IMC Hawks Blog

Category: IMC

  • Marketing UNCW’s Midnite Madness & Fan Jam

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    Photo courtesy of the Association for Campus Entertainment.

    In the past two years, UNCW’s Basketball program has grown in prominence and recognition, not only on our campus, but on the college basketball scene as a whole. As a former Spirit Chair for the Association for Campus Entertainment, I was beyond excited when the Men’s team started winning. One of the best ways to garner school spirit on a college campus is to give students something to root for. Events intended to boost that school spirit, like Midnite Madness and ACE’s Fan Jam, are not new to UNCW’s campus, but appear to be getting some new—and well deserved—recognition.

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    Some decked-out fans at Fan Jam. Photo courtesy of ACE.

    This past Friday, ACE worked with the Residence Hall Association, Athletics Department, Campus Dining, and more to organize the event known as Fan Jam. The purpose of Fan Jam is to get UNCW fans excited about the upcoming basketball season, while rewarding them with free games, shirts, and food. It is a way to thank fans for supporting UNCW’s sports teams. In the past, this event occurred after Midnite Madness and ran late into the night. However, this year Maddie Driggers, the current Spirit Chair for ACE, moved the event to 8 p.m., meaning it would take place before Midnite Madness. As with all her events, Maddie was tasked with discovering fun and engaging marketing techniques to inform students about the event and its new time.

    IMG_2792  Basketball cookies made by Campus Dining. Photo courtesy of ACE.

    Aside from creating a flyer and posting the event details on social media, Maddie and her committee members tabled around campus. At their table, students could win Midnite Madness t-shirts by making a basket in a child-sized basketball hoop. This technique proved effective because curiosity drew a lot of people to the table. Additionally, the students were more engaged with the information because they were getting a reward. The Athletics Department also provided glowing foam sticks with “Seahawks” written on them. This giveaway helped market the event because they were conversation starters and looked amazing in photos.

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    The glowing rods in action at Midnite Madness. Photo from UNCW Athletics’s Facebook.

    The foam rods can also be used a sporting events throughout the year and the photos can be used for promotional purposes for upcoming games. On the Tuesday before Midnite Madness, the Athletics Department hosted a Teal Tuesday event where they gave away more t-shirts and free food. They held other events during the week, like an ice cream social. At each of these events, Sammy was present to take photos with students and encourage them to participate.

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    Sammy at Fan Jam with students. Photo courtesy of the Association for Campus Entertainment.

    Overall, the key marketing strategies used by ACE and the Athletics Department for these events were face-to-face interaction with their key public (the students) and freebies. Both groups were also consistent in their marketing in the week leading up to the big day, maximizing the amount of students who learned about the events. In the end, Fan Jam had an estimated 500 students attend the event, the majority of whom went to Midnite Madness directly after making the day quite the success.

     

    By: Katie Solinski

  • Humans of COM Studies: Lauren Arsena

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    Photo courtesy of Lauren Arsena.

    Lauren Arsena entered UNCW in the Fall of 2014. At the time, she knew she was interested in marketing, but was unsure which major would be the best fit for her. She quickly discovered COM and the potential the department had to teach her, not only marketing, but advertising, public relations, and more.

    In terms of campus involvement, Lauren is the President of the Association for Campus Entertainment. ACE is the student-programming board at UNCW; they are responsible for a wide variety of events across campus, including the Jesse McCartney concert in Kenan Auditorium last Friday, September 22. Lauren was an integral part of the team that brought Jesse to campus, resulting in the fastest selling show in ACE’s history. The show sold out in less than 90 minutes.

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    September 22, 2017: Jesse McCartney at the concert on campus. Photo courtesy of Hayley Kane (ACE Photographer).

    Lauren first decided to join ACE because she wanted to have a say in planning events for campus, while still having fun. Before becoming the president, Lauren was the Special Events Chair, now known as the Activities chair. She worked on a few of ACE’s traditional events like Last Seahawk Standing and Speed Dating. She created a few new events of her own as well, including Swing Dancing and Salsa Dancing lessons–both free for students. Last fall, she brought an improv group to campus for a Murder Mystery Dinner. Guests interacted with the characters to learn who the killer was.

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    Lauren (right) and the Spirit Committee Chair Maddie (left) outside of Lumina Theater before one of ACE’s films. Photo courtesy of Hayley Kane (ACE Photographer).

    She has gotten the opportunity to apply a lot of the knowledge from her courses to her position in ACE and vice versa. Lauren states, “I’m on the PR/IMC track, so I’ve learned a lot about how to effectively market on social media. ACE also helps me in my classes because I have experience in event planning, leadership, teamwork, and public speaking.”

    Along with ACE, Lauren works as a Calendar Assistant for Campus Life. She uses Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator to create the calendars in the bathrooms of the Fisher Student Center and Union. Her experience with the Adobe Creative Cloud inspired her to add a Digital Arts minor.

