IMC Hawks Blog

Tag: UNCW

  • Campus Dining: Fueling Your Education

    Students can be hard to please, but that doesn’t stop schools from trying. Universities cater to their students needs in many ways from providing tutoring services and career building seminars, to fulfilling the most basic and necessary task of feeding their students.

    Campus Dining
    facebook.com/uncwcampusdining

    UNCW Campus Dining has a large customer base that has a high turnover. With each new generation of Seahawks and the constant evolution of food trends in society, Campus Dining must stay updated on their consumer needs. An effective IMC plan begins and ends with research. Each semester Campus Dining sends out surveys asking students and faculty what changes they would like to see. Questions include asking for locations where students and faculty feel dining options are lacking and also what variety of food options they would like to see offered.

    Campus Dining stays relevant through a nearly constant evolution of dining locations. Anyone who has had a meal plan for more than a couple semesters has probably seen Dub’s remodeled multiple times. With redecorations, menu changes, dietary need additions, we don’t have time to get bored before it is new again. Currently Dubs has an emphasis on local and healthy options.

    Campus Dining brand also embraces sustainability efforts. You may have heard about the fish tank in Wag. This aquaponics system (a small ecosystem that raises plants and fish in a mutually beneficial environment) is just one of the most recent updates. This semester the cafeteria provides more fresh fruit and veggies (due to survey requests) and wag sushi on Fridays. These are just some examples of Campus Dining improvements.

    Aside from keeping up with the foods that students request, UNCW goes one step farther to keep their students happy by offering a variety of promotions. This semester, along with the updated meal plans, UNCW has a “VIP” option for students in Non-Traditional housing who purchase meal plans. By getting a meal plan between May 18th and August 24th, eligible students were enrolled in a rewards program that allows them free surprises every month.  Some of these specials include free coffee at Port City Java, a free bagel, a free sandwich at The Landing, a free Chick-fil-a sandwich, and other exciting surprises. This IMC strategy is an incentive for students who are not required to purchase a meal plan to do so, and a way for UNCW Campus Dining to retain more customers.

    All these initiatives show Campus Dining’s commitment to generating consumer enthusiasm and engagement to keep their brand relevant against off-campus dining competition. In addition to their guaranteed return on investment from students living on campus who are required to get meal plans, Campus Dining’s IMC plan draws in extra revenue by encouraging everyone to make them their choice for nutritional value.

    Want to learn more about campus dining? Follow them here:

    Twitter: @UNCWDining

    Instagram: @uncw_dining

    Facebook: www.facebook.com/uncwcampusdining

    -Carey Poniewaz, Aki Suzuki, Alexis Trimnal, Carey Shetterley and June Wilkinson

  • The Phenomenon of Dub Hockey

    hockey team pictureUNC Wilmington, a university that many students have characterized as “chill”, gets surprisingly heated when comes to ice hockey. When one thinks of college and ice hockey, they typically imagine it being played competitively in northern states. The same states where devoted hockey fans can be seen sporting the logos of their favorite hockey team on their snow-covered winter jackets. At UNC Wilmington, however, students can spend a Friday afternoon relaxing on the beach, sporting their Dub Hockey t-shirts, then spend the night getting rowdy at the local ice rink.

    Since its creation in 2004, UNC Wilmington’s club ice hockey team has become something of a phenomenon. Not only would it surprise an outsider to find a successful ice hockey team within the warm climate of the Carolina shoreline, but they would be in for an even bigger surprise when they showed up to the Wilmington Ice House. They would find it packed with a sold out crowd, a crowd consisting of excited and enthusiastic supporters loudly cheering on the their beloved team. After reaching the ACHA Division III national tournament in 2014, the unlikely ice hockey team has shown they are a force to be taken seriously.IMG_1338So where does all the energy surrounding the hockey team come from? Largely, it is generated by the team itself. It is hard for UNCW students not to notice the team when they lace up their skates to roll up and down the ever crowded Chancellor’s Walk, in uniform, carrying sirens and horns, while shouting about the upcoming game. The players display an enthusiasm that is, simply put, infectious. They broadcast the same high energy level they hope to receive from the fans. They actively create the brand of Dub Hockey. With the team’s outgoing advertising, as well as their social media presence on Twitter and Facebook, not only do they regularly reach max capacity at games, but those fans who manage to get inside are always full of spirit as they cheer, chant, and pound away at the glass separating them from the ice, demonstrating the level of their support.

