Weight Watchers was founded in 1963 by Jean Nidtech, in Queens, NY, and has built up a track record of over 40 years of helping people lose weight. The company has been built on the philosophy that "dieting is just one part of long-term weight management," and therefore has built an entire weight loss system around its food products. The company has been able to grow to popularity on the basis that it works, because it emphasizes mental, emotional and physical health all in a combined package (Weight Watchers, 2014).
The Weight Watchers program includes education about nutrition and how to manage one's weight, but it also provides the tools needed to do this. Thus, there are booklets, pamphlets, online assistance, food products as well as meetings and other social organization that help to provide the sort of emotional and social support needed to help people change their daily habits and…...

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References

MSN Moneycentral. (2014). Weight Watchers International. Retrieved November 22, 2014 from  http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/stockdetails/financials/fi-WTW?ocid=qbeb 

Weight Watchers. (2014). About us. Weight Watchers. Retrieved November 22, 2014 from  http://www.weightwatchers.com/about/his/history.aspx 

Weight Watchers (2014). Read about someone like you. Weight Watchers. Retrieved November 29, 2014 from  https://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?art_id=20291&tabnum=1&sc=3&subnav=health+ideas#section8

, 2005).
There are no storage considerations, either, since there is no tangible product (Dansinger, et al., 2005). The Weight Watchers dinners and prepackaged food that are offered have storage considerations, though, because it must be warehoused and then shipped off to stores that request it and put it on their shelves (Dansinger, et al., 2005). Since these foods are not required for the program, though, it is difficult to classify these foods as part of the program for purposes of storage considerations.

Transportation and Meetings

There are also no transportation methods used, with the exception of the Weight Watchers brand foods, which the people in the program are not obligated to purchase. That also helps them to perform better logistically because they are not required to keep inventory on hand. The real issue with place for many of the Weight Watchers clients is finding a meeting near them, and these meetings can…...

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Bibliography

Dansinger, Michael L.; Gleason, Joi Augustin; Griffith, John L.; Selker, Harry P.; Schaefer, Ernst J. (2005). Comparison of the Atkinds, Ornish, Weight Watchers, and Zone Diets for weight loss and heart disease risk reduction: A randomized trial. JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association (American Medical Association) 293 (1): 43-53.

Heshka, Stanley; Anderson, James W.; Atkinson, Richard L.; Greenway, Frank L.; Hill, James O.; Phinney, Stephen D.; Kolotkin, Ronette L.; Miller-Kovach, Karen; Pi-Sunyer, F. Xavier (2003). Weight loss with self-help compared with a structured commercial program: A randomized trial. JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association (American Medical Association) 289 (14): 1792-1798.

Weight Watchers. (2009). Home Page.  http://www.weightwatchers.com/index.aspx

Weight Watchers and General Motors
Weight Watchers has faced a number of issues in the past several years, many of which are highlighted in the case study for this assignment. he company was able to reach a financial high point earlier this decade in 2011 when it recorded a record-breaking 1.8 billion in revenues. However, the company's finances have slowly dwindled ever since then, culminating in losses for seven straight quarters and low stock prices at the beginning of 2015. he core of the problems it was facing were relatively straightforward. he weight loss industry was changing, and Weight Watchers was having difficult changing along with it. Specifically, the company had troubles modernizing its business model to account for the digital age as represented by increasing online options for weight loss. his fact was compounded by the reality that there was greater competition, including that from organizations whose primary business was…...

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The first recommendation for GM is to continue with its strategy of downsizing its vehicles and making them more competitive with its newfound customer base. As previously noted, that customer base values fuel efficiency and performance over size and features. The effectiveness of this approach is obvious, and should serve as inspiration for GM to continue along this strategic path. The company should continue to expand on the sort of downsizing that it began in earnest with Buick, but apply it to other lines of vehicles as well. By making its vehicles smaller and more fuel efficient, the company should continue the trend it evidenced in 2014 when it completed the year with sales rising five percent and several vehicles settings sales records. Also, the company should continue to produce new models of cars that address the needs of current consumers that have driven the preceding sales trend. In particular, it should pinpoint these innovations in terms of electric cars and hybrid vehicles, which generally conform to the same characteristics that the other new models GM has unveiled in the past couple of years have.

Second Recommendation

The other recommendation for GM is to reinstate its process for manufacturing vehicles -- from their initial design to the actually building of these crafts -- which it abandoned earlier this decade to get its products to market quicker. There very well could have been a relationship between these time-saving measures and some of the safety hazards that resulted in the vehicle recalls which caused the company such bad publicity and high costs. More than ever, the company needs to ensure that all vehicles are rigorously inspected and created with the greatest regard for safety. Specifically, there were quality control measures that were reduced to hasten the time in which vehicles were cleared for the market. These include lengthy time periods in which populous review boards deliberated about vehicle details and decisions. The company should go back to using this approach for safety. Implicit in this recommendation is the need to make personal accountability part of the company culture for GM, so that future situations for product recalls because of haste will not occur.

