IMC Hawks Blog

Category: Social Media

  • “You do not get 500 million friends without making a few enemies.”

    In 2003, a few Harvard undergraduate computer geeks sat down and began working on a project. What came out of this project was the world’s fastest growing and, perhaps, the most popular social networking site ever created.

    This story is the framework for the new movie Social Network, which highlights the life of Facebook creator, Mark Zuckerberg. After six years, Zuckerberg has become the world’s youngest billionaire and Facebook the world’s most popular media network. In our fast pace moving society, time is money and money is time; and time itself, invaluable. So, a networking site that gives you the power to communicate with over 500 million users at any time is the world’s most powerful marketing and communication tool. In recent years, this “power” has been channeled by millions of businesses in order to promote their business and reach more potential clients. This gives additional lower-cost advertising that can reach more people. It’s a “no brainer”.

    In corporate communication, just as in Facebook, networking is key. The more associates/clients, or in the case of Facebook, friends a company has, the more their product, identity, and reputation is supported and exposed. Understanding and executing this idea is key for successful corporate networking. Let’s use Facebook as an example.

    Jane goes to a party and her friend Kate introduces her to her friend Sarah. The next day, Sarah friend requests Jane on Facebook and Jane accepts. Jane notices the hot guy from her English class, Joe, is friends with Sarah. So Jane friend requests Joe. Joe and Jane begin Facebook chatting. Now Joe and Jane are friends.

    Yes, it’s just that easy … Well not really, but this is why networking is important in corporate communication. Replace Jane with the vice president of Pepsi, for example. He goes to a function or benefit with other corporate “royalty” and is introduced to the head PR representative for Nike. One thing leads to another, and suddenly you have Lebron James on your TV with a basketball in one hand, a Pepsi in the other, and two Nike shoes on his feet. This is social networking at its finest. Networking is seen all around us every day. Whether it’s for social or corporate reasons, it’s an effective tool for successful communication.

    Does the movie discussed in the article sound interesting to you?  Check out the movie trailer here.

    Breanna Alexander
    Lauren Dehart
    Lauren Smith
    Kelly Wiley

  • Corporate Communication for Pomegranate Books

    Corporate Communication.  The term sounds easy enough to understand, right? So, what is it exactly?  We compiled the following working definition:  “Corporate communication is the Building and maintaining of a corporation’s brand and reputation by consistently and persuasively communicating its narrative and identity through the integration of symbols.”  (It’s not perfect, but it’s someplace for us to start.)

    You may be thinking to yourself, “Great, this blog has provided us with yet another definition of corporate communication.”  Rather than beating a dead horse with a definition stick, we decided to focus more on the importance of the individual components of corporate communication and how they all work together to build and maintain a corporation’s brand and reputation.

    Corporate communication isn’t just a stand-alone subject.  It is composed of many facets: the brand, its reputation, its identity, its narrative, and how symbols play into the creation and maintenance of all of these.  To help gain a better understanding of corporate communication in the real world, we decided to look to a company here in Wilmington that displays many of the aspects of corporate communication.  The company we chose is a local, independent bookstore known as Pomegranate Books.

    We analyzed the methods that Pomegranate Books uses to build its brand and create relationships with its customers.  Let’s first look at the brand Pomegranate has created for itself as an independent bookstore that accommodates local writers and literary groups.  Their identity is rooted in the fact that they are smaller than the chain bookstores, while boasting to be the largest independent bookstore in Wilmington.   Their size allows them to better communicate with and cater to their local clientele.  They do this through good old-fashioned word of mouth, as well as social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and blogs.  On their facebook page, they consistently ask their followers what they are reading at the moment. This promotes a dialogue with their customers, which helps reinforce their narrative.  By combining social media, word of mouth, and press releases, they keep their reputation and identity consistent.

    Pomegranate Book’s reputation is that of a “small, but well-curated” bookstore that caters to the community.  They communicate their reputation through their products and practices. Their narrative is based on their heavy involvement in the community.  The shop’s friendly staff supports businesses, charities, book clubs and events such as featuring local authors and holding book signings.  This helps to reinforce their local identity and reputation.

