Planning for this years IMC Camp

By Nicole Licari
UNCWs Department of Communication Studies will host its second Integrated Marketing
Communication (IMC) Camp this coming spring. The event, last held in 2014, provides practitioners in
the communication field with training and professional development to keep abreast of new trends in
IMC.
When I was an IMC practitioner, I was always looking for opportunities to learn new things to make me
more effective at my job and help my organization. This [camp] allows them some time to learn and
reflect on their practices, says Dr. Jeanne Persuit, IMC Camp director and associate professor at UNCW.
Persuit, who will be doing much of the training at this years IMC Camp, says there are very few
professional development opportunities in IMC that exist in Wilmington. Because the department of
communication studies teaches IMC, public relations, advertising and media production, the department
often gets requests from local nonprofits and small businesses for assistance; thus sparking the idea to
create an IMC Camp here at UNCW.
IMC Camp takes place throughout one weekend and is ideal for any communication professional looking
to brush up their skills and expand their knowledge base, small business owners who are looking to make
an impact, and for other practitioners who are dependent on effective communication with internal and
external audiences. Almost every nonprofit and small business needs help with branding, using and
managing social media, and audience engagement, she says. Examples of possible attendees include
executive directors of nonprofits and marketing coordinators throughout the community. The camp
includes an interactive learning environment led by experienced UNCW professors who have a variety of
professional experience. The second day of IMC Camp features one-on-one or small group consulting
with our faculty. Each curriculum track is personalized to maximize the impact on professional
development and an organization's effectiveness. In 2014, the camp also included a networking wine and
cheese reception, allowing participants to connect with the other attendees and instructors in a relaxed
setting.
Although specific curriculum tracks have not yet been announced, Persuit says we can expect more of a
nonprofit focus in at least one track this year. Previous topics from the last camp included market research
and analytics, social media, brand identity and management, and media and communication training.
Following the IMC Camp in 2014, participants expressed their feedback and completed an evaluation
survey. Although we based our curriculum on cutting-edge IMC issues and concerns, we wanted to learn
from our participants about what would help them the most as well. As a result, we found that
incorporating time to individually discuss customized goals and plans and allowing participants will to
self-select appropriate breakout sessions worked for both the instructors and the attendees, she says.
Persuit has not decided on an exact date for this years IMC Camp but is working alongside Dr. Rick
Olsen, communication studies department chair, Dr. Bill Bolduc co-advisor of Pier601 Creative, students
in Pier601 Creative and Trahern MacLean, part-time communication/media coordinator, to plan this
years event. Students in Pier601 Creative will be developing a promotional campaign, as well as
developing the curriculum, learning outcomes, workshop activities and assessment instruments for this

event. All planning for the IMC Camp will be completed by the end of the spring 2016 semester, with the
hope to hold this May.
[I hope] that our attendees learn and grow from the content and training we offer, and that they see the
benefits of partnering with UNCW in these types of professional development opportunities, says Persuit.
She also hopes to utilize feedback from this years IMC Camp to drive future programming and events, as
well as create opportunities for future collaboration between IMC Camp participants and Pier601
Creative.