<p>Starting an advertising campaign without a clear understanding of your target market is like driving in the dark. Driving in the dark is not only ineffective but also dangerous. It is very important to first identify your target market before you begin with your advertising campaign. Save money with effective marketing. This is done by knowing and targeting a specific market.</p><p>Market segmentation is the process of identifying your target market. Once you have a market segmentation, you can easily identify a target group or niche. Once you have identified your niche, you can concentrate on effective marketing to a specific consumer group. This will not only save you money, but it also make you money.</p><p>The research helps you identify your potential consumer group. The process of collecting and analyzing data about a specific consumer group is called market research. This research can be complicated and expensive as well as simple and inexpensive, all depending on your needs and budget. Segmenting a population to target market can be done in several ways. Here is just few ways to help you identify a niche so you can effectively deploy a marketing campaign.</p><p>Demographics</p><p>• Age
<br>• Income
<br>• Education
<br>• Gender</p><p>Behaviors</p><p>• Brand loyalty</p><p>Geographic</p><p>• Regions of the world
<br>• Climate</p><p>Psychographic</p><p>• Personality
<br>• Lifestyle
<br>• Interests</p><p>They are two common types of marketing research that can be performed. They are surveys and focus groups. The least expensive method is surveys. Surveys can be conducted in person, by phone or online. This method is by far the most economical way to perform market research. The other type of market research is using focus groups. In focus groups, businesses collect feedback on products and services by asking questions in a group setting. Collecting information and doing surveys online, is one of the most cost effective way of doing market research. Depending on resource is available and your budget, you might want to try both methods of market research.</p><p>Sandra Conway is an expert in consumer reports and consumer trends. For the coolest <a target="_new" href="http://www.tinypocketpeople.com" rel="nofollow">personalized gifts</a> check out <a target="_new" href="http://www.tinypocketpeople.com/personalized-gifts-unique-personalized-gifts.php" rel="nofollow">unique personalized gifts</a></p>
Friday, October 16, 2009
Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Replace Your Garage Door
<p>Impossible to lift, sagging and cracking, and generally falling apart - these are just some of the common signs that will tell you it's time to replace your garage door with a new one. However, there are a few people who, in spite of the absence of any of these, still go for a replacement door. Why they do so? Here are the top 5 reasons why garage door should be replaced.</p><p>1. Increase the value and improve the appearance of your home. Have you ever noticed that the garage door represents ¼ to 1/3 of the front of your home? If you have, then you will know exactly what a new stylish and maintenance-free door can do for the value of your home. Believe it or not, even real estate agents will confirm that when you decide to sell your home in the future, it will be easier to do so if its garage door looks good. Moreover, a new garage door also improves the overall appearance of your home. Simply choose from a wide variety of garage door colours, styles, and windows to match the look of your home and voila - your home will look even better in no time.</p><p>2. Increase your garage's uses. Although some homeowners use their garage solely for parking their vehicles, there are many who decide to utilize it beyond such purpose. That's why they use an insulated garage door between R-12 & R-18 to make it a more conducive place to work in. With such condition, the garage can now be used as art studio, workshop, playroom, special party room, heated storage room, and even a music room.</p><p>3. Provide added protection to the items stored in the garage. Extreme heat and cold can damage the items stored in your garage. To prevent this from happening, you need to replace your old garage door with an insulated one. This often comes with a thermo barrier, preventing cold or heat from traveling from the outside to the inside surface. Combine this with a double fin rubber seal, bottom rubber weather strip, and PVC weather strip and you've got one of the tightest sealing garage doors ever. But aside from elements, a metal insulated door also protects your stored items from thieves who are attempting to break in. Unlike wooden or metal non-insulated door, the metal insulated one is more difficult to drill and kick in.</p><p>4. Prevent easy access to your home. Even if you have the toughest front door installed, but your garage door is just the ordinary type, chances are your home can still be easily accessed. So to prevent this from happening, have a garage door opener that features rolling code technology. This makes it really difficult for anyone to enter through the door as the opener uses one of 100-billion new codes every time the door is opened.</p><p>5. Reduce the risk of injury. If you're still using your old garage openers, perhaps you'll consider replacing them with the ones equipped with photo electric eyes. These are now mandatory since they sense when something is passing through the opening or is in the way when the door is coming down, preventing an injury.</p><p>Stephen Kelly provides information on installing, repairing and operation of a <a target="_new" href="http://www.usgaragedoors.com" rel="nofollow">garage door</a> by publishing various articles on blog, press release and online magazines. You can also find more info on garage door repair at <a target="_new" href="http://www.usgaragedoors.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.usgaragedoors.com</a>.</p>
Improve Aging Skin Without a Lengthy Recovery
As we age, our skin undergoes a process where it begins to show signs of aging. Signs of aging include wrinkles, dark eye circles, fine lines, and age spots. Taking care of our skin has become essential to reducing the signs of aging. Fortunately, there are many measures one can take to reduce the visible signs of aging on the skin without having to deal with a long recovery.
