While it is starting to see some growth in recent years, the WNBA is still struggling to carve a niche, even after 16 years of doing business. One of the problems has been the inability of media to embrace women's sports. A recent article in Fortune Magazine outlines this problem and some of the other issues surrounding the marketing of female athletes.

There's a new term for women age 50 and up and this demographic is quickly taking over a segment of the market. Referred to as "vibrant women," this is the first generation in the history of women whose social networks are continuing to expand at midlife and beyond. VibrantNation.com performed a study in which it found that “vibrant women” are in the prime of their lives, and they can thank a large part of social media for that.

This group of women is working to defy stereotypes as they age, and this study confirmed that—low and behold—their networks are growing online, contradicting popular beliefs.

The VibrantNation.com study of 1,000 boomer women with household income greater than $75,000 found the following to be true:

-Personal networks of women 50+ are large and growing

-They make personal contact with at least 46 other people each month

-68% share information online with others in their networks

-They are comfortable relying on referrals from strangers online if the sources are knowledgeable and experienced (websites like Amazon, Ebay, TripAdvisor)

-They are open to trying new brands and experiences and motivated to make particular purchases of goods and services by a variety of psycho-social factors such as financial status, life stage transitions, physical changes, new family roles, and social awareness.

It is eye-opening to see such success and happiness when it comes to these “vibrant women”, proving we are not defined by society and the pressures it puts on people. Picture your mom or grandmother- does she have a social media network and is she in the prime of her life? We want to know!

FletcherPR is a national communications firm that specializes in reaching women through the power of media. Headquartered in Knoxville, TN with staff in Nashville & Los Angeles, we are a full-service agency providing strategic public relations, social media and marketing communications services to our clients throughout the U.S.

Everyone is familiar with Silicon Valley in the San Francisco Bay Area (think Pinterest or Klout), but what about Silicon Alley in New York and Silicon Beach in Los Angeles?

It is always important to have a crisis plan in place before the actual crisis ever arises. Progresso did not follow that idea and is consequently facing major PR problems. While a number of recent studies found that the presence of bisphenol A (BPA) in food packaging can have serious health ramifications, Progresso decided to continue using it. The studies, dating back to October 2010, linked BPA intake with infertility, cancer and cardiovascular diseases. The use of BPA in certain food and drink packaging has been banned by the European Union and the Canadian government.
Campbell’s Soup announced in March of this year that they would be eliminating the use of BPA in cans as soon they finish developing an alternative. As customers became more aware of the potential dangers of BPA, other companies have also made similar declarations. Progresso has not made this statement, instead insisting that there is no conclusive proof that BPA is dangerous. They will, however, begin work on an alternative packaging process that eliminates BPA.
Progresso’s response to this situation is a classic PR disaster. The company stayed silent even as consumers demanded change and a major competitor took a big step in eliminating the controversial chemical. Campbell’s announcement should have prompted Progresso to make healthier changes and denounce BPA as well. However, not only does Campbell’s packaging still contain BPA, but they have yet to release a timetable on when they will fully phase it out. Despite this fact, almost the entire consumer backlash has been directed at Progresso.
Facebook users have bombarded Progresso’s page with negative comments about the continued use of BPA, and an online petition demanding that Progresso eliminate BPA has reached 117,000 signatures. The only public statement that Progresso has made on the situation has been a copy-and-pasted response to each critical post on their Facebook page. Unfortunately, this kind of response could result in the loss of many customers.
Progresso’s failure to handle this PR nightmare should serve as an example for all companies. Timing is critical for shaping a consumer’s opinion, and by allowing Campbell’s Soup to make the first statement on the topic, Progresso let a major competitor frame the argument. It’s vital that companies respond as quickly as possible in a crisis situation, especially when the consumers are already aware of the problem. Our agency, for instance, works closely with all of our clients to make sure that we are prepared for the worst case scenario. Progresso’s PR team should have prepared a plan for the potential backlash that resulted from using this chemical, and should have communicated with honesty and transparency. Regardless of whether or not the chemical is actually harmful, a large number of consumers believe that it is. Now those consumers see Progresso ignoring a major problem while Campbell’s appears to be facing it head-on. Is your company prepared for a similar situation?
FletcherPR is a national communications firm that specializes in reaching women through the power of media. Headquartered in Knoxville, TN with staff in Nashville & Los Angeles, we are a full-service agency providing strategic public relations, social media and marketing communications services to our clients throughout the U.S.

The workplace dynamic has changed over the past few years largely due to the economy, especially for the public relations industry. Many people feel grateful just to have a job, while others might feel too much stress trying to fulfill more than one role. So how do you bring joy and meaning back into the office? A Forbes Woman article helps us out with a few tips.

Forbes contributor David DiSalvo recently released a preview of a large research project that he’s working on. The piece examines five traits of highly respected achievers in an organization. We’ve highlighted the more important points below, but if you want to read the full piece, it can be found here.

There is something to be said for creating social media buzz… but what about creating fake buzz? Here is an example of when a faux social media campaign becomes a press release.

Since the beginning of time, there has been a battle of the sexes, men v. women. Even the saying “men are from Mars and women are from Venus” says a lot about the difference (… or competition) between the two genders.

Every company is founded on certain principles, and it’s these principles that should be driving your business decisions. If your restaurant was founded on the idea that fresh ingredients are essential for good food, then you should always buy the freshest ingredients, rather than the cheapest.

For most of history, men have been at the forefront of business. It was passé for a woman to be independent, let alone running her own company. However, step into the 21st century and power women are everywhere.