking the blame too – the council for agreeing, security for not stopping the raid – but that doesn’t make me feel better. Dad and I were the only ones exiled.† â€Å"I†¦ I’m sorry. I never thought anything like that would happen.† â€Å"Wasn’t your place to,† he said pragmatically, though his tone was still miserable. â€Å"To a certain extent, they’re right. I was the one that got you in. It is my fault, and they’re punishing my dad for what I did. That’s the worst part of all.† Trey was trying to play it cool, but I could see the truth. He’d worked so hard to impress his father and ended up causing the ultimate humiliation. Trey’s next words confirmed as much. â€Å"The Warriors have been my dad’s whole life. To be kicked out like that†¦ well, he’s taking it pretty badly. I have to find a way to get back in – for him. I don’t suppose you know where any easy-to-kill Strigoi are, do you?† â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"Especially since none of them are easy kills.† I hesitated, unsure how to proceed. â€Å"Trey, what’s this mean for us? I understand if we can’t be friends anymore†¦ seeing as how I, uh, ruined your life’s work.† A hint of his old smile returned. â€Å"Nothing’s ruined for good. I told you, I’ll get back in. And if it’s not by killing Strigoi, who knows? Maybe if I learn more about you guys, I can bridge the gap between our groups and get us to all work together. That would score me some points.† â€Å"You’re welcome to try,† I said diplomatically. I really didn’t think that would happen, and he could tell. â€Å"Well, I’ll figure something out then, some big move to get the Warriors’ attention and get my dad and me back in with them. I have to.† His face started to fall again, but then there was a brief return of the phantom smile – though it was tinged with sadness. â€Å"You know what else sucks? Now I can’t ask Angeline out. Hanging out with you is one thing, but even if I’m an outcast, I can’t risk being friendly with Moroi or dhampirs. I especially can’t date one. I mean, I’d figured she was one a while ago, but I could have played dumb. That attack in the arena kind of killed any chance of that. The Warriors really don’t like them either, you know. Dhampirs or Moroi. They’d love to see them brought down too – they just think it’s too hard and less of a priority right now.† Something about those words made me shiver, particularly since I recalled the offhand Warrior comment about eventually taking out Moroi. The Alchemists certainly had no love for dhampirs and Moroi, but that was a far cry from wanting to bring them down. â€Å"I gotta get going.† Trey reached into his pocket and handed over something that I was grateful to see. My phone. â€Å"Figured you were missing this.† â€Å"Yes!† I took it eagerly and turned it on. I hadn’t known if I’d get it back and had been on the verge of buying a new one. This one was three months old and practically out-of-date anyway. â€Å"Thanks for saving it. Oh. Wow.† I read the display. â€Å"There are like a million messages from Brayden.† We hadn’t spoken since the night of Sonya’s disappearance. The mischievous look I liked so well on Trey returned. â€Å"Better get on that then. True love waits for no one.† â€Å"True love, huh?† I shook my head in exasperation. â€Å"So nice to have you back.† That earned me an outright grin. â€Å"See you around.† As soon as I was alone, I texted Brayden: Sorry for the radio silence. Lost my phone for three days. His response was almost immediate: I’m at work, due for a break soon. Come by? I thought about it. Seeing as I had no life-saving tasks right now, this was as good a time as any. I texted back that I’d leave Amberwood right away. Brayden had my favorite latte ready for me when I got to Spencer’s. â€Å"Based on when you were leaving, I calculated when I would need to make it in order for it to be hot when you arrived.† â€Å"Thanks,† I said, taking it. I felt a little guilt that I had a greater emotional reaction to seeing the coffee than him. He told the other barista he was going on break and then led me over to a remote table. â€Å"This won’t take long,† Brayden said. â€Å"I know you probably have a lot of things to do this weekend.† â€Å"Things are actually starting to lighten up,† I said. He took a deep breath, showing that same resolve and anxiety he’d had when asking me for future dates. â€Å"Sydney,† he said, voice formal, â€Å"I don’t think we should see each other anymore.† I stopped mid-sip. â€Å"Wait†¦ what?† â€Å"I know how devastating this probably is for you,† he added. â€Å"And I admit, it’s hard for me too. But in light of recent events, it’s become clear you just aren’t ready for a relationship yet.† â€Å"Recent events?† He nodded solemnly. â€Å"Your family. You’ve broken off a number of our social engagements to be with them. While that kind of familial devotion is admirable, I just can’t be in that kind of volatile relationship.† â€Å"Volatile?† I just kept repeating his key words and finally forced myself to get a grip. â€Å"So†¦ let me get this straight. You’re breaking up with me.† He thought about it. â€Å"Yes. Yes, I am.† I waited for some internal reaction. An outpouring of grief. The sense of my heart breaking. Any emotion, really. But mostly, all I felt was kind of a puzzled surprise. â€Å"Huh,† I said. That was apparently enough of a distraught reaction for Brayden. â€Å"Please don’t make this harder than it is. I admire you a lot. You’re absolutely the smartest girl I’ve ever met. But I just can’t be involved with someone as irresponsible as you.† I stared. â€Å"Irresponsible.† Brayden nodded again. â€Å"Yes.† I’m not sure where it started, somewhere in my stomach or chest, maybe. But all of a sudden, I was consumed by uncontrollable laughter. I couldn’t stop. I had to set down my coffee, lest I spill it. Even then, I had to bury my face in my hands to wipe away tears. â€Å"Sydney?† asked Brayden cautiously. â€Å"Is this some kind of hysterical-grief reaction?† It took me almost another minute to calm myself enough to answer him. â€Å"Oh, Brayden. You’ve made my day. You’ve given me something I never thought I’d get. Thank you.† I reached for the coffee and stood up. He looked completely lost. â€Å"Um, you’re welcome?† I left the coffee shop, still laughing like a fool. For the last month or so, everyone in my life had gone on and on about how responsible I was, how diligent, how exemplary. I’d been called a lot of things. But never, ever, had I been called irresponsible. And I kind of liked it. How to cite The Golden Lily Chapter 23, Essay examples