    Pomegranate Books uses the logo of none other than a pomegranate to symbolize their company.  Much like the fruit of its namesake, Pomegranate Books has many seeds at its center. Through Pomegranate Book’s corporate communication, these seeds can sprout into helpful contributions to the community and create a positive environment.  Our group feels that this quaint little bookstore offers a true example of corporate communication at work.

    -Sean, Eliza, Jocelyn, Sarah

  • Why Blogs?

    Upon visiting TED, I browsed through a few videos before selecting one to watch and comment on. Mena Trott on Blogs was my final choice. How appropriate! Trott and her husband founded Six Apart in a spare bedroom of their house in 2002. Six Apart has been at the heart of social media and blogging since 2001! The company has many great blogging services including TypePad, Movable Type and Vox which help people connect with others and share their stories. Throughout her lecture Trott talks about how blogging gives regular everyday people the power to share their life’s journey online.

    Although Trott mentions how blogging is changing the way we read news and receive media, CNN and other big networks have their own blogs used to update readers the moment breaking news happens, it is the personal stories that capture her heart. She talks about a blog titled Interplast, in which doctors travel to developing nations and preform plastic surgery on those who can’t afford it. The doctors document their travel and tell their story through this site. Another example she gives is of a man who had a son named Oden born at 25 weeks. The father took pictures of Oden and wrote updates daily. By day 96 when Oden was able to go home readers were cheering.. Trott makes it a point to say that these might not be stories that would be covered in a magazine or a newspaper, but they do pull at your heart. This made me think of our class blog and how although we discussed world issues we still made it feel personal with our senior send off, ILM week, and com studies week.

    Trott also shows how blogs can be used for records. She discusses how she can only trace her family tree back a few generations and then it stops. Trott proposes that we can use blogs as a way to record our lives. Should her grandchildren or great grandchildren ever want to know what life was like for Mena Trott, they can look no further then her blog. Like Mena we have set up a blog for records. Every IMC-Hawk from here on out can look back at what we have accomplished this semester, Hopefully it will continue to keep building and there will be a long history of posts.

    Through the blogging assignment in this class we as IMC-Hawks have had our eyes opened to the powerful messages blogs can send, the people they can reach and the footprints they can leave.

    Jess Smith

  • A Framework for Our Future

    I never could imagine all facets of my Communication Studies career at UNCW would come to a close at the exact same time. I am in the cusp of finishing my departmental honors project, currently transitioning positions for the COM honors fraternity Lambda Pi Eta, and now the last day of classes is dawning. I am moderately overwhelmed; however, it is a familiar feeling. As a student entering the department three years ago, I was quite oblivious to what career I truly wanted to pursue come May, 2010. Unfortunately now a week shy of May, I am still just as oblivious. BUT before everyone reading recedes in shock, I DO possess one feeling in regards to my future I did not before, which is passion. Passion for my major, passion for my department, and passion for IMC (not a promo for the class, I promise). Having taken classes in integrated marketing communications truly has opened my eyes to a whole new way of pursuing communication studies.

     Hybridizing marketing and communications while outlying features such as social media, public relations, and advertising, creates a captivating discipline. It is truly unique in that IMC provides a surplus of prospective job opportunities, graduate school programs, and opportunities abroad for students interested in the field of study. IMC students have the advantage of being multifaceted within their major, gaining both client and corporate experience while utilizing new forms of social media to boost their own personal brand. It is such a rich subject that allows students the flexibility for growth and expertise.

    So as my time at UNCW and my participation with the IMC Hawk team comes to a close, more than overwhelmed, I now feel confident. I feel confident in the success of my peers, confident for myself, and confident for our future. No matter what career, school, or volunteer path we decide to take, IMC Hawks rest assured, our knowledge of IMC will be there offering support, and laying the groundwork for all the implausible feats we are surely to face.

    –Stephanie Saulsbury

  • Navigating your career without fear: Tips from the professionals to help secure a job!

    This time of year is particularly hectic in the business world as resumes from soon-to-be college graduates flood HR departments across the country. On Wednesday, April 14th, Capstrat held their 4th Annual Networking Night in Raleigh, NC.  The theme of the night was “Networking GPS:  How to Navigate Your Career”.  There were three sessions of panel discussions, each with their own topic and tips.  Among the panelist were Jennifer Anderson, Social Media Strategist for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, Melody Hunter-Pillion, Media Relations Manager for Rex Healthcare, and Erin Lane, Director of Marketing Communications for Scandinavian Child.  In total, there were 13 panelists who shared their valuable insights.

