IMC Hawks Blog

Category: Branding

  • IMC Minus the C: The World Behind IMM

    With questions in my mind about product placement and how the book “The Authenticity Hoax” relates, we eagerly write this blog post.  Though there were many great points in the book, we were particularly interested in status seeking and materialism.  Do we want things because we really want them, or do we want things because we perceive them to be desirable?  What is our motive for buying?  Do these $250 Dylan George jeans do the job better than Wranglers… or are we seeking exclusivity? We think the answer has much to do with simple competition.

    We don’t think people were born with the inherent proclivity to seek out high priced designer fashions, We think their behaviors were molded by society saying, “These things make you important and envied.”  This brings us to the title of the post, IMM, Integrated Marketing Materialism.
    There is nothing wrong with promoting products; however, we have been wondering lately how early certain niche luxury markets are starting to target their audiences.  Of course, children of the stars have custom made Salvatore Ferragamo shoes, but it seems like serious materialism is rapidly affecting younger demographics even outside of Hollywood.

    Certain television shows like “Gossip Girl” are aimed at teens, but the characters always wear over the top, Haute couture only available at high end stores for outlandish prices.  Are these television shows telling our teens that it’s time to kick it up a notch and take a trip to Neiman Marcus for some Oscar de la Renta?  You can be the judge of that after you check out this picture of Blair Waldorf from “Gossip Girl.” Blair has a $2,100 dress by Moschino, $900 Quepi Reci platforms by Christian Louboutin and a $3,400 Chanel patchwork purse.  All together, her ensemble costs $6,400 plus tax and shipping (since most of us do not have access to such retailers).

    To people who are remotely knowledgeable about fashion, those products are easy to identify (especially because of the red soles on the shoes).  They are easy to recognize because they have been shoved in our faces for years now.  To our surprise, when we investigated these products, many retailers were sold out!  Obviously, their marketing strategy is working, which one do you think it is?

    -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

  • Blaming based on Naming


    While we remember the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, we recall the sadness and despair felt nationwide when the lives of nearly 3,000 people were lost.  The murder of the many innocent bystanders shocked the world, and resulted in distrust among certain races and religions.  Is it human nature to want to place blame in the wake of such tragic circumstances?  Maybe so, but it is very important to be sure that the blame goes to the rightful place.

    The attacks of 9/11 were the doings of extremist terrorist groups, in particular, Al-Quada.  Sadly, many people who do not stay abreast of current events and political issues associate the attacks with all Middle Easterners and/or all Muslims.
    Al-Quada is NOT representative of all Middle Easterners or all Muslims, and thinking so is an appalling mistake that some people have been making over the last ten years.   This act of stereotyping someone based on their religion or appearance can be associated with branding.  Some think that branding is about how you present yourself, but branding is really about how other people see you. Unfortunately, in many parts of the world, instances of intolerance, discrimination, and acts of violence occur based solely on discrimination against ethnicity and appearance.

    In the book, “The Authenticity Hoax” by Andrew Potter, he explains the difference between actual truths and perceived truths.  Since the media is such a powerful force in our society, they may inadvertently allude to something that changes the truth in your mind from the actual truth to a perceived truth.  Another problem is that we live in communities with members who share the same beliefs and motives.If your community tends to think ill of a certain group, religion, race, etc. you are prone to such beliefs as well.  Unfortunately, the only way to avoid being persuaded by the media and your community is to disconnect yourself from society, according to Potter.  As PR and IMC students,we agree with Mr. Potter, but we have also learned that there are ways to filter information to stay as close to the “actual truth” as possible.

    We must always look at both sides of the story, and question everything.  For each possible scenario, ask yourself every question that it could be associated with.  All Americans are not members of hate groups like the KKK.  All Christians are not gay hating anti-progressive activists, and all Muslims are not terrorists.

    – Stephanie, Claire, & David

  • Branded in FIRE

    If you ask a kid what he wants to be when he grows up, he doesn’t think about the benefits, hours, or even how much he would get paid. They run on another type of scale dealing with popularity, familiarity, or uniform. A lot of kids originally hope to grow up to be like their mom or dad, no matter what job their parents may hold. For example, if you ask ten-year old Christopher Cannizzaro from New York what he wants to be when he grows up, he will tell you, “a Firefighter just like my dad”. Christopher was only ten months old when his father, New York City fire fighter Brian Cannizzaro, rushed to help the victims trapped in the twin towers on September 11th, 2001.

    Brian never came home.

    Only knowing his father through the pictures and stories told by his mother, Christopher plans to follow in his father’s footsteps. In this case, like many others, there is something much more powerful than the shared bond between this father and son dynamic. There is a legacy. Born in the flames of who they serve and in honor of the people of who they love. It is a brand. The brand of the firefighter.

    As college students, we were about ten years old on September 11, 2001. We all remember where we were when the twin towers were attacked and the reactions of those around us. The devastation on every news channel overwhelmed all of us with an emotional bond unlike anything else before. A deep and powerful connection was made between every American, as we mourned the loss of our own. This was one of the most impactful creations of shared meaning within our country’s history; bringing our country together despite the color of skin, economic status, or beliefs. At that moment, we were united. At that moment, we recognized our heroes.