    “It’s incredible how rowdy our fans are. We don’t see anything like it at any of the other rinks we go to,” remarked Kevin Mullaney, the team president during the successful 2014 season, in an interview with WRAL.

    The first game of the 2015 season was played last Friday against Elon University. They put on a show as they fought for a 6-4 win against the Phoenixes in front of a max capacity crowd. It would seem that this unlikely group of hockey players will continue to cause UNC Wilmington to lose their chill at the Wilmington Ice house for another season of Dub Hockey.

    Sold out game

    – Austin Moody, Griffin Weidele, Allen Wooten, Scott Uraro, Luci Keefer

  • It’s Not Over Yet!

    It’s that time of year. COM seniors are finishing up final papers, projects, and preparing for presentations. The COM 400 portfolio is finally finished, and everyone’s talking about job interviews, families coming into town, and how they need to get out of their apartment the day after graduation.

    But wait a second… I’m not done yet. I’m a July graduate. And I’m totally cool with it! 

    I’m definitely not a fan of the notion that you have to finish school in four years. I’m finishing up my fifth year of college; the first three at my community college back home and the latter two here at UNCW. It doesn’t feel like five years—I wish I could stay longer! The reason why I don’t mind finishing a little later than most is because I want to ensure my college experience is the best it can possibly be.

    My interest and career aspirations in media/video production are what brought me to take courses in advertising. I’ve always liked advertising. I love TV ads, and I’d love to make them for a living someday soon. Learning about advertising was the perfect complement to video production. This semester, my interest in the two fields opened me up to the rewarding experience of establishing Pier601 Creative, UNCW’s first student-run IMC firm. Be on the lookout for more exciting things to come from Pier601! If you plan to take Field Video Production courses with Dr. Bolduc, I would highly recommend signing up for IMC 1 or Advertising courses with Dr. Persuit as well. The skills you learn about advertising will greatly help you in communicating with video clients about their projects.

    It’s so exciting seeing friends I’ve made in my time in the COM department prepare for graduation. I’ve met so many people in my two years here at UNCW, in both my media production and advertising classes. I’ve not only been pushed harder than I ever have before, but have been encouraged and motivated by my peers. I’ve seen them do some awesome work. One of my classmates and best friends won a car thanks to her work—how cool is that?

    Whether you’re pre-COM, COM, or not, my charge to you is to take on those opportunities presented to you. Keep telling yourself it’ll be worth it… even if you graduate a little later than you thought.

    Nathan Evers

  • Meant to be a Seahawk

    Today is my last day of classes here at UNCW. I did not actually think this day would ever come. For a while, I didn’t even know that I would be attending school at UNCW or in North Carolina at all. I transferred from Dallas, Texas as a Junior. When I mention that, almost everyone asks, “Why UNCW?” So I’ll go ahead and fill you in on how I got here.

    Right after High School, I wanted so badly to attend Baylor University, a more expensive, private school in Texas. Shortly after orientation at BU, they notified me that they had promised too much scholarship money and they were going to have to decrease my scholarship. This was the first crazy, unexpected event in my life after High School. The thought of getting into an extreme amount of debt my first year frightened me to death. My father pleaded with me to attend community college for one or two years, and then he would do his best to send me anywhere I chose.

    After a year or so at a community college outside of Dallas, my dad asked me, “You need to start thinking about where you’re going to transfer.” I was only joking and trying to ruffle his feathers when I replied, “What if I want to go to school all the way in North Carolina?” I did not know it then, but this sarcastic comment would change my life.

    I began looking into UNCW, but it still did not feel like a legitimate option for my future. I only knew of Wilmington because of the movie and television industry – and I thought it was pretty. My parents never said no to sending me there, but I think they honestly felt like it was a phase I would snap out of after a few weeks.

    One day in my mass communications course, we had a panel of women that work in the field of communication speak to us. Afterward, I went to thank them for coming. After speaking briefly with one woman, Keturi Beatty, I asked her where she received her undergraduate degree. She told me I had most likely never heard of it – it’s a school called UNC Wilmington. I could not believe it. That day she gave me her business card (she wrote “Go Seahawks!” on the back). I connected with her over the next few months, and she got me in contact with the one and only David Weber. Connecting with her was the next crazy turn my life took – because now UNCW felt like a real option.

    I was able to convince my mom to bring me out to Wilmington to visit UNCW, and we both fell in love with the campus. I learned a great deal about the Communication Studies Department from Dr. Weber, and the rest is history.