<br>
<br>The following is a list of helpful tips to improve aging skin without having to endure a lengthy recovery:
<br>
<br>Anti-Wrinkle Creams: There are many anti-wrinkle creams on the market to help nourish and revitalize aging skin. There are also creams that will lighten age spots. A good cream or ointment will contain natural ingredients such as vitamins A, C, E, and Aloe Vera. It should also contain a natural moisturizer.
<br>
<br>Anti-Aging Supplements: There are a variety of anti-aging supplements that one can take such as Vitamins C, E, A, K, and B complex. You will see a healthy change in your skin's appearance as important vitamins are replenished.
<br>
<br>Dermabrasion: This form of cosmetic skin treatment reduces the signs of aging skin. One can either receive a laser treatment or a chemical peel. The length of recovery is quite short. It helps eliminates wrinkles, fine lines, and dry and flaky skin. The result is smooth and soft skin. Laser treatment is an effective treatment for saggy and loose skin as it will tighten the skin.
<br>
<br>Botox: The most common method for treating skin wrinkles and fine lines is Botox. This filler is made from botulism toxin and relaxes muscles causing the skin to smooth. It smoothes fine lines and wrinkles on the forehead and around the eyes.
<br>
<br>Thermage: This is a type of skin tightening procedure uses a radiofrequency system. The radiofrequencies trigger collagen production that results in firm and tighter skin. Results can normally be seen within 48 hours after the treatment. Thermage is a non invasive procedure so there is no recovery time.
<br>
<br>Injectable Fillers: In this non-surgical procedure, collagen is injected directly to the skin to remove wrinkles, firm fine lines, tighten saggy skin, and the results are visible in about a day. Injectable dermal fillers are materials that are injected into the skin. The process usually takes about 15 minutes. Results can be seen within a day or two and can last 6 months or more.
<br>
<br>Facials: Facials are a gentle and effective method of improving the skin. A professional aesthetician will perform a facial that will clean out dirt, debris, and bacteria from the skin. The result is clean, nourished and rehydrated skin. The skin's elasticity is restored and the result is smooth, soft, and younger looking skin.
<br>
<br>As we age, our skin undergoes a lot of changes. Harsh environmental elements and lifestyle habits can do a lot of damage to the skin. The result is wrinkles, skin irritations, dark circles under the eyes, and fine lines. Fortunately, there are now many options available to reduce the signs of aging and maintain younger and healthier skin without having to go through a long recovery process.
<br>
<br>About the Author: While <a href="http://www.cosmeticsurgery123.com/" rel="nofollow">Montréal Chirurgie plastique</a> helps individuals to achieve their desired appearance, <a href="http://www.cosmeticsurgery123.com/" rel="nofollow">Chirurgie plastique de Montréal</a> can give women an extra boost of confidence. By using injections, clients will experience a healthy appeal and satisfaction.
<br>
<br>
<br>The following is a list of helpful tips to improve aging skin without having to endure a lengthy recovery:
<br>
<br>Anti-Wrinkle Creams: There are many anti-wrinkle creams on the market to help nourish and revitalize aging skin. There are also creams that will lighten age spots. A good cream or ointment will contain natural ingredients such as vitamins A, C, E, and Aloe Vera. It should also contain a natural moisturizer.