Marketing Strategy for a Self-Storage Business free essay sample

WK Investments operates 4 self storage facilities in the Midland/Odessa area. These facilities operate as Loop 250 Self Storage Center and Midkiff Self Storage Center in Midland, and as West County Road Self Storage Center and Grandview Self Storage Center in Odessa. While the company is the market leader in this area, we feel there are certain measures the company can take that will help both maintain a market leader position and possibly attract new customers. WK Investments currently has a strong market position as a leader in the market.They do have higher prices than the competition; however, the current position allows them to be the price setter in their perspective markets and their prices are justified with their superior products/services. In researching the customers that use the facilities most often, we recommend the following market segments to focus on: * Homeowners * Renters * Vehicle Owners * Renters The marketing strategy that we recommend for the company is a strategy of differentiation. We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing Strategy for a Self-Storage Business or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page We feel that this approach is best suited for the company because their product is superior to competitors in the area.Because we want to highlight the special features of each location as well as the superior service, we feel that the differentiation approach would work best for this company. After a careful analysis of the company’s customer, the competition, and other internal external factors, we have come up with various tactics to help enhance WK investment’s marketing strategy. THE CHALLENGE We believe that these self-storage centers offer the best storage facilities available. However, the Midland/Odessa self-storage market is a mature market. There is not very much room for growth. Therefore, an aggressive marketing approach is needed to target customers and let them know that their storage needs are unfulfilled. We need to analyze the competition to see that none of our present business is stolen while attracting new customers. SITUATION ANALYSIS Company Analysis WK Investments strives to have higher quality storage units than the competition. Their focus is to target the female demographic of the selected target markets. This means making the facilities comfortable for women so they feel safe when they are on the property, especially at night. To chieve this, proper lighting is used as well as soft music to help create a comfortable atmosphere. The self-storage centers’ culture is focused on convenience as well as piece of mind. Prices may be slightly higher than that of the competition however, the prices are justified with the fact that customers are getting what they pay for. There are four self-storage locations which allow the company to serve a better customer base than competitors with only one location. While the staff is trained with the customer in mind, they are able to provide the best customer service available.Customer Analysis Typical customers are homeowners between the ages of 25 and 65, generally married and living within 3-5 miles of a storage location. The majority of other customers are businesses, in either the service industry or a doctor’s office. Most customers use the storage units to store excess belongings. Some use them while they are in the process of moving and others use the units during a divorce. Based on surveys performed by the company, the majority of customers choose WK Investments because of the location, and secondly because of the features.The management staff is also a major factor in why customers choose these facilities. Competitor Analysis There are a variety of competitors for a self-storage facility. There are numerous other self-storage facilities in the Midland/Odessa area. Although these properties do not meet our standards for quality, some facilities offer new customers incentives such as coupons and/or discounts. Our company offers a $25 gift card to existing customers for each referral made; however, we do not distribute coupons or offer seasonal discounts because we feel like this tactic would dilute the image of the facility’s quality.These companies tend to offer seasonal sales or discount pricing; but at the same time, the customer has to make a very expensive purchase that requires a permanent fixture on their property. In contrast, our storage facility offers an affordable monthly payment, rents on a month-to-month basis, and gives customers a choice of short-term or long-term usage. Our last form of competition comes from contractors who build custom storage fixtures. Once again, this form of storage is very expensive and requires a long-term commitment, while our storage facility is inexpensive and offers flexibility.Climate PESTEL Analysis * The political environment is up in the air at this time. It seems that more emphasis is being put on the government to help small businesses. However, it is unclear at this time whether the tax laws will be changing in the next year. This could either hurt the company financially or be beneficial. * The economy has been sluggish in recent years. However, it appears that the economy seems to be on the upswing which will allow customers to better be able to afford