Google CEO: Marketing To Become More Analytical

Marketing is becoming more analytical - nothing new really. That’s what IMC already figured out and that’s what IMC at Medill is all about, developing both our right and left brains, learning how to engage in both storytelling and analytics. It is exciting to receive affirmation from the industry of what we are being taught and to recognize the value that any IMCer will be able to add to his/her future employer by combining both qualitative and quantitative skills to produce integrated marketing.

Click here for the full article.

Or watch the video here:

……….Rachelle Goh

The IMC Newsfeed, Vol. 2

BusinessWeek talks about positioning marketing as a service in order to grab the attention of the increasingly ADD (attention-deficit disorder) consumer.

Steve Rubel’s three emerging digital careers is especially exciting for us IMC folk as they directly relate to what we are learning in school right now. It is gratifying to know that grad school is getting us ready for the digital economy. The brand communications track people will make great “Digital Storytellers” and the analysis and insight trackers will obviously be perfect “Super Crunchers”!

Thanks to classmate Michelle Godfrey for sharing this great find with us - the press release of the future. It sounds so logical now that someone has done it. Let’s see if this type of “press release” is likely to become more common (maybe Microsoft should make one for Microhoo/Yasoft?).

Drew highlights interesting statistics regarding rising gas prices and consumer spending behavior. Realizing that this economic downturn might be here to stay, he then asks the question: how will you have to change the way you market your product or service?

Last but not least, some pretty cool global-influenced ads from AT&T, created by BBDO New York.

……….Rachelle Goh

Hitting the Sweet Spot

Come spring, Evanston blooms in more ways than one. Case in point: the fields come alive with players, gloves and bats.

The combination of bat and ball, like most sports, brings people together. Kids go with their fathers for glove shopping and then to the grounds to get practice. Friends play catch. And families gather around the set or go to the stadium to watch the ‘ball game.

So signing up for Medill IMC’s very own team in the Northwestern University’s intramural softball competition was an easy decision. It brought us together…in a different way.

With about 15 other classmates, we played our first game this past week. It was great fun. Some of us were new so it was our first taste of action. Others, although more familiar, were rusty. This mix of old and new provided great entertainment as the game was filled with bloopers, jokes and thrills. All in all, it was a welcome retreat from our hectic routines.

Game 2 is on Monday.

……….Ateeq Abdul Rauf

Chicago…My Kind of Town - Cheesy but True!

As a Chicagoland native who has been away for about 8 years, I am very excited to be back in the Windy City. (Important note: Chicago is NOT the Windy City because of the wind. Don’t think that it’s not windy, but don’t get caught saying the weather is the reason that Chicago is windy.)

Chicago is a great city to live in, around and visit. There are tons of things to do and see, with things changing every day. I have been asked to share some of my favorite things, but in no way is this list exhaustive nor is it in any particular order.

• Food, food and food! There are so many restaurants all over the city and the suburbs that are great. The types of food and restaurant atmospheres are endless. Your best bet is to go on Metromix Chicago, type in a neighborhood/price/food type and try as many restaurants as possible. One of my personal favorite things to do is to grab a group of friends, a few bottles of wine and spend the night at a local BYOB.
• Neighborhoods. While I live on the border of Lincoln Park and Lakeview (northside neighborhoods), I love the fact that every few blocks there is a new neighborhood to check out. Living in Chicago you find your own little neighborhood with your local grocer, dry cleaner, bar and it makes the city seem a lot smaller and more approachable. Not to tie back into food too much, but there are many ethnic neighborhoods with great “local” cuisine (e.g. Devon St, Greektown, etc.).
• Entertainment. I personally love live music and can tell you that there is always a concert (big or small) to go to. I love little venues/bars that bring in local bands and only charge a $5 to $10 cover. Even though it is harder to go to as many shows as I’d like with school and all, there still is a lot to do. From concerts to plays to movies and so on, even though there is a lot to do just about anywhere, in Chicago there just seems to be even more.
• Sports. As the Bulls finish their season (let’s not talk about it) and the Cubs and Sox are beginning, Chicago has football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, softball, etc teams. There is no lack of teams to watch OR teams to join for intramural fun (IMC has just created a softball team so if you’re in town during the spring come cheer us on). Just search online for pro teams and social sporting groups to find out more.
• Tourist Attractions. Whenever I get the chance to see a tourist attraction, I take it. From visiting the Sears Tower or Hancock Building observation decks, to going to festivals like Blues Fest or Jazz Fest (the Taste is really big and busy so if you go, be prepared for an unbelievable crowd) to the river/lake boat tour (the best way to see the city). There is so much to see and as I said in the beginning, everything keeps changing. There are new things to do and see all the time so repeating something isn’t a bad thing.

I know this list is generic but with so many options it is hard to be specific. Other things include great bars, shopping, the lake and more. In sum I would describe Chicago as the best (bias much) big city because of the range of things to do, the accessibility of being able to do those things without being overcrowded, its cleanliness (especially compared to most big cities), its “hometown” feel (formed from the distinct smaller neighborhoods), its residents having a combination of Midwest niceness with the hustle of the city, and for it having such a rich history that shows through every aspect of it. Besides, Chicago has its own flag - how can you beat that!

……….Megan Edelson

A Note from the Journal of IMC

The staff of the Journal of Integrated Marketing Communications (JIMC) is as busy as ever with a host of ongoing projects that keep everyone on their toes. The journal is produced by students in the Integrated Marketing Communications program at Medill and features articles by leading marketing professionals and academics. It takes a lot of students to produce the journal. In fact, about one-third of the class is on the JIMC staff this year.

We’ve been up to all kinds of projects. The editorial staff has been soliciting abstracts from the industry and just completed the first round of the selection process. The fundraising and events teams had an extremely successful Grad-U-Date fundraiser last quarter and are gearing up for another big event this quarter. Work on a fresh look for the Web site and journal layout is also underway.

The PR team recently sent out an electronic newsletter to all of our friends and sponsors. The PR team is also planning a word-of-mouth marketing event and preparing to host six distinguished industry panelists for The Marketer’s Roundtable. The topic of the event is “So Many Messages, So Many Media.” This will be the first year that the roundtable will be held live, via WebEx and then later published as a podcast online and printed in the journal.

That’s a brief update of life on the JIMC team. If you have any questions or want to get involved or support the journal just let me know (jimcprteam@gmail.com).

……….Whitney Wilkinson