What makes brands achieve iconic status?

We propose that brands do not achieve iconic status by chance. This article focuses on how brands manage iconic status effectively. Drawing on an exploratory study of iconic brands, we identify a brand's ability to inspire consumers and connect with them on a personal level as well as its visual identity and presence in consumers' mind as critical elements of brand status. Consumers' perceptions of a sample of brands were investigated through in-depth interviews, followed by the examination of these brands' activities through case-study analyses. The alignment between brand strategies and the relevant features highlighted by consumers was then assessed. A comprehensive framework for achieving iconicity is presented and discussed.Working Pape

Perancangan Concert Hall di Kota Atambua dengan Pendekatan Mekanisme Akustik

Atambua is the capital of Belu Regency which is located directly adjacent to the State of Timor Leste. In the last two years, Atambua has presented various types of musical activities, especially musical performances, both traditional and modern. The music performance always got enthusiasm from the local community, outside the region and even outside the State of Timor Leste. However, there is still no have a place to accommodate all activities related to organizing technically feasible musical performances, the functions, acoustics and facilities. Concert halls are the best for accommodating all activities related to musical performances. The designing of a concert hall is to purpose design a concert hall for the city of Atambua by paying attention to proper acoustics and comfort for all building users. The application of the analogy architecture of acoustic mechanisms in concert hall design is expected to provide comfortable acoustics, technically feasible, functional, and to present a visually attractive building.Atambua merupakan ibukota Kabupaten Belu yang letaknya berbatasan langsung dengan Negara Timor Leste. Dalam dua tahun terakhir Atambua menghadirkan berbagai jenis kegiatan seni musik khususnya pertunjukan musik baik tradisional maupun modern. Pertunjukan musik yang diadakan mendapat antusias dari masyarakat baik daerah maupun luar daerah bahkan luar Negara (Timor Leste). Meskipun demikian, belum tersedia wadah khusus untuk mewadahi semua kegiatan yang berkaitan dengan penyelenggaraan pertunjukan musik yang layak secara teknis, fungsi, akustika maupun fasilitas. Concert hall merupakan sarana terbaik untuk mewadahi semua kegiatan yang berkaitan dengan pertunjukan musik. Tujuan dari perancangan concert hall di Kota Atambua adalah merancang sebuah concert hall untuk Kota Atambua dengan memperhatikan akustik yang layak dan kenyamanan bagi semua pengguna bangunan. Penerapan tema analogi mekanisme akustik pada perancangan concert hall diharapkan dapat memberikan akustik yang nyaman, layak secara teknis, fungsi, serta mampu menyajikan bangunan yang menarik dari segi visual

Cold atom gas at very high densities in an optical surface microtrap

An optical microtrap is realized on a dielectric surface by crossing a tightly focused laser beam with an horizontal evanescent-wave atom mirror. The nondissipative trap is loaded with $\sim$$10^5$ cesium atoms through elastic collisions from a cold reservoir provided by a large-volume optical surface trap. With an observed 300-fold local increase of the atomic number density approaching $10^{14}{\rm cm}^{-3}$, unprecedented conditions of cold atoms close to a surface are realized

Aberration-free ultra-thin flat lenses and axicons at telecom wavelengths based on plasmonic metasurfaces

The concept of optical phase discontinuities is applied to the design and demonstration of aberration-free planar lenses and axicons, comprising a phased array of ultrathin subwavelength spaced optical antennas. The lenses and axicons consist of radial distributions of V-shaped nanoantennas that generate respectively spherical wavefronts and non-diffracting Bessel beams at telecom wavelengths. Simulations are also presented to show that our aberration-free designs are applicable to high numerical aperture lenses such as flat microscope objectives

Intensive group training protocol versus guideline physiotherapy for patients with chronic low back pain: a randomised controlled trial

Intensive group training using principles of graded activity has been proven to be effective in occupational care for workers with chronic low back pain. Objective of the study was to compare the effects of an intensive group training protocol aimed at returning to normal daily activities and guideline physiotherapy for primary care patients with non-specific chronic low back pain. The study was designed as pragmatic randomised controlled trial with a setup of 105 primary care physiotherapists in 49 practices and 114 patients with non-specific low back pain of more than 12 weeks duration participated in the study. In the intensive group training protocol exercise therapy, back school and operant-conditioning behavioural principles are combined. Patients were treated during 10 individual sessions along 20 group sessions. Usual care consisted of physiotherapy according to the Dutch guidelines for Low Back Pain. Main outcome measures were functional disability (Roland Morris disability questionnaire), pain intensity, perceived recovery and sick leave because of low back pain assessed at baseline and after 6, 13, 26 and 52 weeks. Both an intention-to-treat analysis and a per-protocol analysis were performed. Multilevel analysis did not show significant differences between both treatment groups on any outcome measures during the complete follow-up period, with one exception. After 26 weeks the protocol group showed more reduction in pain intensity than the guideline group, but this difference was absent after 52 weeks. We finally conclude that an intensive group training protocol was not more effective than usual physiotherapy for chronic low back pain