IMC Hawks Blog

Tag: IMC

  • Something to Wine About

    This Sunday, communities from all over the country will commemorate the 10-year anniversary of September 11th, 2001.  With the United States remaining politically divided on many issues, people are wondering if the anniversary of September 11th could bring the country closer together.  Leaders around the U.S. are calling for a change in the nation and “true bipartisan cooperation for the benefit of our country.”

    From big events, like the 9-11 Memorial opening in New York, people everywhere in America are finding ways to remember one of the biggest tragedies in our country’s history.  Perhaps one of the most controversial has been the selling of 9-11 Memorial Commemorative wines.  Lieb Family Cellars of Mattituck, Long Island has caused outrage by producing a range of 9-11 Memorial wines to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center.  The winemaker is selling Chardonnay and Merlot wines at $9.11 a bottle, and giving 10% of the proceeds to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum.

    Despite these donations, the announcement of the wine has made many upset.    Lieb Family Cellars’ advertisements promote a wine made from “grapes grown 90 miles from the site of the World Trade Center,” and with sensitivities over the anniversary running high, this concept has sparked outcry.  Critics have accused the maker of, “exploiting the atrocity to make money.”

    Lieb Family Cellars insists that it is not making any money off the project.  Gary Madden, the general manager told The Times: “It’s a non-profit project.  We made the wine for charity; the profits on sales go to them.  It was done with the foundation, all under their licensing.”

    Many people have taken to social networking sites, such as Twitter, to express their anger about the issue.  Perez Hilton said, “WTF?” He calls this “tacky” and posted the following tweet: “@NoReservations- 9-11 Wine?!!? Are you out of your MIND?!! EPIC FAIL.”

    Celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain has called the brand naming around this wine “grotesque, exploitative and vomit inducing,” while the FDNY EMS proclaims, “What does the 9/11 Memorial brand next? Soap? Carwax? Tampons?  Hot dogs? Dog food?…anything for $?”

    Some say the Lieb Family Cellars’ intentions are good, with the victims and their families in mind; however, perhaps they should have done a little bit more research in regards to the implementation and marketing of their commemorative product.

    – Stephanie Bakolia, Claire Outlaw, & David Glaubach

  • A Royal Frenzy

    For centuries, royal weddings have drawn a unique interest among the population; however it is not until recent decades that such events have been televised. The first televised royal wedding was in 1960 of Princess Margaret and Anthony Armstrong Jones who were married at Westminster Abbey. The occasion accumulated over 20 million viewers according to BBC News, and since then royal weddings have become a social event not only for those attending, but millions worldwide. With such a broad interest in the subject, it’s no wonder marketing and branding gurus jumped on the royal bandwagon.

    The wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge brought in record numbers of viewers from all over the world. More than 52 million viewers tuned into NBC Universal, more than 40 million tuned into NBC news. But what would a royal wedding be in this day in age without a social media impact?  Don’t worry, Prince William and Kate made a huge splash on Facebook and Twitter. NBC News hosted a Royal Wedding Facebook event that received 7,500 attendees and over 500,000 impressions. NBC News also created a Twitter account @RoyalWedding that acquired over 90,000 followers and more than 1.5 million users. The frenzy didn’t stop there, “The Royal Wedding by NBC News” App for iPad, iPhone, and Android reached over 200,000 downloads and quickly became one of  iTune’s Top Ten listed free iPad Apps.

    Aside from the technological and social media craze, numerous memorabilia items were created just for the big day. From replicas of the engagement ring to china sets with Prince William and Kate’s faces, branding reached a whole new level. Marketers even went so far as to create toilet seat covers with the dynamic duo’s face and wedding date. It is safe to say, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have developed into their own brand with the help of IMC.

    – Katie Eagle, Deji Adeleke, Carissa Niederkorn, Anna Kate Babnik & Tiffany Evans

  • Don’t Abuse the Green

    Going Green. Go Green. Green Initiative. Green. Everything seems to be green these days. If a product isn’t “going green,” then that company might lose a certain respect from their market. But do the consumers even know why something might be called “green?”

