Fletcher Marketing PR staff had the pleasure of attending the Women's Fund of East Tennessee's 6^th annual luncheon last Thursday afternoon. Set in between serene gardens with a lakefront view, women from all walks of Knoxville gathered to celebrate the organization and raise donations for low-income women and girls in need. In reflection of the Women's Luncheon, here are some ways to plan the perfect event:

Unless you’re completely media-agnostic, it’s been impossible to avoid the images and video of a doctor being “re-accommodated” by airport police on a United Airlines flight in Chicago on April 9. The disturbing video showing a bloodied Dr. David Dao being dragged to the concourse infiltrated Facebook feeds, morning shows and websites everywhere.

Smart brands have discovered the power of influencer marketing. While they may not have given up on telling their own stories, businesses are trusting digital personalities to tout their products and services, because consumers are tuning out traditional advertising.

The popularity of various platforms has shifted over the social media age. If there's any app that has stepped up its game over the past five years, it's Instagram. Facebook maintains its users by acting as a population directory to find anyone and everyone, but Instagram and Snapchat have emerged as prime sources of social media entertainment.

Shows like "Mad Men" illustrate the dominating influence of white males during the advertising boom of the 1950s and '60s. Less than 60 years later, marketers are at women's feet. What happened? According to the Boston Consulting Group, women make over three out of four purchasing decisions in the home. Maybe they always have, but now the research is there to validate it. 

Tourism is so important to the Tennessee economy, yet we could do better when it comes to attracting niche groups of women with big bucks to spend. 

As our new president continues to ignite the Twittersphere, and Facebook Live fosters ubiquitous over-sharing of graphic and violent content, let's reflect on the state of social media - where we've been and where we're going. Read more about how brands can stay digitally relevant in my Knoxville News Sentinel/USA Today Network - Tennessee column.

Some fashionistas may have been shaking their heads when acclaimed fashion designer, Zang Toi, partnered with Shop LC, to provide jewelry for his recent spring runway show. After all, Shop LC is a retailer focused on the value-conscious woman whose average purchase is under $100, while Toi dresses the rich and famous in garments that can set them back tens of thousands of dollars. (I recently salivated over an $18k ivory knit duster with sable fur trim in his NYC studio). But co-branded partnerships are big business and can benefit both companies when executed properly.

Entering the 2016 holiday season, Fletcher client Go Girl Designs' goal was to blast an influencer marketing and social media campaign to increase sales of Busy Girl Bangle products and boost Go Girl's online presence.

Super Bowl LI is in the books, and according to FOX, it was the most-watched television program in U.S. history, with more than 172 million viewers. As the Falcons and Patriots made history on the field, there was plenty of non-football conversation surrounding what, for many, is the real star of the game—the commercials.