    The first session focused on career development and the importance of networking.  All of the panelists agreed that networking is about building relationships. Keep in mind, one should never burn bridges because you never know how important that connection could become.  Also, while networking, the word “job” is taboo.  No one wants to be bombarded with a resume. You must first establish a connection.  In addition, go above and beyond the job description. Your first job will not be your last, so use it to propel your career.

    The second session focused on emerging job trends. Contrary to popular belief, according to these professionals, it is acceptable to stay at a company for one to two years and then move on. Businesses understand that the “millennials,” people born from 1980 onward, are in positions to learn skills, and gain experience. Another key insight during this session was to bring something extra to the table. Since many public relations firms are relatively small, a person with an expertise in addition to their PR knowledge will have a great advantage.  Develop skills that aren’t necessarily for your job but that are applicable, such as web page design, social media, etc.

    The final session was on building your personal brand and social media.  LinkedIn is a great tool to use, as well as Twitter.  Follow people on Twitter in your industry of interest.  You never know who is reading your tweets, so make them interesting, appropriate and something people want to read.  While looking for a job, maximize your potential. Create a Web site with your own domain name, post your e-portfolio and demonstrate your capabilities.  Personal branding and social media aid people in developing an online presence and help mold how they want to be viewed.

    Keep all of this in the back of your mind while exploring career options and make yourself standout among the rest!

    Danielle Murray, Writer

    Rachel Kaylor, Editor

  • Why work for free?

    Communication Studies has become a popular major among students at UNCW over the past few years. With a wide variety of sub-fields, including media production, public relations, and communication technologies, the department certainly gives students many options for potential careers. Prior to graduation, students are encouraged to gain knowledge and work experience in the communication studies field through an internship. An internship gives students a chance to actually apply their training and knowledge, and gain more insight into that type of work.

    Searching for internships can be difficult. Places such as CMT and MTV have been popular places to look for internships outside of the Wilmington vicinity that are still related to communication studies. But there are numerous opportunities for internships in Wilmington as well. Competition is high, but the experience is once in a lifetime. Whether paid or not, everyone walks away with more experience than before.

    Internships are extremely beneficial when searching for a possible career in the field of communications. Although many students would prefer having an internship with a large and well-known company, any experience is better than none at all. As an intern with the event coordinator at the Bluewater Grill, I have learned a great deal about event planning and the work experience has certainly been beneficial.

    The Communication Studies department at UNCW works with students to find the perfect internship to suit their needs. The department offers credit hours in place of getting paid for the internship. Sure, getting paid would be ideal, but why not get school credit for such valuable work experience? Through the Communication Studies website, students may access information on how to find an internship, along with how to get course credit for their internship.

    The value of an internship cannot be put into words. Not only can internships open doors for future jobs and careers, but having the ability to combine the formal training with realistic practice makes the internship well worth the time. As an intern, I can only hope that everyone finds their internships as beneficial as I have. Communication Studies is a hands-on major, and an internship in this field will give students a chance to put their knowledge to work.

    Lacey Inman

  • Celebrity Blog Hall of Fame

    You friend, then you stalk.  You follow, they tweet and then you re-tweet their tweets.

    They blog.

    And surprisingly there are a number of blogs written by celebrities that are actually worth reading.  Alec Baldwin’s blog, hosted by The Huffington Post gives excellent insight into his life, his feelings, his views on current events, etc,.  It is very intriguing sometimes to see the “real” side of a famous person’s life.   The term “real” meaning: at least the online presence of the blog is sincere.

    So, with this in mind I would like to introduce Forbes Top Five Best Celebrity Blogs.

    #1—Wil Wheaton

    #2—Moby

    #3—William Gibson

    #4—Barbra Streisand

    #5—Dave Barry

    These may not be the mainstream celebrities that most would follow on Twitter or friend on Facebook; however, their blogs are intriguing, funny and make for a great read.

    ENJOY!

    Laura Ann Klinedinst