IMC Hawks Blog

Tag: Politics

  • Income Inequality, Campaign Finance, and the Decline of American Democracy

    For the past few decades, the bulk of wealth in America floods to the top- 99% of the new income is going to the wealthiest 1%. Billionaires have the ability to agenda set and fund politicians for their own interests. The Koch brothers alone are projected to spend almost one billion dollars funding campaigns.

    distribution.of_.wealthElections, in turn, have become similar to television shows with aggressive personas rising to the top. Donald Trump, Ben Carson, and Carly Fiorina- whose politics have been called “post-truth” are jockeying for the republication nomination. On the Democratic side, there’s Clinton whose views seem to change in accordance with her largest donors. And the weird things is, people don’t seem to care. But is it really their fault?

    635718223146293175-AP-Republicans-DebatePoliticians’ advertisements can be somewhat skewed to adhere to our wants and needs. We watch the political debates to see which candidate will resonate with our personal values, but all that is discussed are issues not solutions. The message the media projects about politics focuses on the conflict at hand. Is conflict ever resolved or is it just discussed? Politicians have the chance to engage with a wide audience, the debates streaming on TV and throughout social media. The engagement perspective of IMC says a message is intended to get a response from the audience. Will the audience reject or accept it? Will it change their behaviors once the message is received? The political debates allow candidates to persuade their audiences to think differently.

    The media has an obligation, as a forum by which citizens receive their news, to provide viewers with relevant and truthful information. According to the agenda-setting theory, media influence affects the order of presentation in news reports about events and issues in the public mind. In the context of election time, news outlets control how the political candidates and issues are presented to their viewers.

    If people get 90% of their information about politics from TV and the TV station’s parent company has an interest in the outcome an election, can the viewers be blamed for following along? How much responsibility should we place on journalists and media outlets? Has the concentration of wealth at the top of America’s population and the ability for wealthy individuals to shape our elections transformed our democracy? 

    -Jonathan Callahan, Erin Fouhy, Julia George, Joseph Hines, and Sarah Suggs

  • Donald Trump: An IMC Approach

    Donald Trump: An IMC Approach

    Donald Trump

    By Daniel Dawson

    The race for our next presidential candidates has been nothing short of entertaining this year, to say the least. The Republican Party’s posterchild, Donald J. Trump, is currently the frontrunner in polls. When Trump announced his presidential campaign, our nation couldn’t help but look incredulously at the millionaire mogul who’s already built his successful brand through business, franchises and TV networks. Despite bluntness, controversial statements and even discrepancies in political speeches, Trump has garnered the support of thousands of Republicans and the praise of being one of the most candid, or “authentic” candidates—but how and why?

    Perceptions of Authenticity

    Can a political candidate, or anyone for the matter, be authentic? In short, no. Or at least this is what Andrew Potter argues, author of The Authenticity Hoax, a 2010 book that criticizes the modern individual’s search for an ultimately unattainable “authentic” self.

    In his chapter titled “Vote for me, I’m Authentic” Potter delves into the issue of voter apathy in democratic societies and how political campaigning and the media affect this. Most of us are used to manufactured speeches and the all-talk-no-results perception of politicians—and there’s been a trend of voter apathy, or the choice to not vote, in developed countries.

    Trumps political extremism manufactures a perception of authenticity which could motivate U.S. citizens to vote who may consider themselves apathetic. He delivers seemingly uncensored and extemporaneous speeches—however questionable they may be—that echo his results-oriented business background. Why does he have a larger following than, say, Carly Fiorina, former CEO of HP and businesswoman alike?

    The Media Controls It

    Agenda-setting theory, anyone? This communication theory says that the media manipulates what the public thinks is important. Basically, whatever stories have the most coverage in the news become the “important” issues—the flavor of the week. Trump, for a variety of reasons, has been covered practically every day by some type of media outlet since he announced his participation in the race. You probably have read a story or two about Trump, even if you didn’t want to.

    In a recent example of agenda setting not involving Trump—who won the first Democratic debate? Major media reports that Hillary Clinton was the clear winner when, according to online polls, Bernie Sanders was voted the winner by viewers. Is this a disparity of choice or opinion? Potter writes, “The media’s pundit class feeds this gladiatorial conception of political debates by treating them as a boxing match, with the post-debate analysis invariably focused on who scored what points, and whether any of the candidates was able to strike the mythical “knockout blow” (p. 172). While the media like to sensationalize, there are other factors involving what the media cover. In short, the media, across multiple outlets, can report that Hillary Clinton won when voters disagree.  How do we evaluate the ways we receive our news?

    Trump’s Brand

    Like all political candidates, Trump is a brand. Donald Trump is a symbol, a message and a vehicle for his message. Trump is a business icon and has built an empire over many years, but why is Trump running for president, too? Political IMC is integral to the success or failure of a candidate’s campaign—establishing ethos, effective marketing, political advertising, event planning and speech writing are just some components that go into the branding of a politician.

