• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.231-238
• /
• 2010

The anthropomorphism of brands, defined as seeing human beings in brands (Puzakova, Kwak, and Rosereto, 2008) is the focus of this study. Specifically, the research objective is to understand the ways in which brands are rendered humanlike. By analyzing consumer readings of stories found on food product packages we intend to show how marketers and consumers humanize a spectrum of brands and create meanings. Our research question considers the possibility that a single brand may host multiple or single meanings, associations, and personalities for different consumers. We start by highlighting the theoretical and practical significance of our research, explain why we turn our attention to packages as vehicles of brand meaning transfer, then describe our qualitative methodology, discuss findings, and conclude with a discussion of managerial implications and directions for future studies. The study was designed to directly expose consumers to potential vehicles of brand meaning transfer and then engage these consumers in free verbal reflections on their perceived meanings. Specifically, we asked participants to read non-nutritional stories on selected branded food packages, in order to elicit data about received meanings. Packaging has yet to receive due attention in consumer research (Hine, 1995). Until now, attention has focused solely on its utilitarian function and has generated a body of research that has explored the impact of nutritional information and claims on consumer perceptions of products (e.g., Loureiro, McCluskey and Mittelhammer, 2002; Mazis and Raymond, 1997; Nayga, Lipinski and Savur, 1998; Wansik, 2003). An exception is a recent study that turns its attention to non-nutritional packaging narratives and treats them as cultural productions and vehicles for mythologizing the brand (Kniazeva and Belk, 2007). The next step in this stream of research is to explore how such mythologizing activity affects brand personality perception and how these perceptions relate to consumers. These are the questions that our study aimed to address. We used in-depth interviews to help overcome the limitations of quantitative studies. Our convenience sample was formed with the objective of providing demographic and psychographic diversity in order to elicit variations in consumer reflections to food packaging stories. Our informants represent middle-class residents of the US and do not exhibit extreme alternative lifestyles described by Thompson as "cultural creatives" (2004). Nine people were individually interviewed on their food consumption preferences and behavior. Participants were asked to have a look at the twelve displayed food product packages and read all the textual information on the package, after which we continued with questions that focused on the consumer interpretations of the reading material (Scott and Batra, 2003). On average, each participant reflected on 4-5 packages. Our in-depth interviews lasted one to one and a half hours each. The interviews were tape recorded and transcribed, providing 140 pages of text. The products came from local grocery stores on the West Coast of the US and represented a basic range of food product categories, including snacks, canned foods, cereals, baby foods, and tea. The data were analyzed using procedures for developing grounded theory delineated by Strauss and Corbin (1998). As a result, our study does not support the notion of one brand/one personality as assumed by prior work. Thus, we reveal multiple brand personalities peacefully cohabiting in the same brand as seen by different consumers, despite marketer attempts to create more singular brand personalities. We extend Fournier's (1998) proposition, that one's life projects shape the intensity and nature of brand relationships. We find that these life projects also affect perceived brand personifications and meanings. While Fournier provides a conceptual framework that links together consumers’ life themes (Mick and Buhl, 1992) and relational roles assigned to anthropomorphized brands, we find that consumer life projects mold both the ways in which brands are rendered humanlike and the ways in which brands connect to consumers' existential concerns. We find two modes through which brands are anthropomorphized by our participants. First, brand personalities are created by seeing them through perceived demographic, psychographic, and social characteristics that are to some degree shared by consumers. Second, brands in our study further relate to consumers' existential concerns by either being blended with consumer personalities in order to connect to them (the brand as a friend, a family member, a next door neighbor) or by distancing themselves from the brand personalities and estranging them (the brand as a used car salesman, a "bunch of executives.") By focusing on food product packages, we illuminate a very specific, widely-used, but little-researched vehicle of marketing communication: brand storytelling. Recent work that has approached packages as mythmakers, finds it increasingly challenging for marketers to produce textual stories that link the personalities of products to the personalities of those consuming them, and suggests that "a multiplicity of building material for creating desired consumer myths is what a postmodern consumer arguably needs" (Kniazeva and Belk, 2007). Used as vehicles for storytelling, food packages can exploit both rational and emotional approaches, offering consumers either a "lecture" or "drama" (Randazzo, 2006), myths (Kniazeva and Belk, 2007; Holt, 2004; Thompson, 2004), or meanings (McCracken, 2005) as necessary building blocks for anthropomorphizing their brands. The craft of giving birth to brand personalities is in the hands of writers/marketers and in the minds of readers/consumers who individually and sometimes idiosyncratically put a meaningful human face on a brand.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.102-109
• /
• 2010

