IMC Hawks Blog

Category: Public Relations

  • Think Pink…Football?

    When someone says football, more likely than not the first images that come to mind are big, sweaty, muddy and masculine MEN. However, as a yearly tradition this month the NFL will be getting in touch with its more feminine side. To be more precise, all of the players will be accessorizing with pink. Pink sweat bands, socks, cleats and even pink mouth guards, all in honor of Breast Cancer awareness month. The NFL has designated all games from October 5-27th as NFL Breast Cancer Awareness games, started its own campaign called “A Crucial Catch” which encourages mammograms and also donated 14,000 to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure at the beginning of the month. Not only is the NFL taking action, throughout the year Major League Baseball is incorporating 250 pink bats into its games, and the National Hockey League players will be using pink hockey sticks as well as many other professional athletic teams. It seems that breast cancer awareness has turned “Think Pink” into a masculine concept as well.

    From the view of a Corporate Communication student, there is more to this concept than meets the eye. Professional sports such as football, hockey and baseball has had (for the most part) a predominantly masculine appeal. Not to say that thousands of women don’t love a full Sunday of watching their favorite team score touchdown after touchdown, or even participate in the sport itself. However, this “Think Pink” concept has become an athletic BRAND of its own. Fans of all genders love to see there favorite male players donning there pink accessories in order to create awareness of a disease that is statistically expected to effect 207,090 women by the end of 2010. Considering the biggest risk factor for being diagnosed with breast cancer is just simply being a woman, sports teams all over the nation that consist of mostly men are creating a whole new concept of branding for themselves. Star players within all areas of the athletic industry are taking action to show their concern for the cause; from Alex Rodriguez using a pink Louisville Slugger bat, to Cowboy’s LB Bradie James forming his own personal foundation that supports breast cancer, “Foundation 56”.

    It’s pretty obvious that breast cancer is a disease that effects all parties involved, not only the women (and men) who are diagnosed. This month, the NFL and other sports teams are making a statement about their normally masculine “brand” and letting everyone know that real men really do wear pink.

    – Lora Hampton

  • Why You Should Hire a UNCW Com Studies Major!

    Last week our Corporate Communications class discussed why other majors consider Communication Studies as the “easy major” or the “business school dropouts”. This is untrue and is the very reason that we have gateway classes such as com 105(intro to communications) and com 200 (research methods).  You are a pre-com major until you earn a “B” or better in both of these courses and then you become a full Communication Studies major. The gateway classes sort out the people who are serious about getting a degree in Communication Studies from the people who need to go a different route. Some people may think that a Corporate Communications class belongs in the business school; however, we feel that every corporation needs effective communication to succeed so, why not hire students who have a Communication Studies degree.

    Here are our entrance requirements: http://www.uncw.edu/com/academics-entrance.html

    In order to prepare for our future careers we have the option to partake in an internship. While an internship is not required to graduate with a Communication Studies degree from UNCW, many students choose to be involved in one. Most students who are interning from this department are working in fairly large corporations.  Since communication in different careers varies there are many positions a Communication Studies Major may hold. Students at UNCW  intern and may eventually be hired in positions like…event planner, public relations assistant, marketing assistant, account executive, news anchor, journalist, human resources recruiter etc. and that is just to name a few! The options available with a Communication Studies degree in the Corporate world are unlimited and with all the wonderful things we learn and the networking we create thanks to UNCW, we are already well on our way!

    -Emily Hunter

  • The Importance of Public Relations

    This week, our class will be focusing on careers in the IMC field. After taking both the introduction and advanced IMC classes, I have found that public relations is a vital part of this field. Searching for a job after college can now be very difficult with the current job market. By having the right qualifications and characteristics, anyone can achieve a career in public relations. Companies such as Nike and Walmart, along with individuals such as Tiger Woods, have used public relations tactics to regain respect from the public. This field has proven its importance through the several successful, and failed, PR stunts.

    According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, public relations specialists “serve as advocates for clients seeking to build and maintain positive relationships with the public.” In order to be successful in PR, you must be able to work well with others and maintain your time wisely. Someone working in this field must be capable of making the public happy and taking their harsh criticism. PR deals with businesses ranging from nonprofit organizations to fortune 500 companies.

    Salaries for a worker in the public relations field can vary. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that in May of 2008, the annual salary of a PR specialist was around $51,280. You can earn anywhere from about $30,000 per year to $100,000 per year, depending on experience and actual position in the field. Public relations is just like any company though; if you work hard enough, you can work your way up.

    Whether interested in working for a privately owned public relations firm or becoming an in-house PR representative, the work is stressful. Experience with press releases and face-to-face interaction will certainly help for success in this field. Being able to openly communicate with the client and efficiently multi-task are necessary characteristics of working in the public relations field. The demanding work load and pressures of deadlines can certainly be difficult, but the payoff is all worth it.

    – Lacey Inman

  • CFCI 10th Anniversary Planning Project

    Our class group has assumed the responsibility of planning the event celebrating Cape Fear Center for Inquiry’s ten years of education. Upon meeting with representatives from the local charter school, we established a budget, a venue, food, supplies, and guest speakers. Our client’s motive is to provide a friendly atmosphere for the current students, alumni, and their families, thus a local arboretum on a Sunday afternoon in April seemed appropriate. Our next step was to make a decision about food. Taking budget into consideration and acknowledging that food is usually the single most expensive item at any event, we have begun asking for donations from local restaurants and establishments. Supplies will include tables, beverages, T-shirts, raffle prizes, seating, a tent and podium for guest speakers and special recognitions.

    Contacting the public and media is crucial in the planning of any event, so we have a media kit in the works. Our client would like for any and all alumni to attend and since most of them may not be in direct communication with the school, we are utilizing all of our resources through the local media as an outreach tool. Awards for the three founders will be presented that afternoon as well.

    We have planned to meet with our client exactly one month before the event to make sure all arrangements have been made, invitations and media kits sent, and that thank you letters for donations have been written.

    Mandy Baker