    A company could easily call themselves green, but it could apply to so many different things. It could apply to their products, the amount of resources that they recycle, or even the lack of resources that they utilize in order to better the environment, and so on. Before a company does this though, they’re going to need to take a look at their customers from an integrated marketing perspective. Do their customers have a need for a product going green? How knowledgeable is their customer base on what it means to go green? Not only that, but what does going green mean to the company itself?

    When one really thinks about it, going green goes back to social capital and generalized reciprocity. Generalized reciprocity is as simple as picking up some trash that you see floating in the street before it goes into your neighbor’s lawn, or watching your friend’s belongings while they may use the restroom in an airport. Basically, the effects of the return might not be seen for a long time, and sometimes may be seen in a short amount of time. What drives customers to purchase green products may be because they feel they can do their part in trying to preserve the environment in which they live in. It’s that feeling of empowerment; the feeling of being able to make a difference.

    When it comes to making a difference, Google never seems to miss the opportunity. Google steps up to deliver a green movement that most people might not predict from the tech savvy company. To tackle their overgrown field at their headquarters in Mountain View, California, Google brought in 200 goats from California Grazing. The goats stayed for over a week eating away at the grass in an attempt to reduce the emissions brought on from mowers, reduce noise pollution, restore various plant species, and even fertilize while grazing. Not only does Google take an interesting perspective of going green, but their efforts certainly do coincide with general reciprocity.

    As we continue to use the limited resources that this planet has, it’s going to be interesting to see how different companies and organizations change their habits to sync with the minds of environmentally conscious consumers. However, they just may want to consider their reasoning before they abuse the idea.

    -Deji Adeleke, Carissa Niederkorn, Anna Kate Babnik, Tiffany Evans, & Katie Eagle

  • Who Wants to Bowl Alone? Not Me?

    One of the books we read this semester was called Bowling Alone, and no it is not about the sport of bowling, much less actually bowling alone. It is about fostering social capital in America. Back in the early to mid 1900s, people were involved in social groups, clubs, and organizations within their community. Everyone was involved, but over the past few decades involvement has dwindled, leading some to believe that social capital in America is non- existent. Before we can explore this book further, we must define social capital. According to Robert D. Putnam, the author of Bowling Alone, “The core idea of social capital theory is that social networks have value.” Basically, being connected with others is beneficial to ones life, and as a member of a group you are able to accomplish more. Life is more meaningful when you have friends, and someone to share happiness and trust with.

    Do you think that social capital is lacking in today’s society?

    Unfortunately, Putnam failed to take into account the age of social media, mainly in part that Bowling Alone was published before such a term existed.  The question now becomes in this day and age, “Does social media foster social capital?” Being connected with hundreds, perhaps even thousands of people, at the click of a mouse does create a network of individuals. On the other hand, can social capital really happen in the digital world? Social capital has always been within ones community, and now since the rise of technology has created a global community, is this still social capital?

    Overall, we think Putnam made valid claims about the diminishing amount of social capital in the United States, mainly in groups and clubs. We think that he should write a newer version of Bowling Alone and comment on the addition of social media to the equation.

    -Allison Day, Jessica Berinson, Megan Canny,  Melissa Gagliardi, Scott Burgess

  • IMC and Blueberries and Burgaw, Oh My!

    North Carolina is a diverse state with many commodities and much history to celebrate. The North Carolina Blueberry Festival is one of the numerous state revels that will hold its 8th annual festival on June 18, 2011. It takes place in Historic Downtown Burgaw, just 30 miles from Wilmington, where the first cultivated blueberry production in North Carolina began in the 1930’s. Pender County now ranks second in the state for blueberry production, showing their love for blueberries through the annual festival.

    Since the festival began in 2004, Burgaw has quickly branded itself as the “Blueberry Town” making the festival its leading event. Although Burgaw is home to a small population of 4,000, the festival draws in more than 30,000 visitors. Aside from blueberries, the festival also offers entertainment, artisans, food vendors, and more.  In order to attract such a large crowd, the festival relies on its website and Facebook page. Both media outlets are used to inform the public and to facilitate communication. The Facebook page also lists contact information on how to purchase available promotional items to market the event that include, limited edition signed and numbered print by Ivey Hayes, t-shirts, sweatshirts, blueberry recipe cookbooks, hats, visors, and tote gags.

