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  • The Old and The Reckless

    The commercials from last Sunday’s Super Bowl have been flooding social media sites as they get passed around by friends. The Taco Bell “Viva Young” commercial has been  particularly popular with over two million views on YouTube. The commercial starts with a nurse at a retirement home putting an older man to bed. Then the old man sneaks off with friends to acquire the life of the young and, of course, “Fourth Meal” at Taco Bell.  This unusual group of pranksters are seen pool hopping, lighting firecrackers and even getting down in the clubs. The group building up a hunger ends their night at the Taco Bell Parking lot, and walking back to the retirement home as the sun rises. The song “We Are Young” by Fun, is played in Spanish (of course)to maintain brand continuity. Interestingly, that particular song became popular during last year’s Super Bowl; when it appeared in a Chevy commercial.

    While watching the game, a friend said “talking babies and crazy old people always make the best commercials”. It is interesting to me that the most entertaining commercials are based on events that do not happen often (or at all!) The concept of “old folks” having partying hard and reliving their youth is entertaining and hilarious. This idea has been used before; the artist Modestep released a music video for their song “Sunlight”. This video was posted on YouTube on July 3, 2011 and has over twenty-two million views. The Modestep video has the same idea as the commercial but is not censored by the FCC. The Taco Bell commercial is a “clean” version of this music video as much of the material is not suitable for U.S. television. It Is remarkable to see music culture influencing the types of commercials we see.

    The stylistic features of the commercial and music video are similar. Certain aspects, such as the shot angle and exposures, are close to the same. The idea of the older people going crazy and partying hard that Taco Bell portrays take you by surprise, particularly while considering that most of the commercials promoting their unique concept of “Fourth Meal” have been targeted to their younger consumers (who are more likely to be up late). This commercial appears to actively debunk the stereotype that elderly people are typically in bed by nine. It is interesting to see the commercial feature a group of people who may or may not consume Taco Bell given the primary target audience of most Super Bowl ads. Is this an opportunity for Taco Bell to expand to more mature (or not-so-mature) markets or just another opportunity to entertain the younger population at the expense of the older one? Regardless it is a reminder to “Live Mas” and while doing so, fill your hunger with Taco Bell.

    – Zach Abramo, Callie Fenlon, Lauren Habig,  Alexandra Huss, Michael Nunes, Daniel Schaefer, Dann Williams

  • The Super Bowl of Advertising

    You know what they say – “the best part about the Super Bowl is the commercials”. From the Budweiser frogs, to the GEICO Gecko and even Maxwell (the little piggy who cried “whee whee whee” all the way home) we are constantly receiving messages through creative entertainment. Whether or not you tune in for the game or the ads on Super Bowl Sunday  it’s inarguable that there are only a handful of other events that have the capacity to attract this much attention from such a large audience. Football fan or not, Super Bowl Sunday is all about packing into a room full of friends and family and eating Doritos, Dominos or wings from Buffalo Wild Wings while drinking a nice cold Budweiser. The circumstances surrounding this iconic American tradition combine to create an ideal environment for marketers trying to sell their products. Millions of diverse viewers will tune in and inevitably be bombarded with advertisements targeted to all ages and demographics; an opportunity that advertisers eagerly await all year.

    That being said, it is pretty obvious that many big-name brands would benefit by planning huge advertising campaigns strictly designed to run during the Super Bowl. In the past it was imperative that these commercials were kept a secret until their grand unveiling during the big game. However, with the recent explosion in popularity of social media and internet video viewing platforms, things have taken a slight shift. Many of the advertisers supporting this year’s Super Bowl are now releasing “teasers” designed to increase anticipation of the full ad, as if these commercials were full-length feature films… and it doesn’t stop there. Some of the companies released the full edition of their Super Bowl commercial as early as three days before The Big Game. Well… that doesn’t make it much of a Super Bowl commercial, does it?

    So now that these companies are releasing their special campaigns pre-Super Bowl, viewers will have the pleasure of seeing ‘Super Bowl’ advertisements running up to a week early. Some of the main sponsors created interactive campaigns in order to pre-determine which of their advertisements would resonate best with viewers. Doritos ran a “Crash the Super Bowl” contest where viewers voted for their favorite fan-submitted video to “win” and be played during the game. Similarly, Coca Cola varied from this strategy by releasing a teaser but letting the fans vote on the ending.

