IMC Hawks Blog

Category: Marketing

  • IMC and Blueberries and Burgaw, Oh My!

    North Carolina is a diverse state with many commodities and much history to celebrate. The North Carolina Blueberry Festival is one of the numerous state revels that will hold its 8th annual festival on June 18, 2011. It takes place in Historic Downtown Burgaw, just 30 miles from Wilmington, where the first cultivated blueberry production in North Carolina began in the 1930’s. Pender County now ranks second in the state for blueberry production, showing their love for blueberries through the annual festival.

    Since the festival began in 2004, Burgaw has quickly branded itself as the “Blueberry Town” making the festival its leading event. Although Burgaw is home to a small population of 4,000, the festival draws in more than 30,000 visitors. Aside from blueberries, the festival also offers entertainment, artisans, food vendors, and more.  In order to attract such a large crowd, the festival relies on its website and Facebook page. Both media outlets are used to inform the public and to facilitate communication. The Facebook page also lists contact information on how to purchase available promotional items to market the event that include, limited edition signed and numbered print by Ivey Hayes, t-shirts, sweatshirts, blueberry recipe cookbooks, hats, visors, and tote gags.

    The organization has also strategically acquired key sponsors such as WECT Wilmington 6 and Star News Media, two major news outlets that reach Wilmington and the surrounding areas. To generate further coverage and recognition of the event, the association sponsors a Blueberry 5k Run and a Blueberry Open Golf Tournament. One of the biggest draws to the festival is the Essay Scholarship which has awarded over $100,000 since 2004. The festival provides scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $4,000 each year, which can be used toward tuition, fees, or books.

    This small Southern town has taken big strides towards becoming its own recognizable brand. As their Facebook page states, “The Festival celebrates the historic, economic, and cultural significance of blueberries in the Southeastern region of North Carolina,” and through IMC, Burgaw is paving the way to become a significant and well known “Blueberry Town.”

    NC Blueberry Festival Website, check it out!

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

  • Raise Your Brand to New Heights

      Gina Smith, like many students before her, set out on the collegiate path to a university degree 4 years ago. Whether she knew it or not, by the end of her journey she had created her very own brand. Many things contributed to Gina’s own brand, such as the Communication Studies classes she took, her internship in a PR office, or, more specifically, the student organizations or clubs in which she was involved during her college years. The real question out there is how did these organizations help to form Gina into the final product of alumni?

      The missions of many student organizations include several goals, each pertaining to the success of promoting their own brand through members like Gina. The tough part is how to obtain then keep those handy brand-promoting members, and further, how to promote their organization’s goals? We have the answer. IMC, of course!

      Tomorrow, a group of students from our Advanced IMC class will be addressing the themes of recruitment and retention of members, how social organizations can properly use media in order to reach both their members and the public, and finally, how to plan events for each organization in an hour-long information session called Raise Your Brand .

      We have invited representatives from each of UNCW’s student organizations in order to participate in this interactive information session in order to bring more awareness and action to each of their organizations. The final goal is to equip each organization’s representative with the knowledge and tools to be bigger and better on campus and in the community.

    ~Heather Cornman

  • My spring break is cooler than your spring break!

    So instead of spring break being a week or so off school to relax and catch up, for some its an opportunity to party as hard as possible… in the coolest place possible.  Each year we try to top last year’s adventure.  It seems that spring break has become a status competition and the winner goes on the most epic trip EVER!

    College students aren’t the only ones to have caught on to this trend, though.  Travel agencies, hotels, the alcohol industry, cruise lines, etc plan for the months of March and April to bring in as many spring breakers as possible; cruises to the Bahamas, houses in Key West, Miami, Cancun, Vegas, Palm Beach, Panama City- you name it.  The point is to capitalize on the hopes and dreams of a wild week in a tropical location.  Much in the way Hallmark promotes Valentine’s Day, the travel industry pushes for cheap deals in hot places.  These divisions most often even come up with package deals to make this happen.  The alcohol divisions are really the ones who luck out.  They team up with the cruise lines.  They team up with the hotels.  The airlines partner with hotels- it’s all one big money making family.

    All you need is anywhere from $500-$1000 and you get a wrist band that says you’ve paid and you’re ready to party!

  • Spring Break for Adults?

    Spring break has become an iconic holiday celebrated around the world. In the US, Florida has developed into the prime destination for spring-breakers with its enticing warm weather and endless beaches.  Originally Fort Lauderdale took the lead in the number one spot for college kids beginning as early as the end of World War II. It began to gain further recognition with the 1960 film Where the Boys Are, in which college girls met boys while on spring break there, and so the tradition took off! Over the years, the American spring break tradition has spread to other parts of Florida and the country; however the holiday has remained constant in marketing to students, until now.

    The holiday is a time for students to get away from school, but could it also be a time for adults to get away from the everyday hustle and bustle of “9 to 5’s”? US Airways Magazine seems to think so! The infamous spring break has delved into the confines of the “real world.” While spring break remains successful at maintaining its unique brand, a new outlook on the vacation week has been introduced as seen on the cover of US Airways Magazine, Let’s Go.  The article, Spring Break for Adults, lures adults in with promises of rest, relaxation, and most of all, no students! The cover highlights High Point, North Carolina as “the small town with a big presence,” which can lead one to question just how far spring break marketers are willing to go to beguile adults into joining the fad.

    The article however quickly recovers from its puzzling choice in cover story, and goes on to list 12 most appealing locations for adults.  While offering quirky encouragement that college students will be out of sight, the article focuses on marketing luxury and mature fun. They even go so far as to include Fort Lauderdale as number 10 stating, “That’s right: Fort Lauderdale. This former spring-break favorite is all grown up and home to a W hotel. The chic oceanfront property hosts the city’s premier hot spot: the stylish, popular patio at the Whiskey Blue lounge.”

    Although the choice in scenic beaches and crystal clear water may draw the same attention from college students, the article offers alternative hot spots within those ideal vacation destinations. Number eleven, Riviera Maya explains, “Don’t worry: This isn’t Cancun. Serene Rosewood Mayakoba is 40 miles south of the frenzy, tucked between the ocean and the jungle.”  Through marketing, spring break has diverged into two completely different brands, both coexisting in IMC harmony.

    Check out other chosen destinations here!

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

  • 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

  • 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