    The organization has also strategically acquired key sponsors such as WECT Wilmington 6 and Star News Media, two major news outlets that reach Wilmington and the surrounding areas. To generate further coverage and recognition of the event, the association sponsors a Blueberry 5k Run and a Blueberry Open Golf Tournament. One of the biggest draws to the festival is the Essay Scholarship which has awarded over $100,000 since 2004. The festival provides scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $4,000 each year, which can be used toward tuition, fees, or books.

    This small Southern town has taken big strides towards becoming its own recognizable brand. As their Facebook page states, “The Festival celebrates the historic, economic, and cultural significance of blueberries in the Southeastern region of North Carolina,” and through IMC, Burgaw is paving the way to become a significant and well known “Blueberry Town.”

    NC Blueberry Festival Website, check it out!

    -Katie Eagle, Deji Adeleke, Anna Kate Babnik,Tiffany Evans, & Carissa Niederkorn

  • COM Studies Day is finally here!

    Today may be April Fools Day but this is no joke, it is finally here, Communication Studies Day at UNCW. Our Advanced Integrated Marketing Communication class will be covering the event minute by minute right here on our IMC-Hawks blog. The event starts at 10 a.m. where a panel presentation will be held in Leutze Hall featuring 5 alumni of UNCW informing students, faculty and guests of the different graduate programs and professional positions they have pursued post graduation, which will be followed by questions from the audience.

    This presentation will last till 11 a.m and will be followed with a 30 minute networking session for the panelists. Starting at 12:15 the Communication Studies Society is hosting a fashion show where the students will be strutting their stuff in business professional and business casual attire. This is a part of the event that can’t be missed, fashion tips are always a necessity. Following the fashion show will be an afternoon panelist presentation featuring 5 more alumni of UNCW from 2-3, with a follow up 30 minute networking session. This day is a perfect chance for faculty to see where their previous students have been since graduation and for undergraduates to know what to expect once they leave the doors of Leutze Hall. To follow up the day us Communication Studies students, faculty and guests get to have some fun while continuing to converse and network with Alumni and each other at Fox and the Hound from 4-6 for the reception and social gathering. April 1st is going to be a day of fun, networking and informative learning of what exactly it means to be a Communication Studies major and part of the Communication Studies family. Stay tuned all day for up to date blogging by Dr. Persuits Advanced IMC class….
    Com Studies Day Live Blog

    -Lindsey Baggett, Drew Mayer, Micaela Fouhy, Will Cosden, Brianna Golden

  • For The Kids by The Students

    What kind of student-run fundraiser involves more than 15,000 students, goes on for more than 32 years, involves celebrity involvement, and raises over $69 million for its cause? Penn State University’s THON, of course. The Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon is the largest student-run philanthropy in the world, raising an incredible amount of money for pediatric cancer patients every year. Not only do students show their dedication to the cause by working year-round to raise awareness, but they also have one of the most incredible student-run IMC plans I’ve ever seen.

    The THON Press page is as comprehensive as any professionally run fundraiser, with students assigned to state, local, and national media. There is a student-run THON Tumblr Blog, THON Facebook Profile, THON Twitter Account, and THON Facebook Fanpage, all to keep the public aware of THON related news year-round. Penn State students live tweet from the event and update their statuses regularly with the “FTK” (“For the Kids”) hash tag to keep their friends and family members informed. One notable THON supporter is none other than socialite Khloe Kardashian, who regularly blogs about the THON efforts and sends her support to the Penn State students.

    It’s obvious that the Penn State students are passionate about their cause and are channeling this passion into one of the most impressive student-run IMC campaigns out there.  Any student organization in the world could benefit from checking out the THON efforts and channeling them into their own student event.

    – Anna Kate Babnik, Carissa Niederkorn, Deji Adeleke, Tiffany Evans, & Katie Eagle