Gypsy Rose

Gypsy Rose Exotic and Pole Dancing Studio

Wendy Reardon’s Gypsy Rose exotic & pole dancing studio provides females in the Boston area with a fun and entertaining alternative to your typical “Girls Night Out.” Whether it’s a bachelorette or birthday party Wendy and her instructors teach female only classes the art of exotic dancing. As a former exotic dancer herself, Wendy’s classes are daring but fun. Her studio is located at 364 Boylston Street, third floor in Boston. Classes are offered weekly for individual lessons from beginner to advanced as well as group classes on the weekends. The non-discriminating and non-judgmental environment has only one rule NO MEN. Classes are held in the evening and provide both a workout and self-confidence building. Dancers have the option to bring their own costumes or wear outfits provided by Gypsy Rose.As a papal scholar and author of The Idiot’s Guide to Exotic and Pole Dancing, Wendy started dancing while in graduate school at a bikini bar in California. In addition to teaching classes Wendy also gives periodic tours in Rome based on her book The Deaths of the Popes: Comprehensive Accounts Including Funerals, Burial Places, and Epitaphs (McFarland 2004).

For more information on Wendy and Gypsy Rose exotic and pole dancing studio check out http://www.gypsyrosedancing.com/

The Influence of Environmental Determinants on Single American Women When Purchasing Leisure Travel Services

By definition the term “single” is an adjective used to describe an unmarried person. It refers to someone who is “not accompanied by another or others; who is solitary”; someone that is “lacking a partner and alone” (FreeDictionary.com 2008).

Years ago this term could be perceived as negative, as American society in the past has viewed (with the help of the media) single people to be lonely. However, with the number of single households in the United Stated rising within the past few years (Blackwell, Miniard & Engel, 2006) “single hood” is starting to become a norm in American lifestyles.

There are more than 100 million American adults who are separated, divorced/widowed, or single (Blackwell, Miniard & Engel, 2006). Women make up more than 50% of this demographic (U.S. Census Bureau, 2006, Table A2). There are 28 million single women in the United States aged 35 and older (U.S. Census Bureau, 2006, Table A2).

Single or married women make 80% of all leisure travel decisions within the household (Bond, 2007, para.6). Last year alone, single women took 32 million trips (Gerencher, 2002, para.21) and spent $125 billion in travel expenses (Bond, 2007, para.6). Single women have become a significant target market within the leisure travel industry. This driving force has resulted in a 230% increase in women-only travel services and companies (Bond, 2007, para.6).

Women today have more financial and social freedom (Exhibit 1), along with more travel options than their mothers or grandmothers did (Gerencher, 2002, para.21). Today, younger women are choosing to remain single for many reasons (Blackwell, Miniard & Engel, 2006). Women no longer need to be dependent on a husband or family for income as they were generations ago (Finn, 2007). Education and income levels are higher for American women today than they were in the past (Finn, 2007).

According to unmarriedamerica.org unmarried households in the United States became a new majority in the new millennium. Women today are no longer constrained by social norms.
According to the 2007 SRDS, a single-woman-headed household made up 20% of the 39,405,833 American households in 2007. Sixteen percent of those single-woman-headed households were headed by women aged 35-64 (more notable referred to as “Baby Boomers”) (Exhibit 2).

America is seeing an increase in single female baby boomers due to the rise in divorce rates, as well as, the loss of a spouse (Blackwell, Miniard & Engel, 2006). Many of these single female baby boomers are purchasing leisure travel services due to the new financial independence and ability to do so (Gerencher, 2002, para.21).

Along with the single baby boomers (many with grown children) it is also the single mothers with children at home that are leading this new demographic movement with leisure travel (Finn, 2007). Within this segment of leisure travelers 75% prefer cultural or adventurous trip; and 87% say they would go to a place only for the beautiful scenery (Bond, 2007, para.6). Women looking for travel companions often find that taking a trip with a group of women with similar interests is more fun and less stressful (Griffith, 2001, para.1). These “group tours” of women can connect easily when traveling and often rely on each other for advice as well as companionship (Griffith, 2001, para.1). These group excursions range from relaxing spa weekends, to visiting an ancient ruin city on a remote continent (Gerencher, 2002, para.21). Today, women are going everywhere; “women consider setting out on their own part of their education, part of becoming an adult” (Gerencher, 2002, para.21).

The Internet has been a resource tool not only for the consumers but also for the developing of the single women minded travel industry (Higgins, 2007, para.16). Over 80% of single women who purchased travel products or services offline researched their purchases online beforehand (Bond, 2007, para.6). Studies have shown that an effective way to reach the female audience is through online community sites (Bond, 2007, para.6). Women's community sites have grown 35 percent (Bond, 2007, para.6). These new website options can help solo travelers assert their independence while feeling less like loners (Gerencher, 2002, para. 21). Tour sites such as Intrepid Travel and Adventure Women, just introduced four singles-only trips to places like Peru and Nepal (Higgins, 2007, para.16). Here single travelers have special rates and fees that help them to make up for the difference in price charged to two travelers sharing a room and other facilities (Higgins, 2007, para.16).

