Of all the mascots I would expect a high-end luxury hotel to have, the lowly mallard duck is certainly not one of them. And yet, that was what greeted me when I stepped into the Peabody Orlando Hotel.There is an actual story behind the ducks (which is printed on the napkins) but the reality is the story is less interesting than how the hotel has built a brand around ducks.First, you have the “March of the Ducks” — at 11 am the ducks “march” (or more accurately waddle) on a red carpet to spend the day in a luxurious fountain. This fountain is located in the middle of the hotel and is actually quite a nice place to get a little work done or enjoy a coffee and cupcake (while watching the ducks splash around). At 5 pm they then “march” (waddle) back to their Duck Palace to enjoy a duck dinner and a “quiet evening” together.Now the fact they make this an event — with marching music, a red carpet and an actual Duck Master (which is trademarked — yes if you were thinking about hiring a Duck Master for your own Duck March you would be out of luck) is one thing. But the ducks are also front and center to their branding.There are ducks on the carpet, duck soaps in the rooms, drinks named after ducks, ducks embroidered on the staff’s clothes — the list goes on and on. It’s all quite tastefully done and the ducks are elegantly and subtly woven throughout the hotel’s brand and image.Now the real question is, of course, is it worth it? Only the Peabody knows for sure but from the outside it certainly appears like it is.First off, remember where the Peabody Orlando is — it’s in Orlando competing against Disney World (who knows a thing or 2 about branding themselves) Universal Studios and other theme-oriented attractions. Without the ducks, the Peabody would be a very nice, high-end hotel that would be like every other very nice, high-end hotel. With the ducks, now you have your own attraction. Now you have something to talk about. Now you have something your kids might want to see almost as much as Mickey Mouse.(Now there is another Peabody, complete with ducks, in Atlanta as well. The Atlanta Peabody certainly wouldn’t be in competition with Mickey and company, but I suspect there’s enough other competition with high-end hotels and history that the ducks earn their keep there as well.)One of the main ways you can successfully market yourself to an affluent clientele is to provide an experience. People like experiences. It gives them something to talk about (or write ezine articles about). And if you wrap an experience inside your brand, you just transformed yourself from a “good” business to something extraordinary. And extraordinary is what gets people to notice, to “take a chance on” if nothing else to witness that experience for themselves.So, for you, what can you do to create an experience for your clients? And is this something that can be woven into your branding strategy? (And if you can make it unexpected or off-the-wall even better.) Or maybe it was an accident you overlooked at the time — with the ducks Mr. Peabody came back from hunting and was enjoying some Jack Daniels with a friend, when they decided it would be a nifty idea to put the duck decoys in the fountain. Well everyone loved the decoys floating around so now we have actual ducks in the fountain. (See what I mean about how lame that story is? But no matter, the point is they saw an opportunity and seized it — do you have any of those “happy accidents” in your own business you can capitalize on?)Remember the point of a good brand is to make yourself memorable to your ideal clients. And a great way to make yourself very memorable is to wrap your brand around an experience.
Common Line Marking Mistakes
Learn more about the common line marking mistakes and how to avoid them by using a quality line marking company.
When faced with a Line Marking Gold Coast task,Guest Posting it is tempting to believe that practically anyone can complete it. In the end, it’s just a matter of laying lines and words on the ground, correct? The reply is no!
An accurate line marking task requires considerably more than this. It requires significant planning and preparation, as well as specialised skills and equipment, to guarantee that the jobis performed appropriately and to satisfaction.
Several common errors can occur if you do not choose a qualified company to perform your line marking requirements. These include:
Using inappropriate paint. Before undertaking a line marking project, it is vital to analyse the surface’s characteristics. Not all paints and sealants are compatible with all surfaces. If you use improper paint or sealer for the surface at your construction site, the paint may not settle correctly.
Many oil-based paints, for instance, are incompatible with asphalt. Additionally, certain applications will be more appropriate for high-traffic locations than others. Only an experienced business specialising in line marking will know which paints, sealers, and treatments will perform optimally on your site to match your specifications.
All line marking jobs should conform to Australian regulations and industry best practices, but your site won’t be compliant if they don’t. An expert line marking company can ensure that all applicable regulations and standards execute your project.
Inadequate site preparation, such as not removing waste like gravel, oil, garbage, and dirt before beginning the line marking task. Paint delamination, in which individual layers of paint peel away from one another, can occur if this step is skipped.
