From notepads to iPads and textbooks to Facebook, technology and the way we receive information is shaping the way companies execute efficient marketing strategies. In response to the introduction of the smart phone and the exponential growth of social media users, digital marketing has become a vital part of effective marketing tactics. With each new social media platform comes the decision for a company on whether it will use the platform towards advertising efforts or make it the source for sharing the company’s brand.

If 2016 was a person, it wouldn't be described as a manly year, or even a girly one at that. It would be a fiery, spunky woman. A woman who broke barriers, changed lives and ran the news with her brilliant marketing stunts. Here are some women who changed the game in 2016:

Still wearing your eating pants, sitting in your recliner and watching bowl games?

Not to worry – you don’t even have to break a sweat with these social media resolutions. You’re already multiscreening, so toggle your laptop, tablet, mobile and remote to shape up your social media profile for 2017. 

There’s an inherent conflict of interest between lawyers and public relations practitioners when it comes to corporate communications, particularly media relations. CEOs are caught in the middle, with an angel and a devil perched on each shoulder, whispering conflicting advice. I’ll leave it to you to decide who is the angel and who is the devil.

What started as a call to go outside instead of to the malls on Black Friday has morphed into a rallying cry for people who are tired of having their Thanksgiving holidays defined by shopping. REI wants to create a new holiday tradition of heading outdoors instead of to the stores. This year, 600 organizations got more than 6 million people outside, according to the company. #OptOutside has officially grown beyond REI.

There has been a lot of news recently about, well, news.  

Plenty of digital ink has been spilled in think pieces about two related topics that deal with how we consume news in the digital space. 

Color can be a powerful marketing and branding tool when used correctly, but how do you actually know when to use what color? This infographic, designed by Fletcher’s Creative Director Andrea Truan, reveals the strategy behind choosing the right color to complement your company’s brand identity.

While skilled politicians can be effectively evasive, it’s not a communications model to emulate.

Twitter recently announced its decision to permanently shut down Vine, the iconic six-second video-sharing platform. The release sparked an enormous amount of curiosity among the public but no signs of tears shed. After hearing his creation had been disposed of, Yusupov responded with one simple tweet: "Don't sell your company!" 

Messaging, content, PR, branding, marketing: all of these different elements have one thing in common—they require writing. Whether you’re writing copy for an educational pamphlet, a blog post or a commercial script, it is important to use your words effectively.