<br>
<br>Anti-Aging Supplements: There are a variety of anti-aging supplements that one can take such as Vitamins C, E, A, K, and B complex. You will see a healthy change in your skin's appearance as important vitamins are replenished.
<br>
<br>Dermabrasion: This form of cosmetic skin treatment reduces the signs of aging skin. One can either receive a laser treatment or a chemical peel. The length of recovery is quite short. It helps eliminates wrinkles, fine lines, and dry and flaky skin. The result is smooth and soft skin. Laser treatment is an effective treatment for saggy and loose skin as it will tighten the skin.
<br>
<br>Botox: The most common method for treating skin wrinkles and fine lines is Botox. This filler is made from botulism toxin and relaxes muscles causing the skin to smooth. It smoothes fine lines and wrinkles on the forehead and around the eyes.
<br>
<br>Thermage: This is a type of skin tightening procedure uses a radiofrequency system. The radiofrequencies trigger collagen production that results in firm and tighter skin. Results can normally be seen within 48 hours after the treatment. Thermage is a non invasive procedure so there is no recovery time.
<br>
<br>Injectable Fillers: In this non-surgical procedure, collagen is injected directly to the skin to remove wrinkles, firm fine lines, tighten saggy skin, and the results are visible in about a day. Injectable dermal fillers are materials that are injected into the skin. The process usually takes about 15 minutes. Results can be seen within a day or two and can last 6 months or more.
<br>
<br>Facials: Facials are a gentle and effective method of improving the skin. A professional aesthetician will perform a facial that will clean out dirt, debris, and bacteria from the skin. The result is clean, nourished and rehydrated skin. The skin's elasticity is restored and the result is smooth, soft, and younger looking skin.
<br>
<br>As we age, our skin undergoes a lot of changes. Harsh environmental elements and lifestyle habits can do a lot of damage to the skin. The result is wrinkles, skin irritations, dark circles under the eyes, and fine lines. Fortunately, there are now many options available to reduce the signs of aging and maintain younger and healthier skin without having to go through a long recovery process.
<br>
<br>About the Author: While <a href="http://www.cosmeticsurgery123.com/" rel="nofollow">Montréal Chirurgie plastique</a> helps individuals to achieve their desired appearance, <a href="http://www.cosmeticsurgery123.com/" rel="nofollow">Chirurgie plastique de Montréal</a> can give women an extra boost of confidence. By using injections, clients will experience a healthy appeal and satisfaction.
<br>
Keds Shoes For Kids – Pick Your Child’s Pair Now
Keds is one of the leaders in making canvas shoes with rubber soles or better known as sneakers. The company has been around since 1916 and has been providing its clients with comfortable sneakers. Though, the brand is well known to produce shoes for women, they also produce sneakers for kids. Keds shoes for kids offer a wide range of choices that allows kids of different ages to have a sneaker they can use for a long time.
<br>
<br>The kids' line of shoes is divided into different categories. The baby shoes fit kids in the range of 0 to 2 years of age. Toddler shoes fit kids with ages in the range of 2 to 5 years old. And finally, the girls shoes are shoes that are made to fit girls of ages 5 to pre-teens.
<br>
<br>Though more known as women shoes, the baby shoes have designs that can be worn by both baby boys and baby girls. Different color schemes allow one to mix and match the shoes with the baby's outfit, making one's baby look stylish while being comfortable at the same time.
<br>
<br>The toddler line of shoes has more styles to choose from. There are shoes that use straps. The t-strap shoes are the shoes that have a strap on one side, usually a Velcro strap that hooks through the upper part of the shoe that holds the foot in. The hook and loop style has two straps that hooks to the other side of the shoe and looping back to strap in one's foot. There are also lace shoes that use laces to hold the foot in.
