IMC Hawks Blog

Category: Advertising

  • An ad is worth a thousand words


    This week, T.V. viewers all across the United States are preparing for the season premieres of this fall’s new television series. Stations such as Fox, CBS, and Showtime are all gearing up for the new seasons of their most popular shows as well as introducing new shows to the mix. Every season, many new series are introduced, yet many fail; could it be because of poor advertising?

    Before many of these shows are aired, T.V. stations produce numerous ads promoting what’s new to fall television. In regards to Ashton Kutcher’s new role on CBS’ Two and a Half Men, much talk has been going around as to if the show will continue to be a success. Looking at the ad created for promoting its ninth season, Two and a Half Men is portrayed as a show filled with somewhat crude humor and mystery surrounding what’s to come.  The decision to not put the show’s name on the ad was a risk taken; however, it seems to draw even more attention to the show.

    It seems as though a good, comedic sitcom is hard to come by these days. Many of the newer sitcoms never survive the first couple weeks of airing due to poor T.V. ratings.  One comedy set to premier tonight is Fox’s new light and airy show, New Girl, starring Zooey Deschanel. Known for her quirky personality, Deschanel stands front and center of the television ad with an awkward expression on her face. At first glance, New Girl appears to be a show filled with humor and happiness. Perhaps the use of bright colors and that sneaky smile Deschanel wears will draw more viewers in.

    After looking at this season’s T.V. ads, it is evident that certain shows will more than likely draw a larger crowd than others. What it comes down to is: what do T.V. viewers want to watch on a regular basis?  Can looking at a preview advertisement and commercials set the bar for up and coming shows? We’d say so.

    Which shows will you be tuning into this fall?

    -Stephanie Bakolia, Claire Outlaw, David Glaubach

  • Wear your favorite shirt, and get paid for it too!

    Do you have random t-shirts in your closet from equally random companies or events? Or, do you have a favorite t-shirt, such as one from Sanitary Restaurant in Morehead City, NC, that you wear as if it were your job? While wearing that favorite t-shirt, have you made the comment “I should get paid for this! ”

    Across the United States, a group of 5 individuals run a company where you pay them to wear your company’s logo; they brand your brand. On their website, iwearyourshirt.com, this group of people post live-streaming videos, pictures, Youtube videos, and share it across the social networks and web. For the nominal fee of $1,550-$1,640 any company can expand their brand via this unique way of advertising. GoToMeeting, a recent client of the t-shirt team recognized this innovative branding opportunity as “a great way to bring humanity to your brand, with great charisma, humor and authenticity.” What could be better than to be successful and authentic?

    One of the many companies that pay the iwearyourshirt.com team to act as a virtual billboard is the apparel company, Life is Crap. The iwearyourshirt team’s approach to driving followers to Lifeiscrap.com involved crazy, yet creative videos and live video chats with the audience where the potential customer for the brand can ask questions and talk to the t-shirt team.

    “Don’t be fooled. These guys aren’t just sitting around gathering dust in your shirt. Your shirt will be worn with pride, given sunshine along with tender loving care. Your shirt will be happy. And so will you.”– Gowalla iPhone app

    The iwearyourshirt team has proved that you don’t have to wear a tie to be successful. Their creative company has exploded into a force to be reckoned with.

    – Michela Noreski, Ashley Nelson, Jordan Hill

  • A Royal Frenzy

    For centuries, royal weddings have drawn a unique interest among the population; however it is not until recent decades that such events have been televised. The first televised royal wedding was in 1960 of Princess Margaret and Anthony Armstrong Jones who were married at Westminster Abbey. The occasion accumulated over 20 million viewers according to BBC News, and since then royal weddings have become a social event not only for those attending, but millions worldwide. With such a broad interest in the subject, it’s no wonder marketing and branding gurus jumped on the royal bandwagon.

    The wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge brought in record numbers of viewers from all over the world. More than 52 million viewers tuned into NBC Universal, more than 40 million tuned into NBC news. But what would a royal wedding be in this day in age without a social media impact?  Don’t worry, Prince William and Kate made a huge splash on Facebook and Twitter. NBC News hosted a Royal Wedding Facebook event that received 7,500 attendees and over 500,000 impressions. NBC News also created a Twitter account @RoyalWedding that acquired over 90,000 followers and more than 1.5 million users. The frenzy didn’t stop there, “The Royal Wedding by NBC News” App for iPad, iPhone, and Android reached over 200,000 downloads and quickly became one of  iTune’s Top Ten listed free iPad Apps.

    Aside from the technological and social media craze, numerous memorabilia items were created just for the big day. From replicas of the engagement ring to china sets with Prince William and Kate’s faces, branding reached a whole new level. Marketers even went so far as to create toilet seat covers with the dynamic duo’s face and wedding date. It is safe to say, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have developed into their own brand with the help of IMC.

    – Katie Eagle, Deji Adeleke, Carissa Niederkorn, Anna Kate Babnik & Tiffany Evans

  • How Green Do We Go?

    When an organization “goes green,” what does this really include?  As some of the other posts on this topic have noted, it is important for an organization to establish what “going green” means for them and what it means for their patrons.  Is it enough just be a business that recycles? Do you only purchase certain products from outside sources?  How far does the organization need to go?

    “Going Green” impacts more than just the environment.  If the concept is important to the organization it can dictate so many decisions and can mean big changes.  These decisions go further than creating a new marketing campaign.  Many corporations started using the “green” movement to revamp their brand image a few years ago.  Convincing campaigns can lead a viewer to believe that more is being done than in reality.  Eventually, environmentalists will uncover their efforts.