    “‘’Some people think this will be good for my brand,’ Trump concluded, as deep as he probes. ‘I think it’s irrelevant for my brand.’” This blasé quote came from Trump himself in a feature written by Mark Leibovich in the New York Times Magazine.

    I disagree with Mr. Trump. For public figures, every extension of oneself, every action, participation, speech, statement, declaration affects one’s brand. One’s brand is the essence and the story of who they are. While Trump will probably only gain revenue and face time with his campaign, to say that it doesn’t affect his brand is nonsense. Whether it’s good or bad is a value judgment, but it’s fair to say that is not now, Trump’s brand will see the effects of this year’s political campaign.

  • Politics Are Funny

    The emails were really just used for “Fun woman talk” and the ‘“Unsexiest email ever to Bill Clinton”- Kate McKinnon impersonating Hillary Clinton in an Saturday Night Live spoof in March of this year.

    Beyond Bernie Sanders epic declaration “the American people are sick and tired of hearing about your damn emails”, McKinnon’s SNL spoof may be most well remembered moment in the Clinton email saga.

    McKinnon played Clinton in an SNL episode soon after the private email scandal first broke loose, while Clinton herself made a guest appearance on the show. In October Clinton made a second appearance on SNL taking full advantage of SNL’s comedic twist yet again. She tweeted after the show “A vote for Hillary Clinton is a vote for four more years of Kate McKinnon’s impression #citizens.”  Following the show, audiences began to see Hillary in a different light.  Previously, she had a reputation for being cold and dull.  Afterwards, audiences had a new respect for her and her ability to poke fun at herself, and make light of past situations she has been in.  Performing on SNL was helpful in Hillary’s branding, making her more relateable and “human” to the target audiences she wanted to reach as a democratic candidate for the 2016 presidential election.

    Screenshot 2015-10-29 17.56.31Clinton isn’t the first nor will she be the last politician to appeal to SNL’s satiric take on politics and the scandals that dominate campaigns and news headlines.  Presidential candidates alone who have recently made appearances or hosted SNL during their campaigns include John McCain, Chris Christie, George H.W.  Bush, Al Gore, Bill Clinton, Obama and Hillary Clinton herself. The SNL dynamic provides an alternative and juxtaposed coverage opportunity for politicians whom we associate with stiff suits, stuffy press conferences and distant televised speeches.

    Politicians employ multiple strategies of branding themselves, often with formal news based media, and traditional advertising and campaigning efforts, but SNl proved throughout the years that politicians can also make their campaign worth a few good laughs. When politicians choose to go on a comedy show like SNL is a step further than being interviewed by John Stewart or Stephen Colbert. SNL’s audience includes people who follow politics but also includes a whole segment of people who don’t. Appearing on SNL is a way for politicians to reach these publics and show everyone that they have a personality beyond formal media interactions. This recent movement for presidents and presidential candidates to act on SNL started with Gerald Ford and has been successful in adding positive aspects to their brand, just like the changed perceptions of Hillary Clinton.

    Donald Trump and his quote of the day have become America’s latest source of entertainment, leaving some Americans wondering whether his campaign is little more than a publicity stunt.  Whether you are a Trump fan or not, November 7th is not an SNL episode to miss out on. Trump will be hosting SNL bringing his own Trump style “authenticity” to the table. With SNL delivering its witty and sarcastic take on politics, viewers may just want to stop, put the remote down and kick back for what promises to be much more humorous than yet another presidential debate.

    Donald Trump

    Aki Suzuki, Carey Poniewaz, Carey Shetterly, Lexie Trimnal, June Wilkinson

  • UNCWingSpan

    11988465_1160279773988423_7033451740836374441_nIn case you haven’t heard the buzz throughout the halls of Leutze, there is a new project on campus called WingSpan. WingSpan is a weekly talk show that discusses political issues with guests who are experts on various topics. In the first episode, Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo discussed the economic development of Wilmington. During the second episode, County Commissioner Rob Zapple discussed environmental incentives in our region.

    An ETEAL funded project, WingSpan is produced entirely by COM 351, Media and Politics. The students are responsible for the research, production, and promotion of WingSpan, under the guidance of Dr. Jennifer Brubaker. The first step for branding the television show included a naming contest throughout UNC Wilmington’s campus. Students were encouraged to submit possible names for the show, winning the contest and prizes. This contest raised awareness for WingSpan, and directly engaged one of the show’s publics – college students.

    For the remainder of the ten-week show, the students are reaching out to different UNCW campus organizations, who pertain to the topic for that week. In the second episode, COM 351 contacted organizations such as The Plastic Ocean Project. They ensured students who are passionate about the environment- to tune in and watch the show that week. WingSpan recognizes the importance of discussing topics that resonate with the students at UNCW.

