IMC Hawks Blog

Category: Branding

  • Remember When… Cupcakes Were Just for Kids?

    Think back to your elementary school days.  Were you one of the “lucky ones” whose birthday happened to fall on a school day?  If your parents were anything like mine, this probably meant having the honor of bringing your class a huge batch of store-bought (or on the rare occasion, homemade) cupcakes.  Right now you’re probably picturing them, covered in sprinkles and icing that turned your mouth bright colors, maybe decorated with plastic Barbie or Spider-Man rings that everyone would wear for the rest of the day.  Back then cupcakes could make you king or queen for a day, at least in the eyes of your classmates.

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    Nowadays cupcakes have a different reputation.  An exceptional batch could win you $10,000 and instant fame.  Thanks to television programs that highlight the new art of cupcake baking, these mini treats are taking the country by storm, and it’s not just the kids that are buying in.

    In 2010, the show “Cupcake Wars” began airing on the Food Network.  Each episode brings together 4 top-rated cupcake bakers from across the country to compete for $10,000 and the chance to debut their cupcakes to crowds of America’s elite at events such as awards shows and charity parties.  The list of ingredients these bakers are given ranges from fruits and nuts to chili peppers and vodka and the finished products are a far cry from the yellow cake and chocolate icing of our childhood.

    The popularity of cupcakes is rapidly spreading and the evidence is popping up in cities nationwide.  Cupcake bakeries that specialize in traditional, exotic, and chic flavors are now conveniently located next to your favorite coffee shops and boutiques.  These bakeries are rebranding the phenomenon of the cupcake with unique flavors and styling that aim to please a more adult crowd.  Not only are they a pleasure for the palate, but cupcakes these days are like a new accessory.  They can be as high-end as the bakeries that produce them and the clientele that consume them.   A cupcake bakery called Georgetown Cupcakes, also famous for a television show that airs on TLC called “DC Cupcakes,” has catered to clients such as Kim Kardashian.

    ImageHowever, it’s not just the ingredients or the celebrity that make cupcakes more appealing to adults.  Now, anyone over the legal drinking age can partake in fine cupcake-inspired wine and vodka produced by Cupcake Vineyards.  Why not pair your cupcake with a glass of wine?  Bakeries and other specialty shops now host cupcake and wine tasting events where adults can mingle and the two indulgences can be enjoyed side by side.

    So is this new trend something to expect from all of our childhood favorites? Will popsicles be the next big thing?  Leave it to the media to help us decide.  Until then we might as well have our cake, and eat it too. Bon appétit!

    – Ally Walton, Lauren Habig, Erin Kiffmeyer, Hannah Eure, Gene Lee

  • #Eastwooding

    Clint Eastwood is a man of many roles: he’s a movie star, American badass, producer, director, and even politician.  Most recently, he can also add empty chair talker to the list.  Eastwood attended the Republican National Convention this past Thursday, August 30th. He was attending the convention to give an endorsement speech prior to Republican candidate Mitt Romney taking the microphone, and things got a little wacky.  Eastwood began talking and asking rhetorical questions directed towards Barack Obama to an empty chair on stage.   Almost immediately after the speech aired on television, Clint’s stint at the convention became a huge buzz on social media networks, such as Twitter, where #invisibleobama was trending.  Not only were people talking about Eastwood’s strange chair conversation, but people also began posting pictures of themselves reprimanding empty seats as well, giving rise to the internet’s newest sensation, #Eastwooding.

    Romney may not have known what the outcome of bringing Eastwood to the convention would be, but it was certainly a strategic move on his part. It is safe to say that even if no one was expecting such a social media buzz about the speech, Romney was definitely looking to add star power to his campaign. Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, have become celebrities in their own right over the last four years. Obama has even taken to trying to downplay his celebrity in this election. This article from the Washington Times discusses Obama’s relationship with George Clooney. Obama is quoted as saying, “Clooney keeps his distance so that [the President] won’t be criticized for hanging out with Hollywood celebrities.” So it makes sense for Romney to try to bring in some celebrity credit, since after all, he is competing with the President who hangs out with George Clooney and was nominated by Oprah Winfrey. Who could be better to compete with those two celebrities than Clint Eastwood? Both candidates are trying to walk the fine line of celebrity endorsement. Obama has a little too much, and Romney has a bit too little. Why does celebrity endorsement even matter though? Celebrities are able to make campaign’s multidimensional and bring in more funds.