Although traveling alone seems a great option for many women, several others think twice before doing so. Many women start their “traveling lives” in their home countries, "a lot of women are a little afraid to go to Europe and the Middle East for obvious reasons, they tend to stick around the U.S. because there's so much to see around here" (Gerencher, 2002, para.21). Many single women prefer to meet up with other travelers to enhance their personal safety and share their new experiences (Gerencher, 2002, para.21). By pairing up with other travelers women can learn helpful tips and must-haves like: buy a guidebook geared toward the single traveler; check out the independent travelers meeting places; avoid power plays and unwanted attention; and do talk to the natives (Bond, 2006, para.9). Despite the great range of choices, many hotels and tours do not yet have single accommodations forcing solo travelers to accommodate themselves in groups and by this not allowing them to have the privacy they want in their journey (Gerencher, 2002, para.21).

It is estimated that by 2010 the number of women travelers will exceed the 67 million mark and the travel industry will increase their revenues by $19 trillion annually (Bond, 2007, para.6). With this promising future on the horizon many marketers are having trouble targeting and approaching this growing market segment (Finn, 2007).

Current advertising and media often stereotype singles in two different ways: as either the sad and lonely Bridget Jones or the chic urban “Sex and the City” or “Friends” with perfect lives (Finn, 2007). What they do not get is that singles today are more likely to view their lives a positive choice, not a failure. We can see in the Packaged Fact analysis from 2007 that, of the primetime ads, 44% showed single characters, 38% showed married characters, and 18% showed both single and married characters (Exhibit 3).

On the other hand, advertisements are primarily showing young singles under 30 not taking into consideration that single adults, aged 35 and older, are not only the majority but also have higher incomes and more purchase power (Finn, 2007). Most of the marketing for this group focuses on couples and a marriage lifestyle with and without kids (Finn, 2007).

The most important things marketers should take into consideration are the way things have changed. The mentality of unmarried adults about being single is totally different from years ago (Finn, 2007). Stigmas and stereotypes are being dismissed and replaced by new ways of seeing and enjoying single life (Finn, 2007).

Suggestions
Our first suggestion would be for marketers to develop an effective approach when targeting the young single women and a separate approach when targeting the singe baby boomer females. Marketers need to deliver the right message in the right format at the right time.
For the single women, these messages should be adapted to match their lifestyles and preferences (single women should be targeted by age or generation). With this approach there would be better results. Also the paradigms of being single should disappear and allow single women to have access to the same advantages and benefits as married couples.

Leisure travel services marketing campaigns should aim at portraying women having fun with their friends. As stated previously in the paper, women prefer to travel in groups or women that share the same interests. This advertising strategy would be well received by all single women (women of any age, with or without kids).

For the Baby Boomers generation, single women should be targeted with advertisements appealing to the nostalgia of the popular culture from their teen years and young adulthood. This subgroup expects exceptional customer service (Finn, 2007) therefore business and products should focus on special programs and more effective ways to customize their services.
Single women with children are more receptive to marketing and advertising. Using direct product information, positive images of single parents and interactive elements are effective ways to approach them. On the other hand, younger childless single women are best reached by experimental methods like sampling, street marketing and events where they can interact and educate themselves about the service or product for themselves (Finn, 2007).

The Individual Determinants that affect the Consumer Behavior Process for Boston High School Seniors Choosing a College

