IMC Hawks Blog

Tag: Wilmington NC

  • The ‘One Tree Hill’ Gang

    This past year, Wilmington was home to two exclusive One Tree Hill reunions, where the TV show once took place. Hundreds people came out to interact and reminisce with their favorite characters from the show. Commuters traveled from all over the nation and even overseas to Wilmington for the three-day event. Tickets started at $35 and increased up to $795 for a VIP experience. Fans who were willing to pay these high amounts obviously have a deep connection with the show or the characters.

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    However, this is not surprising. Cultivation theory tell us that high frequency viewers of television are more susceptible to media messages and the belief that they are real and valid. We can understand the One Tree Hill phenomena as it was one TV’s most popular shows for eight years. The viewers create a strong bond to the show and the actors that portray the characters.

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    Brands that cultivate a culture around their product and are able to build a lasting relationship with their consumers. The creators of One Tree Hill are able to continue the brand without producing a product. This benefits not only the show, but allows consumers to identify and participate with a culture that shares their common interests.

    What other brands have cultivated their image to go beyond their product?

    – Nick, Melanie, Mary & Patrick

  • Behind the Scenes in Wilmington, NC

    For the past 30 years while the film industry was taking root in Wilmington, NC a brand was also growing. Wilmington became “Wilmywood.” With a well established tie to the film industry where does this brand identity go now that major productions like “Under The Dome” are heading farther south to Atlanta? Is Wilmington still “Hollywood East?” The NC Department of Revenue reported 10,500 film industry jobs in 2011. The UNCW Film Studies webpage promotes the department as a vital link to a “thriving film production center.” Students are often excited to see UNCW featured in these movies and shows, with hits like ‘The Conjuring’ and ‘One Tree Hill’ shooting scenes on campus. UNCW student Jackie L. says, “I took the opportunity to be an extra in Nicholas Sparks film at Dockside Bar & Restaurant because this was an easy way for me to break into the industry and help gain some exposure.” Incoming students, and industry professionals aren’t the only ones drawn to this exposure. Wilmington tourists are promised not only sandy beaches but film location walking tours from The North Carolina Travel and Tourism Board. It’s undeniable that Wilmington’s film industry has been at the forefront of establishing the city’s brand equity, attracting loyalty and awareness through the implications of its name branding “Hollywood East.” Will “Hollywood East”  still be an accurate picture of the Wilmington brand?

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    When North Carolina cut film industry tax incentives in half in 2014, production companies moved productions but the studio they used is still here. EUE/Screen Gems Studio is the local film industry power player having provided an operational base for over 400 film and television productions since 1985, and the 50 acre soundstage is still in business. With the film industry starting to move out of Wilmington while a major studio complex remains this puts Wilmington and its brand in an interesting situation. Is it ethical to keep advertising Wilmington as “Hollywood East?” Or should Wilmington and the UNCW community take this opportunity to revisit their dominant selling point and establish a new standard for connecting the film industry with their brands?

    EUE-Screen-Gems-in-NC

    The democratic ethical approach put emphasis on the habit of justice which calls for factual accuracy, and the habit of search which supports openness to new ideas. According to this, the city cannot market itself as Hollywood East, and let potential students and new residents believe that they will spot Robert Downey Jr. on the street or will sit down across from Jennifer Aniston Front Street Brewery. The reality is that the movie industry is largely moving out. We can still talk about the film that has happened in Wilmington and market that for all its worth, but we should be factual about the changes occurring.Wilmington and UNCW should open up to new branding possibilities and creating a new way to market themselves without needing to rely on “Hollywood East.”

    We know that the film incentives have brought controversy among Wilmington citizens. What are your opinions on Wilmington’s next step should be?
    -Aki Suzuki, Lexie Trimnal, Carey Shetterley, June Wilkinson, Carey Poniewaz

  • 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
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    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 Time Has Come

    Here we are. Ten days until graduation! The past four years have been the most incredible years of my life. It’s almost overwhelming to think of all that has happened to get to this place.

    Growing up in Wilmington, I always said I would go to college anywhere but UNCW. However, when it came time to actually look at colleges, I realized how many opportunities UNCW provided. And at the end of four years, I cannot imagine going anywhere else, even though I tried. After changing by major about three times (because I could not figure out what I wanted to do with the rest of my life), I decided to try to get into the Sonography (ultrasound) Program at Cape Fear Community College. For three semesters, I took classes at UNCW and Cape Fear trying to figure what I wanted to do. In that last semester, I took COM 105 and absolutely loved it. Dr. Weber sold me on the greatness that is Communication Studies, so I changed my major again. After taking a few COM classes, I decided to fully “recommit” to UNCW and stopped pursuing the Sonography Program.

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    During this “two-school” phase, I also got engaged and married to the best guy ever! My dream had always been to have a fall wedding, so we got married in October (yes, in the middle of the semester), but it worked out perfectly. Since then, we celebrated our one-year anniversary, got our first dog, Hudson, bought a house, and got a second dog, Winnie. Needless to say, graduating from college is the next step in growing up!

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    Looking back at all the reasons I changed my major, landing on Communication Studies makes perfect sense. I wanted to be an art major for a while, and Communication Studies requires a huge level of creativity. I wanted to be a business major, and Communication Studies teaches things vital to the business world. I wanted to be a Community Health major, and Communication Studies teaches how to conduct research, how to advocate, and how to effectively present findings. By choosing Communication Studies, I finally felt like I was able to get all I wanted out of my educational experience at UNCW. I have truly enjoyed my courses and have been stretched to learn more and engage in projects that have impacted education. Taking all I have learned in the major I hope work in the field of advertising to combine the aspects research, business, and creativity that I was looking for all along.