<br>
<br>Like the baby line of Keds shoes for kids, there are a few shoes that can be worn by both boys and girls. The toddler line though has more little girl designs that are inspired by older women shoes. Some designs are even inspired by shows for kids many kids watch on TV.
<br>
<br>The girls line of shoes is made to fit girls five years of age to girls in their pre-teens. It has a fewer number of styles that are designed for girls only. There are also no more shoes with strap making the wearer more hip and more mature. Any girl could proudly wear any of these shoes and fit in anywhere as well as be comfortable. They can also choose different styles of shoes for different looks they want to pull off.
<br>
<br>Just recently, Keds have launched a design your own style of shoes line. A client would just have to send a design, which can be in a form of color schemes, artwork, drawings, or patterns that one would want their sneakers to have. The people from the company take these designs and incorporate them into one's very own sneakers making one's sneaker unique and can also be called shoes of one's own design.
<br>
<br>Keds shoes for kids are definitely something to look into when choosing one's child's footwear. The mix of comfort and style these sneakers provide makes it the best buy one can ever get.
<br>
<br>About the Author: Are you looking for the best <a href="http://www.tshirts-gifts.com" rel="nofollow">Keds shoes for kids</a> at a very low price? Visit <a href="http://www.tshirts-gifts.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.tshirts-gifts.com</a> today and find anything and everything you are looking for!
<br>
<br>
<br>The kids' line of shoes is divided into different categories. The baby shoes fit kids in the range of 0 to 2 years of age. Toddler shoes fit kids with ages in the range of 2 to 5 years old. And finally, the girls shoes are shoes that are made to fit girls of ages 5 to pre-teens.
<br>
<br>Though more known as women shoes, the baby shoes have designs that can be worn by both baby boys and baby girls. Different color schemes allow one to mix and match the shoes with the baby's outfit, making one's baby look stylish while being comfortable at the same time.
<br>
<br>The toddler line of shoes has more styles to choose from. There are shoes that use straps. The t-strap shoes are the shoes that have a strap on one side, usually a Velcro strap that hooks through the upper part of the shoe that holds the foot in. The hook and loop style has two straps that hooks to the other side of the shoe and looping back to strap in one's foot. There are also lace shoes that use laces to hold the foot in.
<br>
<br>Like the baby line of Keds shoes for kids, there are a few shoes that can be worn by both boys and girls. The toddler line though has more little girl designs that are inspired by older women shoes. Some designs are even inspired by shows for kids many kids watch on TV.
<br>
<br>The girls line of shoes is made to fit girls five years of age to girls in their pre-teens. It has a fewer number of styles that are designed for girls only. There are also no more shoes with strap making the wearer more hip and more mature. Any girl could proudly wear any of these shoes and fit in anywhere as well as be comfortable. They can also choose different styles of shoes for different looks they want to pull off.
<br>
<br>Just recently, Keds have launched a design your own style of shoes line. A client would just have to send a design, which can be in a form of color schemes, artwork, drawings, or patterns that one would want their sneakers to have. The people from the company take these designs and incorporate them into one's very own sneakers making one's sneaker unique and can also be called shoes of one's own design.
<br>
<br>Keds shoes for kids are definitely something to look into when choosing one's child's footwear. The mix of comfort and style these sneakers provide makes it the best buy one can ever get.
<br>
<br>About the Author: Are you looking for the best <a href="http://www.tshirts-gifts.com" rel="nofollow">Keds shoes for kids</a> at a very low price? Visit <a href="http://www.tshirts-gifts.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.tshirts-gifts.com</a> today and find anything and everything you are looking for!
