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Now that it’s October, we can all agree it’s officially fall (even though it may not feel like it yet). Fall is a very exciting time of year! For many, it means the return of the pumpkin spice latte. For others, it provides a chance to bundle up in sweaters (but not in Wilmington, NC, folks!). Holiday season is right around the corner, and companies are beginning to put out decorations. Television becomes more exciting as well, with new shows and new seasons of our old favorites coming back on the air.

Many long-awaited favorites are coming back to TV and to streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. One eagerly anticipated show to return is Stranger Things. The first season was a huge success last year, and the second is planned to arrive on Netflix October 27.

During the Super Bowl, Eggo partnered with Netflix to market the second season of Stranger Things. Viewers watched an old commercial for Eggos and were then interrupted by a commercial for the upcoming season. The reactions the ad received were all positive, and Eggo couldn’t resist getting in on the Twitter replies.

https://twitter.com/eggo/status/828426068214370304

Another much anticipated show for the fall was American Horror Story: Cult. This series, now well into its 7^th season on FX, has a mass following and sure knows how to hype up a crowd. As many details as possible are held from the public until the release date of the show. Intriguing images are released to get people talking about what this season could entail.

https://twitter.com/AHSFX/status/898227980627038209

Concern about the photos released for Cult flooded the internet. Did the creators of the show finally take it too far? These images were upsetting to some people with trypophobia, the fear of holes. People took to Twitter to complain about the ads that were being posted.

https://twitter.com/MurdockTori/status/902683364766953472

https://twitter.com/glucsss/status/898228341794275328

There were many complaints and negativity surrounding the ads, but from a marketing perspective, this campaign was pure gold. People were talking about it nonstop, sharing their images, and getting the word out about the upcoming season (and all for free!).

Whether you watch AHS and Stranger Things or not, this is the season of new TV releases, and there will be something for everyone! Keep an eye out for your favorite show to make its way back to television!

-Lauren Arsena

Picture this: you’re back in elementary school on a chilly fall morning. The year is circa 2005. It is the best day of the school year because of the Scholastic Book Fair! Everyone would buy puppy posters, obnoxious neon erasers that did not work, and other things our parents begged us not to purchase. Then of course, we would pick out our favorite books and eagerly explore the pages. Imagine if you were told you were not allowed to read those books though.

Banned Books Week is a week during the year that celebrates and advocates the freedom to read. We are in the midst of it right now! Whether you are a teacher, student, librarian, bookseller, or general lover of books, there is something for everyone to celebrate this week.

One of the aims of Banned Books Week is to inform people about the drawbacks of strict censorship. Some people or groups want to ban books because of the content within them that may be seen as objectifying or oppressive. While everyone in America is entitled to the freedom of speech, banning books means that they will not be allowed in schools or libraries. Therefore, other people who may be interested in reading those books will not have the chance to.

Thankfully, various teachers, librarians, and students consistently fight for the freedom to read and shed light on the subject. They believe banning books is in direct violation to the freedom of speech.

Banned Books Week has made a brand of itself. They stand for the freedom to read, encourage literary exploration, and the power of words. Their brand has created several different products in an effort support the cause and spread awareness. Banned Books Week offers t-shirts, stickers, mugs, and a variety of other merchandise to help establish and grow the brand.

These products are meant to evoke a call to action and encourage people to speak up. Banned Books Week wants people to share their voices and hear others, despite content that may be deemed as “inappropriate.” This message is particularly appealing to Americans right now, given the tense political climate. People want to have their voice heard and Banned Books Week wants to listen!

Banned Books Week is also promoting this celebration through social media. They started a Twitter movement called, “Rebel Reader Twitter Tournament,” where users are encouraged to take selfies with a banned book or post a quote from their favorite forbidden novel.
Some of the most frequently challenged books include: The Great Gatsby, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Lord of the Flies, and even the Harry Potter series. I want you to take a second and imagine what your childhood would be without Harry Potter. Let that sink in.

