IMC Hawks Blog

Category: Social Media

  • InstaBRAND

    As we all know, Facebook and Twitter have been a vital source to promoting brands around the world.  In our ever-growing technological society, consumers want more. They get bored with what has been around and search for new innovative ways to relate to the things or people they love.

    Instagram is a growing social media site that is primarily accessed through a smart phone.  It is the same concept as Twitter, but your “Twitter feed” consists only of pictures to show what you are doing.  You can “like” and comment on the users you follow, edit your images and upload to both your Facebook and Twitter accounts.

    Brands like Michael Kors and Victoria’s Secret use Instagram to give their customers a visual of what they are doing behind the scenes at fashion shows or in the office.  It provides the consumers with a face behind the brand name and sense of feeling involved with what is being created throughout the company without the 140 character limit.  It allows brands and their consumers to have instant interaction through the commenting feature as well as posting pictures as responses.  Not only can consumers learn about their favorite brands, but they can learn about how their brands are being worn or used.

    Even though Instagram has not expanded to lengths of other social media sites, it is growing rapidly among consumers and will soon grab the attention of more businesses around the world.   Companies can now have their customers help in promoting new products to their followers.  Customers are endorsing their favorite brands which can be looked at as free advertising, for the people, by the people.  Consumers like to be able to identify with a brand through images as opposed to 140 characters.  As the saying goes, “Images speak louder than words.”

    – Julius Roberts, Leanna Marshall, Leslie Tyler and Bryce Koonts

  • Challenge: Build Your #brand In 140 Characters

    Social media is a growing evolutionary electronic forum around the world.  Some argue that Twitter and other social media sites are becoming the journalism of the 21st century. There are numerous social media outlets which allow their users to instantly connect with thousands of online communities and share a limitless amount of information.  From celebrity Tweets to Facebook events, wall posts to Pinterest pins, people are staying connected in a variety of forms on the Internet.  Twitter, founded in 2006, has become one of the leading social media outlets allowing users to stay up to date with current events. From international businesses to famous celebrities, Twitter allows its users to feel connected to whomever they choose to follow.  Celebrities like @Kim_Kardashian, @Heidi_Klum, @Ryan_Seacrest, and @Snooki all use Twitter to enhance their #brand and attract followers.

    The use of social media sites is becoming one of the most dependable and fastest ways to sell and promote products. In just a few clicks marketers can have access to any target audience they desire. Twitter is an efficient way to connect people to ideas and enhance their #brand awareness. It also allows marketers to engage their audience in a manner where the consumers actually want to receive information. Twitter can also be used as a research method to learn what their target audiences are tweeting about and incorporate those ideas into their marketing strategies. Twitter can be used to build and enhance a personal #brand by making connections with their target audience and answering their questions and comments directly.

    With each tweet, celebrities are promoting and advertising themselves in 140 characters or less. Some celebrities control their own accounts while others are maintained by their PR agent. Using Twitter for publicity increases their popularity while establishing their #brand.  It also allows celebrities to establish more of a personal connection to their fans. Sometimes celebrities will re-tweet and reply to comments, questions or concerns that their fans send.  This gives them an understanding of what their fans like and dislike about their #brand. Twitter provides these celebrities an opportunity to prove that they are just like everyone else.

    @Kelsey_Bendig, @Brian_Burch, @Andrea_Blanton, @Brooke_Keller

  • Foursquare U

    Back before texting and tweeting, students on college campuses relied on announcement boards and gossip floating in the student center to find the popular hang out spots or know about the latest buzz. Today, news about and around campus is instant. Most major universities have embraced social media over the past decade and are using it to reach college students in a unique way. But how can universities gain access to real-time social trends on campus? Welcome to the new and evolving world of geosocial networks.
    Geosocial or “location-based” social networks are on the rise, with the forerunner being foursquare, a mobile app launched in 2009 that allows users to “check-in” to various locations and share where they are and what they are doing with their friends. Access to real-time location data from foursquare allows marketers and businesses to know what locations are “trending” as well as the demographics of users checking-in to their establishment. With the growing momentum of foursquare, universities are hopping onto the “check-in” train and recognizing foursquare on campus.
    Why should universities be interested in foursquare? For starters, foursquare currently has 15 million users and over 1.5 billion check-ins worldwide, with a growth rate of 3400% in 2010. Chances are that your business or venue is already on foursquare and users have probably checked in and maybe even left some tips. Information that users enter when creating a venue may be incorrect, but universities that claim their venues can add appropriate information to academic buildings to ensure the best overall experience for faculty, students, and guest.
    Universities are beginning to recognize the potential value of information gathered using geosocial networks. What does 4pm look like on campus? Is the library packed? Are students working out? Applications like foursquare can also attract visitors on campus by offering “check-in” deals (ex. 10% off a shirt when you check-in to the campus bookstore), creating a self guided mobile tour of academic venues, and leaving historic information or helpful tips for different locations.

