[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.

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?

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!