IMC Hawks Blog

Tag: IMC

  • Communication Studies Next Top Model

    Did you know that you can employ Integrated Marketing Communication in any organization? It’s an easy way to reach your target publics and increase membership and participation in your organization. However, few people actually know how to use it properly. Communication Studies Society (CSS) has been heavily utilizing IMC in the past few weeks to increase attendance at the Com Studies Day events, which is this Friday, April 1st. CSS and the entire Communication Studies Department have been utilizing social media outlets, such as Facebook and Twitter, to build anticipation for Friday! There is even a friendly competition between the professors to see who can get the greatest participation from their students to attend the events.  Our Advanced IMC class will be live blogging and tweeting from all of the events, with voting on who is the audiences favorite model at the Dress for Success Fashion Show. To follow the days events or participate on Twitter, type in #COMStudiesDay in your tweets or follow @IMCClass.

    The use of social media during Com Studies Day creates social capital within the community by allowing everyone to get a front row seat in the action and alumni to see how successful the Communication Studies Department has become.

    Other than using social media, CSS has been posting flyers and taking advantage of the Communication Studies Department newsletter that gets distributed to every Communication Studies major, which is the target audience.

    So be sure to come to all the Com Studies Day events, and if you can’t make it, follow us on twitter. More importantly, be sure to vote for Scott Burgess (@scottrburgess) and Allison Day (@Allisonday32) as your favorite models and send your votes to @CStudiesSociety.

    Happy tweeting!

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

  • March Madness: The True Underdog Story

    Every NCAA Tournament kick starts spring and there is truly nothing like the opening days of tournament basketball. People have put all their time and effort into studying brackets for their office or friendly pool. As the tournament starts we all question whether a 16 seed will finally upset a number 1 seed. Yet again, this year it did not happen. No matter what happens there are always upsets, and this tournament was no different. After the upsets occur the “Cinderella Story” comparisons start to fly around. Marketers and advertisers beg to ask who will wear the glass slipper this year.

    For some reason our country loves the underdog story. We love to see Rocky make a courageous comeback and win the fight in the last round after getting beat the entire time. The NCAA Tournament has its fair share of underdog stories this year with Virginia Commonwealth, Richmond, and Butler. Butler is the most ironic of the “Cinderella Stories” because they reached the NCAA Final last year and came narrowly close to beating National Champion Duke. So why do we love to see Butler as the underdog? Reporters continue to ask Butler Head Basketball Coach Brad Stevens about the Cinderella story and he simply responds with “the Cinderella story worked well for us last year so I love to hear it.” The problem is that we are much too quick to forget about Cinderella teams. Marketers and advertisers use these schools and teams to market their underdog story and then after the tournament we quickly forget about them. We don’t hear a word about the universities or their basketball teams until they become the underdog story then marketers pump money to inflate their story. The Butler Bulldogs were not talked about much this regular season yet they find themselves in the Sweet Sixteen again. No matter how successful they were last season Butler will continue to be branded as a Cinderella team because they are a small school that lacks a deep, rich basketball tradition. Teams like Kansas and North Carolina will never be mentioned as an underdog or a Cinderella no matter how much better the opposing team is. These branding techniques seem to always be used during March Madness.

    There is a special story for two of the three Cinderella teams previously named. If Richmond and VCU both win it will be the first time in NCAA Tournament history that two teams from the same city or town will have played each other. Let’s hope that both win so we can celebrate two great teams from Richmond making it to the Elite Eight. More importantly, we can cheer for our fellow Colonial Athletic Association partners the VCU Rams. I’m sure CBS and advertisers will hype up the battle of the underdogs and ask whether the glass slipper fits Richmond or VCU. At this point we might be getting ahead of ourselves, but we can all dream. Hey, it worked for Cinderella.

  • March Madness Scoring Big with Advertisers and Viewers

    The pressure is always on during March Madness and not just for the teams.  This year marks the start of a new strategy that is scoring big with advertisers and basketball viewers across the nation.  Last April, a 14-year $10.8 billion deal partnered CBS with Turner broadcast System.  This new deal means the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship games will be divided between CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV making all games available without an extended cable package.

