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  • Humans Of COM Studies: River Bondurant

    Being a COM major, I have really gotten involved on campus. Freshman year I began working with TealTV; UNCW’s student-run television production network. I started working with studio crew and have worked my way up to Vice President of the organization.
    With connections from the Communication Studies Department, I recently got involved with the Office of University Relations, and I now work as a student photographer for the school. 
     
    I originally came here for film, as do a lot of people, but as we know the film industry in Wilmington isn’t as prevalent as it used to be. Given those circumstances, I chose COM as it seemed to consist of similar, more applicable career options. 
    I began taking classes working towards my degree freshman year when I took Dr. Weber’s COM 105 class in the spring of 2015. At first, I was terrified of the large class size, but I sat in the front row anyway. I worked really hard in that class and not to brag, but I ended up with the highest grade in that class, quite an accomplishment for a freshman! That class was when I fell in love with Communication Studies, and knew I was exactly in the right major.
     
    Now, as a Junior, I focus on video production and photography taking courses like field video and studio production. I can’t wait to see where these great experiences with Communication Studies will take me in the future.

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    For more information on what TeavTV is and how to get involved visit this link! 

     

     

  • ~Keeping Up With Kim’s Marketing Style~

    With the Keeping Up With the Kardashians anniversary having just past, love her or hate her, we have been keeping up with Kim Kardashian-West for ten years.

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    Its no secret that this family keeps the world buzzing and with their constant crave for attention, they have made themselves a household name. For those who are fans of the Kardashians, one might know already that the reason they first came into the spotlight was actually due to the late Robert Kardashian, whom is known for being OJ Simpson’s lawyer during his trial for murder. This is when the world first began to give the family some attention but it wasn’t until Kim Kardashian-West came out with a sex tape with former boyfriend Reggie Bush that the interest in their lifestyle began to skyrocket.

    Today, Kim Kardashian-West is known for having involvement in just about everything and anything you can think of. From taking the social media by storm to clothing and make up, there are people all over the country and the world that wants to be everything Kim Kardashian-West is. There are people that buy clothing because she wore something like it or do their make up in a certain way just because she does it that way.

    But what is it that makes Kim Kardashian-West so marketable to everyone? Here’s my opinion on the matter.

    1. She’s involved in EVERYTHING.

    As mentioned before, Kim Kardashian-West has involvement in everything. She has her own cosmetics line, is involved in clothing lines, and has her own gaming app and emojis, just to name a few. Because of this she will inevitably come to the topic of everyone’s conversation. Whether you like what she does or not, she gets people talking with what she is involved in and that’s a great technique.

    1. She knows EVERYONE.

    Even if you don’t like Kim Kardashian, she likely knows one of your favorite celebrities in one way or another.

    Lets begin with her love life. Kim Kardashian-West is known for dating multiple famous athletes and was even married to one – anyone else remembers when she married Chris Humphries? This already makes her image well known but she’s also married currently to famous rapper Kanye West. This gives her image even more exposure to the world. Even if you don’t like Kim Kardashian-West, she has probably found a way to appear on your time lines from these multiple different love interests.

    Next, lets talk about her friends. Some may not know this but another reason Kim Kardashian-West began to get so much attention is due to her friendship with Paris Hilton. By being seen with her, people gained more interest in her. But Paris isn’t the only person she is known to be at the very least seen with. People like Beyoncé, Jay-XZ, John Legend, Chrissy Teigen, Justin Bieber, and more have given her more publicity just by being seen with them – whether they are close friends or not.kim and famouskim and justin

    Lastly, and likely the most obvious, her family. Through having family that seem to be just as liked by the general public, as well as them having famous connections of their own, Kim Kardashian-West has the ability to make her image known to a good vast majority of age ranges. Having young children in her family to a more elderly age and from having people of different sexual orientations (i.e. Caitlyn Jenner), family alone lets her reach so many different audiences.

    1. She’s DIVERSE in looks.

    Most people would be in agreement that Kim Kardashian-West is beautiful, likely due to her diverse looks. Before Kim Kardashian-West’s rise to fame, there weren’t many other celebrities that looked like her. This made her already appealing to viewers. She was different from anything they had ever seen before and the human race is a curious one too.