self-storage facilities, which in turn, would be very good for business. Social Trends show that younger generations are living with their parents at older ages. * There is more emphasis on using the internet to find service needs. Social networking sites are becoming an essential base for marketing to the public. * The west Texas weather is highly volatile with extremely hot summers and fair winters, along with high windstorms. * There seems to be a steady legal environment. SWOT Analysis Strengths The company is the Market leader in the area. With 4 locations, it is conveniently located near you wherever you live, within the area.Customers know and trust the company for the measures that are taken to store and secure their belongings. The on-site staff is friendly, trained and focused on keeping the customer happy and assisting with any needs they may have. Weaknesses While people are always finding that there is something they can store and do not have room for, one weakness of the business is that there are no contracts. Contracts are on a month-to-month basis which is good for the customers but does not guarantee revenue. All locations go by a different name, which can cause branding issues when people are not able to associate the each location with the company. Also, there is a limited amount of staff available to serve customers which could cause customer service issues. Opportunities Improving economic conditions could mean that there is more business to be done. Increasing leisure spending means that there are likely to be more recreational vehicles to be stored. In the past few years, marketing via paper outlets is becoming obsolete, however, internet and social networking mediums provide for more awareness at lower costs. Threats On average, each location needs to reach 65% occupancy in order for the bills to be paid.Safety is a main requirement for this segment and the more cameras, safety systems and gates, the better. The best way to reach this segment is by website, radio and TV. Home owners usually have a price sensitivity of moderate. Segment 2 * Renters ranging in age 18 to 55, want and inexpensive, but safe place to store their belongings while renting a home, apartment or dorm. They use storage facilities by storing the belongings that they do not have room for at the facility they are renting from.Support Requirements include safety, cleanliness, accessibility are some of the requirements when renters are searching for a place to store their belongings. The best way to reach them is by website, TV, flyers, radio. Renters usually have price sensitivity of high. Segment 3 * Vehicle owners ranging in age 35 to 60 want a storage that protects their vehicle as well as easy access. They use storage facilities by storing vehicles such as boats, motorcycles, RVs, and collectables while not in use. The support requirements include accessibility, cleanliness, and reliable security systems.The best way to reach this segment is by website, TV, flyers, and radio. Vehicle owners’ price sensitivity is usually moderate. Segment 4 * Business owners ranging in age 40 to 60 want a clean and safe storage facility to store business supplies. They use the product by storing equipment that is not in use, or is in the way at their business. Support requirements include large storerooms, easy access, security, cleanliness and accessibility. The best way to reach them by mail outs, flyers, and website. Usually price sensitivity is between moderate and low. WK Investments is the market leader in the Permian Basin offering a superior product and service. These self-storage centers are in a strong enough position to be the price setters, so we feel that skimming would give a beneficial return to the company. We also suggest that they dedicate plenty of resources to their advertising campaigns and suggest that they try to make more of an internet presence for themselves. Because we feel that this market is already saturated, we do not feel the need to expand in this area. However, the company may want to look in similar markets to Midland and Odessa for expansion opportunities. Product WK Investments provide self-storage facilities in four different locations in the Midland/Odessa area. In Odessa, they operate as Grandview Self Storage and West County Road Self Storage. In Midland, they operate as Loop 250 Self Storage and as Midkiff Self Storage. While the actual storage offerings of each location may differ, each of the locations includes the following: * Security * 24/7 surveillance * Keypad entry * Sealed storage units * TV monitoring * Lights on every building * Cameras strategically located on corners and center of site * Site activity map Convenience items * Packing supplies for sale * Moving equipment rentals * Amenities * Various sizes of rental units * Air conditioned units available * Dust control units available Most of the selling of storage units is face-to-face, therefore, the company needs to make sure to invest in customer service training for each of their employees. The first impression makes a lasting impression and as m arketing research shows; not very many people choose one of these facilities based on price. It is usually based on convenience with most customers living within a couple of miles from each of the facilities.Therefore, the customer service of the employees has the potential to make or break the sale. Price Because WK Investments is the market leader in this area, we recommend a skimming strategy. The self storage centers are differentiated enough and have a large enough presence to be the price setters in this market. Below is a table of the rates offered by all four locations. As noted below, there is a set up fee and a deposit required for the storage facilities. However, there are no contracts associated with the storage rental. A disclaimer is given to all potential clients letting them know that rates are subject to change at any time.