    This change in game airing has not only allowed CBS to take corrective action to fix fans’ complaints about not being able to pick the games they want to watch but also allows advertisers to maximize their reach and get more for their money.  With a +15% rating growth and an average of 8.4 million viewers for the first week alone, records were set with the highest first week viewer average in 17 years and +18% growth in viewers for Sunday’s third-round coverage.  This +18% growth on Sunday meant an additional 1.6 million viewers in comparison to 2010.

    Specifically, the areas of largest growth have been males ages 18-34 with a +40% viewer growth.  This is big news for advertisers focusing on this public.  With bigger audiences comes a bigger advertising vehicle. With this type of seemingly exponential increase, the five R’s of receptivity, relevance, response, recognition, and relationship come to mind. Since males were targeted as the areas of the largest growth, companies can now utilize TNT, truTV, TBS, and even CBS and relevance to gear their advertising efforts towards males between the ages of 18-34.

    Someone taking full advantage of this opportunity is Buick. The famous automaker is trying to rebuild its brand image and appeal to younger buyers. What better time to do so than during the NCAA tournament amongst males between the ages of 18-34? Buick utilizes the idea of recognition by recognizing their audience as avid college basketball fans and bringing in a key player from last year’s runner up, the Butler Bulldogs, to help endorse their new brand image. Avery Jukes will appear in one of several TV spots of telling stories of overcoming the odds and hammering through tough obstacles. This is a true appeal to the emotion of the viewers because fans of college basketball appreciate a good Cinderella story, as the Butler Bulldogs were categorized during the NCAA tournament of 2010.

    Avery Jukes, who played basketball in last year’s championship game for Butler University, is the founder of Jukes Foundation for Kids, a non-profit entity dedicated to providing food, clothing and educational resources to youth in the United States and Uganda. (GM)

    It’s certainly going to be interesting to see how advertisers employ the Five R’s throughout the tournament. Will they use the emotional appeals of a good comeback story? Or will they gear themselves towards a more winning attitude of champions never lose? We’ll just have to see what the Madness of March brings…

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

  • Spring Break for Adults?

    Spring break has become an iconic holiday celebrated around the world. In the US, Florida has developed into the prime destination for spring-breakers with its enticing warm weather and endless beaches.  Originally Fort Lauderdale took the lead in the number one spot for college kids beginning as early as the end of World War II. It began to gain further recognition with the 1960 film Where the Boys Are, in which college girls met boys while on spring break there, and so the tradition took off! Over the years, the American spring break tradition has spread to other parts of Florida and the country; however the holiday has remained constant in marketing to students, until now.

    The holiday is a time for students to get away from school, but could it also be a time for adults to get away from the everyday hustle and bustle of “9 to 5’s”? US Airways Magazine seems to think so! The infamous spring break has delved into the confines of the “real world.” While spring break remains successful at maintaining its unique brand, a new outlook on the vacation week has been introduced as seen on the cover of US Airways Magazine, Let’s Go.  The article, Spring Break for Adults, lures adults in with promises of rest, relaxation, and most of all, no students! The cover highlights High Point, North Carolina as “the small town with a big presence,” which can lead one to question just how far spring break marketers are willing to go to beguile adults into joining the fad.

    The article however quickly recovers from its puzzling choice in cover story, and goes on to list 12 most appealing locations for adults.  While offering quirky encouragement that college students will be out of sight, the article focuses on marketing luxury and mature fun. They even go so far as to include Fort Lauderdale as number 10 stating, “That’s right: Fort Lauderdale. This former spring-break favorite is all grown up and home to a W hotel. The chic oceanfront property hosts the city’s premier hot spot: the stylish, popular patio at the Whiskey Blue lounge.”

    Although the choice in scenic beaches and crystal clear water may draw the same attention from college students, the article offers alternative hot spots within those ideal vacation destinations. Number eleven, Riviera Maya explains, “Don’t worry: This isn’t Cancun. Serene Rosewood Mayakoba is 40 miles south of the frenzy, tucked between the ocean and the jungle.”  Through marketing, spring break has diverged into two completely different brands, both coexisting in IMC harmony.

    Check out other chosen destinations here!

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

  • Branded Actors

    The 83rd Academy Awards reward the best of the best in cinema. Actors and actresses are rewarded for their great work throughout the year, and just to be nominated is an honor. The best of the profession are able to make all of us believe that the character they are playing is real. Colin Firth won the Best Actor Award for his role in “The King’s Speech” and it was unlike any performance he has delivered. But what about the actors and actresses that play the same character in almost all of their movies. In the profession this is referred to type-casting: an actor who gets scripted to play the same funny guy, action hero, or typical house wife for all of their movies.