The Harry Potter books happen to be one of my favorite series! Throughout the years, I have read to escape reality and transport to a different world (like Hogwarts) for a few moments. I think about the joy reading brought me.

Imagine if your favorite book was banned. How would you feel if someone told you that you were not allowed to read it?  It would be like someone telling you that you could not watch your favorite show on Netflix. If someone told me I could not watch Stranger Things, I would look a little something like this:

This week I encourage you to read whatever you want to! Go explore another world between the pages! What is your favorite book and how would feel if it was banned? I look forward to reading your responses in the comments!

-Morgan Adams-

Meet Ashby Burton, a senior graduating in May of 2018 with a double major in Communication Studies and Business Administration-Marketing Strategy. Ashby started out originally as just a Business Administration major but soon realized after taking a few COM classes he wanted to dive in for more. It didn’t take Ashby long to figure out he wanted to concentrate in IMC because of how it incorporates marketing, advertising and public relations. Ashby says his favorite classes so far have been public speaking and IMC II. “Public speaking helped me to become more comfortable speaking in front of a crowd which is a crucial part of the job I have now. IMC II has also been a favorite because of the applied learning opportunities. It’s a lot of work, but the experience I am gaining through it is definitely worth it.” For those of you who don’t know Ashby all you have to do it show up at any sporting event and you will see him there cheering for the Seahawks! Ashby has served as the President of the Screamin’ Seahawks for 2 years and is one of the founding members of the Student Seahawk Club.

Ashby is not just on the sidelines cheering for the Seahawks but working behind the scenes for the UNCW Athletic Department as a Sports Marketing Intern. In this role he helps schedule UNCW mascot appearances, promote and develop the UNCW student-only fan rewards program (Team Teal), design campus outreach athletic marketing events, help with execution of in-game promotions and promotional night, and operate the Trask video board. “This position is helping me in my future career because marketing and promotions in college athletics is what I want to do full-time. This experience is invaluable as I get to do this as a student and am more experienced when I start my first-full time job”. Ashby’s dream job is to one day become an Associate Athletic Director for Sports Marketing at a Power Five School. With the applied learning opportunities Ashby is learning in IMC II, the hands on experience from his internship and the dedication and passion he has toward marketing there is no doubt the sky is the limit. “The freedom you’re given to pursue your interest in each class is one of the things I like most about the COM department. While everyone may receive the same assignment, you are individually free to take the assignment within your interest.” Ashby’s favorite professor is Brooklin Green who was his public speaking professor. Ashby says “the time she invested in me has helped me come out of my shell, become more comfortable and confident. She has helped students organize their thoughts and then deliver them in an impactful way”. I think it’s safe to say this is one COM major who is making the most if his major and time here at UNCW.

-Kayla Thompson

A huge topic of discussion recently has been about freedom of speech. People get very upset and offensive when it deals with their rights. In regards to banning certain books in public libraries, schools and other places, it takes away our right to be informed on a certain topic. The problem with book censorship is that it sets boundaries for our learning capacity.  Which in return, limits our knowledge of a certain subject. And with certain books not being able to be read this limits how much were able to learn and communicate with others.

Censorship in schools has to be very complicated. There has to be many different aspects involved in order for a book to banned. Its all about what students learn and how the school is able to use education to teach. Teachers and parents play a huge role when deciding what book shall be banned. They are worried about exposing young students to certain topics that are not meant for that age group. These topics include social and religious issues.

Some people would say that censorship is important because some stuff is just better left unknown. But how can we possibly communicate and market a brand without knowing all the ins and outs of a topic?

Laurie Halse Anderson states, “Censorship is the child of fear and the father of ignorance.” Many people believe that limiting the exploration of other topics is unfair and unjust. People want to have their freedom and their rights to do as they please.

Imagine if people were able to read books freely!

(Photos: giphy.com)

– Lauren Wilbun