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    At the end of the day, there are successes and failures in the Super Bowl advertising process. From a marketing standpoint these ideas are pure genius. Directly involving the audience, either through voting or asking for audience submissions, builds the brand’s relationship with its consumers and brings more attention to their product. So for those of you with a pre-game tradition, you might want to begin by preparing yourselves for the commercial invasion that America likes to call the Super Bowl.

    – Michael Nunes, Alexandra Huss, Zach Abramo, Callie Fenlon, Dann Williams, Daniel Schaefer Lauren Habig

  • Not to Burst Your Bubble….

    Take a minute and check your Facebook. It’s okay.. we can wait!

    Okay, now take a look at the ads on your news feed. Does anything look familiar? Maybe you were on a website earlier this week and now the brand is popping up everywhere? Or perhaps you recently bought tickets to a concert and now you are being bombarded with “Music You Might Like”… weird, right?

    This type of personalized advertising is being used to zero in on potential customers. It isn’t just on Facebook either. Facebook, YouTube, Amazon, the list continues! With the advancement of technology and the increased popularity of social media sites, your purchase history on Amazon can be lined up with your recent Google search inquires. This personalized advertising helps filter down the type of ads shown to you. The advertisements you are most likely to respond to are splashed across your regular web browsing, increasing the advertisers chance in persuading you on your next purchase.thefilterbubble

    However as Eli Pasiser points out in The Filter Bubble, this doesn’t just stop with advertising. It’s no secret that Facebook started filtering news feeds a while ago, but did you know Google filters results directly to you as well? Three people could search the same exact phrase and return different results. Pasiser argues that these personalized news feeds and search results limit the power of the internet. The filter bubble makes it harder for internet content to go viral, which limits the unity the internet can create behind a movement. It can also limit the information readily available at our fingertips because we are only seeing things our history indicates we would like to see, rather than something outside of our bubble.

    The flip side is: we live in a generation of information overload. Is limiting our search results, customizing our advertising, and funneling down our news feeds that terrible? People used to have to do crazy things like go to the library and look information up in books and magazines… what?! Should we count our technological blessings or demand our free browsing back?

    – Michael Nunes, Daniel Schaefer, Alexandra Huss, Zach Abramo, Callie Fenlon, Dann Williams, Lauren Habig

  • What’s That Doing There?

    After a long day of work or school most of us like to sit down and shut off the batteries. Some people (including myself) do this by
    enjoying a nice beverage and turning on the Netflix. The appeal of a service like
    Netflix is, of course, the elimination of the commercials that disrupt our viewing
    pleasure on live T.V. One night, I sat down and turned on The Office, I was
    instantly bombarded with company logos and products. As the actors go about
    their typical work day, the camera conveniently focuses on the Cisco Systems
    Telephone on Dwight’s desk and the HP logo on the computer that Pam uses as she
    hides behind her desk. These logos are not in the frame by coincidence, but
    rather they have been carefully positioned by the show’s producers. This discreet
    advertising strategy is known as product placement.

    Business dictionary defines product placement as “an advertising technique used by companies to subtly promote their products through a non-traditional advertising technique, usually through appearances in film, television, or other media.” This form of advertising is initiated through an agreement between a product manufacturer and whichever media company owns the program featuring the product. In the vast majority of product placement agreements the media company receives economic benefit as the manufacturers often pay a fee to have their product (or brand name) used, mentioned, or significantly featured in a program.

    Product placement is everywhere. A few notable shows that are known proponents of this technique are American Idol (Coca-Cola cups for all judges), It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (Coors Light consumption and signs prominently placed in the bar), and 30 Rock (which features multiple Apple products.) This form of advertising has been around for years and will continue to thrive as long as people keep consuming media. In this way, companies continue to ensure that viewers have plenty of exposure to their product, even if certain audience members have learned to maneuver around those pesky commercials.

     

    – Michael Nunes, Daniel Schaefer, Lexie Huss, Zach Abramo, Callie Fenlon, Dann Williams, Lauren Habig

  • Finally Done!

    It’s crazy to think that 5 years ago I entered UNC-Wilmington as a freshman truly believing i knew everything and the funny thing is through all the knowledge I gained in college I now know that I know nothing. As a freshman I often heard seniors saying cliché things like, “enjoy your freshman year because it will be over before you know it” and just like any other freshmen I brushed the advice off. Now that I have friends moving away and beginning to start  their own lives, I too need to start the next chapter in my life.  Alas, I can’t help but wish I had listened to the seniors advice and cherished every moment of my college career. Don’t get me wrong, I loved every minute of being at UNC-Wilmington but the reality is that I’m a senior who is graduating a week from now and reminiscing is not going to bring that time back.

