Organization Celebrates Local, Sustainable Vendors
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
University of South Carolina Scholar Commons December 2014 2014 The aiD ly Gamecock, Tuesday, December 2, 2014 University of South Carolina, Office oftude S nt Media Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/gamecock_2014_dec Recommended Citation University of South Carolina, Office of Student Media, "The aiD ly Gamecock, Tuesday, December 2, 2014" (2014). December. 2. https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/gamecock_2014_dec/2 This Newspaper is brought to you by the 2014 at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in December by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. dailygamecock.com UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2014 VOL. 106, NO. 63 ● SINCE 1908 Guard looks for inspiration at Darla Moore Th e SC National Guard turns to graduate students for face lift, marketing strategies Natalie Pita @NATALIEPITA The SC National Guard has missed their recent recruitment targets by as much as 15 percent over recent years, so they decided to turn to MBA marketing students in the Darla Moore School of Business. The National Guard believes they are falling below their target of 1,400 recruits because of a rise in obesity, the prevalence of tattoos and attitudes toward the military. But when the SC National Guard approached Jeff Rehling, director of the Center for Marketing Cody Scoggins / THE DAILY GAMECOCK Solutions through USC and marketing lecturer, with Sustainable Midlands encouraged Columbians to Buy, Eat, Experience Local with their event this Monday. the problem and what the SC National Guard has to offer to recruits, he was quick to agree to take on the project. “[Rehling] said, ‘that’s incredible. If that’s what you have to offer, why aren’t people banging at your Organization celebrates door?’” said Lieutenant Colonel Matt Fryman, head of recruitment for the SC National Guard. He met with a representative from the National Guard at the beginning of 2014 and decided to assign the real-life project to his marketing course. local, sustainable vendors Rehling teaches marketing strategy, including innovative thinking, research and audience, but he likes Merchants showcase handmade and foods. The aisles were chock-full of excited to make sure his students know how to take what they fares, creations at holiday event families who couldn’t help but inhale countless learn outside of the classroom. aromas and sample homemade snacks. “In my classes we write a real marketing plan for The vendors were showing off everything from Kylie Tokar a real company that’s trying to take advantage of a @KYLIE_TOKES personalized jewelry, to tiny plush toys, to freshly real marketing opportunity or solve a real problem,” squeezed wines. Rehling said. Excited to display her homemade candles, Rehling believes the class was able to achieve his Columbia’s artisan community gathered at merchant Jennifer Davis Gerdes is a structural objectives for the project. 701 Whaley St. Monday evening for a holiday engineer taking a sabbatical — she indulged her “I think first and foremost, they learned the presentation of the city’s local businesses, creative side by founding J. Cottage Industries. important role marketing plays in any organization. I drawing a crowd of all ages to taste and buy all “It started as a hobby, and it just grew and think they learned that fi rst hand. Marketing is front kinds of unique creations. grew, and now I’m making candles full time,” and center in building long-term and loyal customers,” Hosted by Sustainable Midlands, the mission of Gerdes said. “My favorite part is designing my Rehling said. “I think they learned from start to fi nish the Buy, Eat, Experience Local event, according own fragrances. What I really love is building how to develop a market strategy.” to their website, was to “advocate, educate, and a new scent that no one has ever smelled before. Students also said the project was effective in helping celebrate solutions that balance the needs of the I use my lab experience, and I approach it very them learn the material. As marketing students, many community, the environment and the economy.” scientifi cally.” of them already know exactly what career path they Their holiday party was complete with over want to pursue. 