<br>
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Advertising Income - Benefits of Increasing Your Web Presence
<p>With the development of internet marketing strategies and introduction of new marketing concepts, internet has become a cost effective way for many small, medium and large sized businesses to market their services and products. There is a huge difference between the cost of advertising on media like television and running an online ad campaign. It is also a highly targeted method of advertising; you can place your ads on sites that are frequently visited by people, who could be your potential customers.</p><p>Anyone who is marketing a product online through their blog or website is essentially running a small business. The beauty of advertising online is that you are able to earn a residual income for your efforts. There is no limit to how much you can earn; the stronger your presence on the web, the more you'll be able to earn.</p><p>Creating blogs about the products you sell not only help in providing information to visitors, but also helps you earn advertising income. You can create a blog on all of the popular blogging platforms and write detailed blog posts in which you pre-sell your product.</p><p>After creating content for your blogs, you should setup means of generating advertising income from them. Apply for AdSense ads. Google displays ads after analyzing the content of your blog. This way you get ads that visitors are more likely to click on.</p><p>Another method, of earning advertising income from your blog is by choosing ads to show on your blog. You can choose your own ads by joining an affiliate network. Affiliate networks display products of companies that pay you every time someone clicks on their ad, and either become a member of their site or purchases something from it. The number of people clicking on a banner and buying the product maybe low, but the commissions is greater than other advertising methods. The more actively you are involved in increasing your web presence by creating blog posts and new blogs for your product(s), the more money you can make.</p><p>Google Adwords and Cost-Per-Impression marketing are other methods of advertising your business online. Pay-Per-Click or PPC marketing is a method in which you set the amount of money that you are willing to pay for every visitor that clicks on your ad. PPC advertising helps to get your website listed with the popular websites in your niche. All the popular search engines allow you to run PPC campaigns. The most well known PPC platform is AdWords. With Google Adwords provides you the option to enter the keywords that you want to target. This way you can market to people who are most likely to buy your product.</p><p>CPM (cost per 1000 impressions) is slightly from PPC. With CPM you pay every time your ad is shown to people a 1000 times. People who display these ads are paid on the same principle. This method is more effective for webmasters whose websites get a lot of traffic.</p><p>The internet has become a popular place for shoppers and business owners. The competition among business owners/marketers is tough. But, by increasing your presence on the web, you stand a better chance of earning money through advertising.</p><p>Please stop by our site for more useful resources; tools and articles regarding <a target="_new" href="http://www.thepassiveincomeblog.com" rel="nofollow">Passive Income</a> That's <a target="_new" href="http://www.ThePassiveIncomeBlog.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.ThePassiveIncomeBlog.com</a></p>
Hair Loss Warning Signs | ArticlesBase.com
<p>Do you notice that your hair is thinning or there is a bald spot on the back of your head? You may be suffering from male pattern baldness, the most common form of hair loss in men. Robert Angelino, founder of HAIRLAB, a medical and natural hair restoration center located in Beverly Hills, California, tells how to spot the warning signs of impending hair loss. <br /><br /><br />It seems my hair is thinning out. Is thin hair a warning sign of hair loss? <br /><br /><br />Yes. If your hair is thinning, it’s the start of a progressive cycle that will eventually result in some sort of hair loss. Hair progressively gets thinner and when thin enough, will fall out. Don’t fret, though. This is a natural process that usually starts in your 20s and progresses throughout middle age. <br /><br />Almost all men in their 20s will start to have some hair loss but that is totally natural as some hair recedes and a more mature hair line develops. This is a rite of passage which should be accepted. Not everyone at 30 can have their 18-year-old hair line. You want to have a mature, slightly receded hair line at that age. It is very odd looking to see a 50-year-old man with an adolescent hair line. Sometimes we will get a 20-year-old man whose hairline has begun to recede and he is feeling paranoid about it and wants hair transplant surgery immediately. We tell people like him that if we did a hair transplant surgery to bring back your youthful hairline, it wouldn’t look natural and would in fact look quite weird when you reach middle age. If they are really insistent we will recommend they use something topical like the lasers or Rogaine to maintain a fuller