    I have to look ahead and start preparing for the future as best I can. The reason for me being a super senior is that I changed my major about a billion times because I was unsure of what I wanted to do.  I was just another typical freshmen, I goofed around for my first 2 years here and wasted a lot of time doing nothing to improve myself while being on the path to not graduate. I had to take a semester off and  took a long look at myself on how to improve myself so that I didn’t make the same mistakes again.  Luckily for me I found a major that really caught my interest and made me want to learn more in Communication Studies. Now I’m bout to graduate in a week and I know that once I leave I’ll be prepared for the challenges facing me out there in the real world, thanks to my professors. So for you undergraduates you got to find your passion or at least something that gives you the motivation to learn. Without that motivation we don’t give ourselves room to improve. Also, get to know your professors! It will make a huge difference in the amount of learning that you can get done over a semester. So goodbye my fellow students, and may you ever soar to your potential.

    Gene Lee

  • And Just Like That… It Is Over

    Nine days. Nine days until I graduate from the Department of Communication Studies. Nine days until I graduate from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Nine days.

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    Two years ago I transferred to the University of North Carolina Wilmington and felt like a lost puppy. I started my collegiate experience at a tiny college in the mountains of North Carolina that had max 700 students. When I stepped foot onto the campus here I felt overwhelmed and out-of-place. For the first week of classes I carried a campus map around with me. Yes, I was that person. Now, you cannot get me to leave campus. I clock in close to twelve-hour days almost every day and would not have it any other way. This campus and most importantly, this department, have become a part of me.

    When I first decided to become a COM major I missed the deadline to register for COM 105 so I decided to write 44898_4007609985004_1192673791_nmy appeal so I could receive an over-ride into the class. I thought that I followed all of Dr. Weber’s strict guidelines but made the one mistake that no COM major should ever make… I wrote ‘Communications Studies’. It was social suicide. Needless to say, I received a very detailed response from Dr. Weber explaining why I would not be getting into the class and how I need to do more research before I claim I want to be a part of this department. Today, I have taken a class with Dr. Weber every semester since taking COM 105 (after I got registered the next semester), completed a DIS (Direct Independent Study) with him and just received the Undergraduate Research Award from him. It is funny how everything comes full circle!

    Not only have I thrived within the department but outside of it as well. This past summer I had the experience of a lifetime. I was offered a position as one of twenty-five interns at the 2012 Philadelphia Eagles Training Camp. This was the opportunity of a lifetime and I was fortunate enough to have the support of my professors Dr. Weber and Dr. Persuit. These professors shared the excitement with me and kept up with me throughout my time up in Pennsylvania, although I am sure Dr. Persuit would have preferred me to have been at the Steelers Training Camp. For a month I was immersed in the culture of the Northeast, the land of WaWa gas stations, where pizzas are called pies, subs are hoagies and people stared at me when I would say “holy cow!” I got to see first hand the behind the scenes process of a professional sports team. The level of organization was amazing and pushed me to work as hard as I possibly could.

    Training Camp was held at Lehigh University and we were involved in every aspect of it. We started our journey together by completely setting up camp prior to the arrival of the rookie players. Once rookies arrived we had close to fourteen hour days. We started our days around 5:45am, worked morning practice, had a lunch break, worked afternoon practice and then were able to leave once everything was broken down and all players were back in the locker room. Veterans arrived a week after the rookies and I was so thankful for their arrival at camp because that meant filet mignon and lobster tails in the dining hall! I could singly handedly write this entire blog on the food I ate at training camp but will end this little tid bit with your mouth watering as you think about the jumbo shrimp, king crab legs, and monsterous lobster tails that we consumed daily. Hungry yet?

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    Because of my strong communication skills my boss put me at the Welcome Tent for the afternoon practice. The afternoon practice was the busiest because it was full pads for two plus hours every day. Training Camp drew in close to 7,000 fans daily and I was the first person they came in contact with upon their arrival. My job was to be in constant contact with my boss over the radio, make the fans feel welcome and get them excited about being at camp.

    When I came back to “civilian life” as I called it, I felt like a changed person. All of my COM classes prepared me for that experience. I utilized my interpersonal and small group skills but also conflict resolution because some fans were not so friendly. I know, hard to believe for Philadelphia fans. After interning with the Eagles I am a much more confident communicator and know what it takes to complete tasks and complete them well. This experience has opened up a whole new world for me. My professors have a strong level of trust in me. I have been fortunate enough to represent the department while meeting Provost Battles, help with media training and be a part of an amazing DIS project.