    1. She MARKETS HERSELF.

    What people fail to realize or give Kim Kardashian-West credit for is how well she markets herself. While she does have a team that likely helps her, her ideas are usually entirely her own. She is a trendsetter and an instagram queen. She is a perfectionist and uses that to her advantage. You may not be a fan of Kim Kardashian-West but she knows what gets people talking, whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing. In either case, she is being talked about.

    Now here’s the funny thing, I’m not actually a fan of her work at all. I find her content a little ridiculous and still am in awe at how much people find her life so interesting. But with all that said, I do respect her as a businesswoman. I don’t like the things she does but she is a mastermind when it comes to getting people talking about her, which is her ultimate goal.

    As someone that hopes to go into the marketing field, I hope to be as successful as she as with reaching practically every target audience people can think of. But many might argue she just gets lucky in her decision making.

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    But I want to know everyone else’s opinions; do you think Kim Kardashian-West is a marketing mastermind? Or does she just get lucky because she craves for attention? Leave your answers in the comments below!

     

    Post Written By: Alyssa Moeller

  • Humans of COM Studies: Kelly Brown

    The Communication Studies Department at UNC Wilmington is a varied department that offers opportunity in many different areas of study and work and has many different kinds of students.

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    Kelly Brown is a senior in the COM Studies department who is also seeking a minor in psychology. She is pictured here at Airlie Gardens.

    What are you currently studying in the COM Studies department? What are some areas of interest for you?

    “My area of interest is organizational communication along with marketing and advertising. I want to be an event coordinator one day and these areas of study will help me understand and pursue a career in that field.”

    What are you involved in on campus?

    I am involved in the Association for Campus Entertainment! We put on a lot of events on campus, like the weekly movies students can see in Lumina Theater as well as the yearly concerts (like with Jesse McCartney) that students can enjoy. Last year, I was the photography coordinator. So, I basically took photographs of major events, which will be very helpful for my future career aspirations. I am also the president of UNCW’s Yoga Club. We meet weekly on either Tuesdays and or Thursdays and have hosted some fun events like yoga on the beach. We have an emailing list that sends out weekly updates on when we will hold meetings.

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    Kelly [front center] got to work the Jesse McCartney fall concert with her fellow ACE members. This was the fastest selling show in ACE’s history.

    What do you want to do after college?

    After college, I hope to work for a wedding planning company. I had two internships in which I learned a lot about that field as well as got the opportunity to do hands-on work, and I absolutely fell in love with it! This department does a great job of connecting students to internships that give them real world skills to help them find jobs after college.

    This week’s blog post is inspired by the visit of Humans of New York creator Brandon Stanton, who will speak on campus this week. All photographs are courtesy of Kelly Brown.

     

  • Humans of COM Studies: A Profile on Katie South

    During your first couple years at UNCW, it can be difficult to get involved on campus outside of clubs and sports. College can seem overwhelming at first when trying to pick a major and get involved on campus that coincide with your career goals. Maybe you came to college not knowing what you were going to major in or had an idea of what your dream job was, but realized you were not cut out for it. What do you do then? Do you try a new field and try to gain job experience, or do you just give up? Katie South, a junior in the Communication Studies department, went through a similar situation during her first couple years at UNCW.

    When Katie began her freshman year in the fall of 2015, she knew she wanted to be a Communication Studies major. “I always wanted to be a sideline reporter,” Katie said. “I soon realized that I didn’t know nearly enough about sports to do that, but the major is so versatile that I figured I would still be able to find something I’d enjoy.” She started working for the UNCW Campus Dining Peer-to-Peer sales team in the fall semester of her sophomore year; she, along with a team of other students in a variety of majors, tabled around campus to inform students about their meal plan options and take surveys that fit them with their best option. This job opened up opportunities for Katie that she never expected. “I thought it would be good experience for me to get more involved with campus and meet other students. The other job I had at the time took most of my free time, so I didn’t get involved with other school activities like I had wished. But working for the Peer-to-Peer sales team gave me that opportunity to meet new people while still earning money and gaining experience with sales and marketing.”