    The group of PR and promotion students understand the significant need to have a presence on social media – further connecting and building relationships with the viewers. WingSpan students plan to continually push for the UNCW community to get involved through social media interaction, using the hashtag #WingSpan. Media’s role is to tell you what to think, not how to think. According to the Agenda Setting Theory, mass media has the ability to transfer the salience of issues on the news agenda to the public agenda. WingSpan recognizes the importance of remaining unbiased, and simply giving viewers the tools necessary to form their own opinions on political topics.

    Screen shot 2015-10-01 at 10.42.31 AM

    The twitter account raises political issues with its followers and encourages discussions, without a bias toward one opinion over another. As represented by the tweet, WingSpan is presenting the political issue of education. Wingspan encourages the community to think about and discuss the topic, by sharing data regarding the educational system. It is evident the students understand their roles and goals: to inform students and the community about political issues. COM 351 Media and Politics encourages students, faculty/staff, and the Wilmington community to think about political issues, not how to think about them.

    FullSizeRender

    In a city that has been a production hub for many years- it is an exciting opportunity for UNCW students to experience the other side of television, first hand. You can follow WingSpan on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and tune in on Fridays at Noon on www.uncwingspan.com, or Mondays and Wednesdays at 6pm on TLN.

    -Jonathan Callahan, Erin Fouhy, Julia George, Joseph Hines, and Sarah Suggs

  • Holiday Shopping at Risk from Government Shutdown

    The current shutdown marks the first time in 17 years that the government has come to a halt, as both political parties remain at a standstill. With no sort of compromise in sight, a chain reaction with numerous consequences could follow. Currently, one of the main concerns is the increase in number of furloughed government workers who are grouped into two categories: essential and nonessential jobs. However, if the shutdown continues, retailers of public businesses may also take a hit creating potential conflict during the holiday season.

    Image

    As the upcoming holiday season quickly approaches, retailers are actively predicting whether or not the federal government shutdown will impact sales. According to The National Retail Federation, sales are expected to increase 3.9 percent for November and December. However, these calculations were based on past holiday sales that had no interference of a government shutdown. Depending on how long the shutdown lasts, retailers may have to alter their marketing strategies to maintain their predicted sales for the holidays.

    As the government shutdown enters its second week, no substantial progress has been made to give retailers an accurate sense as to what will come in the next few months. Some sources believe that the shutdown could not be more perfectly timed because, “…the back-to-school rush has quieted, and despite the best efforts of some retailers, the holiday shopping season is still many weeks away from being in full swing.” On the other hand, “…some marketers may find that because consumers are spending less money, their holiday marketing may need to be tweaked at the last minute this year.”  These two outlooks lead us to wonder if a rippling effect will take place. NBC News has created possible scenarios that would occur if the shutdown lasted for over a month. One possible scenario on November 17th, according to The National Retail Federation, would indicate the “make-or-break” of the holiday shopping season. Consumer confidence in retailers will diminish as the shutdown continues, which will create devastating effects for retail stores and the overall economy.

    Image

    With Halloween quickly approaching, it will be interesting to see how the government shutdown could impact sales in terms of consumer behavior. Do you think that the shutdown will have an effect on holiday spending? How will retailers respond if the shutdown looms on in terms of marketing strategies?

    – Aaron Love, Kara Zimmerman, Rachel Clay, Rebecca Hobbs

  • Government Down, Ratings Up

    The political landscape of today is a far cry from what it was just a few decades ago. Radio chats and newspaper headlines are obsolete in comparison to the speed and accessibility the Internet offers for political communication. This past week, headlines on every major network ringed “government shutdown”.

    As usual, polarized politics have kept the Republicans and Democrats in gridlock as Congress disputes the budget and Obamacare. Inability to reach consensus has left millions of workers temporally furloughed, while others are unable to attend work at all. The turmoil of the national government continues as the shutdown advances into this week, which leaves us wondering, could the media be enjoying all this anxiety?

    With the introduction of the 24/7 new cycle, cable networks are now in constant competition to fill news holes and beat competitors ratings. What is news, what is analysis, and what is entertainment are supposed to be notably different, yet the three are becoming harder for the public to differentiate between. Has the constant monitoring of the shutdown become the perfect manifestation for the media?

    News networks’ websites are filled with headlines, sidebars, and blogs about the shutdown. Their social media sites are providing hourly updates of Congress, urging people to follow the bombardment of links going to their website articles. And their programming has become a mixture of analysis and entertainment as their “bipartisan” debate on the subject often features a right-wing versus left-wing commentator “discussing” (yelling) their opinions.

    cnn

    As outlets continue to label the shutdown as a “showdown”, it becomes evident horse race journalism is no longer only applicable during election coverage, but has transcended into the way politics are viewed and reported every day.

