We’re excited to announce that Andrea Truan as joined Fletcher as Creative Director. She brings more than 20 years of art and design experience to the agency, and will grow and lead a full-service creative group.

In January, I gave a presentation on social media at the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce. Due to the response I got, I thought I would share it on the Fletcher blog. This is part 2; if you missed part 1, be sure to check it out.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbqT_ubkT0Y[/embed]

Who doesn’t love a good First Friday event? Join us downtown this Friday, March 6 to help raise funds for “Team Mandy” as Mandy Bradshaw participates in Star 102.1’s Dancing with the Knoxville Stars East Tennessee Children’s Hospital fundraiser.

Social media is everywhere. There’s no escaping it. You fall down the stairs in the library, and in five minutes the video is posted on Facebook (and tagged, of course). You meet your favorite musician and forget how to spell your name (or maybe that’s just me), and the whole 140-character tale enters the Twitter-sphere within seconds. Your date night outfit is on FLEEK, and naturally the selfie is prepped and primed for Instagram perfection.

Most brands and industries have become increasingly aware of the need to create messaging and marketing strategies that specifically speak to women. So just how powerful is the female consumer?

I’ve been captivated by the spotlight on Emma Watson and her humbly moving (even if a bit nervous sounding) speeches about gender equality. Yet her nervousness is not due to an inexperience of being in the public eye, nor is it out of youth or naivety. Rather, it’s driven by her passion to bring a powerful gender equality campaign to the forefront and use her influence to elevate awareness and participation. I’m thrilled to see an unexpected, young ambassador speaking for this cause.

A recent article brought me some more excitement about the new perception of the female that is surfacing. Bridget Brennan of Forbes wrote about the top 10 things to know regarding women consumers. Number 2 on her list is my favorite and states, “Women have a multiplier effect.” We hold multiple roles, which take us into vast, varied and far-reaching market segments that could be converted into loyal customers. We have a voice and know how to transport a message far and wide – and will gladly do so for the causes in which we believe.

Gentlemen, we are not trying to bulldoze you. Your voice is a valued component of healthy professional and personal interactions, information discovery and societal progress. We want to join our voices for good, to effect positive and sustainable change for generations to come. I’m grateful to live in a time when women are being heard and to witness the positive response that is unfolding.

Who DIDN’T watch the game last week? International Business Times reported that an average of 114.4 million people viewed NBC’s Sunday broadcast per minute! And although seeing the best two football teams in America confront one another isn't often considered the place for 'softies', the ads featured last week certainly appealed to the 'softer' side of our emotions.

I recently gave a presentation on social media at the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce. Due to the response I got and considering the amount of work that went into putting the presentation together, I thought others might find this information useful as a blog. Since it’s a bit long, I’m going to split this into three parts.

Lists are a hot tactic in the world of content marketing, so as a PR pro, I thought I’d take this opportunity to put a best practice into action. As a “senior practitioner” (I hate calling myself that), my most memorable career lessons have happened during moments of failure. I’ve taken my lumps and observed others taking theirs.

Here are five hard won lessons that may help you on your personal journey to success at work (and play):

5) Embrace other people’s strengths. No one is good at everything. Know what you’re good at and where you’re deficient, and surround yourself with people who complement your abilities.

4) Be your own worst critic. If you aren’t, you can bet someone else is. Pay attention to your own work and search for ways to become better. The counterbalance – don’t take yourself too seriously.

3) Avoid burnout. We spend a huge portion of our lives at work, and there is more to life than burning the midnight oil all the time. Enjoy what you do and the people you work with. If you never feel a sense of accomplishment, it may be time to look for another job or career.

2) Be a change agent. Marketing communications is fast-paced and always changing. Don’t be afraid to mix things up and try new ideas. Be daring with your next headline. You never know where it may lead you!

1) Remain relevant. It’s my responsibility to provide value to my clients and my employer. Embrace lifelong learning and consciously look for ways to stay relevant.