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    When taking the core COM classes, it may seem like you would never use some of those skills in a real profession. It can sometimes be difficult to see how your classes would pertain to a real job in the adult-world when sitting in lecture after lecture, but gaining experience in on-campus jobs can help you see the importance of these classes. Katie goes on to say that “being able to apply the communication skills I was learning with real students in real world situations gave me a new appreciation for what I was learning. I was able to build upon my interpersonal communication skills and pick up on students’ nonverbal cues that I may have previously overlooked had I not taken these classes.”

    While Katie was just expecting to stay on the Peer-to-Peer team throughout college, a job opportunity with Auxiliary Services opened up that she couldn’t pass up. She got the position of marketing assistant about a month ago that allows her to work directly with the marketing specialist to “complete project research, develop promotional and informational materials, plan and attend public relations activities, among a variety of other activities.” Although she has only been in this position for a short time, it is something she is interested in staying in for a while. She has even started considering going to graduate school here and staying in her current position or finding a similar job within the marketing field. Katie has been able to use skills from COM classes such as 101, 200, 232, and 280 that she never thought she would use in a real-world setting, but now utilizes them every day at her new job.

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    “My biggest piece of advice that I could give underclassmen is to not limit themselves. I had no desire to pursue marketing when I first started here at UNCW; I was determined to graduate and go straight into the news field. Once I opened myself up to the Peer-to-Peer sales team, I realized how much I loved working with people and being that line of communication when there’s confusion.” Katie shows us every day why being a student in the Communication Studies department is so rewarding and vital to succeeding in any job market. By embracing new ideas and gaining experience in various fields of work, you might be able to find your niche and succeed more than you ever thought possible.

  • Pumpkin Everything: Happy First Day of Fall!

     

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    Oh, hello there, fall!  It’s nice to see you again.  It’s been a while.  Some of us have been pretending it’s autumn since September 1st.  Others of us like to wait until the official start of the season, which happens to be today.  Whatever your preference, we can now all rejoice because all of those fall memes on Facebook are now actually relevant.  Happy first day of fall, everybody!

    In all actuality, autumn has become somewhat of a marketing strategy, and it seems like each year, it starts earlier and earlier than the previous year.  Back in July, I remember talking into a Michaels’ craft store and seeing the displays of pumpkins, wreaths, and fall decor… in. July.  Rather than standing in the shadows of the Christmas/holiday season, it has its own image now–most notably, all things pumpkin and/or apple.

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    Current mood ^

    I challenge you to find a coffee shop, home decor store, or Bath & Body Works that doesn’t bombard you with their autumn selection as soon as you walk in the door.  It’s a cyclical process, really.  American consumers, generally speaking, love autumn.  Therefore, businesses and corporations follow suit, and the more businesses buy into the madness, the more consumers do, too.  Herein lies the cycle.

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    Credit: twitter.com/therealpsl

    Companies such as Starbucks are notorious for their autumn campaigns.  The pumpkin spice latte–or PSL, as its affectionately called–has its own Twitter account for crying out loud.  Its job is to promote the annual PSL release and hype people up for the season, and all things considered, it’s incredibly effective.  If you follow the account and remain updated, you’re privy to secret codes, early launches, and special contests that others are not.  They also create various hashtag campaigns, such as #spotthespice, to keep track of their followers’ posts.  In essence, it creates a sense of in-group membership, and many people revel in that feeling.

    The autumn craze isn’t just limited to Starbucks, though.  Companies and corporations of all industries cater to the madness.  As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, stores like Michaels’ and Hobby Lobby have had their autumn decorations out since the middle of July.  While that may seem a little overzealous (and perhaps it is), it resonates with people.  It gives their customers something to look forward to in the coming weeks.  After all, a new season incites a desire for a fresh start.  Who can’t appreciate a fresh start?

    In a way, it’s nostalgic.  As a autumn baby myself, I would be remiss if I didn’t admit my love for the season.  My childhood was spent raking up leaves only to jump in the piles, undoing all of my hard work.  I took numerous day trips to the mountains, picking apples in the orchards with my parents.  When stores start to bring out their fall gear, I immediately taken back to those memories and instantly filled with a sense of nostalgia.