head of hair. A receding hairline is just a natural rite of passage and unless you are going full on bald, it is something to accept with grace. <br /><br /><br />Why do some people lose their hair early in life and some not at all? <br /><br />It is simply a genetic luck of the draw. Think of Bill Clinton, the Kennedy men or Ronald Reagan. Those men had full heads of hair throughout their middle age. They had these great low hair lines with widow’s peaks and while many might get jealous, we have to realize it is just genetics. Some people will lose their hair and some will not. Why? All men when they reach a certain age produce DHT, the enzyme that that is the cause of hair loss, but for some people it simply does not have the effect of causing hair to thin and eventually fall out. <br /><br /><br />How do I spot hair loss and what should I do if I suspect I’m losing my hair?<br /><br /><br />If you are looking in the mirror every day, hair loss is a very gradual process that is very hard to notice. Often someone will suddenly see the back of his head and realize that he has this thinning or bald spot in the middle of his hair. But most people don’t take notice until they have lost lots of hair. Some people are obsessed with their hair and come in all paranoid when they start losing just a little. They come to a place like HAIRLAB and see our hair expert and we give them their options. We almost always try topical treatments like lasers and Rogaine before we resort to hair transplant surgery. Not all hair restoration centers are like us, however. Some only have the money and not your best interests in mind. They will be happy to rush right into surgery at the client’s request and that is not right. Lots of people are very happy to have options that might be very effective before they move to hair transplant surgery. <br /><br /><br />The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.</p><strong>About the Author:</strong><br /><p>Rob Angelino is a writer for Yodle, a business directory and online advertising company. Find a <a href="http://www.local.yodle.com/articles" rel="nofollow">Dermatologist</a> or more <a href="http://local.yodle.com/articles/topics/health-medicine/dermatology-health-medicine/" rel="nofollow"> Hair Loss </a> articles at Yodle Consumer Guide. <a href="http://local.yodle.com/articles/am-i-losing-my-hair-hair-loss-warning-signs" rel="nofollow"> Hair Loss Warning Signs</a>
</p>
</p>
Monday, October 12, 2009
Customised Trucks From Around the World
Stringing a tree with tinsel or spraying fake snow around your double-glazed windows is fairly normal behaviour when it comes to celebrating a religious festival at home. However, if you spend more time on the road carrying out haulage work then you do lounging around in your living room at home, then it's understandable that you may also want to decorate your vehicle. Here are some instances of customised trucks from around the world.
<br>
<br>The Christmas Truck
<br>
<br>Some people admit to only feeling festive when the Christmas Coca-Cola advert, with the beautifully lit up red truck, comes onto the television. This advert actually fell into disuse around 2001, after Coca-Cola restructured its advertising model to produce adverts locally rather than centrally in the companies' Atlanta headquarters. However, after many phone calls from consumers all over the world, saying that the advert represented the start of the festive season, the company were forced to place the advert back into use. Haulage workers driving the Coca-Cola trucks, like on the advert, are encouraged to decorate their trucks with the stereotypical red LED lights. These trucks are therefore a common sight on the freeways of America during the Advent season.
<br>
<br>The Hola MohallaTruck
<br>
<br>During the Sikh festival of Hola Mohalla it is common for participants to decorate their trucks, before carrying out haulage work. The decorations are similar in style to the Diwali trucks, but slightly less elaborate. Instead of floral offerings, crepe paper decorations hang from the bumpers and windows of the truck, whilst artificial flower garlands decorate the front bonnet and balloons hang from the side doors. However, during the festival the goods that the haulage workers are carrying slightly differ from those they are used to in their regular line of work. Haulage workers carrying participants to and from the carnival procession in their decorated trucks, whilst the participants sing Kirtan hymns in the back.
<br>
<br>The Dekotora Truck
<br>
<br>Whilst many haulage workers will only decorate their trucks for special occasions, in Japan truck decoration is actually an art form. The art is known as dekotora and trucks are painted in loud and brash designs. They commonly have neon or ultra-violet lights and are in some instances designed to look like animals or anime characters. The trucks can be used for haulage work, but more commonly they are decorated by hobbyists who drive them to special events. However, whilst dekotora sounds like a lot of fun, there are strict rules that the participants all have to adhere to. The side bumpers, for example, must be made with broad plankers instead of the usual pipes. These are often decorated with paper lanterns and different types of illuminations.