    Mitt Romney knew what he was doing when he brought in Clint Eastwood. He knew that Eastwood is a celebrated and respected actor that everyone can easily recognize. What the Romney campaign did not realize was the unintentional social media phenomenon that #Eastwooding would become. This trending topic got people from all over the country posting pictures of themselves speaking to empty chairs. Not only did it spark a riot via social media outlets, it also turned a national holiday, Labor Day, into National Empty Chair Day where people were encouraged to continue to post more pictures of empty chairs. Coincidence? We will let you decide that one. As for the Republican Party, their intentions of bringing in Mr. ‘Dirty Harry’ himself were well thought out and calculated in hopes that he would be able to rally the voters who are currently undecided to choose their candidate. Instead, the Republican National Convention of 2012 will forever be known for Clint Eastwood yelling at an empty chair as opposed to what issues the party stands for in this election. These unintentional acts can make or break a campaign. Will #Eastwooding have a lasting impact on the campaign? Will the President soon become #invisibleobama? Only time will tell.

    –Alexandra Huss, Caroline Merrill, Alyssa Morrello, Lauren Van Trigt, Daniel Williams

  • Time Flies Faster Then You Think

    Our three years here at UNCW has been a nonstop learning experience. We have not only gained knowledge in classes, but have also gained valuable and unforgettable life experiences. Laura transferred to UNCW after her freshman year and since she has been in Wilmington has had three very valuable internships. The key to getting a job in this market is to have experience in your field of interest and being able to effectively market yourself to potential employers. In our IMC 1 class we had an assignment where we had to market our personal brand and why we should be hired over our competitors. It is crucial to understand how and why your brand is better than the kids sitting next to you. It is not only important to know why your brand is the best, but you also need to understand how to market your experiences and internships to fit the qualities for your potential employer. Taking advantage of internship opportunities, especially for credit through the Department of Communication Studies, is a great idea for anyone and everyone. Without those experiences we would not be as prepared or as knowledgeable about our field of interest as we are now. So, when you’re thinking of what to do with all your time during the beautiful summer in Wilmington, think about taking an internship or think about how you can make your brand stand out among others.

    Another important piece of advice is to get involved on campus. Once you are a student, UNCW becomes your home away from home. The best way to find comfort is meeting and bonding with other students who are in your exact situation. UNCW has over 200 clubs and organizations for students to become involved in. The only hard decision you have to make is: which club should I join? Tennis, TealTV, Communication Studies Society, the choices are endless. The moral of the story is this: get involved on campus and make your presence known. You only have four years, which believe me, flies by in a blink of an eye. The friends you make in college become your friends for life. It is important to make your college journey memorable, exciting, and one that you can laugh about 40 years down the road reminiscing with your old college friends.

    Lastly, as a college student, one of the most important things you do is research. Whether it’s writing a report, putting together a presentation, or simply watching the news on TV to catch the latest events, you are gathering information to analyze. Some of this information will be forgotten shortly after graduation, if not before you even cross the stage to get your diploma. However, some information you have gathered through your college career will stick with you for a lifetime and will become helpful in future career situations.  Learning doesn’t just stop when you get your diploma. The research skills you learn to use as a student can be used for the rest of your life, as you strive to be an informed individual.

    So just remember, time flies. Before you know it you will be walking across the stage to receive your diploma.  Don’t just be a beach bum, at least, not all the time. Do something that will show your future employers that you did something with your short time here to make a difference.