Imitated cheese was prepared from whole milk powder and fermented milk and the moisture content, general components, noncasein nitrogen, nonprotein nitrogen and free amino acids were analyzed to determine the optimal ripening conditions needed to produce imitated cheese that was similar to natural cheese. The moisture content of the imitated cheese was 40.27% one day after being produced. The cheese was ripened using two different methods; at $12^{\circ}C$ with vacuum sealing and at $12^{\circ}C$ and 95% RH with a spray of Penicillium camemberti. The lactose content decreased rapidly from 24.64 to 5.43% at the $4^{th}$ wk of ripening when it was ripened with Penicillium camemberti. The degradation of protein by mold ripening in the imitated cheese was more rapid than that of vacuum sealing. The flavor and body texture were optimal at the $4^{th}$ wk ripening. The noncasein nitrogen and nonprotein nitrogen content increased from 28.10 to 54.05, and from 6.58 to 23.06 mg/mL, respectively, when ripened with P. camemberti. When the cheese was ripened at $12^{\circ}C$, 95% R.H with P. camemberti after 4 wks, all free amino acids increased significantly except asparagines. The total free amino acid and bitter amino acid concentrations increased from 8.40 to 34.87, and from 1.53 to 10.02 nmol/mg, respectively. When the imitated cheese was prepared, the protein degradation and flavor of the cheese was better when ripened with P. camemberti.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
• /
• v.36 no.1
• /
• pp.62-70
• /
• 2009

The objective of this study was to measure the leaching of filler (Si, Ba) from nanofiller-contained composites (Palfique Estelite $sigma^{{R}}$ (Tokuyama Dental Corp., Tokyo, Japan), $Z-350^{{R}}$ (3M ESPE, USA), Ceram X duo $E3^{{R}}$, $D3^{{R}}$ (Dentsply, Konstanz, Germany)) under different conditions. The samples used for the study of leachable components were made by insertion of the material into a circular mold, 10 mm in diameter and 3.0 mm high. Each specimen was placed in a disposable polystyrene vial containing 5 mL of distilled water, artificial saliva or 0.1N NaOH and kept in an oven at $37^{\circ}C$. ; water and artificial saliva - 150 days, 0.1N NaOH - 15days. Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) was used to determine the amount of Si and Ba in the test solutions. 1. Filler leaching was significantly great in 0.1N NaOH among all samples(p<.0.001). 2. When samples were stored in the distilled water, Estelite showed the lowest amount of Si leaching. When samples were stored in the artificial saliva, Z-350 showed the lowest amount of Si leaching. 3. There were significant differences in filler leaching between 3 storage medias and composite resins(p<.0.001). 4. Si and Ba leaching occurred in greater proportion when samples were stored in the artificial saliva than distilled water. 5. There were significant interactions in monthly filler leaching between leaching in artificial saliva and in distilled water, as well as the interaction between storage medium and filler(p<.0001). These results indicate that a continuous filler leaching of nanofiller-contained composite resins was in storing aqueous solutions under over time.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.231-242
• /
• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the bond strength of the core-veneer interface in all ceramic systems. Material and Methods: The all ceramic systems tested with their respective veneer were IPS Empress 2 with IPS Eris, IPS e.max Press with IPS e.max Ceram and IPS-e.max ZirCAD with IPS e.max Ceram. Cores (N=36, N=12/group, diameter: 10mm, thickness: 3mm) were fabricated according to the manufacturer's instruction and cleaned with ultrasonic cleaner. The veneer(diameter: 3mm, thickness: 2mm) were condensed in stainless steel mold and fired on to the core materials. After firing, they were again ultrasonically cleaned and embedded in acrylic resin. The specimens were stored in distilled water at $37^{\circ}C$ for 1 week. The specimens were placed in a mounting jig and subjected to shear force in a universal testing machine(Z020, Zwick, Germany). Load was applied at close to the core-veneer interface as possible with crosshead speed of 1.00mm/min until failure. Average shear bond strengths(MPa) were analyzed with a one-way analysis of variance and the Tukey test(${\alpha}=.05$). The failed specimens were examinated by scanning electron microscopy(JSM-6360, JEOL, Japan). The pattern of failure was classified as cohesive in core, cohesive in veneer, mixed or adhesive. Results: The mean shear bond strength($MPa{\pm}SD$) were IPS e.max Press $32.85{\pm}6.75MPa$, IPS Empress 2 $29.30{\pm}6.51MPa$, IPS e.max ZirCAD $28.10{\pm}4.28MPa$. IPS Empress 2, IPS e.max Press, IPS e.max ZirCAD were not significantly different from each others. Scanning electron microscopy examination revealed that adhesive failure did not occur in any all ceramic systems. IPS Empress 2 and IPS e.max Press exhibited cohesive failure in both the core and the veneer. IPS e.max ZirCAD exhibited cohesive failure in veneer and mixed failure.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
• /
• v.36 no.2
• /
• pp.163-171
• /
• 2008