<br>
<br>The Diwali Truck
<br>
<br>Haulage companies in India are encouraged to decorate their lorries for Diwali; the festival of lights. This sport can actually become quite competitive with those carrying out haulage work during the festival, trying to out do their colleagues by having the most elaborately decorated lorry. Strings of marigold flowers are wrung around the front of the truck and the bumper and these are known as 'pura'. The flowers have already been offered to the goddess, Lakshmi and after receiving her blessing are then hung from the trucks as an omen of good fortune. Marigold flowers aren't the only form of decoration and ribbons are often hung from the wing mirrors, whilst tassels cover the mud-flaps and grill of the vehicle. Haulage workers also use the excuse of the festive period to treat their trucks to a new lick of paint, so that they really outdo their rivals on the road.
<br>
<br>About the Author: Lyall Cresswell is the Managing Director of Haulage Exchange, the leading online trade network for the road transport industry across the UK and Europe. It provides services for <a href="http://www.haulageexchange.co.uk/ " rel="nofollow"> haulage work </a> to buy and sell road transport and freight exchange in the domestic and international markets.
<br>
<br>
<br>The Christmas Truck
<br>
<br>Some people admit to only feeling festive when the Christmas Coca-Cola advert, with the beautifully lit up red truck, comes onto the television. This advert actually fell into disuse around 2001, after Coca-Cola restructured its advertising model to produce adverts locally rather than centrally in the companies' Atlanta headquarters. However, after many phone calls from consumers all over the world, saying that the advert represented the start of the festive season, the company were forced to place the advert back into use. Haulage workers driving the Coca-Cola trucks, like on the advert, are encouraged to decorate their trucks with the stereotypical red LED lights. These trucks are therefore a common sight on the freeways of America during the Advent season.
<br>
<br>The Hola MohallaTruck
<br>
<br>During the Sikh festival of Hola Mohalla it is common for participants to decorate their trucks, before carrying out haulage work. The decorations are similar in style to the Diwali trucks, but slightly less elaborate. Instead of floral offerings, crepe paper decorations hang from the bumpers and windows of the truck, whilst artificial flower garlands decorate the front bonnet and balloons hang from the side doors. However, during the festival the goods that the haulage workers are carrying slightly differ from those they are used to in their regular line of work. Haulage workers carrying participants to and from the carnival procession in their decorated trucks, whilst the participants sing Kirtan hymns in the back.
<br>
<br>The Dekotora Truck
<br>
<br>Whilst many haulage workers will only decorate their trucks for special occasions, in Japan truck decoration is actually an art form. The art is known as dekotora and trucks are painted in loud and brash designs. They commonly have neon or ultra-violet lights and are in some instances designed to look like animals or anime characters. The trucks can be used for haulage work, but more commonly they are decorated by hobbyists who drive them to special events. However, whilst dekotora sounds like a lot of fun, there are strict rules that the participants all have to adhere to. The side bumpers, for example, must be made with broad plankers instead of the usual pipes. These are often decorated with paper lanterns and different types of illuminations.
<br>
<br>The Diwali Truck
<br>
<br>Haulage companies in India are encouraged to decorate their lorries for Diwali; the festival of lights. This sport can actually become quite competitive with those carrying out haulage work during the festival, trying to out do their colleagues by having the most elaborately decorated lorry. Strings of marigold flowers are wrung around the front of the truck and the bumper and these are known as 'pura'. The flowers have already been offered to the goddess, Lakshmi and after receiving her blessing are then hung from the trucks as an omen of good fortune. Marigold flowers aren't the only form of decoration and ribbons are often hung from the wing mirrors, whilst tassels cover the mud-flaps and grill of the vehicle. Haulage workers also use the excuse of the festive period to treat their trucks to a new lick of paint, so that they really outdo their rivals on the road.
<br>
<br>About the Author: Lyall Cresswell is the Managing Director of Haulage Exchange, the leading online trade network for the road transport industry across the UK and Europe. It provides services for <a href="http://www.haulageexchange.co.uk/ " rel="nofollow"> haulage work </a> to buy and sell road transport and freight exchange in the domestic and international markets.
<br>
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)