    UNCW and especially the COM Studies department means so much to me. I have learned to think, research, explore, work hard, and how to be a true team member. The COM department feels like one big giant family – that likes to talk a lot. My professors have given me the opportunities and the tools to succeed in my courses and in my experiences after graduation.  When friends ask if I have homework, I tell them no. I tell them I have things I need to get done, because I don’t see the work in my COM classes as homework or chores – they are opportunities to learn and create something I can be proud of.

    Why do I love to tell that story in such detail? Because UNCW has changed my life in so many ways, and this time two years ago – I didn’t even know I would be here. Life can take so many crazy turns when you least expect it, but each and every one of them happens for a reason. Before even I knew it, I was meant to be a Seahawk. I will never tire of telling that story, because it helps me appreciate and value my experiences from UNCW that might not have happened without one special conversation with a fellow Seahawk all the way in Dallas, Texas.

    Rachel Gracy

    UNCW Class of 2014

  • “All your life, you were only waiting for this moment to arise.”

    For four years the class of 2014 have waited to reach this moment and in exactly 12 days we will have made it as undergraduates. Some of you will have noticed the title is a lyric from The Beatles’ song “Blackbird”. No, we seniors probably won’t be fighting the important battles that this song alludes to, but we will be facing challenges— the challenges of finding jobs, a new life, and even ourselves.

    Yes, the four-year “beach party” is coming to an end and although I don’t have anything planned I feel confident in my next steps. I attribute this confidence to the UNCW Communication Studies Department. Not only have I found my passion in this major, but also I have gained life skills and knowledge. So instead of reminiscing on my wonderful four-year “beach party” (as some would call it), I want to give some major-related advice to those of you who are lucky enough to have another year here.

    Things I did that you should do:

    Take as many upper level classes (300-400 levels) as you can.
    Seriously, do it! Forget about the “it is going to be tons of work” and just do it! Not only will you gain knowledge, but also you will gain experience. Some classes I personally got a lot out of were strategic writing (even though it is a 200 level), the ad classes, PR II, and IMC II. The work I completed in these classes pushed me to assess problems and find solutions in ways I didn’t know I could. Not only did I walk away with portfolio artifacts, but I felt what I had done really helped the clients I worked with.

    Find a mentor.
    I applied to be a part of Project Protégé this year. (A program associated with CSS.) It was one of the best things I could have done. Even though it was only a couple of months long, I had a wonderful mentor who I could ask advice from and talk about the industry with. My only regret is I wish I had done it earlier.

    Take classes outside of your immediate focus.
    My focus is IMC, PR and advertising. Since I have known that was my interest from day one I took many of those classes, but this past fall I took decided to take Dr. Weber’s WWII Rhetoric: American Identity course. It was one of the most enjoyable and interesting classes I have taken at UNCW. Therefore, I recommend taking a couple of classes outside of your focus; it really helps broaden your horizons.

    Be Curious.
    After taking a media and integrated marketing communication class, I started becoming curious about these subjects. So whenever a professor would mention something in class that I thought was interesting I would write it down and Google it later. Through this I found Mashable, my go to tech news website, and Girl Talk the best mashup artist ever! Yes, I sound like a nerd, but the knowledge you gain from being curious helps you in ways you couldn’t imagine.

    In addition to this list I must thank a couple of people, first my parents (for reasons obvious to all graduates). Second the organizations that gave me the opportunity to contribute to their team as an intern, the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival and UNCW Alumni Relations. My experience with them was enjoyable and the skills I learned invaluable. And the last mention is to my Pier601 Creative co-founders, for making my last semester at UNC Wonderful even more wonderful. It has been a pleasure getting to know and work with such a creative, talented and personable bunch. Thank you Dr. Persuit for giving me the opportunity to participate in this group DIS. The experience, knowledge, and guidance you have given me throughout the many classes I have taken can’t be returned in my gratitude. So thank you!

    IMG_0604

    To all future IMCHawk bloggers, take this blog as a challenge, not a chore. Put your heart into it: be curious, be passionate, and be critical about the content you write. This blog becomes your moment, so fly.
    –Caroline Robinson

  • So You Want To Be A Media Planner?

    Everyday a city dweller is exposed to 5,000 advertisements. With this many advertisements it is amazing that we actually remember some of them. Part of the remembrance is due to the work of media planners.