Weight Watchers Diet System
Among the most famous of dieting trends is the program Weight Watchers. Weight Watchers was founded by Jean Nidetch and Felice Marks Lippert in the early 1960's, after Nidetch had great success losing weight on a particular diet prescribed at a weight-loss clinic. This weight loss program is based on a diet plan originally created by Dr. Nomal Jollife. Nidetch took this plan, on which she had great success, into a women's support group, and it became a highly successful business within a few short years. Nidetch felt that it was important to spread the word about this eating plan and her formulated success because of the emotional and physical benefits that she felt after losing the weight, so she built her support groups not only on the very basic menu and exercise plans, but also on the emotional and mental needs of the overweight and…...

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Bibliography

AA. "Atkins Diet." All About Weight Loss and Diet Success. 2003. http://www.aa-lose-weight-loss-diet-plans.com/diets/atkins.html

AA. "Diet Comparison: Weight Watchers VS Atkins." All About Weight Loss and Diet Success. 2003. http://www.aa-lose-weight-loss-diet-plans.com/diet-comparison/weight-watchers-atkins.html

Adriano, Jackie and Tuinen, Van. "Rating the Diet Books." Nutrition Action Healthletter. May, 2000.  http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m0813/4_27/61931798/p1/article.jhtml ?

Alexander, Devin; Barke, Sheri; Rogers, Tori; Ludeke, Kim; Hawley, Karen. "The tale of 4 diets: here's what happened when we put four popular diet programs to a month-long test. Is one plan right for you? Check out the assessments of each diet from our test drivers and our nutrition expert." Muscle & Fitness/Hers. Jan-Feb 2003.  http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m0KGB/1_4/98607072/p1/article.jhtml

Marketing Channels and Methods -- the New Svelte Shape of McDonald's
Objectives & Mission Statement

Although McDonald's latest advertising slogan, as proclaimed on its 2005 website, is "I'm lovin' it," (McDonald's Official ebsite, 2005), shareholders in the fast food company have not be equally enamored of its current stock performance and plummeting sales. (The Rogue Investor, 2005) Thus, the objectives of the new McDonald's marketing campaign must be to undo some of the economic and public relations damage done to the company by the negative press generated by the success of Morgan Spurlock's film 'Supersize Me.' Over the course of the year, McDonald's wishes to gain a greater percentage of the revenue of the current fast food market than its most prominent burger-oriented competitors endy's and Burger King. McDonald's also wishes to gain some of the type of positive media as generated by the sandwich chain Subway. The Subway Diet has now…...

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Works Cited

Bauman, Valerie. (11 Aug 2005) "People try to lose weight at McDonalds." AP Wire. Accessed on AOL on 22 Aug 2005 at  http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20050811163009990002 

Burger King. (2005) Official Website. Retrieved 11 Sept 2005 at  http://www.haveityourway.com/ 

Collins, Luke. (2002) "Chips are down for Burger Giants" MCD: McDonald's Corporation News and Articles. Retrieved 27 Aug 2005 at  http://www.licenseenews.com/news/news134.html 

Daft, R.L. (1997). Management. Fort Worth, TX: Dryden Press.

Dieting Factors
Americans spend billions of dollars on weight-loss products and programs every year. Despite this, most people do not lose the amount they would like or, if they do, regain the weight after a short period of time. The problem lies with following specific fads that emphasize one type of eating pattern. The low-carbohydrate diet, which has been popular off-and-on-again since the mid-1800s, exemplifies such a diet program. Studies do show that the low-carbohydrate diet can offer some benefits, but over the long-term does not offer any more advantages than any other diet. Other factors, such as adherence to the diet and lifestyle are more important to the equation.

Americans spent approximately $60 billion in 2009 on weight loss products and programs, including so-called "special" diet foods, appetite suppressants, diet books, exercise memberships, workout videos, and stomach-clamping surgery (World Health Organization, 2010). Yet obesity, especially among children and youth, continues to…...

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References

Dansinger, ML, Gleason, J., Griffith, J.L., Selker, H.P., & Schaefer, E.J. (2005) Comparison of the Atkins, Ornish, Weight Watchers, and Zone Diets for Weight Loss and Heart Disease Risk Reduction. A Randomized Trial JAMA. 293:43-53.

Hellmich, N. Success of Atkins diet is in the calories. USA Today

Foster, G.D. et al. (2003) A multicenter, randomized, controlled trial of a low-carbohydrate diet for obesity. New England Journal of Medicine 348:2082-2090

Lecture material from course.