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    Two of Lauren’s recent calendars. Lately, she has been hiding a Pac-man ghost somewhere in the design. See if you can spot him! Photos courtesy of Lauren Arsena.

    After graduation, Lauren would like to work in event planning for a few years. In the long term, she would like to return to school to work on a masters degree in Student Affairs. Her goal is to work with a student-programming board like ACE.

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    September 26, 2017: Lauren (far right) photographed here with Brandon Stanton (center), the creator of Humans of New York. Brandon’s work is the inspiration behind this post. Photo courtesy of Stefani Norris (right of Brandon).

    “Interpersonal COM, public speaking, and PR have taught me how to market myself better to others so I feel more confident and ready to enter the workforce after I graduate.”

    By: Katie Solinski

  • “Irmagerd!”

    In case the hurricane comes or it doesn’t or it does or it doesn’t…here are some suggested ways you can be prepared according to credible social media sources such as Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram.

    1)    First of all, check to see where the predictions are currently standing and how you should take precautions.

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    2)    Whatever you do, DO NOT forget your charger if you do need to evacuate the area.

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    3)    Make sure you tie your house down before you leave, because that is extremely important.

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    4) If you are are not evacuating try to put some of your household appliances to use. Throw ice in your washer before the storm and use it as a cooler! The water drains out anyway, so that’s actually not a bad idea! Yes, thank you Pinterest. 

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    5)  Place important documents, pictures, and books into your dishwasher to make sure they stay safe and dry.

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    I think you are ready now! You know exactly where the storm is headed, you have your charger, hopefully you’re gathering tools to tie your house down, drying out your dishwasher, and loading your washer with ice and drinks! You have nothing to stress about. Just sit back and relax, right?

    If you have noticed a pattern with some of the artifacts that have been presented on how you can prepare – it could be that you have seen them before, or that they are all a little humorous, but most importantly they all share a common factor being that they are all memes.

    In just a short about of time with the announcement of the hurricanes, several memes have been surfacing the internet and have gone viral.

    What makes a meme go viral?

    Memes have become a cultural trend and something that have become a part of our popular culture over the several years. Most of the time they are humorous, it’s a visual (and pictures are worth a thousand words), and it’s almost like an inside joke. For example:

    4824576Screen Shot 2017-09-08 at 6.57.00 PMEasily the girl on most “Ermagerd” memes quickly became the girl who was posted on all of the “Irma Gerd” memes. If you didn’t know who she was you from her popularity on previously memes you may have thought they were still funny but not known who this girl was and why her face was the chosen one. I think it can now be declared the world’s favorite meme and hashtag paired with this storm.

    There is a negative side to memes. Since they are such a huge part of our culture and entertainment they could be used as a method of persuasion. Although we want them to be harmless, as Dr. Deanna D sellnow stated at the Integrated Marketing Communication Conference, “some entertainments initial purpose was not made to be persuasive however because of that it could potentially be even more persuasive and compelling because we aren’t anticipating persuasion”. That seems to be a pattern with memes, as they are mostly made to be humorous some do become reality.

    An example of this is with the memes dedicating their attention to the tracks of the hurricanes. As frustrating as it may be to not know where the hurricane could be headed it is better to be informed of what we do know as soon as possible, rather than waiting until is it 100% accurate and we have the potential of it being too late. After all, communication is key amiright? 

    In all seriousness, stay safe during this storm and check credible news sources on how to prepare for the storm! But wait, there’s more….

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    -Josie Edwards

     

  • Who we are when we think no one is looking

    First of all, I just want to say that if you want to stay living in a bubble thinking humans are unbiased beings that always have fair and good intentions, maybe you should not read this book…. or maybe you should!

    Dataclysm, written by OkCupid co-founder and President Christian Rudder, dives into the deep world of internet data and how our personal data is used to “spy on us, hire and fire us, and sell us stuff we don’t need”. Dataclysm is a book right in its time, since we now spend most a lot of our lives online.

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    Rudder uses analytics to collect data that explains who we are, what we desire, and want. But also, what we hate, love and fear. He explains that our “true self” is shown when we think no one is looking, however someone always is. Because, the internet is nowhere to hide. If you are on the internet and you are online, you are oh so visible. Just a simple Facebook “Like” can reveal more than you think about a person. 

    Rudder explains that Facebook knows if you brake up with a boyfriend/girlfriend, if you like Dominos, or if you moved to New York City. And sites like Google, knows if you need a new dress for a formal, if you are gay, angry, lonely, or even racist.  

    This book is filled with fascinating statistics, and Rudder uses numerous graphs and charts to showcase his findings. This book is eye-opening and should be read by every millennial since our lives are so very deep centered around the internet and the information that we put there. Dataclysm is both a fun read as well as an important one. 

    I truly recommend this book to anyone who uses the internet! – which is all of you. 

    – Olivia Nilsson

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    Contagious, by Jonah Berger was all about how things catch on, or become “contagious”.   The book started out by talking about a popular restaurant, Barclay Prime.  When this restaurant came about, there was almost no advertising involved, but it still became a huge and famous place to eat.  Berger begins by talking about how this restaurant became “contagious” by only word of mouth.  This made him curious about how other ideas and products spread, and how advertising and word of mouth effects what people will do and buy.

