IMC Hawks Blog

Category: IMC

  • On Wisconsin! The Protest Continues

    Starting last week, up to 25,000 peaceful protestors have surrounded the Capitol building in Madison, Wisconsin.  It isn’t a matter of what they want, but what they don’t want.  Republican Governor, Scott Walker, proposed a bill that many union members are viewing as anti-union.  The bill requires state employees to pay a larger share of health care costs and pensions.  It also diminishes some of their collective bargaining rights and no longer would require state workers to join unions or pay membership dues.

    With Democratic State Senators fleeing Wisconsin to avoid voting on the bill, doctors writing sick notes for teachers to protest, and President Obama calling the bill an “assault on unions,” Madison’s liberal brand and activist reputation are giving the Governor a run for his money.  So why are other states watching the clash anxiously?

    Wisconsin is not the only state dealing with an extreme budget deficit.  With no easy way to fix the problem, they must consider some very tough budget cuts, many of which are opposed by organized labor.  Unions across the nation have successfully rallied and won many such battles, such as in Oregon and Arizona last year.  However, as seen in New Jersey and New York, governors from both political parties have reached out to business groups to form political action committees to advertise and put out messages to counteract unions.  If Governor Walker is also successful, he will be paving the road for many more states to stand up against government employee unions.

    These unions get their power by charging dues, these dues are used to run their daily operations and support political campaigns or individuals for elected office.  For example, in the 2008 elections, $400 million dollars were given by unions to elect Obama and other Democrats.  With Wisconsin threatening to remove unions’ rights to require state workers to join and pay dues, the unions’ relationships with members and political figures will no longer be one offering as much financial reciprocity. 

    How does this relate to IMC?  Government employee unions have large budgets to advertise their political views on bills, candidates, campaigns, etc.  They also survive knowing their membership will not diminish and their relationships with members and elected officials will remain productive.  However, if Wisconsin approves this bill it has the potential to reduce the financial power and sets up a pattern that could be followed by other states.  

    To learn more, click here to view a video on the protests:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFU7mn9pOhA

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

  • Alaska’s sweetheart or America’s nightmare?

    Seeing as today is Presidents Day, where the nation comes together to honor our past great leaders, we see it fitting to look at the latest political figure and “reality superstar”, Sarah Palin.

    This self-titled “maverick”, at first branded herself as a strong political influence with ties to family values, motherhood, main street U.S.A, and conservatism. After her failed run as Vice President during the 2008 Presidential election, she has since morphed into a celebrity.

    With her daughter partaking in Dancing With the Stars, and herself being the star of TLC’S Sarah Palin’s Alaska, she has been capitalizing on her celebrity status with a book tour, speech engagements, and recently, Fox News contributor. Do politics even play a role in her brand anymore?

    While her views haven’t changed about how the government should be run (if she even can even articulate her views without having to beat around the bush), she has basically destroyed her political brand. In several interviews, she has lost her credibility by not being able to answer simple political questions.

    Here is an example of her failing to brand herself as a knowledgeable politician.

    Below is a video of her dropping the ball in Politics 101.

    According to The Huffington Post, her reality show received $1.2 million in tax credits, a third of what it took to film the series. While other series filmed in Alaska do take advantage of the tax credit, Palin’s show profited the most, angering many citizens. With her stance on outrageous government spending, it is odd that she would partake in something that takes advantage of government funding This further harms her political credibility because she is profiting off the government that she previously lead.

    So what’s your take on her brand? Will this affect her future in politics, with a possible 2012 Presidential run? Is she still a positive political figure or simply a public nuisance?

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

  • Public Relations Specialist: A Top Job for 2011

    According to the U.S.News and World Report, one of the 50 best careers for 2011 is a Public Relations Specialist. One definition for Public Relations given by the Public Relations Society of American (PRSA) is that “PR helps an organization and its publics adapt mutually to each other.”PR specialists are hired to create a relationship with the public and to hopefully generate success.