Action Strategy Assume plan start a healthcare related business hometown. What products/services choose? Use BCG Matrix, General Electronic Model, MAC Model conduct analysis. List reference(s) APA format
Action Strategy: BCG Matrix for a new weight loss (health-related) company

Cash cows

More and more Americans today are looking to lose weight. Weight-loss companies offer a variety of strategies, spanning from juice detoxes, online counseling for nutrition and exercise, gyms, prepared foods, to weight loss counseling. One 'cash cow,' given the popularity of dieting, is offering a prepaid package involving nutritional counseling, weekly meetings, and weigh-ins, along the lines of Weight Watchers. "Few diet plans have stood the test of time the way Weight Watchers has...One of the reasons Weight Watchers is so popular is because they don't force a taboo food list. You're wise enough to make your own choices of what to eat" (Weight Watchers plan, 2012, 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet).…...

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References

Conley, Mikaela. (2011).Jenny Craig tops list of best diets. ABC News. Retrieved:

 http://abcnews.go.com/Health/jenny-craig-tops-list-best-diets-consumer-reports/story?id=13562649#.T-muy5g_xT4 

Detox danger. (2009). The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved:

 http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2009-01-23/news/0901230251_1_word-detox-detoxification-cranberry-juice

Unraveling the Knot: Political economy and cultural hegemony in wedding media," cultural theorist Erika Engstrom suggests that the bridal industry perpetuates itself by creating an ideal of femininity that women feel pressured to fulfill. By presenting images of weddings as 'the happiest day of a woman's life,' and showing how women are the centers of their special day in elaborately coiffured dresses, websites and television programs convince ordinary women that it is normal and desirable to spend $20,000 on a wedding. Meanwhile, websites such as The Knot profit handsomely off of the cultural anxiety they generate about female perfection.
This sense of cultural anxiety can also be seen in the modern diet industry. Perhaps the concept of insecurity generating revenue is most obvious in television shows like The Biggest Loser, where the contestants are seen eating foods and using other products that sponsor the show as part of their weight…...

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References

The Biggest Loser. (2012). Official Website:  http://www.biggestloser.com/ 

Weight Watchers. (2012). Official Website:  http://www.weightwatchers.com/plan/index.aspx

Provided the counselors and instructors are charismatic, this might be the ideal way to generate initial 'buzz' about the center. Sending out free coupons for free sessions, and offering free 'teaser' yoga or Pilates classes in public venues (like on the Boardwalk during the summer or an in-store location like the mall) can generate publicity and interest. For fitness, marketing should be experiential as well as about selling a particular image.
Since a wellness center is marketing a service as well as a product, one extremely important, but often overlooked component of advertising is good training of the staff. Staff members must be friendly and helpful, and project the right type of 'image' for the center. Given the center's emphasis on personal self-improvement in its marketing strategy, staff members should embody the likely ideal of the target female consumer: they should be fit, knowledgeable, friendly and ready to answer the…...

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Works Cited

Gootman, Elissa. "Weight Watchers upends its point system." The New York Times.

December 4, 2010. December 16, 2010  http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/04/nyregion/04watchers.html 

Sorgen, Ellen. His and her fitness. WebMD. December 16, 2010

 http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/guide/his-hers-fitness

Branded Product Targeted at a Specific Market: Lean Cuisine
Lean Cuisine is a line of frozen dinners produced by Stouffers, one of the leading purveyors of such products in the nation. But unlike Stouffers traditional offerings like hearty, bread-topped macaroni and cheese, Lean Cuisine is primarily marketed to women, specifically women on a diet. The Lean Cuisine product line does offer some Stouffer's classics, like macaroni and cheese and French bread pizzas, but with reduced calorie ingredients. Still, its most famous tagline stresses the sensuous nature of Lean Cuisine's diet dinners for women. One recent advertisement for Lean Cuisine went along these lines: "I had sesame breaded chicken tenderloins in a tangy Asian style plum sauce....It's not just lean. It's cuisine!" free recall for Lean Cuisine might go like this: It's not just (blank). It's cuisine! Because of the name of the product, Lean Cuisine's use of this kind of prompt…...

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Works Cited

"FAQ." (2008). Lean Cuisine. Official Website. Retrieved 11 Feb 2008 at  http://www.leancuisine.com/Index/FAQ.aspx 

Lean Cuisine. (2008). Official Website. Retrieved 11 Feb 2008 at  http://www.leancuisine.com/Index/Index.aspx 

"Product News." (2008). Lean Cuisine. Official Website. Retrieved 11 Feb 2008 at  http://www.leancuisine.com/ProductNews

Another popular fat reduction program that focuses on the negative effects of carbs is the Atkins diet. Unlike the South Beach Diet, Atkins places a more stringent elimination on the consumption of all types of carbohydrates. According to Atkins, Western eating habits are prone to creating obesity because of the large focus on refined carbohydrates found in sugar, flour and high-fructose corn syrups. Further, Atkins argues that saturated fat is not an obesity factor but that trans fat is and thus need to be completely avoided. With such a foundation, the Atkins Diet essentially argues against the food pyramid, arguing that the base level of grains is actually what causes obesity instead of health.

