Her Voice Blog

I’m excited to hit the road with my colleagues, Cheryl Ball, APR, and Chris Martin, Account Manager, to present at the Public Relations Society of America Southeast District Conference in Charlotte, N.C., on Thurs., April 10.

Whew! It’s going to be a whirlwind week. I’m in beautiful Charleston, SC for the South’s premiere fashion event, Charleston Fashion Week. FletcherPR's long-time client, Jewelry Television (JTV) is here to launch their new brand, ‘Jewelry Love,’ and we’re here to ensure they get mega media coverage. We’re also working with a new client-- Charleston Fashion Week, the event itself-- to help attract more national media attention.

Staff from FletcherPR were at the Waldorf Towers in NYC last week meeting with jewelry and accessory editors from major magazines, websites and blogs. This effort is part of the “Jewelry For Your Life” campaign that we conceptualized and are executing for my former employer and long-time client, Jewelry Television (JTV).

I was never a fan of Angelina Jolie. Until today. By sharing the story of her decision to take control of her health and opt for a double mastectomy, she has done a great service to women. As a woman whose entire career relies on beauty and the vitality of youth, Angelina has proven that she has substance and depth far greater than I’ve ever given her credit for.

We salute you, Angelina. Thank you for empowering women everywhere. http://omg.yahoo.com/blogs/celeb-news/angelina-jolie-reveals-preventative-double-mastectomy-064002088.html

Note: For more information on BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic testing visit http://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/GeneMutationsampGeneticTesting.html.

Abercrombie & Fitch CEO, Mike Jeffries, has alienated 66% of his potential female target market, including millions of moms who shop for their kids and teens. The 61-year-old CEO of the popular clothing line says he only wants “thin, beautiful people” shopping at Abercrombie.

Say what?

Have you checked recent statistics, Mr. Jeffries? According to womenshealth.gov, 66 percent of adult women are overweight and 32 percent of adolescent girls are overweight. That’s a lot of market share to give up over a pant size. In a 2006 interview with salon.com, Jeffries said his company is “absolutely exclusionary” because he thinks companies that try to target everyone fail.

I’ll give him that much but blowing off such a large number of potential female shoppers is not a smart move. When marketing to women, the message matters just as much as the product you sell. The message Jeffries is sending says “you suck and can’t be a part of our club if your pants size is larger than a 10.” No matter the age, women are emotional shoppers. Make us mad and we’ll tell everyone we know- and even a few we don’t.

It’ll be interesting to see how this one plays out on the national stage, but I’m one female consumer of many who will no longer support the Abercrombie brand.

Facebook COO, Sheryl Sandberg, is a genius when it comes to marketing to women, and she’s has been all over the news after her recent interview on 60 Minutes. Sandberg’s book, Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, is a topic of controversy among both men and women. I was captivated by her interview and immediately ordered the book. She believes we are our own worst enemies when it comes to climbing the corporate ladder and accessing positions of leadership and power. Sandberg cites a number of reasons.

Fletcher PR, a marketing firm specializing in marketing to women, created this public awareness campaign