    His book was broken into six chapters which were his six principles throughout the book.

    The first was social currency.  This was all about what makes someone talk about something more than another thing, and how it spreads.

    The second was triggers.  He believes that people naturally want to keep a conversation going, so if there is a pause or break in the conversation people will be more likely to bring up an idea or product.

    Emotion was his next principle.  He believes that if someone is passionate about something, then they will be more likely to talk about that thing.

    Principle four was called public.  He states that if you see someone else doing something, you will be more likely to do that thing too.   If someone is talking about and idea or product, or doing something new, you will be more likely to want to try that idea or product for yourself.

    Practical value and stories were the last two principles.  Practical value was more on the advertising side rather than the word of mouth side.  Berger believes that if a product saves money or improves your lifestyle you will be more likely to buy that product.  Stories was the last chapter and principle that Berger spoke about.  He said that ordinary stories we tell everyday get spread, and if an idea or product is in one of those stories, people will be more likely to buy that product.

    This book was all about how ideas and products spread.  Berger did a fabulous job of incorporating his own stories and personal events in the book.  This book was a super easy and interesting read.  I would recommend it for anyone looking to spread an idea or product, or even just if you’re looking for a new book to read.

    -Jennifer Howard

  • The Habit Cycle

    Every single day a person goes through hundreds of routines. From tying your shoes in the morning, to putting on your pajamas at night, the human brain uses habits to save energy while completing mundane tasks. Habits are the routines your brain has deemed worth remembering. They are suspected to be stored in a place of your brain called the basal ganglia.

    Habits are implanted in your brain, but that does not mean they can’t be changed. Habits can be rewritten and rebuilt. But, it takes a lot of work.

    Breaking a habit is hard, but not impossible. It can be done by taking advantage of the cycle that created it. By keeping the same cue and reward, but changing the routine can rewrite the habit. A person that snacks constantly throughout the day may do so to satisfy the feelings of boredom. By keeping the same cue, being bored, and the reward, of finding something to do, but changing snacking to getting up and walking around, they can change that habit. Changes require consistency and time devotion. A relapse will only damage the process made.

    Advertisers and Marketers use habits to draw in customers and encourage purchases. Large companies like Target will buy consumer demographic information, and then track purchase patterns to predict future buys. Toothpaste companies create a satisfying minty and tingling taste to convince you the toothpaste is working. This is all part of creating a reward worthy of habit.

    The Power of Habit, by Charles Duhigg, introduces these topics and explains the success of changing a habit. Through his book, he illustrates the steps a person needs to take to change a bad habit into something beneficial, and shows that one change can impact other habits in a positive way. We do what we do in life and business because of habits, so read this book.

    -Eva Mewborn

  • Spring Break: New Edition

    Many spring breakers spend their time relaxing or partying in warm weather, but there are plenty of other great things to do at the top 5 spring break destinations.

    Spring Break Destination One: Tampa, Florida

    Tampa not only has beautiful beaches nearby but so many other fun things to do.  You can rent paddle boards or water bikes and explore the bay area, visit Busch Gardens or the Florida Aquarium, go see the Big Cat Rescue, or hike the upper Tampa Bay trail.

    Tampa Florida kayaking with city skyline

    Spring Break Destination Two: South Padre Island, Texas

    South Padre Island is the perfect getaway for the adventurous spring breakers who want to see and try new things.  At South Padre Island you can fish, rent jet skis, surf, paddle board, visit a sea turtle center, and even visit a bird and nature center.  Don’t be thrown off by the name of the state, because Texas is the home to some amazing tropical paradises.

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    Spring Break Destination Three: Las Vegas, Nevada

    It may be hard to avoid all the casinos and bars in Las Vegas, but if you can, there are tons of other great opportunities to take advantage of during your spring break.  You can visit the Red Rock National Conservation Center, Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay, Clark County Wetlands Park, or even the Las Vegas Natural History Museum.

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    Spring Break Destination Four: New Orleans, Louisiana

    New Orleans is known for their liveliness, but they have other great spots to visit too.  The Aquarium or the Americas, Audubon Zoo, National WWII museum, Mercedes- Benz Super dome, and the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve are all great sites to see while in New Orleans. The luscious culture of New Orleans is definitely something to experience, but a more relaxed getaway may be just what you need in the center of all the craziness.

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    Spring Break Destination Five: Panama City, Florida

    Panama City is a huge spring break destination, and there is lots you can do there too.  Renting water sports is always an option near water, but you can also visit the Gulf World Marine Park, the Oaks by the Bay Park, or if you decide to bring your dog along your spring break adventure, there is even a luxurious dog park for your furry friends in Panama City.

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    Spring break can be anything you want it to be, but just remember there is always something to find for a more relaxing time.

    -Jennifer Howard