    In IMC we refer to branding often. There are name brand companies, products, and now actors and actresses. By being type-casted to certain roles actors are branding themselves for a certain role each film. Many actors make a living off of their brand, and I’m sure the money they acquire makes them happy to sell their brand. Tom Cruise is known for his action movies, and some would say that he plays the same role every time. This seems like criticism he can’t shake. In “Tropic Thunder” he played an arrogant studio executive in a movie that was making fun of war movie production. He was able to embrace the criticism of being type-casted, and make fun of himself. While he didn’t win an Oscar his character was extremely funny.

    So do the Academy Awards reward the actors who are able to break away from their brand and try a new role? I think all actors and actresses have a personal brand they are trying to fulfill, but when they step out of that shadow and give a great performance they should be rewarded. Adam Sandler might have not won an Academy Award for his role in “Spanglish” but it was great to see him not portray a type casted comedy role. Most find it very safe and reassuring to stick to their brand and continue to play that character, but I applaud those who embrace the challenge. Now that the 83rd Academy Awards are over we can all look forward to a great year in film. Let’s all wish that more actors will step away from their personal brand in hopes of Oscar recognition.

  • The Mickey Mouse (Rehab) Club

    Miley Cyrus. Demi Lovato. Lindsay Lohan. What do these names have in common? They were all, at some point or another, cream of the tween crop for the Disney Corporation. But with Cyrus pole-dancing at concerts, Lovato going to rehab, and Lohan jumping between rehab and jail on a regular basis, the images of these celebrities hardly seem synonymous with a pair of Mickey Mouse ears.

    One of the key factors of IMC is the communication of one clear message to consumers through a variety of media channels. So, when Disney is trying to convince parents that they’re providing worthy role models for their daughters, but the tabloids are constantly covering the personal drama of the Disney stars, who do parents believe? At an initial glance, some might suggest that Disney should distance itself from the constant media mishaps of these tweens and move on to the “next big thing”. But when your company owns the rights to a teen star worth over $48 million (Cyrus’s estimated annual earnings according to the 2010 Forbes’ Celebrity 100), do you really want to let go of all that merchandising power?

    In the world of entertainment, making sure that one clear message is presented can be a tricky issue because the selling power often rests on the shoulders of a human being with free will instead of the reputation of a product. Especially with a company like Disney, who deals with celebrities that are often in the midst of teenage turmoil, controlling the talent is no easy task. But, as long as there are parents buying their little girls Hannah Montana wigs and Camp Rock backpacks, Disney’s marketing advantage seems to be doing just fine.

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

  • Alaska’s sweetheart or America’s nightmare?

    Seeing as today is Presidents Day, where the nation comes together to honor our past great leaders, we see it fitting to look at the latest political figure and “reality superstar”, Sarah Palin.

    This self-titled “maverick”, at first branded herself as a strong political influence with ties to family values, motherhood, main street U.S.A, and conservatism. After her failed run as Vice President during the 2008 Presidential election, she has since morphed into a celebrity.

    With her daughter partaking in Dancing With the Stars, and herself being the star of TLC’S Sarah Palin’s Alaska, she has been capitalizing on her celebrity status with a book tour, speech engagements, and recently, Fox News contributor. Do politics even play a role in her brand anymore?

    While her views haven’t changed about how the government should be run (if she even can even articulate her views without having to beat around the bush), she has basically destroyed her political brand. In several interviews, she has lost her credibility by not being able to answer simple political questions.

    Here is an example of her failing to brand herself as a knowledgeable politician.

    Below is a video of her dropping the ball in Politics 101.

    According to The Huffington Post, her reality show received $1.2 million in tax credits, a third of what it took to film the series. While other series filmed in Alaska do take advantage of the tax credit, Palin’s show profited the most, angering many citizens. With her stance on outrageous government spending, it is odd that she would partake in something that takes advantage of government funding This further harms her political credibility because she is profiting off the government that she previously lead.

    So what’s your take on her brand? Will this affect her future in politics, with a possible 2012 Presidential run? Is she still a positive political figure or simply a public nuisance?

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