IMC Hawks Blog

Category: IMC

  • 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


  • But first, here is an ad from our sponsor.

    Did you find yourself inconveniently plopped in the library studying for an exam during last night’s season premiere of Glee? DVR malfunction? No worries, Fox has you covered. With our schedules growing busier and busier all the time, network TV has to find a way for their programming to reach us. And they have found the solution. By having episodes for free on their website, networks, such as Fox, are able to get their programming to you at your convenience.  This means that you are able to sit and watch the program you missed without any distractions, at the time you want, with no commercials… right? Unfortunately, convenience comes with its price.

    When watching your favorite shows online, commercials are forced upon you at least 2 to 3 times per hour.  This is quite different from the early days of online video where one 20 second ad would play during the course of an hour program. Now, your show is interrupted several times with no means of changing the channel or fast-forwarding. This may be seen as an inconvenience by the viewer, but this is a marketing dream. Not only can you show ads which must be viewed in order to continue on with your program, but it also provides the viewer with clickable links to find out more information about the product or service. It goes beyond anything a TV commercial can do.  Having commercials online, as well as on TV, doubles the network’s advertising dollar. With the ease that episodes can be placed online, this can definitely be seen as quite a bargain.  As always, convenience comes with a price. In this case, frequent commercial interruption is the price we pay for being able to watch our episode of Glee on our computers while we do our laundry today.

    – Lauren Phelps, Jessica Kingman, Alaethea Hensley

  • 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

  • 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

  • Osama=0, Facebook & Twitter=2

    Last night social media networks exploded with the news of Osama Bin Laden’s death. If you have a social media account, there was no way you did not hear the news before President Obama’s speech. Most people, especially members of the millennial generation, spread the news around the world like wildfire. On Facebook, statuses were updated every second with celebratory posts of the death of the most hated person since Adolf Hitler. Twitter set a new record on traffic, with an average of 4,000 tweets per second from the beginning to the end of President Obama’s speech.

    How does this relate to IMC? IMC incorporates social media, which helps create social capital. It is evident that last nights social media event fostered a community around the country and globe of American nationalism, helping to reunite the country once again as the United States of America. In all of our debates over whether social media inhibits social capital, it is now quite clear that social media is a driving force in creating social capital, and on a large scale.

    Here’s to you IMC, for helping create a community one status and tweet at a time.

    -Allison Day, Jessica Berinson, Megan Canny, Melissa Gagliardi, & Scott Burgess

  • Communication Studies Family

    The countdown for UNCW’s Communication Studies graduation is getting smaller and smaller. Now the graduating seniors can see the “real world” at a distance, and the reality of graduating and growing up is causing stomach pains filled with nervousness, but excitement for the future. Personally, I find it so hard to say goodbye to my Communication Studies family. I have developed such great relationships with not only the students, but with the professors as well.These are the people that helped me become the motivated woman that I am today.  I’ve learned so many aspects of communication, from interpersonal to integrated marketing communication to negotiation and conflict management. Therefore, I want to thank the members of the UNCW Communication Studies faculty that taught me so much.

    I want to thank David Bollinger from the start in Introduction to Communication Studies. It was great traveling with you on the class trip to Greece and Italy. Most of all, the Direct Individual Study of communicating with women in a public health setting is what really helped me focus my career goal of communicating in the public health field. I also want to thank Tammy Bulger, it was great to have you in Interpersonal Communication and I learned so much from you in 490. I am so thankful for learning about the job search process and informational interview from you. I’ll miss seeing you at the basketball games. Although I didn’t have many classes with them, I still want to thank Bill Bolduc, Lauren Frye, Jerry Bagnell,  Dr. Olsen, and Susan Lanier. You all taught such different parts of communication and I know I will use these skills in the future.

    Most of all, I want to thank my fellow Communication Studies classmates. You all are so supportive and make a great family. I’m going to miss seeing all of you everyday.