    With the support of all of my family, teachers, and friends, these past four years have been a wonderful journey. I cannot thank you all enough for the study sessions, wedding festivities, and moving boxes. I am truly excited to move into this next phase of life.

    –Laura Tippett

  • Beer Fest 2011

    Today’s consumer market has been dominated by large mergers in the corporate world that have taken over the competition at the height of what capitalism has created. However, we can look at one industry that has been resisting change in this area.

    Beer.  It is a commodity that Americans have relied on forever.  Anheuser-Busch, Miller and Coors are the three corporate heads that have dominated the American beer industry since the end of Prohibition.  It has only been in the past decade or so that there has been a new component to the industry.  The phenomenon of the microbrewery has taken off nationwide.  People love the variety of taste that light beer clearly does not offer.  Back in the 70s and 80s there was no variety other than the imports we get and now the business has swung a totally different direction than most industries.  Instead of the industry fusing together, which we see more and more of today, independent brewing companies are at an all time high with over 1400 breweries in the country. 

    This past weekend marked the 10th annual Beer Fest in Wilmington, NC.  Lighthouse Beer & Wine has always been the host of the event since 2001.  Lighthouse is located on Wrightsville beach and has been opened only since 1998. The success of Beer Fest is a prime example of the fulfillment of a fast growing trend in craft and microbrews.  These new brands of beers are not exactly comparable in taste.  They are all unique, something that the American public has found very appealing.  Beer has risen to a new level of connoisseurship, one that rivals wine.

    The Beer market has clearly shifted and continues to change.  Honing in on what now defines the niche market of beer is something that marketers have had to really start to invest time into.  Building brand awareness has shown success through simply having a quality product.  The three corporate heads of the industry have had to scramble in the last few years as they have seen a decrease in sales.  People don’t necessarily want one light beer that tastes exactly like the other.  They want variety in what they drink and knowing the effort and thoroughness that goes into the beer at an independent brewery is a good target buying incentive for customers that are looking for a new beers to purchase.  Anheuser –Busch, Coors, and Miller have started to catch on to this trend and have basically bought into various independent breweries without putting their name on the beer.  Their way into the microbrew trend that has risen is almost to conceal their brand name and emphasize the microbrewery in order to maintain their credibility.  This sub branding of breweries seems to be the future for the corporate beer industry where people authenticate it on a personal level based on quality of the product rather than basing their choices on the traditional mass media advertising campaigns that we are used to seeing on television.

    Beer Fest was a great way to advertise small breweries because sampling the product is one of the most effective way give incentive to customers and gain brand loyalty.

    By: Oliver Evans, Sally Shupe, Jared Sales

  • The Azalea Fest is Back!

    Live music playing in the background, the smell of fried food, and an oncoming parade of the Azalea Queen can only mean one thing; you’re at the Azalea Festival. Wilmington is the host of one of North Carolina’s largest festivals. Besides word of mouth, the Azalea Festival has a large presence on their website and social media sites. They capitalize on this by using their Twitter, Facebook, and also a blog. These social media outlets facilitate two way communication with their publics. They use IMC to interact with their customers and festival attendees. There are tons of events that take place during the week and mostly over the weekend like a cake tasting, 5K race, circus, and much more. The Azalea Festival adds value to the image of Wilmington; as soon as you enter the city you see a sign that says “Welcome to Wilmington, Home of the Azalea Festival”. It takes place in the historic part of downtown Wilmington and has been a long time tradition since 1948.  The residents of Wilmington as well as visitors from around the state have attended the festival for the past sixty three years. According to the Azalea Festivals’ official website, “More than 200,000 people attend the two-day weekend street fair”. They also say, “It has been estimated that the festival weekend activities contribute more than $5 million to the economy of Wilmington and the coastal Carolina area“. Support your local Wilmington economy and check out this years’ 63rd annual Azalea Festival. Visit their website for times and events http://www.ncazaleafestival.org/default.aspx.

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

  • “I want to be an event planner!”

    Contrary to popular belief, event planning isn’t all white dresses and fancy cakes.  In the realm of IMC, events are everywhere. From trade shows to music festivals, it takes knowledge of budgeting, marketing, advertising, organizational planning, and more to carry out a successful event. Our education in Communication Studies gives us a head start on other event planning hopefuls by providing opportunities through the classroom, internships, and extracurricular activities.

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    2010 "Dress for Success" Fashion Show Logo

    At UNCW, students have the opportunity to assist in the planning of fashion shows, academic conferences and meetings, concerts, multiple charity functions, and fundraisers. These opportunities give us valuable insight into all the necessary components of event planning. We come to understand that it takes hard work and long hours, excellent writing and public speaking skills…the list goes on and on! At the end of the day, an IMC student evaluates the outcome of his or her efforts not by how happy Bridezilla was, but by how it changed the behaviors of the client. For example, the success of a charity event might be measured by an increase in donations, not by how much people enjoyed the show.

    UNCW Communication Studies Society raised over $5,000 for breast cancer research in October 2010!

    When searching through the thousands of job listings, there are a variety of titles to consider: conference coordinator, special event coordinator, and meeting manager to name a few. Dependent upon the more specific interests of the applicant, these titles can start you on your way to a career in event planning!

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