30 vendors displaying their handmade wares “The biggest learning experience is being able to SUSTAINABLE • 4 put everything into one project and put everything into real life,” said Leacy Burke, a second-year mass communications masters student. “This is something we know is going to be a part of our lives.” Despite protests, Black Friday lives on Fryman also found the project, which was presented through six different competing groups, successful. Cyber Monday, Small South Carolina, feels differently. small retailers. It’s giving to our “I certainly got a new nugget, if you will, a gem Business Saturday on rise “Lots of people don’t have community and what makes it that we can directly use quickly from each of the six the day after Thanksgiving off beautiful,” Bickle said. presentations,” Fryman said. Krishna Thakker of work. They use shopping on Statistics for this year’s sales of Fryman described the presentations as well-thought- @KRISHNA_THAKKER Thanksgiving Day as a way to Small Business Saturday have not out, well-rehearsed and fl uid. bond with their family and a way yet been reported. “Every one of the projects had something that, This year’s holiday shopping to save money,” Bickle said. Sales declined since last year A) I didn’t think of before or, B) gave a new twist on season was unlike any other, There has been a recent on Black Friday however, this something I had already thought of before,” he said. with traditional Black Friday upswing in the promotion of Small is because stores were open When asked about her favorite part of the project, deals starting as early as 6 p.m. Business Saturday, the Saturday Thanksgiving Day. Sales from Burke said “the client, 100 percent” without pausing. Thanksgiving Day and Cyber after Black Friday. Small Business this weekend cannot predict how “It’s really easy to be passionate and give 110 percent Monday extended as a weeklong Saturday began four years ago the rest of the holiday season sales every day when you have the best client, and the digital sale. by American Express, in order to will go. Lots of people wait until National Guard was,” she said. “It made it really easy to Many activists protested offset spending in big box stores the very last minute to buy gifts, pull an all-nighter working.” against the early sales because and major retail chains. However, get really excited and spend a lot The project also had a twist: the class was divided they feel that with sales starting it had never been as publicized as it of money. This increase in sales, into six groups that competed against each other for the earlier many people are cutting was this year. however, is very brief. honor of the best presentation. Burke said this made the Thanksgiving short to go “I think a lot of people fi nally No prediction can be made until assignment even harder, and made her focus more on shopping. Professor Marianne understand how important it is. I at least another two weeks into the being different from other teams. Bickle, a professor of retail feel like people in our community holidays. DG management at the University of should buy at least two gifts from DG New home gives USCPD room to grow Police utilize breathing room notifications, the daily crime log and the for community protection crime map are now highlighted on the website. There is also a link for community members Natalie Pita to download the new Rave Guardian safety @NATALIEPITA app. “Our new website is easier to navigate. It’s With the new law school moving in to very user-friendly,” Grabski said. “There’s the police department’s old space on Senate several features on the website that will help Street, the USC Division of Law Enforcement our community to be able to fi nd out what to and Safety has settled into a new home on do when they have questions.” 1415 Henderson St. According to Grabski, the new building and The old police department building has website help the police department operate historical signifi cance. more smoothly. “The new police department is more “We’re able to be more efficient and efficient in the use of its space because we effective here at the police department,” were pretty much able to design it from the Grabski said. “That not only helps us, but the ground up,” said Eric Grabski, USC police entire community.” spokesman. “The new building has three Although the police department moved fl oors, including a basement, and we’re using several blocks away from campus, Grabski said all of them.” that their “accessibility is still excellent” due to Along with the new residence, the police the visible police presence on campus. department also has a new website, which “The police are accessible 24 hours a day,” makes it easier for community members to Grabski said. “That doesn’t mean you have to Avadah Rana / THE DAILY GAMECOCK fi nd contact information for the department. come to the police station.” USCPD donates space to law school and moves into larger facility. Hot topics, crime bulletins, emergency DG 2 Tuesday, December 2, 2014 Editor-in-Chief HANNAH JEFFREY Managing Editor SAMANTHA LOCKWOOD Sheriff prepared to close Tucker Online Editor KATIE COLE Design Director BRITTANY WILT Hipps investigation Special Sections Director KELLY VILLWOCK Special Editorial Director According to Oconee County Sheriff, Mike Crenshaw, the investigation of Clemson LOIS CARLISLE student Tucker Hipps’s death is nearly complete.