    U.S. News and World Report stated that between 2008-2018, the employment of public relations specialist is intended to rise 24 percent. That 24 percent increase is appealing for us future PR specialists, especially in this current economic climate.

    So, what does it take to become a PR specialist?

    First off, most PR specialists have a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Studies, Journalism, Public Relations, or Business. In any field, it is important to get experience. Internships, especially in PR, are important to build your résumé because that is what projects yourself to potential employers. You must be able to think fast and accurately, have stress control, and be confident in what you do. In all communication fields, having good writing skills is obviously a necessity along with strong communication.

    In the previous post, Katelyn Truss talked about how important it is to create a brand for ourselves. Knowing your brand allows you to be more appealing to employers and eventually, your specific brand could attract customers for the business. It is appealing to employers when the person they are thinking about hiring is proud of what they’ve accomplished and has a positive outlook about the person they’ve become.

    Gary McCormick, CEO, of PRSA gives some advice for future PR Specialists in U.S. News’ article for “Top 50 Jobs of 2011”. He explains that getting a job in PR comes down to networking and that, “it’s really the cornerstone for what we do for clients and companies all the time.”

    Integrated Marketing Communication programs use public relations to advertise, market, influence, promote, build relationships with the customer, communicate new products, defend products, build excitement over a product, and so much more.

    Check out this video from PRSA: “The Value of Public Relations.”

    -Micaela Fouhy

  • Putting us two steps ahead of the competition

    As advanced IMC-ers, we know that Integrated Marketing Communication and branding is quickly rising and becoming increasingly important for organizations to master.  The success of a product can be traced all the way back to the planning stages of market research, market development, and (before all of this) back to the perspectives customers have on the brand itself.

    As most of us are about to graduate and begin our new careers (in IMC!), it is crucial to the success of our organization and to our own personal success that we fully understand the brands we represent.  For starters, the term “brand” has countless definitions.  The one that we have personally adopted may not necessarily work for our new company.  We are currently focused on how we are branding ourselves, and how our personal narratives read within our resumes or to potential employers.  In a few months this will all be changing. This is where we take everything we have learned about IMC and put it to good use.  We research and we ask questions to get a better grip on who we now are as employees instead of students.  We find ways to deliver clear messages, to create loyal customers, and to fortify our company’s credibility.  We are already taking these steps for ourselves, now we think ahead to how we can apply these same ideas to our future jobs.

    Because IMC is still on the rise, we, as students of AdvIMC, are already two steps ahead of our competition just by knowing what we have already learned.  We have the fundamental tools to build upon a new stretch of marketing that is making or breaking organizations these days.  We will prove to be valuable assets in our new work places.

    -Katelyn Truss

  • IMC and You: How to Increase Your Chances of Getting a Job After Graduation

    For many of us in Advanced IMC, graduation is looming on the horizon. With the end of our college careers approaching, we are beginning to hunt for jobs in a less than promising market. We’ll be competing with thousands of other new graduates for a limited number of positions, and since we don’t want to be asking “Do you want fries with that” in six months we’ve got to get creative; IMC, or Integrated Marketing Communications, can help!

    Typically, IMC combines practices from public relations, marketing, and advertising to coordinate all forms of communication delivered by an organization or product. IMC campaigns require a lot of work and effort, however, the differences between a regular marketing campaign and an IMC campaign are vast. If done properly IMC creates a competitive advantage that boosts sales and profits, while saving time and stress. Just what we need as we look for our first “big kid” jobs!

    Once upon a time, marketing’s 4 Ps (product, price, place, and promotion) could be applied by new graduates seeking employment. You, the product, would promote yourself by sending out your resume to the places you wished to work. Following that, you would be called in for an interview and (hopefully) be offered a job; from there you could negotiate your price. This is a simplified version, but you get the idea. In today’s competitive job market this isn’t enough.

    The practice of IMC has shifted us away from the 4 Ps and has adopted the 4 Cs: consumer, cost, convenience, and communication. What does this have to do with finding a job in the less than stellar market? Everything!