    Although entering the ‘real world’ is nerve-wracking, I feel 100% prepared for this next step. I will be a temporary employee in the Seahawk Sports Marketing Department here at UNCW and feel fortunate to have such a wonderful job with wonderful bosses.

    To wrap things up my advice to all of you is to embrace everything this major has to offer. You never know what direction it can take you and it is up to you to make the most of it. Two years ago I would have never imagined that I would be the person I am today. Thank you to all of my family, friends and professors who have helped to mold me into a strong and confident individual. I look forward to hearing what great things everyone comes to accomplish and staying in touch with the professors who I can never thank enough for all they have done. Remember your Seahawk roots and Dare to Soar in everything you do.

    –Caroline Merrill

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  • Stop, Watch, and Read.

    Before reading this blog we ask you to watch this entire music video, listen to the lyrics, and hear the artist’s message.

    What do you think? Tell us. We honestly want to know. For us, this video resonated with so much we have learned in our IMC classes with Dr. Persuit. The first time we saw it, we found ourselves instantly clicking replay. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis have created a masterpiece in our completely unprofessional opinion. It is hard to quit being awestruck. We will stop the raving now and get to the good stuff.

    This song delves into the difficulty many young people face today in navigating our consumerist cultures. Specifically, the song is dissecting the obsessive sneaker culture. Ben Haggerty, a.k.a. Macklemore, raps about his fascination with shoes. He explicitly mentions Nike, and Phil Knight, co-founder and chairman of the 15.9 billion dollar brand. In this interview, Macklemore gives insight into what his thought process was in writing the song. He started out simply wanting to write a song about shoes, and ended up evaluating the consequences of the consumerist culture brand names have created.

    Some of Macklemore's personal shoe collection.
    Some of Macklemore’s personal shoe collection.

    In the interview Macklemore explains that he still considers himself a “sneakerhead,” and even compares his urge to consume with his struggle with drug addiction. He states, “I think, in the background of the sneaker culture, there is this lust and addiction for more and more and more. You know, new colors, new versions of shoes and this desire for more to consume.” He is right, and the reality is this type of lust and addiction isn’t reserved solely for shoes in our culture as a whole. I mean, we all have that friend who couldn’t believe their iPhone 5 took a whole three days to arrive after the release, or that friend who won’t wear any clothing that isn’t brand name. Macklemore jokes on our culture’s obsession with brand name clothing in his song, Thrift Shop. (We think this song is worth a listen too.)

    Macklemore and Ryan Lewis bring attention to such an interesting issue with the song “Wings” because they are not only discussing the addiction to shoes, they are also discussing the underlying issue of crime in the sneaker culture. The lyrics “my friend Carlos’ brother got murdered for his Fours” were written into the song because the event actually occurred. Macklemore lived in an area where the cultural obsession over brands paved the way to crime and theft. He explained, “I got a Starter jacket in third grade, but you had to be careful wearing a Starter jacket, and you had to be careful with which neighborhood you were in while wearing Jordans.” The brands people wore made them targets. Yet, they still paid money for these name brands. This shouldn’t be made to seem like a thing of the past either. This article from the Washington Post briefly details an incident that occurred only a few days ago. A student was robbed of his Nike Air Jordan 7 Retro Olympic Edition basketball shoes.

    So, what does this all mean? Is Macklemore calling for Nike to cease production? Not in the least. Macklemore still buys Nike shoes, as we mentioned he labeled himself a sneakerhead. The writer himself explains, “this song was my attempt to break down my own, conflicted interest in the sneaker culture.” It is admirable and difficult to critically analyze culture you are heavily involved in as Macklemore did with the sneaker culture. It is something that we should all strive to do in our own habits as consumers.

    Here is what we would like to leave you with before our time writing for the IMCHawk ends: Think before you consume. Analyze the messages you might be sending by the brands you are wearing and using. Realize that consuming doesn’t equate to happiness. The song is correct in saying our dreams are sold to us, “consumption is in the veins.” Our dreams in life shouldn’t be based on the possessions we hope to one day have. As Dave Eggers writes, “the greatest use of a human was to be useful. Not to consume, not to watch, but to do something for someone else that improved their life, even for a few minutes.” Keep Calm and Consume Thoughtfully.

    – Alexandra Huss, Caroline Merrill, Alyssa Morrello, Lauren Van Trigt, Dann Williams