To say 2025 is a year of change at The Hodges Partnership is a bit of an understatement. We moved, we changed our brand and we focused on how we evolved over the years to solidify our “different” direction for the future. Today we announce something completely different, a new ownership structure. This announcement comes with a range of mixed emotions. Happiness, pride, a bit of sadness. It also comes with 23 years of great memories as well as tremendous excitement for the years to…
Relationships are the name of the media relations game. And if you ask a group of public relations practitioners how they’ve found success in the realm of media relations, it’s not likely you’ll get two of the same responses. This is because at its core, there is no exact science to media relations – what works for one might seem archaic to another. But there is one constant among media relations experts: They’ve worked hard cultivate and maintain relationships with reporters. And while establishing these…
On May 12-17, Navy Week returned to the River City for its second visit since 2022. This time with an even bigger reason to celebrate, the Navy’s 250th anniversary. Sailors arrived in Richmond ready to celebrate with musical performances, STEM demos, community service, and hometown pride. Navy Week is the Navy’s principal outreach effort in U.S. cities without a strong Navy Prescence. Richmond was one of 15 U.S. cities chosen to host Navy Week in 2025. To support the week’s efforts, the Navy partnered with…
When we talk about media relations, a large part of what we mean is how we work to cultivate relationships with reporters and stay abreast of what they cover and the kinds of stories they are interested in. This often results in pitching story ideas that end up in print, broadcast or radio, and other times, it can even mean keeping clients out of the news. There are many reasons our agency and others still put so much credence into earned media placements for clients,…
Brands are multifaceted. Communicating their stories requires attention to detail and often an intrepid willingness to implement nifty marketing techniques in the hope of attracting consumers. Social media is an essential element of a marketing strategy. Also trending is integrating an influencer into your campaigns, a tactic that can reap big time dividends. Local influencer marketing leverages local creators to promote your company or brand. Here are a few reasons to consider using a local influencer marketing campaign. Relatable to consumer Local influencers are seen…
Editor’s Note: Big thanks to our summer intern, Lindsay Lawrence, for sharing her smarts on the Gong Blog. Whether it’s searching for an internship or a full-time job after graduation, standing out in today’s competitive job market can be challenging. The secret to success lies in developing a unique mix of skills and experiences, transforming you into a unicorn candidate. So, how do you become a true unicorn? It starts with leveraging every experience you’ve had, no matter how niche, and demonstrating your ability to…
Throughout the years, companies and organizations of all sizes have looked to Hodges to help make sense of their community relations approach and deliver a smart, relevant strategy that can be brought to life in many ways. Whether we’re starting fresh or reviving an existing strategy, we frequently encourage clients to consider focusing efforts on only a few causes. For some, this news can feel daunting, and for others the narrowing down is a relief. Let me explain. Many big brands have already moved in…
In this bonus episode, we’re giving you the Q&A portion from our Teaming Up Live event from earlier this summer. Senior Vice President Sean Ryan fields audience questions for Jason Fuller, a producer with NPR’s All Things Considered, and Adisa Hargett-Robinson, a former associate booking producer with ABC News. Episode Highlights Who and how to pitch The impact of disinformation in the newsroom The use of AI in the newsroom
Barnes & Noble is opening more stores than ever. When I saw this headline in Good Housekeeping, I admittedly did a double take. Behind the growth? Creators breathing new life – and community – into reading. How is TikTok, or more specifically #BookTok, supporting retail – and what can we learn from it? What exactly is #BookTok? The subcommunity emerged in 2020 and continues to help revive the sale of physical books. It all started with a hashtag. Cait Jacobs of @caitsbooks created the community…
With the rise of social media comes a rise in doom scrolling, stress, anxiety and burnout. To combat these feelings, many people have started taking a digital detox. While many social media managers feel pressured to be constantly online to stay up to date on the latest trends, scrolling for hours can be detrimental to their work, brand and creativity. A digital detox is beneficial for all, even those who manage social media for a living, and we have three reasons why a detox is…
Happy Independence Day! With the United States approaching its 250th anniversary in 2026, it feels fitting to spotlight the wave of patriotic energy shaping American-made marketing campaigns across industries. From red-white-and-blue packaging to messaging rooted in national pride, marketers are leaning into “Made in America” themes more than ever. This momentum is driven not just by the upcoming semiquincentennial milestone, but also by ongoing geopolitical and economic pressures — most notably tariffs and supply chain instability — that are pushing brands to emphasize American-made goods….
The Hodges Partnership team is grateful to lead national media relations programs for a variety of clients. Our work is often complex and time-consuming, as we work to think about the best positioning and appropriate outlets to share stories. But the work can lead to big payoffs: Those national stories and headlines lead to greater credibility and a big boost to brand awareness. This month we invited two national journalists with connections to NPR and ABC News to our new office for an insider’s view…