    No longer can you focus on selling yourself, the product. Today one has to think about what they can offer the consumer, your potential employer. What are their wants and needs and do you match up to something they would want to invest in? In today’s economy, their choice to invest in you may be dependent on cost. Cost doesn’t just involve your wage; it also includes any time spent training or covering moving expenses, etc. This brings me to the next C: convenience. You have to make yourself easily accessible to potential employers; whether it be physically or virtually. The final of the four Cs is communication. Your resume isn’t enough to land you a job. Do you have any connections that could help you out? Word of mouth can do wonders when searching for a job. If a potential employer Google’s you, are they going to find anything interesting that you’ve written or participated in? There are a myriad of ways for you to communicate who you are beyond your resume.

    -Eliza Wadson

  • “I want to be an event planner!”

    Contrary to popular belief, event planning isn’t all white dresses and fancy cakes.  In the realm of IMC, events are everywhere. From trade shows to music festivals, it takes knowledge of budgeting, marketing, advertising, organizational planning, and more to carry out a successful event. Our education in Communication Studies gives us a head start on other event planning hopefuls by providing opportunities through the classroom, internships, and extracurricular activities.

    Dress for Success Fashion Show Logo
    2010 "Dress for Success" Fashion Show Logo

    At UNCW, students have the opportunity to assist in the planning of fashion shows, academic conferences and meetings, concerts, multiple charity functions, and fundraisers. These opportunities give us valuable insight into all the necessary components of event planning. We come to understand that it takes hard work and long hours, excellent writing and public speaking skills…the list goes on and on! At the end of the day, an IMC student evaluates the outcome of his or her efforts not by how happy Bridezilla was, but by how it changed the behaviors of the client. For example, the success of a charity event might be measured by an increase in donations, not by how much people enjoyed the show.

    UNCW Communication Studies Society raised over $5,000 for breast cancer research in October 2010!

    When searching through the thousands of job listings, there are a variety of titles to consider: conference coordinator, special event coordinator, and meeting manager to name a few. Dependent upon the more specific interests of the applicant, these titles can start you on your way to a career in event planning!

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

  • So you want to be a marketing communications coordinator?!?

    Knowledge of integrated marketing communication can help you get many different types of jobs. As upper classmen, we are beginning to think about our futures and where our lives are headed after graduating. With many members of our class graduating in May we decided to look up entry level jobs in the IMC field that are in North Carolina. One of the options with integrated marketing communications interest and knowledge is a position as a marketing communications coordinator for Dixon Hughes. For someone thinking about entering this career field, you can expect to need a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies, Marketing, or Business Administration.

    Someone applying for this job can expect high earnings, substantial travel, and long hours which include evenings and weekends. The Occupational Outlook Handbook for 2010-2011 does not have a description for marketing communications coordinator. We assume that it is because this job and most integrated marketing communications jobs are fairly new and still expanding. It seems that people in these jobs do a range of positions including public relations, advertising, and marketing. We did find through some research though that someone in the field will help oversee hands on day to day execution of marketing plans, write and assist with circulation of press releases, policies, and marketing plans. They might have to develop websites and even act as a liaison with media and the organization’s communications department. With this specific position at Dixon Hughes, the applicant will have to assist with client pursuits by preparing presentations, pitch books and writing proposals as well as assist with logistics for conferences, tradeshows, seminars and other sponsored events.

    According to payscale.com a marketing communications coordinators can expect a yearly salary of anywhere from $32,383- 44,847. They also say that there is room for advancement and bonuses with a position in this field. Indeed.com says that the average salary for a marketing communications coordinator in Charlotte, which is where Dixon Hughes is located, is around $39,000.

    Fortunately for us, UNCW offers many classes that help students learn the skills necessary for a career in this industry. Some of these for example are, of course, intro and advanced Integrated Marketing Communication, Public Relations, and Strategic Writing.  After researching careers in the IMC field we feel more prepared for graduation and what’s to come. We can also help those underclassmen who need help finding their niche in the communication studies world.

    http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Marketing_Coordinator/Salary