    Matthew C. Nisbet describes the reporting style and its features. Horse race journalism focuses predominantly on which players are most adept at gaining power while undermining the chances of the opponents. Rather than foregrounding the context of political issues or policy proposals, journalists focus on: who’s ahead and who’s behind in the policy battle, the primary persons involved, and the shifting tactics that are employed.

    Polling and public opinion surveys are central feature in horse race journalism. Claiming they supply “objective” data, reporters use the results to define who is winning while gaining additional news pegs for the reasons of such successes or failures.

    Public opinion surveys act as a competitive advantage in the news marketplace, filling the demand for “anything new” in the 24 hour coverage cycle. “Polls say” and “Poll show” headers allow journalists to make their own independent attributions without relying on consensus of experts. As a result, a constant emphasis arises between sets of ideologies and/or sets of political actors.

    Almost every major news network has been asking its viewers and readers to chime in on “Who’s to blame?”

    poll 3

    Rather than explaining policy, media outlets have framed the shutdown into a simplistic game of winners v. losers, Democrats v. Republicans, Obama v. Congress. Outlets are then using their polling results to create further news articles that act as nothing more than a survey report.

    poll 4

    Their strategy has not been in vain.  During prime-time, Monday through Thursday of the past week, ratings for CNN were up 68%, MSNBC up 54%, and Fox up 49%. As viewers continue to tune in, we are left begging the questions: Is the press providing an informative medium for exercising the public’s right to know? Or has the shutdown turned into another political spectacle for media to cash in on?

    – Savannah Valade

  • The Power of A Few Words

    In society today, there is an abundance of good slogans relating to the worlds of politics and advertising that adorn and surround our everyday life. Although many of these slogans often seem to be utterly vacuous, as they leave us with nothing, slogans still remain a very powerful example of the power of words and how their influence in motivating people and consumers. Advertising incorporates a series of crucial elements such as images, characters and music in order to further make their slogans even more memorable than the next brand or product.
    These often-superfluous gimmicks play a much larger role than one may expect. In fact, in the increasingly complex and ever-changing world we live in, simplicity counts in the form of communication.
    According to www.SloganPower.com, a powerful and efficient slogan should be able to:
    • Convey the essence of your organization or brand
    • Build your corporate or brand image
    • Establish your unique position in the marketplace
    • Attract and retain customers
    • Boost staff morale
    • Liven up your corporate literature
    • Enhance your competitive advantage

    Here are some examples of the most famous and successful slogans in our society:

    I’m lovin’ it – McDonalds
    What Would You Do For A Klondike Bar? – Klondike
    Yes We Can! – Obama Campaign 2008
    Just do it. – Nike
    Das Auto – Volkswagen
    All the news that’s fit to print. – The New York Times
    Let Your Fingers Do The Walking. – Yellow Pages
    Have it your way. – Burger King
    M’m! M’m! Good! – Campbell Soup
    The Citi Never Sleeps – Citi Bank
    Got Milk? – Milk Campaign
    Have a break. Have a Kit-Kat. – Kit Kat

    All of these examples are very successful slogans that most of us recognize instantaneously. Some of them may even instill sentiment into our hearts for one reason or another. But out of these examples, some stick out more than others. A good example is Nike’s slogan “Just Do It” because it is a very inspirational and successful campaign. The company has turned this slogan into a phenomenon and uses it to brand their products, including everything from t-shirts, to watches, to bracelets, to shorts and shoes, etc. The key is to motivate people to get up and get active, or essentially to go out there and literally “just do it.” These three words are very powerful.

    Today, even our schools have slogans help keep students motivated and give them a sense of community with the school. UNCW recently changed their slogan to “Together We Fly.” A slogan like this not only brands the school well, but it gives the faculty, staff, and students a sense of togetherness. The school then exemplifies a certain image about our university and how well we connect with each other. Bringing a positive image to our school is a huge part of our overall strategic branding. Effective branding will create a greater desire for prospective students to apply here and also help our image overall as an accredited university. Universities all over the world use their slogans to entice prospective applicants to become a part of their alma mater. Everyone in North Carolina knows exactly what school is being discussed when they hear “Tar Heels”.   The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill has established a dominating and elite brand reputation for their school since the 1700’s. When a slogan has motivation combined with pride, it can take the brand to a whole new level of accomplishment.

    Companies and institutions use slogans for a variety of reasons.  There are so many products available today, and consumers are not going to remember each product along with the entire marketing theme associated with such products.  Slogans are easy and catchy ways to grasp the general message that a company is trying to convey.  Just a few words can be extremely powerful in the effort to gain the attention of consumers.

    –Sasha De Vecchi, Lindsay Gallagher, Jay Reilly, Cary Welborn