In America it is generally during junior or senior year of high school, when students think about whether or not to pursue college after graduation. Many students may take the necessary courses and exams, such as the SATs, to allow entrance into the institutions that they hope for. It is not until senior year of high school when students really start the college-application and essay-writing processes of this long endeavor to make their parents proud and to be placed with the other 46% of Americans who are in debt (http://www.bcsalliance.com/debt_amerstats.html).
It is the senior year of high school when students start attending college fairs, visiting college campuses and meeting regularly with their high school guidance counselors to prepare for college. Even the most organized of students can find this all quite overwhelming.
Whether it is purchasing a motor vehicle, renting an apartment or choosing a college for an undergraduate degree the consumer behavior process is all the same. Consumers must make decisions for goods and services; therefore higher education in essence is the service they are purchasing and is no exception to this process.
Consumer Behavior Purchasing Process
First, a high school senior (the consumer) acknowledges their need for a degree whether it comes from their parents’ influences or in some cases pressures, their peers or their own motivations and desires. According to the 2007 SRDS 33% of the 4.7 million people in the Boston DMA have a bachelor degree from a four year institution.
Bachelor degrees are highly flexible in the United States where colleges and universities offer a wide variety of courses geared at obtaining a specific Bachelor degree. Degrees are issued after students complete a specific amount of course credits in a specific major. United States students tend to take more than four years to complete a degree due to changing majors and/or taking less than full-time course work per semester (www.useducation.com).
Before applying to a four year college or university, students must first successfully complete twelve years of formal elementary and secondary education. They must also possess a good academic record and have financial support or financial means to pay for a four year degree (www.useducation.com).
After a high school senior recognizes their own need and desire to further their education they must then search for information on where they want to apply. There are many resources students can turn to that help organize and address these concerns. The Princeton Review offers help with specifying what to consider when choosing a college. Before a high school senior determines where they want to apply they need to ask themselves two important questions: Do I want to go to school here for four years? Do I want to live here for four years? The Princeton Review states that the second question is more important than the first. Seniors need to think about the location of the school they are applying to, whether they want to attend a large or small institution, live on campus or commute, the average class size and student/teacher ratio, whether the college or university offers the degree program(s) they are interested in and if they can afford to go to there. According to the Digest of Educational Statistics the 2006 median cost of tuition, room and board at public colleges or universities was $10,454 and $26,889 at private schools.
Seniors then employ evaluative criteria based on their individual and environmental influences, such as family and friends. Seniors assess the credibility of the college or university along with the opinions of their family and friends. Typically, high school seniors apply to one “safety” school (a college or university that they know they will definitely get into) and one “reach” school (a college or university that may be a little bit of a stretch for acceptance mostly due to overall academic grades and/or SAT scores), along with one to three other schools that they would like to go to. There are nine state colleges in Massachusetts and five state universities (www.mass.edu). Boston high school seniors looking to live away but stay local have quite an array to choose from when applying. Another factor in Boston high school seniors choosing a four year college after graduation is whether or not their parents went to school and how well or not so well off they are because of it. According to the Massachusetts state government website (www.mass.gov) in 2006, only 80% of Massachusetts high school students graduated from a four year high school and only 62% of high school students in urban school districts graduated; while 11.7% of students drop-out of school all together. However, with 15.3% of Boston families living below the poverty line one would hope this would create motivation to graduate high school and pursue a degree to obtain a profession.
The consumption process for the high school senior will begin once he or she enrolls and begins college. They will not be at the post-consumption evaluation stage until they approach their college graduation. This consumer behavior process typically does not begin until high school; however Boston is at the forefront for an early awareness movement for eighth graders (Talmadge 2007). Boston schools are beginning to expose them to the idea of higher education and get them on track for a four-year degree while still in middle school. Along with this initiative there is also the Massachusetts state-wide implementation of the MCAS exams beginning with the Class of 2003. The Class of 2003 was the first to be required to pass the MCAS grade 10 English, Language Arts and math exams with a minimum scaled grade of 220 to meet competency requirements for a high school diploma.
Conclusion
Similar to any purchase or goods or services, Boston high school seniors have the go through the consumer purchasing process and have to take into consideration the many individual determinants that ultimately affect whether or not they go to college and where they attend.

BoSox and Bowling

The second annual Beckett Bowl celebrity bowling tournament was held at Town Line Ten Pin & Rain Nightlife only twenty minutes from Boston. The participating “celebrities” for this year’s event were Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, Matt Segal from KISS 108FM, Greg Hill from WAAF-FM and Hazel Mae, just to name a few. Proceeds from the Beckett Bowl benefited The Josh Beckett Foundation and Children’s Hospital Boston. Last year’s event raised more than $275,000 for the charities.
With the red carpet roll-out guests and spectators snapped photos while the press interviewed the celebrities and athletes as they proceeded into the Town Line. This all sounds way more glamorous than it really is, especially if you’ve ever been to Town Line. For some reason the event started way behind schedule and the “stars” of the event where hiding out somewhere in Rain until they were announced. There was a live and silent auction, raffles and lots of people roaming around and chowing down on Upper Crust pizza (which smelled amazing).

I did not realize how fast I talk or how strong of a Boston accent I have until I asked Jon Lester to take a picture for BostonNightLife.TV; as he continued to walk as I was talking I sped up the words and he just turned around in utter confusion (as if I had just asked him how to determine the nuclear make-up a an atomic bomb) and asked “What did you just say?” His look of uncertainty did not make for a great photo op, but a hilarious moment as Theresa (founder of BostonNightLife.TV) just laughed at me.
Since we were part of the media and were not bowling our access was very limited. At about 9pm they made all media personnel vacant the bowling area so the tournament could run smoothly. Josh Beckett’s and Jon Lester’s lanes were pretty popular with parents and children trying to get autographs. Mike Lowell’s lane was pretty popular too; however the cougars that swarmed near him were not vying for an autograph.
The after party was to follow at Rain Nightlife next door, but being only in my mid-20s I felt I was a little too young for the crowd that tends to frequent Rain, so I called it a night once I ran out of film.

Josh Beckett along with Mike Lowell was traded by the Marlins to the Sox on Thanksgiving Day, 2005. In his first season with the Sox and for the first time in his career, Beckett recorded 16 wins and pitched more than 200 innings. He also became the first Sox pitcher in 35 years (since the designated hitter rule) to hit a homerun on May 20, 2006.
Beckett, a native of Spring, Texas established The Josh Beckett Foundation in 2007 to support community-based programs that strive to improve health and well-being of children, especially children that are seriously ill, disabled, poor or otherwise disadvantaged.