Applying a line marking solution that does not fulfil its intended purpose – every line marking job is developed for a particular purpose. The work may not meet its intended purpose if the correct application is not employed. Occasionally, marks are not adequately reflective due to low-quality glass beads or the wrong paint/sealant.
In addition, anti-skid / anti-slip line markings may not function since the beads have not been completely encapsulated in the paint, resulting in the beads readily detaching from the surface. This will result in a reduction in the skid rating. An experienced company in line marking will know to guarantee that the applications utilized get the desired results.
Text or numbers are difficult to understand – many smaller or unskilled companies do not employ excellent stencils for their projects, resulting in illegible text or numbers. In certain instances, even the spelling is wrong. Text and illegible numerals can confuse and cause accidents and injuries, which must be avoided at all costs.
If you’re searching for a quality line marking company in Australia, Angle Linemarking offers a wide range of innovative, Line Marking services to a range of businesses and customers in the Industrial, Commercial and Residential sector.
Angle Line Marking can offer the following services for your next project; Road services, Car Park solutions, Safety Line Marking, Commercial Line Marking, Industrial Line Marking, Residential Line Marking, Line Removal / Grinding, Installations and Sports Courts & Pressure Cleaning.
10 Raw Foods and Drinks That Help Treat Asthma
One of the most common disease that affect people from all ages is asthma. Asthma basically targets the air passages which are responsible for bringing oxygen and carbon dioxide to and from the lungs. When asthma attacks, the interior walls of these airways become swollen, thus, making it hard for a person to breathe. This swelling or inflammation is more likely caused by free radicals and allergens that a person may have inhaled.
Asthma can cause serious discomfort. If you have asthma, you will know how difficult it is to deal with this kind of recurring respiratory disease. The worst thing about asthma is that is not completely curable. This means that once you have been diagnosed with this disease, it can accompany you through your whole life. Though asthma cannot be fully treated, you can do many ways to manage it.
There are many preventive measures that you can do in order to lessen asthma attacks. One of these measures is to have a balanced, healthy diet. The good thing is that there are various kinds of foods that can help you with your asthma problem. If you want to fight asthma, then you better add these raw foods and drinks that help treat asthma to your daily meal:
Honey is one of the greatest foods that you can find out there. It contains a lot of vitamins and minerals that can help boost your health. Honey is also rich in anti-oxidants and anti-bacterial contents which help ward off those allergens that may be causing the asthma attacks.
Garlic, onion and ginger are common household spices which are nutritionally rich. It is widely used as an antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory agent. To reduce the occurrence of asthma attacks and other respiratory diseases, you should add garlic to your food recipes or eat it as is if you can take its raw taste.
Fish has plenty of natural oils such as Omega-3 fatty acids. This kind of oil is healthy and is a great anti-inflammatory agent. Consuming right amount of Omega-3 is good for the health, especially for the heart.
Fruits are delicious and highly nutritious. When you eat fruits, not only can you lessen asthma attacks, but you are making your body a whole lot healthier. If you are asthmatic, consider consuming lots of fruits, especially those rich in Vitamin C.
Green leafy vegetables can do your body good. The vitamins and minerals that you can get from eating this type of vegetable can help in regulating the flow of circulatory and respiratory systems. It also reduces inflammation caused by asthma attacks.
Carrots are rich in beta-carotene which is one kind of antioxidant that helps protect the body from free radicals. This beta-carotene, when converted to Vitamin A can also supply the body with benefits such as good eyesight.
Grains, beans and nuts contain a high magnesium levels which is a necessary element that helps lighten up asthmatic condition. So if you have asthma, maintain a high level of magnesium to help ward off severe attacks. Also remember that foods which undergo minimal process have high level of magnesium than processed foods.
Fresh green tea contains natural compounds that help improve different organs of the body. It works by widening the different passages in the body such as arteries, veins and even the airways. It has been widely used in calming asthma attacks.
Coffee can help in calming a person having an asthma attack. Although caffeine is not seen to be beneficial, it has a similar effect as the medical prescriptions taken by asthmatics.
Water keeps the body fluids flowing. It helps flush away dirt inside the body and lightens up mucus that block the airways. Remember to drink at least eight glasses of water every day to keep your body hydrated.
The best way to fight asthma is to keep your body at the best condition possible. If you consume these anti-asthma raw food and drinks, you can expect less asthma attacks and a more vigorous, healthier body.