    -Laura Simmons, Brooke Keller, Ashley Oliver

  • Filter Your Way To A Greener Earth


    “What do you want for dinner honey, how about plastic?” This may seem like a ridiculous statement, but it’s one that needs to be taken seriously. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a large island in the Pacific Ocean that is full of tires, plastic, nets, and lots and lots of trash. To be clear, the largest landfill isn’t on land, it’s in the ocean. An estimated 80% of the garbage in the ocean comes from land sources and plastic composes 90% of the trash floating in the oceans around the world. The size of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is not verified, but some say that it is twice the size of the state of Texas while others say the garbage island is 3.8 million square miles. The trash leaves human hands, goes into the ocean, and kills sea animals. Sea turtles become entangled by fishing nets, eating plastic bags mistaking them as jelly fish, and dying because of it. Birds are also scooping up the trash and feeding it to their young mistaking it for food and dying from starvation or ruptured organs. How does this process come to a full circle? The trash leaves humans hands, goes into the ocean, animals then eat the trash, bigger animals eat the smaller animals that have ingested the trash, the animals are then caught by fisherman, and then the fish, which have ingested trash and plastic, ends up on your dinner plate. Sounds delicious right? No, I didn’t think so.

    Mostly everyone can agree with the statement that we live in the “Age of Plastic”. However, it has been a growing issue within the world that plastic is harmful to the environment. But has anyone stopped to think of what it is doing to the human body? Werner Boote has and that is why he created the documentary called Plastic Planet. Boote traveled all over the world to understand how plastic is made and used throughout the countries. During the video he speaks to the world’s foremost experts in biology, pharmacology, and genetics to receive some answers about the effects of plastics. A shocking revolution of this video is that plastic is actually in our blood. He created this video to educate those about the risks of plastic and how long the material really lasts on earth. This video is encouraging those to limit the use of plastic and to educate the next generations of children so that they understand what kind of a plant they are being introduced to. Last year, the Green Team on UNCW’s campus collaborated with another sustainability group to play this movie for the students to see. People should be educated on the effects of plastic and understand how harmful it really is.http://firstrunfeatures.com/plasticplanetdvd.html

    Many companies are now producing products to help save the environment and cut down on the amount of plastic bottles the world uses every year. Brita water filters has made technology so that customers can make tap water from their home safe from harmful bacteria and pure while using their own glasses. Brita has a new campaign, Brita For Good, which asks customers to use their bottle and pitcher filters to save about 300 plastic bottles from being used and thrown away. The average filter needs to be thrown away every two months, so you don’t have to constantly be worrying about changing the filter. Camelbak is another company striving to save the environment from being consumed by waste. They have recently designed a product to solve water purification problems with a system that uses UV light. The bottle takes 60 seconds to purify the water inside, which is not too long to wait for pure and fresh water.

    -Kelsey Bendig, Brooke Keller, Andrea Blanton, Brian Burch

  • Watch TV on your own time

    Digital video recorders, also known as DVR’s, have been around since 1999. Replay TV and TiVo were the first two digital video recorders launched at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. DVR’s have become increasing popular because it allows you to record your favorite shows or movies and watch them later when you have more time. Now there is no need to rush home or stay up late just to catch the news or E! True Hollywood Story. DVR is changing how we watch television. With DVR on everyone’s mind, cable companies have created apps so that their users can set their DVR’s to record even when they are not home. Another feature of DVR that has caught many people’s attention is the fact that you can fast forward through the commercials. People can enjoy their favorite shows without interruptions. This has made it difficult for advertising companies to get the viewers to watch their advertisements.

    With the development of DVR and television show recording programs, companies have to find new and effective ways to market their products to their target markets.  Television viewer’s ability to fast forward through commercials is thought to be affecting buying habits of consumers.  Companies and marketing experts have to peruse other means of getting their products out to the public.  Social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook, and especially Pinterest are effective ways for companies to market their products in a way to get consumer attention.  Through this marketing hardship, integrated marketing communication is very important to gain and retain interest.