    -Megan Canny

    I have had a great four years here at UNCW, and have been through some ups and downs. Unfortunately, I will not be graduating in two weeks like the majority of the best class of Seahawks to ever grace UNCW with their presence, the Class of 2011.  Instead, I will be officially walking across the stage in December. Though I would much rather be graduating now, it is simply not an option.  I originally came to the university as a NC Teaching Fellow, with plans to teach high school history. Halfway through my junior year, it finally occurred to me that I had not desire to teach. Nonetheless, I am looking forward to completing this “victory lap” as “super-senior” and entering into the real world. Yes, I am a rarity, as I am so ready to be out of college and into the real world on my own!

    I am so glad that I made the switch to communication studies. It has presented a world of opportunities for me and I have loved every minute of it. My future plans are to either have a career in public relations or IMC, we shall see where I end up at once I receive my degree.

    I would like to thank a few professors, who are so lucky to have to put up with me for one more semester. Dr. Persuit for giving me the override for this class after my countless emails and office visits begging you to let me in. It has been a great experience and has really been one of my favorite classes.

    Jennifer Chin for letting me into Intro to PR this semester so that I could take Advanced PR in the fall, which would allow me to graduate in December. I am looking forward to it.

    Tammala Bulger for answering my email in the fall of 2009, and calling me out for not properly calling communication studies the right name. You helped put on the right track to graduate.

    I can’t leave out my amazing group mates in Com 200, Taren, Sam, & Heidi. We made it through that challenging class, which I have to say, was much harder than any history class I ever took, including my senior seminar class.

    Congrats to all of the graduates….now go out and find a job so you can hook me up with one for January 2012!

    -Scott Burgess

    With my graduation date drawing near, I am forced to evaluate my life; where it has been and where it is heading. My time at UNCW has taught me a lot about myself and what I want to do with my life as well as other plans for my future. The classes that I have taken in my path to a degree in communication studies have taught me many things about many subjects that I will use in my future no matter what communication studies related job I take. At first when I was told to blog about my time at UNCW, I wanted to boycott. I don’t want to reminisce about my four years at UNCW and how I am now a big girl and have to face the real world. The most important thing I have learned since moving to Wilmington and attending college is to be true to myself. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and didn’t know how to figure out what I wanted to do. So by taking the wide range of courses offered through the Comm Studies department I was able to try a little bit of everything. I think that the capstone course that is required before graduation is finally what forced me to choose.  I didn’t have a choice but to pick something and go with it. I decided that I want to be a wedding planner. There aren’t any classes in particular that made me choose this but a little of everything. I realized that it’s scary to choose a path and start down it but by staying true to myself  I know that I am making the right choice for me, not just because it’s time to be a grown up. It’s time to graduate and make a name for myself in the real world but my experience at UNCW has me fully prepared to jump off the deep end and straight into the pool of professionals. I want to thank every single professor that I have had the pleasure of taking classes from. Each one of them have made such an impact on my life and I am prepared because of their expertise and real world experiences. I am truly going to miss of them and miss this school, even though I will be very happy sleeping in before I get my real job!

    -Melissa Gagliardi

    This semester has given true meaning to the expression “time flies”, probably because I have been so busy with school and my internship. I want to thank Dr. Persuit, Dr. Fellows, and the Southern States Communication Association for letting us create an IMC Plan for them and guiding us along the way. I have enjoyed putting the lessons learned in the Advanced IMC class to actual use with clients. I also want to thank Lauren Frye, who taught me the joys of writing in Strategic Writing last semester. Honestly, I had no interest in writing before I took her class. Now, I write everyday in my internship using the skills Ms. Frye taught me in her course and I actually enjoy it! Lastly, another reason I have been so busy this semester is because I am the Community Outreach Chair of the Communication Studies Society. I want to thank Jennifer Chin for being a wonderful faculty adviser and for helping us make a difference in our Com Department and the community of Wilmington. I won’t be graduating this semester, so I look forward to new and exciting experiences this summer and next fall in Wilmington! Good luck seniors, I’ll miss you!

    -Allison Day