We have surveyed the variation of physical and chemical characteristics of aerobic and anaerobic outdoor fermentation of cotton wastes using for oyster mushroom cultivation. The inner temperature of cotton wastes fermented aerobically covered with thin cloth and setting pallet at bottom was higher than that of anaerobic fermented cotton wastes covered with P.E vinyl and the maximum temperature was $75^{\circ}C$ at 5th day after fermentation. pH of cotton wastes fermented aerobically was increased up to 8.9 after fermentation of $9{\sim}12$ days, but that of anaerobically fermented was decreased up to 5.0. Total carbon content was decreased but total nitrogen content was increased when fermentation was in progress. Oxygen concentration of cotton wastes fermented aerobically was decreased until 6 days after fermentation but increased after 9 days of fermentation. Ammonia concentration of cotton wastes fermented aerobically and anaerobically was below 10 ppm and $20{\sim}85\;ppm$ respectively. In anaerobic condition the cotton wastes was contaminated with mold ($15{\sim}50%$), where no contamination was found in aerobic condition during spawn running stage. Yields of mushroom grown on cotton wastes aerobically fermented for $6{\sim}9$ days was $23.0{\sim}23.6\;kg$ per $3.3\;m^2$ area.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
• /
• v.8 no.12
• /
• pp.1165-1169
• /
• 1998

A single crystal cast blade was manufactured by CMSX 6, one of the first generarion nickel based single crystal superalloys by the selector method in a vacuum furnace. The single crystal has been grown with cooling rate of 2.5 mm/min, after pouring the molten alloy of 163$0^{\circ}C$ to the mold heated to 150$0^{\circ}C$. The cast structure could be classified into matrix (dendrite) and eutectic regions in ${\gamma}$'shape and size. The eutectic region showed higher Ti content. As the additional results of ${\gamma}$'precipitates by EPMA and CBED analysis the ${\gamma}$'size was less than 0.5~0.7$\mu\textrm{m}$, showing the chemical composition close to Ni$_3$Al of Ll$_2$ lattice structure. But ${\gamma}$'size has increased to bigger than 1.0$\mu\textrm{m}$, being near to eutectic region, changing its shape to bar or huge block types. These showed the chemical structure near to Ni$_3$Ti of D $O_{24}$ lattice structure. Therefore, ${\gamma}$'morphology of dendrite and eutectic regions depends absolutely on its chemical composition and lattice structure.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.509-516
• /
• 2005

For the purpose of comparing the bond strengths of compomers to composite resin, composite Z250, and two polyacid modified composite resin, Dyract AP and F2000, were selected and investigated using universal testing machine for measuring the shear bond strengths. Additionally, the failure modes were examined by observing the fractured surfaces of each specimen. The following results were obtained. 1. The shear bond strength of Dyract AP to Z250 were higher than those of F2000, but there was no statistically significant difference between group 1 and group 3(p>0.05), and groups using fresh compomers showed higher bond strength than those using aged compomers(p<0.05). 2. After measuring the shear bond strength of each group, it was highest in group 5 and was lowest in group 9(p<0.05). 3. Although there was no statistically significant difference, groups treated with thermocycling showed lower bond strengths than those of non-thermocycling groups. 4. Overall compomer/composite resin failures were adhesive. Cohesive failures occurred mainly in groups using bonding agent. Based on these results, the application of a bonding agent on fresh polyacid-modified resin composite increases the bond strength between polyacid-modified resin composite and composite resin. Additionally, the surface of aged polyacid-modified resin composite has to be roughened mechanically and a bonding agent has to be used in combination with composite resin.

• Korean Journal of Dental Materials
• /
• v.44 no.2
• /
• pp.151-161
• /
• 2017

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of shade and thickness of resin-nanoceramic CAD-CAM block (RNB) on the microhardness of dual-cured resin cement, as well as to measure the number of photons transmitted through RNBs of different thicknesses and colors. One dual-cured resin cement was used to prepare resin cement specimens. Resin cement specimens were light-cured for 40 seconds through 3 shades (A1, A2, A3 in HT (high translucency) and LT (low translucency) respectively) and four thicknesses (1, 2, 3, 4 mm) of RNB specimens. Vickers microhardness measurements of resin cement specimens were performed using a Vickers hardness tester. The light transmission of RNB specimens was measured using a spectrometer (SpectroPro-500, Acton Research, Acton, MA, U.S.A.), and the translucency parameter was calculated using the CIEL*a*b* system. Data were statistically analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey's test. There was a significant decrease of microhardness of resin cement specimen with an overlay of 4 mm of RNB thickness and A3 shade in comparison to A1 and 1 mm, respectively (p<0.05). The translucency parameter values and light transmission of RNBs tested differed significantly, according to the thicknesses of the specimen (p<0.05). Light transmission is decreased with increase in the thicknesses of RNBs. Shade A1 transmitted more light than darker blocks. A decrease in microhardness of resin cement specimens was observed with increasing thickness and shade (A1 to A3) of RNBs.