    Most importantly, foursquare is free advertising (for now). Not only that, but it can be interactive and rewarding for users, perhaps by giving away free university gear for going to the library, attending a campus event, or staying healthy at the gym. The possibilities for university marketing are endless.

    By: Hunter Wilson, Josh Vester, Ashley Oliver, Molly Jacques

  • Social Media Backlash Against Komen

    Not only do companies have to worry about negative blogs and reviews to control during an organizational crisis, but now they have to be prepared to control all sorts of social media outlets as well. Susan G. Komen had trouble with just that as they released information to the public on January 31st saying they will no longer provide Planned Parenthood with funding for mammograms for low-income women for breast cancer screening. Immediately this became a very controversial topic on social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest. Many believe that this decision was made because of political pressure from anti-choice groups. This is exactly what Komen is denying and released a statement after many Komen supporters were posting very negative comments. This statement said that the decision to cut funding to Planned Parenthood was not a political move; instead it was because they now have new funding criteria.

    Interestingly, Komen and Planned Parenthood had been in contact weeks before this came out to the public. So wouldn’t you think Komen had plenty of time to realize things could get touchy? To make matters worse, Komen started to delete the negative comments on their Facebook page. What Komen did not realize is the political power of social media and many need to learn from this. When the Associated Press reported the news that funding was going to be cut, Planned Parenthood blasted news releases on Twitter and Facebook. Once Komen realized they couldn’t change the public opinion around or even slow down the negativity on social media, they reversed their decision to cut funding.

    At a time of crisis in an organization, your message and speed of that message is very important to insure the least amount of damage. Komen was not ready for this backlash of so many people on their social media sites and once they actually responded, it was brief and too defensive. On the other hand, Planned Parenthood prepared for this for weeks before it went to the public and immediately posted to get fans and supporters involved. Some ways they got supporters involved is by asking for donations, sign an online petition, to Tweet or post about it on Facebook, and since then has added over 32,000 fans. Clearly, Komen should have taken a different approach in handling their social media sites and the communication with their avid supporters.

    By: Laura Simmons, Mollie Berthold, Christina Stevenson, Dorothy Conley

  • Valentine’s Day Technology

    Love. Flowers. Chocolate. Hearts.  All of these words are associated with Valentine’s Day.  However this has not always been the case.  How has the brand of “Valentine’s Day” evolved from simply spending a day with that special someone to a day filled with all-things chocolate, bouquets of flowers and days at the spa?  Well, obviously, with the advancement of technology things are becoming more digitized, but does it make the day any less sentimental?

    Valentine’s Day started as the celebrating of the life of St. Valentine.  In today’s society, February 14th is the second most gift giving day of the year.  We have lost sight of the meaning behind the date, much like the other holidays. Diamond and jewelry companies, restaurants and even phone carriers like AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile are finding ways to boosts sales for the day of love.  Phone companies claim that women want new smart phones rather than candies or to spend the day with your special someone.  We can send eCards to loved ones, we have apps that can send messages and give gift cards to go to grocery stores.

    It’s time to face it.  Valentine’s Day has lost some of it meaning and big brand companies are saying that their products are what we want now.  No more chocolates, flowers, candies… They want cell phones and gift cards.  The times have changed and along with it, ways of expressing an affinity for each other, but has the passion behind the special day lost it’s charge?

    Want to find out more about the origin of Valentine’s Day?  Click here!

  • Ready to Play With the Big Kids?

    A cup of Dannon Oikos yogurt: $2.00. David Beckham PJs: $29.95. Having your ad air during the Super Bowl: Priceless, or $3.5million. It’s all in the eyes of the beholder. This Sunday, February 5th, the 46th annual Super Bowl will take place in Indianapolis, IN with commercials that will showcase some new players in the field of big-ticket advertising.  Over 100 million people watched the big game last year, with even more viewers anticipated to watch this year.  The Super Bowl is notorious for its entertaining commercials which makes it a perfect place for up and coming companies to release their new marketing campaigns. These marketing campaigns turn a football game into an entertainment event for football fans and non-football fans alike.  There are certain big name companies that participate in the Super Bowl each year to retain their loyal customers and to intrigue potential new ones.  Companies like Coca-Cola, Lexus, Budweiser, Doritos, and M&M’s are just a few of the regulars in the Super Bowl advertisement world.  This year, however, some new names like H&M and Dannon are being tossed in the mix of million dollar commercial spots.