    Media planning is the science of message dissemination. It specifically “refers to the process of selecting media time and space to disseminate advertising messages”. In order to find out more about this division and the work they do our blog group reached out to Zimmerman Advertising Assistant Media Planner Mariel Oweida.

    mariel photo

    Oweida, a May 2013 graduate of the UNCW Cameron School of Business, began working for Zimmerman Advertising in December of 2013. She referred to media planning as,

    “…finding appropriate media platforms for a client’s brand/product to use by determining the best combination of media to achieve the client’s marketing objective; media could include print, TV, radio, digital, OOH (out of home advertising- billboards, bus wraps, etc.)”

     Media planning begins with a Media Action Request (MAR) and ends with a media buy. Although the media planning division doesn’t actually negotiate the buying, they do work closely with buyers and account executives to make sure the plan is well executed.

    Media planning is fast paced. Owieda explains she was surprised at the quick turn around. Having concentrated in marketing as an undergraduate, media planning was a new career path for her. Usually you need specific degree for advertising or experience from another ad agency but, she says, ad agencies look for candidates that are willing to learn and grow with the company.

    Specifically, Zimmerman Advertising is a full-service agency that focuses on building national retail brands. Over the past 30 years it has become 14th largest advertising agency in the world and they currently bring in revenue of $100 million a year.

    zimmerman photo

    Recently they moved their headquarters to Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Their brand new office is beautifully constructed to promote a more casual, creative, and collaborative environment. Although this brand new building seems friendly and relaxed, it is full of hardworking individuals who go above and beyond to help clients meet their advertising objectives. In a previous interview with Elizabeth Harrington, Oweida described her typical workday as untypical. “You should never expect to go in at 8 a.m. or leave at 5 p.m. [You] almost always end up going in early and leaving later- that extra dedication is unpaid.”

    Zimmerman photo of building

    During her day Oweida works on budgeting clients money, conducting market research, and media placement. Already she has worked on accounts for Ashley Furniture, Boston Market and AC Moore. “The most challenging part of being an assistant media planner is paying attention to detail, executing the plan we provide, and dealing with clients,” Oweida says. “As a media planner it is your job to let clients know why they are spending their money the way you are telling them. It is important to keep up with research from Nielsen ratings, to demographics, income, and even how long people have owned homes. They all help you plan the media and explain the why to the clients.”

    So as soon to be graduates we asked for the inside scoop on what to do if you want a career as a media planner. She said work on knowing Excel and basic Excel math, but most importantly have great communication skills. She also told us to be up to date on the newest and important trends in the field, which as of right now are social and digital media.

    We would like to thank Ms. Oweida for taking the time to speak with us. If you have any questions or advice about media planning comment below!

    – Caroline Robinson, Elizabeth Harrington , Savannah Valade

  • Wilmington: Just Brand It

    Beginning last summer, the City of Wilmington along with New Hanover County and the surrounding beach towns have attempted to develop a brand for Wilmington. Various groups within the community might have different perspectives on what this southeastern North Carolina town is all about, but officials involved believe there must be a common theme amongst the groups. They also have mentioned that the goal is not to “re-brand.” They have clearly stated that it is a first time effort to create an effective message of what Wilmington is to outsiders.

    Beth Schrader, strategy and policy manager for the county believes that branding the town gives you an initiative you can sell. Once there is an established brand, outsiders will know what exactly sets Wilmington apart from other southern historic towns.

    UNCW business and marketing students and professors have played a huge role in this process. They have aided in research and surveys, which has been an exciting opportunity for them to engage in applied learning.

    Recently, the Brand Identity Leadership Team met to continue the mission of branding the Wilmington area. Newer ideas include Wilmington being a place to “discover” as well as the idea to market Wilmington as a “hidden treasure.”

    Image
    Tom Porter, chairman of the marketing department at the UNCW Cameron School of Business, presents rough ideas for the mission to brand Wilmington. (Photo from PortCityDaily.com)

    The idea of attempting to brand an entire town might seem strange at first glance. But according to CEOs for Cities article, “Branding Your City,” cities have always been brands. When you think of our globalized world, every place has to compete with every other place for attention, which creates the need for a brand identity. Cities need to set themselves apart from other cities in order to attract the world to that city. Branding is a tool cities can use to define themselves, which is necessary to have a long-lasting impact. The brand will influence and shape the world’s perception of a town.

    Branding a city is an important and commonly used tool, but the question that remains is does Wilmington already have a brand? Will the initiative be able to successfully brand something that has already existed for so long?

    What is the Wilmington brand to you? Comment and let us know!

    – Rachel Gracy