    Walmart, for example, implemented their new packaging strategy in 2006.  The new plan decreases the amount of packaging materials used and is supposed to reduce the total amount by 5% by 2013.  Even though 5% may not sound like a lot, after considering ALL the Walmarts and companies owned by Walmart (Sam’s Club, etc) it certainly adds up.  The idea of Socially Responsible Investors (SRI’s) is weighing heavily on organizations as well.  Without investments or capital, how is an organization going to pay for production?

    As the “going green” movement proceeds, it is important for businesses to cater to the developments not just to appease customers, but to appease other business owners that will influence growth.  Establishing a plan without exaggerating the strategies can go a long way when creating a new face for an organization!

    -Katelyn Truss

     

  • IMC and Blueberries and Burgaw, Oh My!

    North Carolina is a diverse state with many commodities and much history to celebrate. The North Carolina Blueberry Festival is one of the numerous state revels that will hold its 8th annual festival on June 18, 2011. It takes place in Historic Downtown Burgaw, just 30 miles from Wilmington, where the first cultivated blueberry production in North Carolina began in the 1930’s. Pender County now ranks second in the state for blueberry production, showing their love for blueberries through the annual festival.

    Since the festival began in 2004, Burgaw has quickly branded itself as the “Blueberry Town” making the festival its leading event. Although Burgaw is home to a small population of 4,000, the festival draws in more than 30,000 visitors. Aside from blueberries, the festival also offers entertainment, artisans, food vendors, and more.  In order to attract such a large crowd, the festival relies on its website and Facebook page. Both media outlets are used to inform the public and to facilitate communication. The Facebook page also lists contact information on how to purchase available promotional items to market the event that include, limited edition signed and numbered print by Ivey Hayes, t-shirts, sweatshirts, blueberry recipe cookbooks, hats, visors, and tote gags.

    The organization has also strategically acquired key sponsors such as WECT Wilmington 6 and Star News Media, two major news outlets that reach Wilmington and the surrounding areas. To generate further coverage and recognition of the event, the association sponsors a Blueberry 5k Run and a Blueberry Open Golf Tournament. One of the biggest draws to the festival is the Essay Scholarship which has awarded over $100,000 since 2004. The festival provides scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $4,000 each year, which can be used toward tuition, fees, or books.

    This small Southern town has taken big strides towards becoming its own recognizable brand. As their Facebook page states, “The Festival celebrates the historic, economic, and cultural significance of blueberries in the Southeastern region of North Carolina,” and through IMC, Burgaw is paving the way to become a significant and well known “Blueberry Town.”

    NC Blueberry Festival Website, check it out!

    -Katie Eagle, Deji Adeleke, Anna Kate Babnik,Tiffany Evans, & Carissa Niederkorn

  • COM Studies Day is finally here!

    Today may be April Fools Day but this is no joke, it is finally here, Communication Studies Day at UNCW. Our Advanced Integrated Marketing Communication class will be covering the event minute by minute right here on our IMC-Hawks blog. The event starts at 10 a.m. where a panel presentation will be held in Leutze Hall featuring 5 alumni of UNCW informing students, faculty and guests of the different graduate programs and professional positions they have pursued post graduation, which will be followed by questions from the audience.

    This presentation will last till 11 a.m and will be followed with a 30 minute networking session for the panelists. Starting at 12:15 the Communication Studies Society is hosting a fashion show where the students will be strutting their stuff in business professional and business casual attire. This is a part of the event that can’t be missed, fashion tips are always a necessity. Following the fashion show will be an afternoon panelist presentation featuring 5 more alumni of UNCW from 2-3, with a follow up 30 minute networking session. This day is a perfect chance for faculty to see where their previous students have been since graduation and for undergraduates to know what to expect once they leave the doors of Leutze Hall. To follow up the day us Communication Studies students, faculty and guests get to have some fun while continuing to converse and network with Alumni and each other at Fox and the Hound from 4-6 for the reception and social gathering. April 1st is going to be a day of fun, networking and informative learning of what exactly it means to be a Communication Studies major and part of the Communication Studies family. Stay tuned all day for up to date blogging by Dr. Persuits Advanced IMC class….
    Com Studies Day Live Blog

    -Lindsey Baggett, Drew Mayer, Micaela Fouhy, Will Cosden, Brianna Golden

  • IMC Rocks the Vote!

    Here at UNCW, SGA elections are in full swing. It seems everywhere you look around campus there are countless banners, flyers, bed sheet banners, and of course…CHALK. Everywhere you look you can see the candidates’ names written big in just about every color of the rainbow! I think just about every UNCW student would agree with me when I say that every student organization and the SGA utilize the abundance of sidewalk space to literally advertise for their organization, or in this case their candidates.

    If you want to advertise on this campus that means chalking, or painting the spirit rock. I myself have painted that rock and chalked this campus more times than…well, a lot. It is a method that everyone can’t help but notice as all you have to do is take a stroll down chancellors walk and especially around the center of campus and you will inevitably see some form of non-technological promotion and advertising. And when it comes to voting on the next student President, chalking up campus along with a Facebook fan page/group or event just might be the perfect combination. After all, basically everyone has access to the internet and everyone walks this campus on a weekly basis so these advertising techniques are without a doubt very effective in reaching out to students.

    Also coming up tomorrow however is Communication Studies Day and that means the fashion  show. Throughout the week, the popular social media outlet Twitter has been home base to creating buzz about the event and the models themselves. The audience will be able to vote on their favorite model via Twitter or in person. So just the fact that they are taking voting for model favorites and putting it online is very interesting and perhaps more intriguing for students. It also presents a way to have fun with the event and spark friendly rivalries. So come on out tomorrow and check out the 9th Annual Dress for Success Fashion Show, then pull up your Twitter and let everyone know who YOU thought was the best model!

    -Maxann Keller, Ryan Kelley, Eric Holtzman, Chad Graves, Katelyn Truss