I love how the advancement of technology and social media has allowed the quick wit of some brands to shine. From Oreo’s dastardly quick tweet post-football blackout to the #BendGate debacle, brands are showing their comedic chops.

And many of these brands aren’t even phone brands. It makes sense that Samsung and HTC would make jabs about Apple’s unintentional phone design flaw in comparison to their phones’ intentional design. But who would have thought Dockers or even Heineken would get in on the conversation?

Dockers showed their Apple support by donning “Dockers ON-THE-GO” with a hidden security pocket just for the iPhone 6. There’s no sitting on or bending phones with these khakis.

Avoid #bendgate with our hidden security side pocket. Smart phone, meet the #SmartestKhakis ever made. pic.twitter.com/Eb2bvg6fcS

— Dockers (@Dockers) September 24, 2014

Utilizing the trending hashtag “BendGate”, Heineken showed a little sarcastic sympathy for the brand by stating it happens to them all the time.

Dear Apple… #BendGate pic.twitter.com/XJ8zVEUog9

— Heineken NL (@Heineken_NL) September 25, 2014

One of the funniest responses I’ve seen came from Slim Jim. Take a look.

Safe in your pocket, safe in your mouth. #BendGate #6Plus pic.twitter.com/0hZbOpGEqW

— Slim Jim (@SlimJim) September 24, 2014

For more brand trolls, head on over to this Mashable article or check out #BendGate on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. What are some of your favorite #BendGate brand responses?

We’re excited to welcome veteran Atlanta businesswoman, Melissa Trifiro, to the Fletcher team! Melissa joined Fletcher to head our new Atlanta office. She joins us from Mace North America, where she was tasked with opening their first office in North America and brought on Porsche as their first major client.

I love what Beads of Courage (BOC) does for seriously ill children and their families. They've brought beauty, color and creativity into difficult and challenging medical circumstances. Every single bead represents a pivotal step in a child's treatment journey. As a child collects beads over time, a string of visual hope becomes a colorful lifeline of encouragement. As I've become more familiar with BOC's mission, I've grown more inspired and incentivized to get involved. And this month presents the perfect time, with some great opportunities.

Jewelry Television (JTV) is the presenting sponsor for an entire month-long focus to support BOC. They have set up a page on their website for people to make donations of $5 and up. And on September 20, their Knoxville headquarters will be one of 14 national sites hosting National Bead Challenge Day. Each bead-making site will be vying to raise the most donations for BOC and the countless young children who cherish their hand-made beads. The event is free to the public and will be attended by some local BOC children. Activities go from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and include bead-making demonstrations, glass bead and jewelry shopping, and giveaways of Courage Clips and door prizes.

I can relate to the power of the beads. When my father was battling cancer, a friend gave him a cross charm to hold when he would go for chemo and radiation. That little charm also accompanied my father into two operating rooms and went with him into areas of the hospital where our family could not go. It kept him company. It brought him comfort. It gave him something tangible to hold on to. It represented the prayers, concern and love of his family and friends during critical moments of his treatment.

Through JTV's partnership with BOC, you and I can help offer that same kind of strength and compassion to brave young children who are facing health challenges. My friend over at Jewelry Television, Jade McCampbell, has written a lovely blog with more details about JTV's month-long campaign with BOC throughout September. Come and be part of this powerful (and colorful) movement of hope!

I am counting down the days for my “Thursday TV Trifecta” (aka: my shows) – Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal and the new How to Get Away with Murder! I had drifted away from Grey’s Anatomy, but my interest was resuscitated when I discovered that Scandal came on right after it. Now, with How to Get Away with Murder rounding out my Thursday night, I am happily planning a girls night in to kick off the fall line-up.

If you haven’t heard about the Ice Bucket Challenge, then you must live completely off the grid. The viral sensation has become pervasive throughout the news and social media, and its reach is truly remarkable, sparking participation from everyday people, celebrities, athletes and even former Presidents of the United States.

Nordstrom has announced its first-ever private label give-back brand, Treasure&Bond, which will give 5% of its net profits to nonprofit organizations that are missioned with empowering girls and women. I love seeing such a respected retail brand making such a beautifully bold statement. Better yet, I love how a brand that is recognized for showcasing quality fashion trends is perhaps now setting a trend for other retailers to empower-it-forward with young girls and women.

As a millennial, I have a myriad of opinions and insights on what makes this demographic tick. I’m surrounded by friends and colleagues who are millennials, and I study this demo as a PR professional. The American Marketing Association claims that this 18 to 34-year-old segment is a marketing “sweet spot.”

Lonelybrand.com, a brand marketing blog, recently did a trend piece about online quizzes as content marketing tools. It is a great article with lots of good information for brand marketers.