A third fat loss program is Weight Watchers, a company that focuses on providing dieting products to assist individuals in obtaining weight loss. One method of weight loss advocated under this program is the Flex System. According…...

, 2006). The evidence reflects only a low level weight loss but is still worthwhile to consider in controlling weight at roughly 0.007 kg per week. It is useful for individual weight loss programs. Losing 0.2 kg per week requires a decrease of 220 kilocalories per day. Achieving a 32% reduction requires a sacrifice of 330 kilocalories a day from sucrose by substituting aspartame. Using aspartame replaces 70 g of sucrose or roughly two cans of soft drinks every day (Hunty et al.). This means less expense.
200 Times Sweeter and Cheaper

On the average, aspartame is 200 times sweeter than sucrose (Hu et al., 2008). Not only does it mean less calories but also less cost. The taste difference between them is that the sweetness of aspartame is detected by the taste buds longer than sucrose. This can, however, be resolved by adding acesulfame potassium. Aspartame also has limited hydrolyzing properties,…...

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

FDA (2007). FDA statement on European aspartame study. Office of Food Additive

Safety: U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved on April 2, 2011 from http://www.fda.gove/Food/FoodingredientsPackaging/FoodAdditives/ucm200858.htm

Hendrickson, K. (2011). Differences in aspartame and fructose. Live Strong:

Demand Media, Inc. Retrieved on April 2, 2011 from  http://www.livestrong.com/article/278757-differences-in-aspartame-fructose

It is clear that weight loss is not simple, and so, a nutritionist must understand this when dealing with patients, so they can help motivate them, create enough diversity in the diet to make the patients happy, and still promote weight loss and better health.
Our society is obsessed with thinness, and yet, more people are overweight than ever. Clearly, the lifestyle of the nation needs to be modified. etailers and restaurants can help by providing healthier choices on their menus. Schools can help by creating healthier cafeteria choices, and beginning nutritional education at a young age. Parents can help by promoting a healthier lifestyle for the entire family, and health care professionals and researchers can help by discovering new ways to manage and treat obesity in children and adults. If all facets of society work together, it seems that people would become healthier and happier as a result. It…...

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References

Editors. "Childhood Obesity." Obesity.org. 10 Nov. 2004. 15 Nov. 2004. http://www.obesity.org/subs/childhood/

Hamin, Mark T. Weighty Issues: Fatness and Thinness as Social Problems. Eds. Sobal, Jeffery and Donna Maurer. New York: Aldine De Gruyter, 1999. 68-73.

Lemonick, Michael D. "Nickelodeon Turn-off Time." Time Magazine. 7 June, 2004.

Sobal, Jeffery and Donna Maurer, eds. Weighty Issues: Fatness and Thinness as Social Problems. New York: Aldine De Gruyter, 1999.

Business Plan. The plan open a gym "Slim Gym." I Competitive Analysis written, a marketing section, I attached list questions answered part "Marketing Section Due Document." I attached a background project "Operations Slim Gym Document" document information complete Competitive Analysis.
Competitive Analysis

Describe your competition here! Include your SWOT analysis, show why you will be better than your competitors, and convince your investors of the same! Don't forget your "indirect" competitors: for example, grocery store direct competitors are other grocery stores; indirect competitors are restaurants, Schwan's home delivery trucks, and Omaha Steaks!

Questions you may address in your Competitive analysis:

Who are the key competitors?

What are their strengths and weaknesses?

What is their approximate market share?

How will you take share away from them?

How will they most likely try to stop you if you are successful?

How can you react to these competitors' actions?

Who are your indirect competitors?

What do they offer your prospects?

SWOT: Slim Gym

Strengths

Slim Gym…...

outstanding fact: Americans love to diet. The South Beach Diet, Lo-Carb Diet, Slimfast, Weight Watcher's, diet pills, gastric bypass sugary. These are all examples of ways that adults in America are trying to lose weight. This obsession with losing weight seems to be spinning out of control. The question is why do people diet? Is it to lose the couple pounds you packed on during the holiday season, to look like all the other stick figures on television, or, is there a deeper reason? The reality of it is that there are 100 million overweight adults living in America today, and that 300,000 people a year die from diseases that are directly related to obesity. Obesity in America has become such a problem that it is the 2nd cause death that can be prevented, only narrowly behind smoking. There must be some positive, even essential reasons to diet. The…...

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U.S Department of Health and Human Services. The Surgeon General's Call to Action

To prevent and decrease overweight and obesity. [Rockville, MD]: U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Office of the Surgeon General; [2001].