Apps, short for applications, was the word of the year for 2010. According to a recent story on the popular show CBS Sunday Morning, apps are changing the world as we know it. Apps allow us to use our mobile devices as mini-computers and the development of new apps each day acts as a driving force behind tech companies and how they design devices. Now that apps can also be used on tablets and in cars, they really have the potential to saturate our daily experiences.

Most women are quick to grab a cup of coffee or tea as a pick-me-up, but we are less inclined to enjoy a huge muffin or cookie with it, as much as we might want to. Coffee mega-chain Starbucks has taken a new approach to our dillema with its new petite sweet menu, one that will probably be quite a hit. Eight new petite treats are now available, each just 200 calories or less. By offering adorable treats in smaller servings, Starbucks is reaching out to its female audience, though not blatantly. Studies have shown that women are more likely to indulge in treats while spending time with their girlfriends, i.e. cheat on their diets and splurge a little. Starbucks' new treats gives them the opportunity to have a small treat, without feeling guilty.

Her Voice is always a celebration of women, but today's post is even more special because today people all over the world are celebrating women as well. March 8, 2011 marks the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day, an event observed since the early 1900's. In some countries it's even a nationally observed holiday.

There's no question that social media is here to stay. If your small business (or large one for that matter) isn't using some form of social media to connect and engage with your audience, you're missing out. It's not too late to join the game, but if you are curious as to how other businesses are currently utilizing social media platforms, maybe the following graphic will help clarify things. Postling allows social media users to manage all accounts from one centralized platform. The data is only representative of Postling users, but it still paints a good picture of how things break down. "Because others are doing it" is not really an arguable reason for using social media. A better reason would be "because others are doing it well."

Last weekend our local chapter of the American Advertising Federation hosted its annual awards dinner and here at Fletcher PR, we're just bursting with pride from winning 5 awards! Our 2 gold awards are for the work we did in a campaign with Revive Personal Products. That campaign (which included direct marketing, interactive media, and an online game) was featured in another Her Voice post here.

It feels great to be recognized for a job well-done! Congratulations to the other award recipients!

Ursula Burns is not only the first African-American woman to have been named C.E.O. of a major American Corporation, but she is also the first woman to succeed another woman as head of a company of this size. The company happens to be Xerox, whose name has been established as an everyday verb. Burns began as an intern with the company and over the last 30 years has worked her way up the ranks. When all the fuss was made about her new position, she enjoyed it at first, but quickly turned her attention to the task at hand, steering Xerox to become “more fearless and frank,” but describing one aspect of the corporate culture as “terminal niceness.”

There is no question that magazines geared to women are designed differently than those intended for a male audience. Among the many differences in men and women is how each gender views visual design and responds to it accordingly. This is especially important to understand when it comes to designing websites. All the great information in the world isn't going to get read by anybody if it isn't presented in a way that is first visually appealing.

For almost 150 years, the Metropolitan Museum of Art has been at the forefront of American art museums, establishing itself as a leader in the museum world. Arguably the most recognized art museum in this country, it has seen its share of leadership come and go, most recently with Thomas Campbell in his third year at the helm as director. Campbell is making waves at the museum in more ways than one, but one important development he is responsible for bringing about is the establishment of a greater virtual presence for the Met.

PRSA (Public Relations Society of America) released its new social media policy this week with the hopes that it will offer a unified voice to govern the organization's social media efforts. The entire world is buzzing over the use of social media these days, from organizing protests in Egypt to what Ashton Kutcher had for lunch.

Over 109 million viewers tuned in to watch Super Bowl XLV on Sunday, but as often is the case, some viewers are just as excited, if not more so, to see what new creative ads are unveiled. This year’s ads were a hit, with some of the most popular representing the automobile industry. While the NFL has made some strides to include and engage its female audience, the majority of the ads shown during the game were geared to men.