    -Kelsey Bendig, Brooke Keller, Andrea Blanton, Brian Burch

  • The trend of helping others

    With everything that is happening in the world today, it is nice to see that others are using their products to direct consumers’ attention to things other than America’s economy. Some companies have created a brand based on helping those in need. This trend has been one that can actually make a difference in the world we live in. These companies are using their consumers’ ethos to make them feel as though they are doing the right thing by buying certain products. This marketing tactic has proven to be a successful one because two brands especially have become increasingly popular throughout their mission to help those who truly need it.  

    If you haven’t heard of TOMS, you aren’t in with the latest trends.  Here on the campus of UNCW especially, TOMS are almost as big of a hit as Rainbows.  Not only do they look amazing and feel great, the TOMS brand is all about giving back.  For every pair of TOMS sold, the company donates a pair of their shoes to people in need.  The TOMS brand started back in 2006 with the creator’s trip to Argentina, where he saw first hand how many children had no shoes to protect their feet.  This is not only true in Argentina, but in many other developing countries where children grow up barefoot.  The TOMS brand slogan is ONE FOR ONE and is making a major impact on the trend of helping those in need.

    Chegg is a resource that hundreds of thousands of students utilize around the world to rent or buy textbooks to save money. One of Chegg’s incentives for students to rent or buy textbooks from their company is their philanthropic marketing strategy.  Chegg markets to their consumers that with their support, Chegg can plant trees around the world. Today, Chegg has planted over five million trees with their partnership with American Forest Global ReLeaf Foundation.  As stated on Chegg’s website these trees are planted worldwide to, “help regenerate areas damaged by wildfire, strengthen River Bounds, and restore wildlife habitats.”  In 2011, 175,000 trees were planted in Pondicherry, India, 40,500 trees were planted in Colorado and 700,000 trees were planted in Florida, just to name a few.  Chegg inspires students to be a catalyst for change around the world.  When their consumers purchase their textbooks through Chegg they can make a difference in the world by improving the environment.

    -Kelsey Bendig, Andrea Blanton, Brooke Keller, Brian Burch

  • Networking your way to the top!

    The Annual Communication Studies Day is something students and faculty alike look forward to every spring.  This jam-packed day is full of expert panels and networking sessions to help communication studies students get their names out there in their potential field, and a fashion show with examples of appropriate work attire.  Networking is something that is becoming more and more important when trying to get a job in society today.

    What exactly is networking? According to the UNCW Career Center website networking is, “the development of contacts and personal connections with a variety of people who might be helpful to you and your career.” Building a personal connection and relationship with people in the community will be beneficial. According to the UNCW Career Center website, 80% of jobs are filled by networking – people they know. Networking doesn’t guarantee a job, but it is a great way to gather information and get advice from people who have been in the industry for a while. It is important to network at any given opportunity. Networking can occur through various social media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Social media is a powerful tool that should be utilized when networking.

    COM Studies Day allows students to hear from professionals and get experience with networking. Jenna Curry, a COM major graduate and treasurer of CSS during her years at UNCW, took these days to heart. After she started her career, she noticed that she did not know many young professionals in the Wilmington Area. With this realization, she decided to create an atmosphere where young college students and graduates could meet and network with local businesses because she had learned the importance of networking at UNCW. Port City Young Professionals (PCYP) is the atmosphere she created. PCYP hosts a networking event the third Wednesday of every month in different areas of Wilmington. Curry hopes to give the members a chance to establish new personal or professional relationships, give young business people a chance to interact socially, and share ideas. “PCYP was created to help improve its members’ networking skills, expand their contact base, and provide the opportunity to promote themselves and their business in a relaxing atmosphere. The goal of the PCYP is to ultimately help its members get involved in the local business scene and to impact the current and future marketplace.”  For more information about Port City Young Professionals check them out at: www.portcityyoungprofessionals.com.

    -Kelsey Bendig, Andrea Blanton, Brooke Keller, Brian Burch