    The aftermath of 9-11, showed how the strength of our nation helped us all to rise

    and overcome tragedy.  With a death toll of 6000+ Americans, the light at the end of the tunnel seemed to be non-existent. The FDNY went into the flaming twin towers on the sunny morning of September 11th without an ounce of resistance.  They were the heroes that gave our country hope, and never gave up.  The appreciation we have for them as a brand of American heroes will never be let go and the strength we gained from that day will never weaken.

    Before 9/11, many Firefighters were often the unsung heroes of our communities all over. Their job is to put themselves into the path of danger to save people’s lives and homes.  They protect where we live and some of them are volunteers. Living the life of a firefighter means serving everybody, no matter the circumstances. There is no special set of qualifications that you need to have to be rescued; they don’t even have to know you for them to risk their lives for you.  Every time a call comes in, they gear up knowing that it could be their last. On September 11th 2001, 346 of these extraordinary people made the ultimate sacrifice.. for you.

    We are indebted to the 346 American fire fighters who lost their lives that day. Not just because of the day that we all remember but because of how they lived their lives and what they stood for. We all have something to learn from this. Coming together one day in September is not enough to honor these people who served our nation. It should be through our daily lives that we strive to serve and help others like they did for us. This is the brand of the Firefighter. The brand that symbolizes heroism and hope for all Americans.

    Firefighters Prayer

    -Jared Sales, Sally Shupe, Oliver Evans

  • Banded Nations

    Red white and blue are colors, the colors of our nation’s flag and colors which Americans wear proudly. Those colors represent our bold and courageous citizens, freedom, challenges and triumphs we have endured together. Those three colors represent who we are in a nation and show us where we have been and where we are going. In these days ahead we will be taking a moment to remember the devastating events of 9-11, the day when all Americans stood up and embraced the red white and blue. The attack on the world trade center has taken an emotional toll to all citizens. It was a day that thousands lost a parent, sister, brother, child, spouse and friend; which will never be forgotten.

    9-11 is a national day of mourning for a nation which has come so far over the past 10 years. Within those 10 years, 9-11 and the World Trade center has become another way which companies, individuals and media can actively publicize this tragic event by advertising this devastating event as a commodity and advertising campaign.

    Americans buy into the 9-11 brands because it is presents remembrance of the tragic event and it brings hope for a better future. They also buy into the brand in hopes of bringing the country closer together by exhibiting a symbol of unity. The Salamone family is one of many who lost their husband and father on 9-11. The oldest son was a collector of “cause” bracelets as many people are. After the event he wanted to create a band for people to wear to help raise awareness for the families affected by the attacks. He designed the bracelets so that people could “remember those who died, honor all those who helped around the world, and hope that something like 9/11 never happens again.” All contributions are tax-deductible.

    No one predicted the attacks of 9-11, but now no one will ever forget it.

    – Michela Noreski, Ashley Nelson, Jordan Hill

  • Something to Wine About

    This Sunday, communities from all over the country will commemorate the 10-year anniversary of September 11th, 2001.  With the United States remaining politically divided on many issues, people are wondering if the anniversary of September 11th could bring the country closer together.  Leaders around the U.S. are calling for a change in the nation and “true bipartisan cooperation for the benefit of our country.”

    From big events, like the 9-11 Memorial opening in New York, people everywhere in America are finding ways to remember one of the biggest tragedies in our country’s history.  Perhaps one of the most controversial has been the selling of 9-11 Memorial Commemorative wines.  Lieb Family Cellars of Mattituck, Long Island has caused outrage by producing a range of 9-11 Memorial wines to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center.  The winemaker is selling Chardonnay and Merlot wines at $9.11 a bottle, and giving 10% of the proceeds to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum.

    Despite these donations, the announcement of the wine has made many upset.    Lieb Family Cellars’ advertisements promote a wine made from “grapes grown 90 miles from the site of the World Trade Center,” and with sensitivities over the anniversary running high, this concept has sparked outcry.  Critics have accused the maker of, “exploiting the atrocity to make money.”

    Lieb Family Cellars insists that it is not making any money off the project.  Gary Madden, the general manager told The Times: “It’s a non-profit project.  We made the wine for charity; the profits on sales go to them.  It was done with the foundation, all under their licensing.”

    Many people have taken to social networking sites, such as Twitter, to express their anger about the issue.  Perez Hilton said, “WTF?” He calls this “tacky” and posted the following tweet: “@NoReservations- 9-11 Wine?!!? Are you out of your MIND?!! EPIC FAIL.”

    Celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain has called the brand naming around this wine “grotesque, exploitative and vomit inducing,” while the FDNY EMS proclaims, “What does the 9/11 Memorial brand next? Soap? Carwax? Tampons?  Hot dogs? Dog food?…anything for $?”

    Some say the Lieb Family Cellars’ intentions are good, with the victims and their families in mind; however, perhaps they should have done a little bit more research in regards to the implementation and marketing of their commemorative product.

    – Stephanie Bakolia, Claire Outlaw, & David Glaubach

  • 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