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    No matter what your feelings are about the season, it is quite obvious that the marketing strategies employed by businesses are effective, and the fall “brand” doesn’t look to be going anywhere any time soon.  With all that said, I wish you a happy, healthy, and productive fall season.

    What is YOUR favorite “sign” of fall?  Let me know in the comments below!

    -Morgan Garrett

     

     

  • The Autumn Craze ..

    The Autumn Craze ..

    Don’t you just love the Autumn season!? The time when the weather starts to cool and the leaves start to change colors and twirl to the ground. A time when you see pumpkin everything and things just seem warm & cozy.
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    People look so forward to the fall season for many different reasons: autumn leaves, scarves and boots, candles, candles and more candles, pumpkins, comfort food, horror films and so much more!
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    Advertising industries take a full turn for the autumn staples when it comes to advertising their products. Never mind that its still 90 degrees out and apparel companies are already advertising their fall fashion and boots. We see it all around us on TV and social media. People get super hyped about the fall season. And don’t tell me that you don’t at least know one person who keeps checking to see if the leaves are changing colors!
    Businesses use the fall season for many different advertising promotions. I know personally that I have received emails from stores like Hobby Lobby and Michaels offering a 40% off their fall items. This gets everyone excited about the fall season and also encourages others to get into the spirit. My favorite time of the year is the fall season. It’s a time when the air is cool and the colors of nature are changing!
    So many different topics come to mind when thinking about the fall season, whats your favorite?
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    (Photos Courtesy of Giphy.com)
    – Lauren Wilbun

  • ESPN Advertising: How has it Changed?

    If you are a sports fan or a frequent watcher of ESPN, then you are probably familiar with the cheesy “This is SportsCenter” commercials that have been an ESPN staple for years. In fact, the first ever “This is SportsCenter” commercial aired in 1995. Yeah, over 20 years ago! These commercials have been an ESPN staple ever since and really portray what it means to live and breath sports. ESPN’s humorous approach began when the network first launched and has carried that tradition over the years. But really, where else are you going to see a commercial like this: Roll Tide Commercial?  I am going to share a few of my favorite ESPN advertising approaches (or ads that’s frequently appear on ESPN) and why I believe they are so effective.

    3. College Gameday Commercials

    College Gameday is a pregame football and basketball Saturday program that highlights the matchups of that day and talk about what’s going on in the college football or basketball community.  These commercials place well known coaches and college football or basketball stars in humorous situations that do not necessarily “happen.” This piece of unrealistic humor makes the viewer think about how relaxed the ever-competitive sports world can be. The College Gameday show then continues to play on this playful theme. Here is one of my favorites from a few years back: Saban vs. Brown

    2. Heisman House Commercials

    The Heisman House commercials, that, believe it or not, is an advertisement for Nissan, continues to use the theme of funny and rather unrealistic. These commercials host past Heisman Trophy winners, which goes to the best college football player each year, as residents of the same home called the “Heisman House.” Of course, they are rivals living with rivals, so something is bound to go wrong, right? There are constant jabs at each other and really embodies the competitive nature of college sports. If you are like me, you cannot wait to see the next chapter of the Heisman House. Check out the latest (and my favorite) here:     Heisman House Food Fight

    1. This is SportsCenter Commercials

    Look, you can’t mess with the classics and This is SportsCenter is a classic. Talk about unrealistic, it’s these commercials. Do you really think that mascots run around the Bristol, Connecticut headquarters all day? Probably not. (I mean, they may, I’ve never been so I can neither confirm or deny) ESPN has always boasted their laid-back culture and these commercials embody that to a T. People that enjoy sports typically enjoy a laid-back life style. I think that is why these commercials are so relatable. It was hard to pick a favorite “This is SportsCenter” commercial, so here is ONE of my favorites)    Mascots Interrupt Meeting

    In my book, ESPN gets an A for its own advertisements and ads that air on ESPN. They have a brand of laid-back humor and they stick to it. It is easy to say that their brand of advertising has remained constant over the years. Talk about embracing your personal brand!

     

    (I would love to hear your favorite College Gameday/Heisman House/This is SportsCenter commercials! Share in the comments!)

    By: Ashby Burton

    Videos Courtesy of Youtube