    This year’s Super Bowl will premiere the very first ad by the Swedish fashion label, H&M.  The purpose of this commercial is to promote the David Beckham Bodywear collection which launched today, February 2.  What better way to promote this new H&M line than to display David Beckham, himself, during the second quarter with 100 million viewers watching!  H&M’s Director of Marketing saw this as an opportunity to expose their ad campaign to catch the viewers’ attention.  Beckham’s H&M collection is going to include long johns, vests, boxers, briefs, T-shirts, and yes—even PJs!

     “We’re always looking for new ways to surprise and delight our customers, and we see this as a unique opportunity to reach millions of fans and H&M customers.”

    -Steve Lubomski, Director of Marketing for H&M North America.

    The Dannon Company also released their first-ever Super Bowl commercial for their Dannon Oikos Greek yogurt. This is not only the first Super Bowl appearance for Dannon, but the first appearance for any yogurt company. The commercial titled “The Tease” will be shown during the third quarter of the Super Bowl and stars “yogurt loving” Greek actor John Stamos’ and actress Jessica Blackmore. The two are flirtatiously battling over a spoonful of delicious Dannon Oikos yogurt before John learns that Jessica is serious about her yogurt. The humorous, creative advertisement wants to share with millions of viewers the new delicious and nutritious great tasting Greek yogurt.

    “We are committed to helping people lead a healthier lifestyle but not at the sacrifice of great taste. No matter who’s playing in the game on February 5, we are guaranteed to inform and entertain the broadest possible base of Americans about the delicious and nutritious yogurt we make.”

    – Sergio Fuster Senior Vice President of Marketing, The Dannon Company.

    These rookies are breaking out of their shell and risking millions of dollars for what could be seen as the best chance to promote their brand to a mass audience. The Super Bowl allows these companies to promote their new strategic marketing campaigns to millions of people at one time.  The potential rewards of increasing sales from new and existing audiences outweigh the monetary risk. We will be interested to see if investing in the Super Bowl will have a positive impact on their sales.

    -Brian Burch, Brooke Keller, Kelsey Bendig, Andrea Blanton

  • Will JoePa Rest In Peace?

    Anyone who has been tuned into ESPN recently knows that Joe Paterno, “JoePa”, was the football coach at Penn State for 42 years, starting in 1966.  In the wake of a child abuse scandal centered around Jerry Sandusky, Penn State’s former assistant coach, Paterno was fired this past November. He was the face of Penn State and his brand was ultimately tarnished due to the scandal. Some are concerned that his tainted brand will overshadow his lifelong legacy. Sadly, Joe Paterno passed away on January 22nd due to his battle with lung cancer making it impossible to mend his stained brand.

    The media has been criticized for how they handled the situation regarding Joe Paterno; some even question if the media’s involvement aided in tarnishing his brand. The question is not whether the media has a legal right to report whatever they find newsworthy because the First Amendment guarantees that they do. The issue is how media managers should employ that freedom in their own decisions about what is ethical and professionally responsible. Some may view that the media took their interrogations too far by harassing Paterno at his home and accusing him of allegations before they even knew the whole story.

    “The media jumped to the conclusion that Paterno was trying to cover up the scandal when it broke out.  Because his name is so iconic, linking his name to the scandal would attract more viewers on their websites as opposed to Sandusky… more has been written about Joe Paterno’s involvement than Sandusky in the media.” – Chris Moore, Penn State University Senior  

    Is it ethical for the media to do whatever it takes to get the story out first even if it damages a man’s reputation beyond repair? On another note, people have a right to know what is going on in today’s world, so is doing whatever it takes to get the news as bad as it seems? Some argue that the media is just doing their job and presenting breaking news to the public. It was already too late for his reputation when the news came out that Paterno had told superiors about the issue in 2002. According to the Penn State Board of Trustees, their reasoning for terminating Paterno was partially based on his failing to uphold a moral responsibility to report allegations made in 2002 against Sandusky to authorities outside the university.

    There is no question that Paterno let the victims, their families, and the university down by not pressing the issue with the police after he approached his superiors. In our opinion, Joe Paterno deserves to be remembered for who he was as a coach and as an individual; not as a man who was in over his head dealing with the worst scandal in his university’s history.

    Kelsey Bendig, Brian Burch, Brooke Keller, Andrea Blanton